Walden University MS-Psychology Tempo Learning

[Supermind]

Thanks Merlin. Could you tell me more about transferring excess graduate courses into a Ph.D. program? I didn’t know that could be done.

Well, it all depends on the policies at the grad school you're looking at pursuing your Ph.D. (or additional master's degree) with, but this is a pretty common policy among grad schools in general. The basic idea is that once you have completed a master's degree (doesn't have to be the first one, but will often be the one used to qualify for admission), any additional graduate courses that you have taken (whether they are used in another degree or not) may be accepted in transfer to waive equivalent courses required in the new degree program.

For example, at the University of the Cumberlands, they will accept up to 18 semester hours earned beyond the master's degree used for admission. People who have completed an MBA and MSML at WGU have been able to transfer in a ton of credits towards a Ph.D. in Leadership or Management, or a DBA at UotC.

This is so common that one of the graduate admissions advisors I spoke with asked me what my second master's degree was in without even missing a beat. So it is common enough that it is practically expected, at least at some schools.

Thank you for explaining, Merlin.

[SweetSecret]

Supermind, first off, congratulations! That is amazing that you did it so fast!

How many hours did you devote to the program per day/week? What do you think most of the students coming out of this program finish with GPA-wise?

I started into the tempo MBA program. Then took classes at UO people to transfer in. I'm planning on going back to Walden, but I need to take care of some healthcare issues that I'm concerned about dealing with during Coronavirus (AKA I want to stay as far away from hospital since I can right now). I was reading through some of the materials that Walden releases annually. Within there I noticed that the GPA tends to be lower in the tempo program than it is in the regular classes. I'm not sure why, but it seems like the professors grade harder in Tempo. One might think that the school was using this as a way to get more money out of students, but from the looks of the paper it's something that they are actually trying to work to improve so that the grading is consistent regardless of if a person is in normal classes or the tempo program. Every time I take another course I get a little bit nervous about my GPA. I'm still planning to attend a JD program after the MBA, so I feel the extra pressure to keep the GPA up. Also, how did you go about meeting "batch mates"? I have not met anybody from the Walden MBA program, but I made a number of friends through the UOPeople MBA classes. Any information you have would be appreciated!

[Supermind]

Supermind, first off, congratulations! That is amazing that you did it so fast!

How many hours did you devote to the program per day/week? What do you think most of the students coming out of this program finish with GPA-wise?

I started into the tempo MBA program. Then took classes at UO people to transfer in. I'm planning on going back to Walden, but I need to take care of some healthcare issues that I'm concerned about dealing with during Coronavirus (AKA I want to stay as far away from hospital since I can right now). I was reading through some of the materials that Walden releases annually. Within there I noticed that the GPA tends to be lower in the tempo program than it is in the regular classes. I'm not sure why, but it seems like the professors grade harder in Tempo. One might think that the school was using this as a way to get more money out of students, but from the looks of the paper it's something that they are actually trying to work to improve so that the grading is consistent regardless of if a person is in normal classes or the tempo program. Every time I take another course I get a little bit nervous about my GPA. I'm still planning to attend a JD program after the MBA, so I feel the extra pressure to keep the GPA up. Also, how did you go about meeting "batch mates"? I have not met anybody from the Walden MBA program, but I made a number of friends through the UOPeople MBA classes. Any information you have would be appreciated!

Thank you Sweetsecret. I had actually given myself 6 months to complete, and believed that itself was fast. But then I saw some posts on the Tempo learning closed FB group: Some students managed to finish it in just three months!! I am still unable to believe how they were able to do it so fast. Maybe, they transferred in many credits. 

As for the GPA, I am in touch with one other batchmate who is close to finishing. He has a 4 GPA, and I think he will maintain it to the end like I did. I know of 2-3 others who completed the MS-Psych. program in September-October 2020 with a GPA of 3.9. I have not come across low GPAs as yet, and used to wonder if the grading is very lenient. However, in my experience, some of the professors are tough graders, and they definitely hold high standards. I think if you are a diligent student and address the rubric well, you will be able to maintain a high GPA at Walden. 

Reg completing courses at UoP and transferring it to Walden, have you checked with Walden if this is possible? To the extent I know, Walden is RA, while UoP is NA. Does this not matter anymore? 

I am self-employed and business was a little low in these past months owing to the Covid-19 lockdown situation. I decided to make good use of free time and was able to dedicate up to 50 hours some weeks. The final few weeks, I was only able to dedicate like 25-30 hours. But I think on average, if you managed to dedicate like 30-40 hours per week, you might be able to complete the MS-Psychology program in 2 terms. Some modules are really easy, while some are quite tough. 

With regard to meeting batchmates, the Tempo Learning closed FB group gives you an opportunity to seek help, post questions, etc. You may also use the Walden Tempo learning discussion board for this. The discussions are not mandatory; however, I found that some students posted long discussion posts. I personally enjoy learning on my own, and directly reached out to professors via email/private discussion posts whenever I had doubts. They are highly accessible. I became good friends with one batch mate, who also preferred minimal group interactions and discussion posts like me. 

We were both of the view that the ideas and energy expended on writing long discussion posts could instead be used to build one’s final competency assessment paper! 
 
Also, during the course of the program, you are assigned an ‘Academic coach’ who will call you on a weekly/bi-weekly basis to inspire you and address any basic doubts you might have.

Of course, I not sure of how the MBA Tempo course is structured, what the requirements are, etc. My observations may not accurately reflect the MBA program. Perhaps, there are other forum members who have or who are currently finishing Walden’s MBA Tempo program? They might be able to comment better.

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[SweetSecret]

Thank you Sweetsecret. I had actually given myself 6 months to complete, and believed that itself was fast. But then I saw some posts on the Tempo learning closed FB group: Some students managed to finish it in just three months!! I am still unable to believe how they were able to do it so fast. Maybe, they transferred in many credits. 

As for the GPA, I am in touch with one other batchmate who is close to finishing. He has a 4 GPA, and I think he will maintain it to the end like I did. I know of 2-3 others who completed the MS-Psych. program in September-October 2020 with a GPA of 3.9. I have not come across low GPAs as yet, and used to wonder if the grading is very lenient. However, in my experience, some of the professors are tough graders, and they definitely hold high standards. I think if you are a diligent student and address the rubric well, you will be able to maintain a high GPA at Walden. 

Reg completing courses at UoP and transferring it to Walden, have you checked with Walden if this is possible? To the extent I know, Walden is RA, while UoP is NA. Does this not matter anymore? 

I am self-employed and business was a little low in these past months owing to the Covid-19 lockdown situation. I decided to make good use of free time and was able to dedicate up to 50 hours some weeks. The final few weeks, I was only able to dedicate like 25-30 hours. But I think on average, if you managed to dedicate like 30-40 hours per week, you might be able to complete the MS-Psychology program in 2 terms. Some modules are really easy, while some are quite tough. 

With regard to meeting batchmates, the Tempo Learning closed FB group gives you an opportunity to seek help, post questions, etc. You may also use the Walden Tempo learning discussion board for this. The discussions are not mandatory; however, I found that some students posted long discussion posts. I personally enjoy learning on my own, and directly reached out to professors via email/private discussion posts whenever I had doubts. They are highly accessible. I became good friends with one batch mate, who also preferred minimal group interactions and discussion posts like me. 

We were both of the view that the ideas and energy expended on writing long discussion posts could instead be used to build one’s final competency assessment paper! 
 
Also, during the course of the program, you are assigned an ‘Academic coach’ who will call you on a weekly/bi-weekly basis to inspire you and address any basic doubts you might have.

Of course, I not sure of how the MBA Tempo course is structured, what the requirements are, etc. My observations may not accurately reflect the MBA program. Perhaps, there are other forum members who have or who are currently finishing Walden’s MBA Tempo program? They might be able to comment better.

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Maybe the MS in Psych is a lot different than the Tempo MBA program. I cannot fathom doing the MBA program in three months. I do think I could have finished a second course had it not been for the surgeries, and possibly a third course had I known not to take the level-up class so serious. 

Yes, I did check about transferring UoPeople courses into Walden. I finished one course at Walden through Tempo and explained to them my financial situation, them mentioned that I noticed they allowed transferring credits from CHEA accredited schools (including both RA and NA) over and let them know I intended to take transfer courses at UoPeople but would then be back. Walden provided me with a list of courses that would transfer into my degree program.

I am glad to hear you are having success meeting batchmates, because I have not. I told Walden that one of the things I think they need to get stronger with is their student connections in the Tempo program. Compared to WGU, the Tempo MBA facebook pages are barely active.

[Ideas]

I'm pretty sure that in the time it will take me to complete a Ph.D. I could earn two more master's degrees elsewhere.

Personally, I think 3 master's could be done with the same time/effort, maybe 4 if they are competency-based or you have prior knowledge.

[suzycupcake]

Sure. Happy to help. This is a 48 quarter credits program divided into nine 5-credit courses, and one 3-credit course. Each course is further sub-divided into three or four ‘competencies.’ To clear each competency, you must study the learning resources provided, score 80% or above in the module quizzes, and complete the required competency assignment. Most competencies required writing papers ranging from 4-6 pages long to 13-17 pages long. Some competencies require writing extended responses (3-8 paragraphs long) to some questions, while some others required creating narrated PowerPoint presentations. Grading was mostly lenient; however, some professors were quite exacting. If you stuck to the rubric, you will not have problems. There are two Statistics/Research Methods courses. But they were not very difficult. You are not required to memorize statistical formulas; I was fearing that. You use MS-Excel to do all the calculations. However, you must understand the various statistical tests, when to use them, when not to use them etc. Only then can you select among the various options on Excel. The final Capstone felt quite straightforward. However, I found the last two courses before the Capstone very intense. I hope these details help?

@Supermind - thanks for continuing to share information. I should have asked what the requirement was for the capstone? A minimum # of pages, could you choose our own subject, etc. Any details would help. THank you again.

[Supermind]

Sure. Happy to help. This is a 48 quarter credits program divided into nine 5-credit courses, and one 3-credit course. Each course is further sub-divided into three or four ‘competencies.’ To clear each competency, you must study the learning resources provided, score 80% or above in the module quizzes, and complete the required competency assignment. Most competencies required writing papers ranging from 4-6 pages long to 13-17 pages long. Some competencies require writing extended responses (3-8 paragraphs long) to some questions, while some others required creating narrated PowerPoint presentations. Grading was mostly lenient; however, some professors were quite exacting. If you stuck to the rubric, you will not have problems. There are two Statistics/Research Methods courses. But they were not very difficult. You are not required to memorize statistical formulas; I was fearing that. You use MS-Excel to do all the calculations. However, you must understand the various statistical tests, when to use them, when not to use them etc. Only then can you select among the various options on Excel. The final Capstone felt quite straightforward. However, I found the last two courses before the Capstone very intense. I hope these details help?

@Supermind - thanks for continuing to share information. I should have asked what the requirement was for the capstone? A minimum # of pages, could you choose our own subject, etc. Any details would help. THank you again.

Sure. Like I mentioned earlier, the Capstone at Walden is relatively easier than some other competencies. It is only expected to be 9-14 pages long. You can choose your topic. Also, the Capstone mostly tests two skills: Your ability to review literature, and your ability to critically evaluate/synthesize the literature and present an original understanding/solution to the problem. So, it is not about conducting a study/experiment. Thus, if one is able to identify a good researchable topic, create an effective problem statement, and identify 10-12 pertinent research studies, they should have no problems with completing the Capstone.

[Supermind]

Sure. Happy to help. This is a 48 quarter credits program divided into nine 5-credit courses, and one 3-credit course. Each course is further sub-divided into three or four ‘competencies.’ To clear each competency, you must study the learning resources provided, score 80% or above in the module quizzes, and complete the required competency assignment. Most competencies required writing papers ranging from 4-6 pages long to 13-17 pages long. Some competencies require writing extended responses (3-8 paragraphs long) to some questions, while some others required creating narrated PowerPoint presentations. Grading was mostly lenient; however, some professors were quite exacting. If you stuck to the rubric, you will not have problems. There are two Statistics/Research Methods courses. But they were not very difficult. You are not required to memorize statistical formulas; I was fearing that. You use MS-Excel to do all the calculations. However, you must understand the various statistical tests, when to use them, when not to use them etc. Only then can you select among the various options on Excel. The final Capstone felt quite straightforward. However, I found the last two courses before the Capstone very intense. I hope these details help?

@Supermind - thanks for continuing to share information. I should have asked what the requirement was for the capstone? A minimum # of pages, could you choose our own subject, etc. Any details would help. THank you again.

Sure. Like I mentioned earlier, the Capstone at Walden is relatively easier than some other competencies. It is only expected to be 9-14 pages long. You can choose your topic. Also, the Capstone mostly tests two skills: Your ability to review literature, and your ability to critically evaluate/synthesize the literature and present an original understanding/solution to the problem. You are not expected to conduct a study/experiment. Thus, if one is able to identify a good researchable topic, create an effective problem statement, and identify 10-12 pertinent research studies, they should have no problems completing the Capstone.

[yrot21]

Congrats, bro!

[Seagull]

Supermind, first off, congratulations! That is amazing that you did it so fast!

How many hours did you devote to the program per day/week? What do you think most of the students coming out of this program finish with GPA-wise?

I started into the tempo MBA program. Then took classes at UO people to transfer in. I'm planning on going back to Walden, but I need to take care of some healthcare issues that I'm concerned about dealing with during Coronavirus (AKA I want to stay as far away from hospital since I can right now). I was reading through some of the materials that Walden releases annually. Within there I noticed that the GPA tends to be lower in the tempo program than it is in the regular classes. I'm not sure why, but it seems like the professors grade harder in Tempo. One might think that the school was using this as a way to get more money out of students, but from the looks of the paper it's something that they are actually trying to work to improve so that the grading is consistent regardless of if a person is in normal classes or the tempo program. Every time I take another course I get a little bit nervous about my GPA. I'm still planning to attend a JD program after the MBA, so I feel the extra pressure to keep the GPA up. Also, how did you go about meeting "batch mates"? I have not met anybody from the Walden MBA program, but I made a number of friends through the UOPeople MBA classes. Any information you have would be appreciated!

Thank you Sweetsecret. I had actually given myself 6 months to complete, and believed that itself was fast. But then I saw some posts on the Tempo learning closed FB group: Some students managed to finish it in just three months!! I am still unable to believe how they were able to do it so fast. Maybe, they transferred in many credits. 

As for the GPA, I am in touch with one other batchmate who is close to finishing. He has a 4 GPA, and I think he will maintain it to the end like I did. I know of 2-3 others who completed the MS-Psych. program in September-October 2020 with a GPA of 3.9. I have not come across low GPAs as yet, and used to wonder if the grading is very lenient. However, in my experience, some of the professors are tough graders, and they definitely hold high standards. I think if you are a diligent student and address the rubric well, you will be able to maintain a high GPA at Walden. 

Reg completing courses at UoP and transferring it to Walden, have you checked with Walden if this is possible? To the extent I know, Walden is RA, while UoP is NA. Does this not matter anymore? 

I am self-employed and business was a little low in these past months owing to the Covid-19 lockdown situation. I decided to make good use of free time and was able to dedicate up to 50 hours some weeks. The final few weeks, I was only able to dedicate like 25-30 hours. But I think on average, if you managed to dedicate like 30-40 hours per week, you might be able to complete the MS-Psychology program in 2 terms. Some modules are really easy, while some are quite tough. 

With regard to meeting batchmates, the Tempo Learning closed FB group gives you an opportunity to seek help, post questions, etc. You may also use the Walden Tempo learning discussion board for this. The discussions are not mandatory; however, I found that some students posted long discussion posts. I personally enjoy learning on my own, and directly reached out to professors via email/private discussion posts whenever I had doubts. They are highly accessible. I became good friends with one batch mate, who also preferred minimal group interactions and discussion posts like me. 

We were both of the view that the ideas and energy expended on writing long discussion posts could instead be used to build one’s final competency assessment paper! 
 
Also, during the course of the program, you are assigned an ‘Academic coach’ who will call you on a weekly/bi-weekly basis to inspire you and address any basic doubts you might have.

Of course, I not sure of how the MBA Tempo course is structured, what the requirements are, etc. My observations may not accurately reflect the MBA program. Perhaps, there are other forum members who have or who are currently finishing Walden’s MBA Tempo program? They might be able to comment better.

---

Congrats.

You said others were able to transfer in many credits?

Does walden list the grad courses they accept as transfer for some of their programs?

I wrote to them and awaiting a response.

I like the tempo option, especially their I/O psychology program.