Walden University

Very disappointed in Walden University. They led me to believe that tuition would cost $10,000 total. Well...I am going into the third quarter and have paid more than that amount already. The spring quarter is costing me over $5,000. I am working full-time and paying out-of-pocket. It would have been nice for them to be honest and not mislead me into believing something that's not true. On top of that, the instructors are constantly changing the assignment requirements last minute. You can see all of the 8 weeks assignments and discussion boards ahead of time, so why do they wait to change them as you're currently working, or have finished, the assignment? Ridiculous. I have so many friends that will be getting their Masters and I will not refer them to Walden.

I enrolled in Walden's PhD program in 2008. It was supposedly a specialized technical program created specifically for me as the college does not have an Information Technology (IT) department. The problem was Walden didn't have qualified staff. There was no one on the faculty with a computer or IT degree. I never received ANY study material. Four professors called me a total of a dozen times admitting they were not qualified to teach a doctoral program in my selected subject. It was a nightmare scenario. I finally was dismissed as a result of contacting their governing agency and complaining. The school agreed not to bill me if I dropped my complaint. I was so relieved to get away from them I did what they asked. 5 years later I graduated from a respectable PhD program and found out that Walden had billed me through the Stafford loan program. They refuse to admit their failure and sent a $3200 bill to a collection agency once I contacted the Minnesota Attorney General's office. These are by far the worst people on the planet. If you would like to hear specifics you can reach me at kammlergroup@gmail.com. Whatever you end up doing please don't fall for the bogus postings claiming the school is trustworthy. They are a den of thieves.

Walden in NOT an excellent school. They could be but they are not. The programs are not well structured and very rarely if at all provide experiential learning opportunities. When I think about the wealth of knowledge that I walked away with when I earned my master’s and undergrad degree, I am very disappointed with my Walden experience. I can only think of two courses that have provided me with knowledge that is useful or applicable. I am four courses shy of completing an EdS degree with Walden which makes my previous statement sad. I am now at the crossroads of deciding is it even worth it to go back and finish this degree or is it better to transfer somewhere else and basically start over(few or no transfer credits and incurring more debt). Do not be misled and believe that all of the poor reviews are written by students that are undisciplined. That is so far from the truth. While I cannot speak for all degree programs offered at this university, I can say that the Education program needs improvement. What is true is that the courses and the online modules are so unorganized that the information presented can be very difficult to follow and understand. I’ve taken on line courses at other institutions and there was no guessing about what needed to be done. Everything was clear and well laid out. When I logged on, I clearly knew and understood the expectations of the course. I cannot say the same about my experience at Walden. Yes, there were weekly discussions that required students to respond to at least two of their classmates. Sounds easy enough right? Oftentimes, there was a lack of continuity between the topic, the reading materials, and the actual assignments. Some modules had two discussions and sometimes there were two assignments. Oftentimes, the discussions and assignments within the modules did not connect. There was also a lack of scaffolding from module to module and from course to course. While there were some interesting reading assignments provided, how those reading assignments connected to what we were learning about never materialized. I can say that I have only had two professors that were truly available to answer my questions and clarify any misconceptions that I had. Being able to connect with and talk with the professor is a necessity in an on line learning environment. The other professors appeared to know very little about the concepts they were teaching. They often provided answers that were so vague that it appeared that they would respond to simply respond or had no idea how to respond. It appears that most of the advanced degree programs are catered towards working individuals. Individuals who are already working in their fields, seeking to advance their knowledge and/ or advance their careers. My issue with Walden did not stem from not having enough time to log on and work around my job schedule or being unorganized. My issue did stem from finding hours to decipher what needed to be done before spending more time to actually complete the assignment. I also had an issue with trying to understand how or if the material connected with the concepts presented. No one should have to waste their time doing this. When I log on, I’m logging on to learn and not clean up someone else’s mistake. I’m paying to be educated. I want a quality education. Please choose another institution. I wish I had researched the reviews before I invested this much time and money.

I've been a student at Walden for 3 years, previously a community college student. I'm receiving a Bachelor's in Early Childhood Development with a concentration in Psychology. Most of my curriculum has been on par with my community college experience. Yes, it is an expensive school, but you are paying for time. You are paying for the experience of an accelerated program that is convenient for a busy lifestyle. I feel like I have learned quite a bit. And I'm a busy mom in addition to being a student, so just think what I could learn if I weren't as distracted! I'm always envious of the younger students who are able to dedicate much more to the learning process. Many of the classes feel repetitive, but I'm guessing that's how most upper coursework feels, at any college. However, I'm on this page, reading reviews, because I'm nervous about how my degree will be perceived.

Avoid this school at all costs. After five classes, I called it quits. Four classes of no interaction with instructors and perfect scores on every assignment which led my to believe nothing was being graded as long as they were getting paid. I expected a level of academic integrity and would rather had feedback based upon my work not just being handed out grades. The fifth class that ended my tenure there was finally instructor involvement but very highly unprofessional involvement and then I started to notice that I might actually have been the only real student in the class because everyone else had to same writing style on the discussion board, every post was formatted the exact same way. It made me believe I was interacting with phony students or just names to fill up the class. I tried to drop this class and was told I must complete 60% of the class or my financial aid would be returned leaving a balance so I completed 75% of the class and then tried to drop the class and they refused so I stopped participating the rest of the way and withdrew from the University on the last day of the term. But, two weeks later, I now have a 1400 balance on my account for money that they claim they returned to the lender and are trying to collect on it. But when I contacted the lender, they said no money was returned so they are trying to scam 1400 extra dollars out of me.Stay away from the university at all costs

As a teacher at Walden I found that the course materials were very poor with no clear behavioral objectives. There was a strong hierarchical structure which was inappropriate in dissertation supervision, where a consensual structure is generally acceptable elsewhere. The IRB was just an empire-building unit which stifled important topics related to disability. The URR was capricious and contradictory, headed and staffed by people who were often un-qualified in statistics. If Einstein had gone to Walden University he would not have been allowed creativity or relativity. Some students left unqualified and broke.

I am not sure about these reviews. I hold an MS, and soon and Ed.S and an Ed.D from Walden. I have been challenged, my work has had me selected to participate in research programs, and I have had nothing but great, high-level profesors. You have to call during business hours, just like any other college/university. If you stay the course, you will have success. I do not like the new blackboard system they use, but it is OK :)

Before going to Walden, check with you school district or state to make sure the degree is approved. If you do not do this, then it is your fault, not theirs. Heck, they even give you a link on the main page when looking at the education degrees titled "Find information about Walden programs and licensure requirements specific to your state". They are also NAEYC recognized for early education. My experience was great at Walden. My state does have them to meet the licensure requirements and I know this because I checked before signing up. In fact, My sister in law graduated from Walden right before me with her masters degree and already has her raise and it was recognized.I have now gotten both my bachelors and am about to get my masters degree through them and found it to be a great experience. Some people complained it was hard, well its school, college, so it should be hard. As far as the e-portfolio program that you do with your degree, each class you take gives you the final week in the class to work on the assignments. They are graded right away and if they feel you need to do more for them, the teacher will email you and give you two weeks to fix it. All of these complaints about Walden sounds like it is coming from people that did not bother to call their state before they started to make sure the degree was covered, that they did not truly read their emails and coursework, or they messed up. I can honestly say I am not a Walden employee because I know sometimes employees come on to make positive comments for their school. I am a student, or was and you can even look up my name in the graduate list from Walden. Laura B Chandler.

I recently completed my Masters in Education...Integrating Technology into the Classroom specialization. For the most part I had an excellent experience with Walden. Towards the end of my program there were hardly any textbooks but you had to read quite a few articles. This required me to waste a lot of ink/paper as I prefer a hard copy. They also stopped sending DVDs and had you stream the lectures. I often worked ahead in my coursework. I am very motivated and doing courses online is my preferred method. Most insturctors were great and graded fairly. I rarely had to contact academic advising except when I took a short leave of absence for traveling. This program does require an e-portfolio. This requires the student to do extra work specifically essays. I used my time off to get ahead on my portfolio. Those who did not felt very overwhelmed feeling like they had 2 things going one at once. I learned a great deal in my program and did apply various methods and technologies into my teaching. The first few courses seemed redundant of what I learned in my Bachelor's program reviewing theories, teaching as a profession, etc. It was a great review and later tied into the other courses. I would recommend this university to others. But make sure you know what program you truly want to major in. I now wish I had done instructional design or another program that allows for more opportunities outside of teaching.

I have completed six courses and four practicums. I am finishing my special education endorsement this term. This special education endorsement program is accepted by Oregon Teachers Standards and Practices. Oregon is very picky about the quality of the teacher preparation programs that they will approve. I found the quality and depth of the program content exceptional. There were a variety of presentation methods (video, direct practicums, text books, research articles, etc.) Everything was aligned closely to CEC standards. For every course, there is a rubric so you have an exact model of what level of rigor they expect. No surprises. All instruction in all classes was exceptionally well organized. The standardization of format of the classes was a relief. Very professional professors...with only minor glitches....MUCH more professionalism in instructors than in some well-known brick and mortar Universities in my home state. Because of the rigor, my writing skills are more scholarly. Students are challenged to analyze existing practices, compare research-based instructional methods, and become a reflective professional educator. Loved this program. It was an exceptional fit for me. Learned more in five courses at Walden than I did 9 courses at a local university.

I completed my MA in Educational Leadership a few years ago. I was not able to get a principal's certificate with it and needed to take two extra courses elsewhere. Then I was fine. Now I am applying for the supervisor's certificate and having the same problem. Except now it is four more courses. So essentially, I am needed to take 18 additional credits. I got my original MA degree from Walden a few years ago. When I checked back recently I saw all of the expanded options for degrees and I noticed they now list my degree as non-licensure. I wish they would have made that clear a few years ago. It would have saved me a lot. The content of all of the courses was excellent, above and beyond. I do not know why they just don;t amend their courses a bit to fix this problem.

If you read the negative reviews they're from students that every teacher knows well.....the whiner. Nothing is ever their fault and every teacher is bad. They want the work done for them. Walden is only for the motivated person. I am proud of my phd work and how hard I worked to do it. The money complaints are ludicrous. Obviously those whiners never put children through a brick and mortar college. Warden is cheap compared to them and there are no hidden costs. There are so many people like me who work hard in their job and do not have the Time to return to regular college classes. Thank goodness for walden.

I started at Walden last June after I transferred from Cappella with the belief that I could graduate in a year because of degree needs for my job. They helped me to map out my course to aid me completing the course in the year which convinced me to transfer. I was told to do a course petition to double my course loads to get the desired result of 1 year completion of the program. This was successful until now. I have two classes left and thought I could take them in this next set of 8 weeks so that I could have my degree before the next school year(which was needed to keep my job) IN STEAD I have to sit out the term and take one class starting in July and the other in September. I will not finish until October. I WAS COMPLETELY DECIEVED, MISLEAD, LIED TO AND TRANSFERRED AND ENROLLED UNDER FALSE PRETENSES. I am beyond up set. Why was I not told until it was time to register for my last two classes that were not even offered. They said that i was ahead and the courses were not finished being developed!!!! They should have told me my desired graduation was not feasible bc the program was not completed yet. Now I will lose my job- thanks to Walden who knew my situation and choose to use my livelihood to get their numbers up!

Walden University is NOT flexible or helpful for working adults. I was less than 1 week into my first class when my teaching position was switched from part time to full time. My superintendent told me that he would no longer allow me time off to student teach. Walden WOULD NOT accomodate any other time to student teach NOR waive my fee for the class that I had only been in for 6 days, even with documentation from my superintendent. Rip Off!!!

I was in the Masters of Science in Education with a Special Education No-Liscenure. I fell below my required GPA and lost my financial aid. I filed an appeal and I was also denied an extension of my financial aid for onemore semester. I was two classes from receiving my degree. I was backed against a wall and had to withdrw from the university because I can not afford to pay the classes out of my pocket. It is very unfair that students that are in a financial need are denied something that would help them better their lives and futures. I am a single parent and live on a very limited income. I worked very hard to get and complete what I did at Walden University. I made many ajustments in my life just so that I could get my Masters Degree. I am very unhappy with outcome of this university's answer to resolving student GPA problems.

I am writing this review so you might know some of my experience. If you are a science educator and like me feel strongly about getting a masters in science, this is probably the best bet out there. Unlike when I took teaching methods courses, the Walden course program doesn't just tell you things like 'use inquiry,' it actually has you participate in inquiry. Clearly as a science specialist you get far more depth out of experiences than your students would, but the course really helped me jump start ideas in my classroom. I also got a few lab ideas, although the supplies needed may sometimes be too expensive for a typical classroom. A drawback was that if you didn't have as much understanding in a particular area, it was more difficult to discuss with peers. While you would still learn about the topic, there wasn't as much richness without learning the theories behind the lab experiences first. Some of the professors are fabulous at feedback; some are not. I suppose just as with any masters, the level of difficulty steps up quite a bit over time. You definiately feel this and by the last couple courses, it's a time crunch. I was glad it was summer, and the courses accomodate you for that. There's little flexibility with due dates however. It's asking to move mountains to get your assignments early. I tried twice, once with luck. I'm not sure why they're so strict about that. I know the courses progress, but I would have thought that GETTING MARRIED would have been a good reason to get an assignment one week ahead of time. If you can make due with the rigid due dates, the courses are varied and interesting. The company Walden uses to ship materials is deplorable in it's service. The first few shipments they had a slip that said, "Everyone makes mistakes," so you could tell them what broke or wasn't sent. Initially, it seemed okay. After the first few shipments, that slip stopped coming, but the mistakes sure didn't! You may need to do some shopping and scramble to get the equipment to work at times because of this. I do think I learned more than I expected. It was easy to match with my schedule (most of the time). Overall, I'm happy with what I've learned.

I just received my Masters in Elementary Reading and Literacy in hopes of receiving my Reading Specialist certification. Little did I know, but Walden has not submitted this program to the Minnesotta Dept. of Education for licensure. So, I am not able to use this degree for anything other than a pay increase. What a waste of time and money. What's the hold up Walden? It doesn't seem like it would be that difficult to submit the programs for approval. Many people in several states are waiting on this.

I've almost finished my degree with Walden and it is like any other program. You get out of it what you put into it. If you're willing to work hard (as you would expect in a Ph.D. program), then you'll gain knowledge and experiences beyond belief. The support is incredible throughout the departments at the University. All you have to do is ask. There are even live chats that you can initiate and get an answer almost any time of day or night. I have never had a problem with Walden and would recommend it to anyone willing to be motivated to take responsibility for their own learning because the level of independence is not for someone who needs to be lead around.

I finally graduated a month ago and I must say that the program (Master's of Science in Education with Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment specialization) has been worth my time and money. I know that generally people are very skeptical about on-line learning and I do not blame them. As an educator, I concede that people have different learning styles and as adult learners, they are free to choose the method that benefits them the most. Quality of instruction: There is a wonderful balance of teacher centered learning and student centered learning through out the whole program. Those who are familiar with the world of education know that the ultimate goal of the learning process is to develop self-directedness, self-monitoring, and self-adjustment. For me, Walden's program gave me an excellent opportunity to further enhance my attribute as a life-long learner. I graduated with a 4.0 GPA but let me tell you, it was not as "easy" as many people would have assumed. I loved the challenge! My writing got better and my whole insight about education had changed. The professors were supportive, excellently credentialed, and have authored books on education. Cohort learning: Online learning brought educators from multiple states together. Different states have different standards and via the online discussion forum, we learned from each other. That is the most invaluable experience for me. As we educators try to promote learning outside the classroom, online learners at Walden experience it first hand. Truthfully, there were colleagues who did the minimum but this phenomenon is not unique to online learning. I remember my friends in Pharmacy school who just got by and graduated with minimum requirements. Assignments: There were clear expectations on how assignments should look like and how there would be graded. Basically, you will get what you put in. The rubric was clear and if you want to get an A, just follow the guidelines. The assignments were were very thought provoking and helped me exercise the much needed critical thinking skills in today's classrooms. My having difference of opinion with my professors was never viewed as a negative element. In fact, it was celebrated and brought into discussions for further analysis. Student support: English is not my first language. I grew up in an ESL environment. Therefore, I struggled in my writing but the Writing Center was extremely helpful and supportive. My essays were constantly 2000 words or more due the depth that I chose to discuss the topics in and the writing center staff gave inputs and suggestions on how to improve the essay. It's a lot of work but one should not expect just to "breeze" through graduate school. I highly recommend this program for teachers who wish to pursue a higher degree in education.

Great school for people who are capable of working independently and for teachers looking to expand their repertoire of teaching strategies. Do your homework BEFORE you enroll (which is where most of the negative comments come from...people who ABSOLUTELY did not and NOW they want to blame Walden for the misfortunes!)to see if it is what you are looking for. Don't go by misguided, bitter comments from people who clearly are to blame for their own troubles! My master's has put me into a new salary lane, not to mention prepared me for my endorsement as a reading specialist. Walden is not a one-size-fits-all university, but it is for people who know what they are looking to accomplish before they get their degree...NOT AFTER!! Thanks Walden U!

I earned my master's in Elementary Reading and Literacy K-6 back in 2005 and now they will not endorse their program so that I can get the title of my master's degree on my teaching certificate! It means nothing unless they endorse their program. All that money and time for nothing! I might as well not have even earned a master's degree! I am so upset with them about this. Why will you not endorse your master's program so that someone can get it put on their teaching certificate? Believe you me...do not go here unless you want to waste your time and money on a pointless degree that doesn't matter to them.

I enrolled and had nothing but problems. Make sure you have a PC and not an Apple. Many of my problems were probably due to my computer, but considering I was paying dearly for a complete lack of support bothers me. The loss hurts, but there are times in life you just have to give up and move on.

Based on a very good friend’s recommendation I enrolled in Walden’s online (e college) master’s in education program (curriculum, design, and assessment). My friend told me that she had a great experience with the program, I valued her thoughts and opinions. She also told me it was tough, but very doable. Without really looking around too much, I dove right into program. I am set to finish my masters at Walden in 2008. My experience at Walden has been mixed. Though some of the videos and material was interesting, the workload was extreme, and filled with too much busy work. As a full time teacher, I found it difficult to keep up with and inapplicable to my teaching situation. Due to the space limitations in this blog, I am not able to describe my experience fully. However, if you follow the link below, it will take you to another online college review website where I have explained in detail all of the good, bad, and ugly about my experience at Walden. Please note that I have tried to be objective, and will leave it to you to decide if you want to take this route to get your master’s in education or not.

I enjoyed earning my master's degree at Walden University. The big advantages over a traditional program were two: 1)the discussions via an online board which allowed much more time for reflection, so the discussion was more substantive than in a traditional class, and 2) the students were in a variety of locations and settings, so we were able to get a wide variety of insights. The group work was, as is often the case, problematic, but other than that, it was a great experience. One professor even made himself available to one of my colleague's classes to share his Native American heritage with students studying that in their social studies class. The only regret I have is that Walden does not set up some convenient way for alumni to stay in touch. We exchanged email addresses, but it would be nice to have a central place to find each other.

It was a great experience and has dramatically improved my teaching! It was not only accepted by my district but also the state, and I got a nice pay increase. I have also been commended for my teaching by administration, and I truly believe it is through the knowledge I have obtained from Walden! I think Walden is great for educators! And as I CONTINUALLY read about all the wonderful achievements others have experienced at Walden, I know it is strictly the INDIVIDUAL that makes things happen for themselves, NOT just the degree! Thanks Walden U!

Walden University exceeded my expectations. I just finished my MS in Education - Integrating Technology. I have a BS in Aerospace Engineering from WPI and started a MS in Management at Fairfield Univ. before switching to Education. Walden's program was rigorous, thought provoking, and well worth it. The work, resources and professors really gave me an terrific education. I recommend it for all educators.

I just graduated with a master of science degree in elementary reading. The program was very challenging. I think I worked harder than I would have in a more traditional program. This program afforded me the luxury of being able to sit in front of my computer wearing pajamas, for example. However, the program consisted of mostly writing papers. You must be a decent/good writer to do well in this program.

Great school for educators! Just completed Master's in Reading also, rigorous curriculum, had papers due every week(sometimes two), everyone very friendly and helpful, answers email in a timely manner ( usually within 24 hours) great, helpful faculty---most had their PhD's (from traditional universities no less!) plus a professional portfolio to complete BEFORE they even give you your degree! So this is no fluff online school! It is a lot of hard work but DEFINITELY worth it! They include everything in your tuition (books, lectures,)and send it to you before your classes even begin which is extremely helpful! Everything you learn can be immediately applied to whatever you are doing in your classroom! My students learned SO much more than I ever could have taught them had I not pursued my advanced degree! I also did extensive research before I chose Walden..and from what I have read about the other online schools (Univers. of Phx and others)I'm glad I chose Walden..not to mention it helped me go up in salary. Thanks Walden U!!