University of Liverpool-Laureate Online Education

The tutors are highly variable. A number are foreign and have a limited grasp of English. Grading on coursework seemed to be based primarily on a matter of ticking boxes, only one tutor over the entire course made any reference to content, there were very few guidelines as to what was expected. Much was based on fulfilling the APA guidelines on referencing etc and getting through the hoops of the plagarism checker. The dissertation experience was totally frustrating, with tutor feedback and DA/DGI structure totally inefficient, each tutor contradicting the other and v limited methodology guidelines for tutors or students - what was okayed by one tutor was then totally contradicted by the following reviewer. Many months were thus wasted and I was left with the impression that the process was inefficiently designed specifically in order to justify spreading it out over 9 months. Student ability is v varied which devalues the programme. Overall a fairly positive experience, but expensive for a course that ultimately is self-taught, with tutors of variable quality and limited constructive feedback. As another poster summised- online teaching has many limitations.

My MSc program with UOL online started very well, that is for the first 12 weeks. After that, the level of service and support was declining remarkably. I even started to think it is always the way with new students then once you are in, you are not important anymore! Some instructors are really unqualified and inexperienced in running online classrooms, I had an instructor with a very bad English accent who refused to send her instructions in text format and insisted on recording a voice note every week! Some modules did not have a text book and would only include weekly journals. Resitting is a must for any module finished with grade below 50 and resitting means re-paying. Complaints are not taken seriously and a plead request would take forever! At a point I felt disappointed because the work load was way more than 20-30 hours a week and is not convenient for working professionals. The way instructors deal with students contradict everything shared by UOL admission team prior to registration. If I go back in time, I would certainly choose another university.

I am studying at UoL online Masters right now and so far the impression is positive. Being surprised by many negative reviews. Not like they are illegitimate, but I got a feeling that some are looking for student pampering services instead of an online degree and then leave disappointed remarks. Degree, and, can't stress it enough, especially online one, requires effort and self-discipline. There's virtually no way to get through it by hanging around and catching up when necessary as some do at the campus. + The UoL gives you access to the library online, and the library is extraordinarily good. + The UoL provides you with the curriculum, but for postgraduate degree students are expected to spend quite a lot of time in the library digesting letters, so the curriculum is merely a guideline. It is advertised (I have no way to verify it though) to be the same program as for the students on the campus and, indeed, the program is outstandingly good. Maybe not Oxbridge-good, but not too much behind either. + The UoL gives you access to the plethora of popular tools for academic writing and citation management. + The UoL has outstanding support; it is lying to say that the actual University of Liverpool ignores online students. I used to support several times, and excluding the busiest times of the year, the support was quick and highest quality. They even called me to explain things, on my phone. I didn't ask. + The UoL gives you career advisor services. I can't tell how good, but they do exist for online students. If you write your assignments well, the guidelines given by the instructor are very helpful. Most instructors do not use "copy-paste" reviews on your assignments but read them. + There is an excellent introductory "course" on the web page of UoL, it is free for anyone, and aside from standard blah-blah-our-uni-so-good, it is helpful to sharpen up the academical skills before starting the study. It is long, it takes 8 hours or so, but I highly recommend it, especially the "old" version. The new one is shortened which did not improve its quality. + Finally, you are a student of UoL, not Laureate and you do indeed enjoy the whole warmth of the community, as long as you are willing to engage online. And the negative: + Key Concept Overview: short "lecture notes", given every week is made by Laureate Education, and more often than not it is not of very high quality. Gradually I stopped taking KCO seriously and simply do the reading by myself after scanning what is the KCO about. + Explanations for assignments are sometimes too blurry and hard to grasp. + The load is not always balanced. Some weeks feel too "empty", some are "are you kidding me?" content-heavy. That's it, folks. Don't blame UoL because it is not what you expected. Objectively it is a good university. And online education is seldom any good, so this is a great effort from Liverpool.

Poorly organised and reliant on external textbooks (that cost extra) to deliver the course. There are better free online courses (e.g., Coursera) which actually teach you the subject matter.

I wish I had gone elsewhere, I kept giving them a chance and now i am in my 5th module and it's to late to restart elsewhere but I should have seen from the start that it was as bad as it has been. Teachers are really poor, you have almost no support, the feedback you get is very general it's almost like they have a list of items to choose from to compose the feedback on your weekly assignment. Super inflexible as well. I am starting to think that all these Online MBA schools and accreditation organizations are a scam. Really disappointed. The only positive thing I have to say about it is that it was not too expensive but apart from that nothing at all. if you want to say you have an MBA and spend as little money and effort on it then this could be the right choice, if you have any other driver for getting an MBA go somewhere else.

I received my Masters of Science, Information Systems Management in 2014. Frankly, about a quarter of the way through I realized that if I was doing this purely for the educational value and value placed on the Degree by the outside world, I was wasting my time and money. Their use of technology is laughable; 10 out of 10, I knew more than the Instructors; and, come on, if a Clinton is involved, which they are, you have to know you're being lead astray. However, I continued on for a few years taking a course or two a year because I thought it was tax deductible (it wasn't, then it was, then it wasn't) and there is good value in having access to Emerald, Scopus and other pricey Academic publications - those are worth it! If you want a piece of paper, it's a wonderful idea. If you want an education, it's a terrible idea. If you're Canadian and thinking that you'll get the Tuition Tax Credit - think again! For the sake of simplicity and profit, the University of Liverpool classifies ALL online courses as part-time. This means that Revenue Canada will laugh in your face when it comes time to claim the Tuition Tax Credit, and the Administration for the University of Liverpool cares NOTHING about you, or the thirty-thousand you've spent. You have been warned.

Online MSc Psychology at UoL 2016 I'm writing this because when I was looking for an online degree there was so much about how great University of Liverpool Online was - top 1% in the world - (all put up by them!) and not much about what really goes on. It's such an expensive course that I have to write what I wish I'd read before applying. My instinct during the application process was that I was being groomed with a little bit of boiler-house sales tactics thrown in - "we're giving you a very special price", "if you don't do it now costs will go up", sort of thing. I went ahead despite my instincts telling me that there was something dodgy about Laureate. (The prices did go up, that part was true!). The course has been a mixture - I can't say terrible, but it has not been a positive experience. There is a comprehensive Psychology programme and there is masses to learn and work to do, it is not in any way easy or 'light'. The tutors, however, are not from the University of Liverpool! They are a mixed bunch from all over the world, often with no internet presence which, for an academic, is questionable. Some are good, most adequate - they mark work, guide students, etc. to absolutely terrible - one tutor could not have taught high school and was clearly grading at random. Our complaints about her were heard but she continues to 'teach' there. Another male tutor was on a power kick and caused misery to some and other students to leave because of his behaviour. He is still there despite complaints. So be careful and be assertive if, in the first two weeks, you know someone's not right. You should be able to change groups. Although the workload is extensive, more about meeting deadlines, complex assignments and constantly posting or responding to other students on the message board, I question how much is about real learning. Much of one's time is taken deciphering the instructions. There are frequently mistakes, links that don't work, questions are not straightforward, etc. that kind of thing, which is laborious. On average I have spent 20-40 hours/week doing something related to the course. This consists of reading Course Notes and then extensive outside reading from the UoL library (the library is a plus). Apart from powerpoint presentations, I've never watched videos of lectures or been part of interactive activities. For business courses that might be adequate but psychology shouldn't, in my view, be 'taught' that way. So far I've never heard or seen my tutor, it's all generic and distant. It's very frustrating and stressful feeling in the dark, particularly with subjects like statistics and data. The grades you get are low and frequently confusing - I have never been able to predict whether I'll get an A+ or a D - really! - which is difficult to complain about without sounding like one's whining but the truth is, throughout the course, there is a real sense of deflation. There is no warmth or friendliness, it's extremely impersonal and don't at all imagine the care and attention you get before you pay continues once you've started! My 'personal support manager' - this is a big sell at the beginning - called once in my first week before being changed to someone else I've barely heard from. You get quick and efficient responses to questions etc from the Support and the Technical teams but it could come from anyone. I've done other online courses where I felt I belonged, was inspired and learning; I have not felt this at all with Laureate Online at UoL. You are not at all part of the university and that's the biggest con. Once you begin, students don't want to complain because they worry it jeopardises grades and fear of retribution, also, one's paid so much you feel like such a fool! On top of that, it's so much work, you don't want to devalue your efforts and future qualification. UoL online do offer a MSc certificate at the end but already many of my fellow students are finding out that it doesn't mean very much in the real world. For the Psychology degrees, The BPS and the APS don't accredit it and even Liverpool University won't accept it for a PhD programme, which is also the case with other universities in the world. I would be very wary before joining the program and I regret not having waited and found better courses because there are more and more out there. Online learning is a big part of education now and a great way for universities to gain an income so one doesn't have to settle for second best which in my experience, this is.

This is my original review while on this program scroll down to see final review - "current MSc student perspective I am just about to start my 5th module. Firstly this masters and I am sure others are like it too, is time consuming, forget the 20 hours a week that they tell you, its is really around 30 hours. Each module with the exception of the first is 8 weeks long. Each week there is a discussion question (DQ) to write ( 500 to 1000 words) and three researched responses plus an assignment of 1500 to 2000 words. So it is hard work. Re students, for some students English is their second language, while I think it is impressive that someone can do a degree in a second language, understanding what some of them are saying can be quite challenging, I suspect it is challenging for them too. Some people write DQs that are not worth responding too (I have been guilty of that on occasions). Instructors/ Teacher,the quality of these vary from very good to abysmal , by that I mean they vary from engaged and timely in responding and with grades to disengaged and not timely ( grading etc) - which appears to be tolerated by UOL, support from them can be patchy too. The student support team is okay. Value, not bad when comparing to other similar courses in the USA, easy ways to pay and they do not hound you for payment. Use of technology, well its okay but I think it could be better, check out what you have before enrolling. In all fairness they are clear about this and about having internet access for assignment uploads etc. UOLs online library is good. The Admin office is in Holland. They are nice but appear to have somewhat relaxed working hours if you need them. In short I think the course module content is good and that there is value to it, recognized in USA as well as UK - for me that is a huge plus- Teachers vary, do not expect much from them, you will actually make friends with other online students and often end up supporting each other. Cost , okay though some may disagree. If you can organize your time well and are resourceful and want a masters with a good university name attached to it that is not overpriced, this works just fine." I graduated from this program. My review remains the same but I will now give feedback on the dissertation piece. The dissertation was a very stressful experience for me as I had never done anything like it before. Even with the prep course it was tough. This was partly because the dissertation adviser was not timely in his responses therefore I and other felt like there was no one there to answer questions etc. It is worth remembering the dissertation advisers usually do this as a second job so you are not a priority. However this has caused me to reduced my review ratings. What I can tell you is that when you graduate you have really achieved as it is hard work. As a manager who employs staff I would also like to offer this. I would be far more likely to employ an individual who has completed their degree while working in a full time job than someone who is straight out of university.

I worked for UoL online / KIT / Laureate. It is a scam. Sorry ... That's the truth. Who am I ... I worked as a admissions adviser (AKA salesperson ... monthly targets, commission based pay, in the Amsterdam office) ... I am now a PhD student at a real university. UoL is a real university offering quality studies to a high standard (Russell group, etc.). However the UoL Online is essentially a franchise sold to a company called KIT (bought by Laureate Online in 2005) who solely offered, ran, and graded their own students, and paid UoL a license fee for each student. The deal was that UoL would provide "legitimate" degrees for the students that KIT pushed through their own in-house programmes for a fee. The "instructor/lecturers" are the cheapest of the cheap, often without PhD's themselves, who are just earning a pittance to supplement their own day jobs as academics elsewhere (but not at the UoL!) The quality of the studies was very low (appalling really!), the admissions standard was very low. The main criteria for admission was the ability to collect on the tuition fees (seriously!), and the ability to complete coursework in something close to English. My job as an "Admissions Adviser" was to sell the programme to prospective students, whilst not letting on I was a sales person being paid a commission. It was telesales, we underwent a week of "sales training" focusing on qualifying leads, establishing motivations, establishing and addressing objections, pitching a product, and closing the sale. Everyone got a "time limited scholarship" of 10-20% if that was required to close the sale this student intake. If we didn't hit targets we got terminated (I hit targets ... but left to do a masters programme at a real university) I even attended two courses of the MBA programme so I could understand what I was selling! Absolute garbage ... My high school teachers would have been disappointed with the standard of work considered passable! The honest truth is that almost all distance studies programmes are garbage ... no matter what the sale person tells you there is no substitute for in-class face-to-face learning. No online forum is remotely comparable. All these courses do (if you are lucky) is qualify that you have read and can quote from a textbook, not that you have understood it. UoL barely even does that. If all you want is a piece of paper for someone in the future who won't look too closely at it ... this is perfect for you! But it's an expensive piece of paper. For that price you may as we actually do the real work some where legitimate! If you want to learn something, and actually improve yourself? ... look for a "in person" course with a real university. Learn directly from people who know what they are talking about. To Summarise ... UoL is a real University ... UoL Online is a franchise selling !!!!!!!! wrapped up as quality. You are worth more than !!!!!!!!! Don't fall for the sales spiel!

My selection of the UoL came down to their very valuable accreditation standards and the fact all students are able to graduate on campus (if they wish) which after 2.5 years of hard study is hugely satisfying. They have an active alumni network, where all grads, online or on campus, are created equal. Anyone entering an online MBA with this university needs to be able to commit 20ish hours per week when in a module (each is 8 weeks long and there are 8 of them)and be very active within the online asynchronous classroom forums, if they want decent grades. I managed to complete the MBA in 2.5 years, which is the shortest time available, assuming you do not double up modules (Which I doubt would be effective in the long run, each is very exhausting). When you graduate on campus in Liverpool, you are treated exactly the same as any campus graduand and of course you have the full gowns, experience and photos available to 'live the experience!'. One other indirect benefit I had not considered of the online experience is the ability to implement learning in your professional life straight away - many of the modules require real life commercial exploration and through this you are able to take learning to solve issues relatively quickly, with support and advice from classmates and or instructors.

Having just completed the Masters in Information Systems Management I look back with a generally positive experience. The instructors are very varied in abilities and commitment, which is no different from a traditional University environment. I found the student support to be exceptional, all the way through my questions and concerns were addressed quickly and effectively. Course content was good but the group assignments are very tough given the distance levels of commitment out there. Ultimately it all comes down to the dissertation, make no mistake about how grueling it is and how much of the work is up to you. At times I felt somewhat alone in the process but my DA kept me on track and provided feedback that helped me get through it, that being said the responsibility is on you to get it done properly. Overall, hard work but a very satisfying feeling at the end and looking forward to the trip to Liverpool in the summer to graduate.

I finished all the modules, now waiting for the Board of Examiners to assign the final grade of my dissertation. For those who still think that a Master's degree via distance learning is easy, try a the University of Liverpool Master's degree. They have been doing an excellent job here. Of course, it is not the perfect world in the organization arena, neither Harvard or MIT are, but it is a very tough course with a tremendous support for every student. You must have discipline, do a lot of research (not Google research) and complete all the mini articles every week. To give you a quick idea how difficult it can be, a B grade at the end of the module equals to an American A- or an A+: this is the standard of the British education, not only Liverpool's. You must put yourself entirely to accomplish the outcomes of every module successfully.

I finished all the modules, now waiting for the Board of Examiners to assign the final grade of my dissertation. For those who still think that a Master's degree via distance learning is easy, try a the University of Liverpool Master's degree. They have been doing an excellent job here. Of course, it is not the perfect world in the organization arena, neither Harvard or MIT are, but it is a very tough course with a tremendous support for every student. You must have discipline, do a lot of research (not Google research) and complete all the mini articles every week. To give you a quick idea how difficult it can be, a B grade at the end of the module equals to an American A- or an A+: this is the standard of the British education, not only Liverpool's. You must put yourself entirely to accomplish the outcomes of every module successfully.

I am just about to start my 5th module. Firstly this masters and I am sure others are like it too, is time consuming, forget the 20 hours a week that they tell you, its is really around 30 hours. Each module with the exception of the first is 8 weeks long. Each week there is a discussion question (DQ) to write ( 500 to 1000 words) and three researched responses plus an assignment of 1500 to 2000 words. So it is hard work. Re students, for some students English is their second language, while I think it is impressive that someone can do a degree in a second language, understanding what some of them are saying can be quite challenging, I suspect it is challenging for them too. Some people write DQs that are not worth responding too (I have been guilty of that on occasions). Instructors/ Teacher,the quality of these vary from very good to abysmal , by that I mean they vary from engaged and timely in responding and with grades to disengaged and not timely ( grading etc) - which appears to be tolerated by UOL, support from them can be patchy too. The student support team is okay. Value, not bad when comparing to other similar courses in the USA, easy ways to pay and they do not hound you for payment. Use of technology, well its okay but I think it could be better, check out what you have before enrolling. In all fairness they are clear about this and about having internet access for assignment uploads etc. UOLs online library is good. The Admin office is in Holland. They are nice but appear to have somewhat relaxed working hours if you need them. In short I think the course module content is good and that there is value to it, recognized in USA as well as UK - for me that is a huge plus- Teachers vary, do not expect much from them, you will actually make friends with other online students and often end up supporting each other. Cost , okay though some may disagree. If you can organize your time well and are resourceful and want a masters with a good university name attached to it that is not overpriced, this works just fine.

I've been studying for the last 2 years on my MBA and it has been a life changing and enriching experience. Sure, everything is not perfect, but learning to manage these things is a normal part of life. I would definitely echo some of the comments made, for example, be prepared to work more than the specified required amount (however, sometimes your workload does go lower - it's swings and roundabouts). Moreover, ensure you are able to keep up in terms of English because this is an essential requirement. You will be engaged in weekly essays, discussions and projects for each module, so being able engage academically is key. The tutors tend to have their own take on this, but from what I see most focus on the task more than mistakes in English. As for the grading, well, that depends. I started my first modules with straight A's and A*'s, but then in subsequent modules realised that different tutors look for different things. If you are truly attentive to what is being asked and what the rubric is for marking then getting top grades is possible. I am in the last stages of my dissertation now. It has been a challenging process, but Master's degrees are meant to be that. While I might have liked a bit more from my tutor, I have realised that the person who can truly make a difference is me, so I have done extra reading and really pushed myself, not expecting someone to do it for me. In conclusion, I would highly recommend this programme, but only for the right people. If you need spoon feeding, look elsewhere. If you are driven and able to stick to dealines and push yourself that extra bit when you just do not feel like it, then this programme is for you! Lastly, definitely enrol your family in the idea of you doing this because they do need to understand you will have to say no to certain things with them.

The Uol Masters is a time consuming degree. I have completed the 8 modules with an average of distinction where a typical week ranged from 40 - 70 hours of research and writing. High grades are achievable but one should secure strong support / understanding from family members and employer. The course is very fulfilling in terms of new knowledge. The university is listed in the top 1% of universities so one should expect to pay more than a mediocre university. The university is also a member of the Russel Group of university which also includes Oxford uni in its profile. I particularly studied online so I could balance work requirements and social needs. Furthermore I also wanted a degree that will be a credit to my qualifications for a long time to come. Across the 16 months I have only one gripe and that is on two weeks the lectures seemed out of sync with the syllabus. That is once in module five and once in module six. Other than that the syllabus is highly rewarding in terms of knowledge gained.

I am currently enrolled as an MBA student and would like to share my unfortunate experience right at the beginning of the course. The first module is 10 weeks long and rest being 8 weeks. Unfortunately for me I fell ill and required hospitalisation during the 8th week. I was made to repeat the entire module. There is no provision to retake or continue the weeks missed. I appealed to the mitigating circumstances committee and they took nearly 7 months to rule (against me) and I could not take other modules while waiting for their decision. The student support team consists of fellow students and the chap assigned to me was of no help. I have studied on campus in the US and found the faculty very understanding especially during mitigating circumstances. Be warned that there is no room to fall ill during your course. As already stated by some others, the quality of the course material is great and so is the online library. But, the posts by most of the students are very poor, yet we are forced to respond to maintain attendance. I am not always sure about how the grading is done because I have never done better or worse than a C except once when I got a B. Both mediocre or my best work (in my opinion) received Cs. The one time I received a B was work I would have deemed mediocre.

Overall a great program for working professionals but very time consuming. If you enroll in any UofL business program you must make the following decision: 1) SOCIAL LIFE & FAMILY 2) WORK & CAREER 3) your UofL Masters program Now choose two of those to prioritize. The one you did not choose will suffer. Understand this before enrolling because the workload is like a tidal wave and it doesn't slow down, not even for Christmas break. Two years of hard work and big bills lay ahead for new students. I have two children under 10 so I am pushed to the limit most weeks for time. If you have a family you must discuss this program and the sacrifices required before you start. You will need their support and understanding to get through this program. This program is very time consuming and requires extensive reading, writing and forum interaction with other students. Expect at least 20hrs a week, more for some modules. No easy A here. As a working business manager I can say that the course material is excellent. I feel this program is designed for those already working in their field of study. I don't see how a new student to the discipline with no experience could keep up. It is sad to see fellow students dropping out due to the program difficulty and time requirements but this program is no walk in the park. Be prepared for poor use of written English from many fellow students (this doesn't bother me at all but does frustrate some students). This is a global program and the value of interacting with different cultures is immense for getting insight into how different markets do business. Lectures need to be improved both in quality and quantity, there is much better technology available for this such as iTunes University. Overall I highly recommend UofL online Masters level studies but only for serious students and professionals who already have experience in the field they want to study.

This is a very challenging programme. When you study online, it is more intensive than some face to face activities because you have to be 100% able and cannot count on your classmates for notes etc. The deadlines are strict and there can be a lot of pressure. Some students are not independent enough and do not take responsibility for themselves; they expect to be able to complete everything by asking for help every 10 minutes and then appeal any unsatisfactory grades. In fact, anyone who has gone through this system shows enormous flexibility and endurance which are very useful in the real world. The distinction-level dissertations are often published in academic journals in the form of shorter articles.

Pluses: Completion of this course is very definitely a demonstration of grit, self-discipline and basic scholastic ability. Some of the instructors were first rate. Fellow students, who are from hugely diverse situations, can offer correspondingly diverse perspectives, and sometimes fascinating experiences. The material covered is, I imagine, comparable with most business schools. Minuses: The much-trumpeted "flexibility" is a mirage, and as the course progresses, vanishes. Travel, which often results in limited or no internet access, conflicts with the demands of the course and I think this conflict caused some able people to drop out. The "lectures" are in many cases perfunctory essays. Exploitation of the internet was minimal - really no more than a mail system. There was very little opportunity for free discussion with students or instructors, and much of the formal interaction revealed the stunningly thoughtless and doctrinaire attitudes of many managers. Advice on choice of modules (even basics such as content and order in which they should be taken) was sub-minimal. Finally, in the later stages, the quality of the students was generally high, with relatively good discussions and a low drop-out rate; in the early stages, this was not the case. Modules listed in the recruitment literature had vanished by the time the course had been embarked upon. As remarked elsewhere, the instructors are often from very obscure institutions. Personally, I found the course an intensely isolating experience. Conclusion. Students, with sufficient funds, time and energy (and a good command of English) can use this course to gain an academic business training. By graduation students will most certainly have demonstrated significant self-discipline and ability to handle heavy workloads and tight deadlines. In my opinion, however, the deadlines were often rather arbitrary, and interfered with the learning process. There is much room for improvement: "real" lectures, for example as used by Coursera; direct involvement and contribution to teaching on the part of the university; and tighter selection of both students and instructors could vastly improve the quality of the students' experience.

Enrolling in an MBA online with the University of Liverpool was a wonderful experience that I recommend without hesitation. It requires hard work, commitment and perseverance to honor the many assignments that one must complete during each module, in addition to having to putting together a dissertation at the end of the program in order to be able to graduate. At the end the satisfaction is worth all the effort and energy invested.

I am in my seventh Module of the MBA programme. Even though it is a high quality standard but the programme is generally tough especially when one has to jingle the degree with personal and work life, it's highly challenging because at some point one of the three sufferes. Personally my relationship suffered because I did not have much time to spice up my relationship with my kids and my partner. More than 20 hours of studying and participating in class in a week is not a Child's play. I find that pricing by Laurette is to be very outrageous, most of my colleagues and friends have dropped out due to high prices particularly when using the currency from under developed countries. But from my side I definitely recomemd it to those with busy schedule workwise, because of its flexibility academically and financially .

Graduated BSc in Microbiology I decided to do a MSc in the business field and decided on Project Management after some time debating. I did not anticipate what I was letting myself in for. Financial review: Funding the MSc using a Career & Development loan from a UK bank, I chose to pay in 3 installments and this has caused me no end of grief. The tuition fees rise by 4% every year when paying installments so be aware. I've had to get other bank loans to cover the extra costs of the increasing tuition fees. Studies are put on hold if the invoices are not paid. The books required are also expensive. You are required to buy all the books and they are referenced heavily throughout the modules. I've purchased all I can from Amazon either second hand or new if unavailable however Laureate requires you purchase some customised books from their online US store. The tax and duty is expensive and as are the books themselves and they're just two regular books edited together and double the price. I'm 6 modules in and spent over £700 on course books so far. Course Structure: The modules are extremely intense. I'm working full time and studying alongside. My student administrator said that the course is extremely flexible, working at my pace. This is wrong. Each module 8 weeks long, 500-1000 word assignments due on Saturday midnight and Wednesday midnight with minimum three 500 words discussion posts on separate days from Saturday - Wednesday. Week 8 project assignment is a 3000 word essay. The deadlines are strict, and grades are penalized for late submission without reason. Course Material and tutors: The course material is very informative and of high quality. Critical thinking skills are heavily involved and the discussion part is meant to make you really think about every point you make and back it up with references and case studies. Overall the course material is enjoyable and the assignments are relevant to the modules and the week's topics.The tutors are generally of sound experience and knowledge. Usually timely with giving feedback and prepared to help on all days of the week. They are present throughout discussions and prompt students with questions are statements on their input. Conclusion: The MSc is very expensive. Laureate education administration team are poor. The course structure is extremely rigid. The course material and tutors are high quality and very informative. Because money and time are restrictive factors for me personally, this makes this MSc extremely difficult and challenging. The course material is a joy for me to learn but the course structure is a nightmare.

I'm currently completing my 3rd module and it has literally been the most work I have every had to do, I finished six years of medical school and I didnt have to put in this much of effort! A lot of self study, lecture notes are adequate but lacks any interaction. Don't be duped by UoL's claim that 15-20hrs per week is sufficient, I usually find my self doing well over 30hrs per week. Took a 3 month gap after my 2nd module from sheer exhaustion, so be ready to feel dejected and fedup. Two 1000-2000 word assignments due per week, in addition to 3-5 online discussion contributions. A lot of reading and research is always required. Most instructors are quite strict with grading and you will find yourself working extremely hard to achieve even a C grade, and late assignments are always penalized. However, unlike most people assume UoL's online degree is by no means easy or sub-par to any traditional classroom Masters programs. You are always acutely aware that you are working hard and learning. I would recommend UoL's online degrees to anyone who is NOT easily discouraged by hard work and ONLY if time management is your forte. Otherwise you will find yourself regretting your decision and struggling to balance any sort of personal life, be ready for many many late nights and study weekends!

I had two BSc and a MSc at a world-renowned University and this is my second MSc. I would like to say that this is the most rewarding experience I have ever had, despite the many sleep deprived days and occasional sleepless nights. I have a full-time position in the medical field, a part-time position in the research field, and also in this program and I manage to receive A - A* for all of my assignments. I love researching and writing and thoroughly read about 50 researches a week and I truly enjoy this program. It is a difficult and time-consuming program but I could not recommended it more.

I would rather say that the UoL online education with Laureate is quite interesting and yo really get to learn the stuff. I am in my fourth module and I have gained an amazing experience. But to be honest, advanced degrees with such high tuition expenses need to be matched with adequate network, opportunities and job/alumni related relationships which Laureate lacks. When you visit the UoL's career services is not available to laureate students and graduates just to the full-time UoL students. Sometime I just have to think that you get to pay such high tuition so that UoL rubber-stamps your degree. Don't get me wrong! the quality of education is superb but they need to work more on their career services!!! They really do have to in order to compensate for such a high tuition. The total costs of my studies(tuition, books plus shipping, transportation and customs, internet and miscellaneous) is almost equal to what I could have paid for a top full time MBA!!!

Hello, When deciding on a online school, do your research. Ask if the school as 24x7day week technical support. What accreditation does the school hold. How supportive are the school to payments. These are key facators, remember that if a school is accredited then by law and the accreditation 80% of the program will be very similar due to accreditation factors. Be aware of the hard sell schools and schools that talk about fees within 5 minutes. See if the school as an interest in you. Keep your eyes and ears open about, Liverpool University and Walden University which are 2 of the most successful online schools around. And last but least, it is a degree you are studyying which means hard bloody work, committments need to be made. Again, do your research. Liverpool as the quality at an affordable price where one caqn pay on many different payment schemes.

This is a degree done in partnership between Laureate and the University of Liverpool. Laureate deals with the finances and provide a sturdy technical infrastructure to facilitate the online presentation of this degree. Liverpool University issues the degrees, formulates the module syllabi and review the assignment of grades by the instructors. The response I’ve received from course administrators has been prompt and efficient. A high degree of professionalism is maintained by the instructors and tutors are available for assistance. Do not expect babysitting as learning at the Masters level should rightly be self-driven. Excellent online library facilities are provided by the University that one needs to make frequent use of for researching submissions. The workload is rigid within the 8 week long modules, but breaks can be taken between modules. In an average week one will need to write 3 significant essays and participate in online discussions. The international nature of the University does however mean that at times one needs to debate issues with students that are not adequately proficient with writing in English and the University should do more to vet student’s English language skills. The cost is high however as a current student I would recommend the program to others.

The program was indeed not a walk in the park. There is a lot to hand in and it is understandable that they want it like that: you hand in often so that it is impossible for you to assign your tasks to someone else. For students who are already working and have a family life it is well shaped I guess, as you have no exams on a fixed date. There are deadlines, and you can organise yourself to meet these deadlines; after your real job, or before, or during lunch time ...etc. Expect to have some short nights ;) After each module (each lasts 8 long weeks), you really feel the fatigue and usually you make a small break. But you can immediately proceed with the next module. The rythme and pace is somehow a decision that you take. A lot of interactions with other students is asked. Remember; all the students here are already professionals. they share their experience and usually they are each a specialist in a specific field. You learn a lot! I learned more here than at normal University when I was 20 years old. As for the instructors ... most were good. I had only one (of 8) who was not very cooperative. The plus anyway is the contribution of other students and the group works. I definitely recommand UoL.

I’m in my seventh course with the University of Liverpool online program. Overall I am very happy with the program. Most of the text books that are used are very good. The lecture notes are usually very good as well. I would really like to see a recorded video or audio lecture instead of just a document. I am in the MSc in Information Systems Management, and they have done a good job of incorporating an IT perspective into topics like Organizational Behaviour. The workload is very heavy, lots of writing. You need to be able to generate around 1000 words per week for the initial discussion questions and follow up on others at least three times following. The assignments differ from module to module. For example, in the Marketing module you are building a complete marketing plan. In the Project Management module, you create a complete project management plan. In Systems Analysis and Design you follow a build out a system using good patterns and practices. I am very happy with the content and real world application. The instructors’ participation varies. The lecture notes are not written by the instructor, but the module author. The instructor’s primarily just facilitates discussion in the forums and provide end of week grades/feedback. Some do a better job than others. The instructors I have had have all been PHDs with very impressive resumes; however most are from the U.S. and not associated with UOL directly. I think it would be better if oncampus instructors taught more of the classes to give it a little more feeling of a connection to the actual campus. I like the format of discussion questions and assignments, and I think I learn more that way. You get an opportunity to go really indepth into topics, and the UOL library has excellent resources. The quality of the work of other students is very high and participation is good. I will say, that I am usually an A student, but I’m having to settle for As & Bs in this program. They grade very hard, and it is subjective, but I put in a lot of hours, and I’ve had a to come to the conclusion in order to fit this in with work and family, I’m going to have to be a ‘B’ student. Overall: University is great, quality of the program is very high, workload is very high, instructors have a great background but some participate more than others, student quality is very high. Only improvements could be multimedia lectures, more on-campus professors, and to go a little easier on the grading ?

Context: I have now completed the taught portion of this course. Its cost is comparable to that of many other MBAs. It has the feature, which could be an advantage, of being entirely on-line, requiring and offering no physical attendance. The University's role in the degree is hard to discern - it seems to provide library access, which is good, but no instructors, advice on choice of modules or indeed much of the normal function of an educational institution. Many of the instructors, who provide the interface between student and institution, are themselves students. Others are teachers at institutions which I would not have dreamed of attending. That said, some are very good, and quality varies markedly. Laureate's role, however, is all too clear: its concern seems exclusively with money. Support and advice have been nil. Obtaining information has been close to impossible. Discussion with academics has not been a feature of this course. "Lectures" are in some cases extremely perfunctory. The workload is high, and the dropout rate likewise. Quality of students varies hugely, as does the quality of the "discussions" - the need to deliver considered, researched. responses to doctrinaire drivel is intensely frustrating. The compulsion to adhere to a minutely defined timetable if a reasonable grade is to be obtained can be grim. Use of the online nature seems extremely unimaginative - it's reduced to little more than a fast mail system. This course is tough - a distinction should certainly be regarded as certification of tenacity. Starting again, I would have chosen a more traditional university - perhaps with a better balance between donkey-work and stimulation both intellectual and social. I would suggest that, unless you are justifiably confident of your ability to read and write rapidly and well in English, you do not undertake this course. Laureate gives the impression of selectivity, but I suspect that so long as you have a Visa card, they won't say "no".

I mostly agree with the comments posted on June 2, 2009. Like others have said, you will be expected to work quite hard for this course, but you shouldn't necessarily equate "hard work" with "quality". Sometimes it is, but quite often it's not. E.g. I spend several hours each week responding to discussions from fellow students which really aren't worth a response. Unfortunately you have to do this in order to keep your participation level high, and the engaging, well-written, well-reasoned discussions are few and far between. I am very regularly disappointed by the quality of information provided. My latest set of lecture notes had several obvious technical errors. Instructors vary from above average (none are really outstanding) to those who simply cut-and-paste from a script. None of the instructors or course administrators are from the University of Liverpool - the university's involvement seems to be limited to issuing the degree at the end. The quality of the learning systems provided is also poor. There have been issues with course information not showing up online until students ask about it, problems with browser compatiblity etc. The best aspect of this course is nothing to do with the learning. The student support (in the form of student support managers) is quite good. In summary, this is a course run by a commercial company and rubber stamped by a well-known UK university. Its quality is marginal and its cost is quite high, which makes it poor value for money. You might do worse, but you could also probably do better.

Expect to work very hard and put in many hours per week. You'll be putting many hours of research on a weekly basis and doing an enormous amount of writing and critical thinking. So, far I am very satisfied with the quality of the program and am looking forward to my upcoming courses. I have been employed in IT for 15 years within a large corporation as a supervisor.

I initially started an online MBA through the University of Phoenix but chose to transfer to the Liverpool/Laureate program after completion of my 4th course. My rationale for the decision to transfer was twofold. 1. In each of the courses taken at U of Phoenix I received an A+ for my work. While I appreciated the high grades I was not sure that they were an actual reflection of my work and therefore were not credible in my eyes. 2. The program I was taking at U of Phoenx did not require the completion of a thesis. At the start this seemed like a positive to me, however as time went by I realized that this just made the degree substandard. After I transferred to the University of Liverpool I quickly learned that the University of Liverpool and Laureate Online are two quite different entities. I found any dealings I had directly with the University to be top notch. They were responsive, welcoming, supportive and possessed excellent facilities. I actually visited Liverpool on two occasions. Both times I was treated as a normal member of the institution. I found that the instructors were good overall, although I must admit that some were definitely better and more involved than others. The marking was very difficult and I found that the amount of effort required to get a grade above a simple satisfactory was very high. The dissertation component was a great experience for me. The support and input I received from my dissertation advisor was outstanding. On the downside the amount of work I had to invest on a weekly basis to obtain an adequate mark was very arduous. There were a number of times that I thought about packing it in. The main thing that kept me going was the amount of money which I had invested. While this program is not the most expensive out there, it is still quite pricey. especially when compared to U of Phoenix for instance. One experience which was exceptional was attending the graduation ceremony in Liverpool. The management school treated the grads really well and going through the hectic rigamarole of getting your gown and pictures taken with a few hundred other grads was quite an experience and topping it off with a pint at the Philarmonic Club in your cap and gown prior to the ceremony (and after for that matter) was something not to be missed. In retrospect, I would probably have chosen to take my degree at a bricks and mortar university closer to home. However, I did find that my personal experience of attending the online program at U of Liverpool was overall quite a positive one, particularly when juxtaposed against my experience at U of Phoenix.

I'm a seasoned IT type and have been told throughout my career I have high standards. Just a quick intro to help put my comments into context. I am in the midst of the Liverpool Laureate Online program and fell for the accreditation and other referential collateral but have to say that I am frequently and periodically disappointed with this expensive offering. Simply put, the instructors would be better called posters although if you try some are willing to be engaged in the learning process. More over, how is it that student posts that would fail high school English class are even considered for a Pass mark? Yet, these students make it all the way through the module... and believe me, every module you will find several of your esteemed classmates wasting your time with a post you are supposed to be able to read and discuss. This would be the least supportive environment I could pretty much imagine made even more insulting given the direct and indirect costs. And do not miss the point that if you cannot complete your studies in 3 years you are given the privilege of paying an addition USD$1,000 per year to continue in the program. At this so-called school you will quickly learn it is fixated on the cost of things but is oblivious to value. Further, my experience is that they change your technical tools at least once a year and have downtime at least once or twice a month - not altogether convenient in an 8 week course. Some days I feel like I'm at Beta Online University. The only spark of merit is the online librarian / library. I have tried to transfer to other schools and none (meaning, not one) will recognize the work done in this program since it's not exam based. Accredited you say? Think again. My advice: Pay a little bit more if you have to - and you may not - and go with a school that actually runs its own Masters program with its own faculty and has a proper IT shop providing service. Failing that look at Heriot-Watt

As the program is in general of outstanding quality, the instructors' quality varies concerning what can be quantitavely measured, i.e. length and detail of feedback, as well as time of arrival of feedback. While a nukmber of instructors manage to submit their weekly feedback before another deadline has to be met, many of the instructors seem to take their job too relaxed. In many cases weekly feedback seems standardized, hence lacking individual comments and hence the educational aspect of improving a student's performance. The arrival of weekly feedback after half the following week was over, has unfortunately been the case with many of the instructors. The MBA program is excellent if students lessen their expectations of actually receiving personal or even personalized feedback in general. As stated above, many instructors are excellent also in this regard, but this is the first institution where I have studied, where this educationally important aspect has only been suffieciently fulfilled.

Needs more refining. As this is first year of the masters.

As i begin my last module before the dissertation, i can say the workload in this program is quite intense if you work. It is no different than a regular full time program with all the research and open end questions, projects, and assignments that stirrs up the brain grey matter and keep you adding more and more, and the more you add the more you have to prove, discuss, document cite and reference correctly. This program is not for those who are looking for a quick degree. The real life experiences added from other team members are priceless compared to the what we pay for the program as the discussions leave room for real life experiences from workplaces, which makes it very close to acquiring hands on knowledge.

I'm currently studying in the MBA online program for the University of Liverpool. I already have approximately 10 years of work experience and I must say that the MBA program successfully incorporates theory with practicality. Every course is a eye opener, teaching the principles of economics and leadership. The program is very demanding and should not be taken lightly due to the online nature. The demands are the same as on campus and the work load is significant (20 hours per week minimum) and should be carefully considered before beginning. A definite recommendation to anyone looking to develop themselves, academic knowledge and career.

I'm student in the UoL this program very tough and expensive. To finish this program you need to work like machine you need to forget that you are human being the volume of the weekly duties and the participations are very exhausted I admit that graduate from this program is a supernatural especially if it is working and married with children I think that program managers believe that complex will bring good reputation

I'm just in my 6th module at UOL and I can say something, after one year that I started, I can affirm, it isn't a mill degree. Just one thing, we didn't have any pause in the end of the year, between Christmas and New Year holidays, "Box Day". Yep, during my Christmas I was together with my family and also doing my researches and had a deadline to meet, which one was the same during all course. Each module has 8 weeks of study, 2 months, and each week starts on Thursday and finish on Wednesday of the next week. I started thinking in study about 20 hours per week, 2 hours during work days and 10 hours in the weekend. Well, I made my plan for that, but sometimes it works sometimes not, as may you have to do more research than you expect to do it. I can say that some weeks I studied about 30 to 40 hours per week, that distributed about 3 to 4 hours per day during work days and 20 in the weekends, so I didn't have any weekend, holiday, anymore. But, I'm fully happy and I'm finishing the modules/subjects soon, it will be left my dissertation/thesis only. I would recommend without hesitation or think twice. Adilson Dias

When I had started this program in the mid of 06 I had no idea what to expect, except for the fact that I wanted an advance degree that will accelerate my career. The program is structured very well, the teachers are very good in their line of work and very dependable, the facilities helpful and material splendid. Overall the university is a tough nut to crack, if you are looking for a program which is a breeze to get through; this is not the one for you, and in now way is this university a degree mill. It requires intensive research and very hard work. 20 hours a week is sufficient to get you through, 25+ if you want to do it properly. Instead of exams, you are judged every week and the workload is quite overwhelming, which means a drastic cut in your personal activities. Because of the fact that I came from a Technology background, this made things a 'Bit' easier when comparing to non technical people, but this is only for the technical courses. I am very thankful to the university on what they have been able to teach me but remember online education is not for everyone, so spend time to understand what to expect. If you can work independently and are willing to give time to studies then this is certainly for you.

I have just completed my MBA from Liverpool and have to say that I was really impressed with the course set up, the instructors and how flexible the university is when it comes to taking a module. I have over 15 years experience as a Finance Director working for a large multinational (qualified ACMA) and I would not hesitate to recommend this online MBA program.

The modules consist of nine units and they are no different then any modules you might expect from other schools. You make use of a current textbook and do some value-added research from many other sources to compliment your work. Thus the module system works as well as any other program offered today. The interaction with classmates/instructor is what makes this program so successful. Don't believe the Website when they claim that 15 hours a week is required of your time! The high-lite for me was the chance to write a major paper, this alone was worth taking the program as it is challenging and presented for review. A great deal of work but in the end it has proven to be well received.