Since I'm the one who started this, I thought I should update everyone on
some of my findings and maybe get other peoples' questions answered as well....

Univ. of Phoenix _is_ accredited, through the NCACS (North Central Assoc.
of Colleges and Schools) one of the 6 such accreditation associations in the
USA. The university and all its programs are recognized. Univ. of Phoenix
is a private school in Arizona and they are licensed and in good standing
through the state board there.

The business school is _not_ accredited by AACSB, however. I called AACSB
and they told me that accreditation by them is purely voluntary and must be
initiated by the school. It is possible that the program meets all of the
AACSB requirements but simply has not followed through to get this accreditaion.

I have spoken to someone (and am hoping to speak to others) who has gone
through the program at U. of Phoenix. There are many group projects assigned
in which dialog takes place over the computer or by phone. Class participation
is done by e-mail. People must participate; non-participation is viewed as
being "absent" and counts against your grade.

If anyone has questions about this program, the phone number is 800-388-5463.
It is interesting to note that former or current MBA students who have
written to me are consistent about the need to be in a classroom and be
involved in classroom participation. Yet, when I speak to management people
or people in human resource departments, it's the degree that counts, not how
it's earned.

I am not "selling" the U. of Phoenix program; I am a future grad student (I
hope!) looking for an MBA program. This one just seems interesting and I'm
glad to have generated the discussion taking place. I would be interested
in getting opinions on the lack of AACSB accreditaition and what that could
mean for peopele who graduate from such programs. If anyone has graduated
from U. of Phoenix, please contribute!!! Let's hear from you. Thanks to all.
-Richard Alonso

        As a person who works in a support fashion to a "traditional"
        college of business, I am curious how the schools who offer
        these on line programs support the students, i.e. research/
        library services?  Certainly with the explosion of information
        resources that are available elctronically it becomes easier(?)
        to reserach topics but not everything is available through that
        mode.  Thoughts?

        Margaret Bartlett
        Rochester Institute of Technology

|>
|>
|> If anyone has questions about this program, the phone number is 800-388-5463.
|> It is interesting to note that former or current MBA students who have
|> written to me are consistent about the need to be in a classroom and be
|> involved in classroom participation. Yet, when I speak to management people
|> or people in human resource departments, it's the degree that counts, not how
|> it's earned.

I'm wondering whether your management people also said how important it is to
have an MBA from a top school, not just an MBA. The people I spoke to said that
with the school you get connections, or in other words, the better the attended
school, the better your connections. What is the net's opinion on that?

Thanks, Richard
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