University of Maryland University College

I took my first two classes on-ground, and they were very good. Then I moved overseas and finished the program online. I found all but two of the faculty to be very disengaged and aloof. They weren't engaged in the class discussions to any degree, I got little to no feedback on my papers - usually just a letter grade and occasionally a one or two-word comment in one or two places in the paper (usually not very helpful). The grading seemed rather arbitrary, although my grades were always good. Most of what I learned I had to learn on my own, and I never got enough feedback to know if I had learned it correctly or not. It was nothing like my on-ground undergraduate degree where I earned the last 36 hours from the same school, and they were tough and I got more than enough feedback. This seemed pretty much like "You pay your money you get your diploma" to me, and I felt sort of cheated out of the deeper learning I had hoped for. I was not impressed with UMUC's online program at all.

I originally attended the University of Maryland Asian Division while stationed aboard Okinawa and attended classes on site. It was towards the end of my bachelor degree program that I first tried online courses via Web Tycho. I found them to be more challenging in that one was required to read and write much more than a typical face to face course. The same can be said for my current master of science in computer systems management degree track. I am specializing in information assurance and have found all of the classes to be relevant, topical, and well worth the investment. The only sticking point that I have had with the university is support when I needed to clarify what I identified as mistakes in my tuition charges. Even so, I still find this university to be an outstanding value and their degree well worth the time and effort one puts into it.

I am a current UMUC Grad student (online only) and I must say that I am impressed with their program. The coursework is very rigorous, in retrospect to my counterparts who attend other colleges. The faculty is knowledgeable and supportive. UMUC definitely lives up to the University of Maryland system standards. My degree earned will be well worth it.