What could UMPI do better?

[ashkir]

What do you think UMPI YourPace could do to be a better program? Their staff members are becoming aware of DegreeForum and seem to be taking a mild interest in it. But as the program grows, they may be willing to consider some changes. What are things you think would make the program better for you? Or make you more likely to use UMPI versus the Big 3?

UMPI is doing fantastic. Great communication. Great classes. Their professors are great.

But, how can it become greater?

From what I can tell on these forums so far:
1) Add a Computer Science or a Technical degree.
2) Drop foreign language requirement (I highly doubt this would ever happen).
3) Add the native American classes offered in person to the online format (WAB 100 - Introduction to the Micmac Language, WAB 105 - Introduction to Maliseet Language, WAB 110 - Wabanaki Worldviews, ANT 100 - Introduction to Anthropology)
4) Accept sophia.org's Biology 103 as Biology GEC.

[rachel83az]

Personally, I wish foreign language was a requirement at more colleges/universities. TESU requires 12 credits in "knowledge of human cultures" but none of that is specifically a foreign language.

[FastTrackDegree]

I'm a bit confused about UMPI's transfer policy, I think they site could need an update... They accept unlimited transfer credits as long as you finish 30 credits with them right? How many ACE and NCCRS credits do they accept? And the General Education requirements are especially confusing to figure out...

[rachel83az]

I'm a bit confused about UMPI's transfer policy, I think they site could need an update... They accept unlimited transfer credits as long as you finish 30 credits with them right? How many ACE and NCCRS credits do they accept? And the General Education requirements are especially confusing to figure out...

They accept unlimited ACE credit. With, again, the 30-credit residency credit with them. They apparently do not currently accept NCCRS. It would be nice if they did.

[FastTrackDegree]

I'm a bit confused about UMPI's transfer policy, I think they site could need an update... They accept unlimited transfer credits as long as you finish 30 credits with them right? How many ACE and NCCRS credits do they accept? And the General Education requirements are especially confusing to figure out...

They accept unlimited ACE credit. With, again, the 30-credit residency credit with them. They apparently do not currently accept NCCRS. It would be nice if they did.

Ok that's great! They give a very nice overall impression compared to other schools.

[Cofffeee]

I dont think foreign language should be a requirement,  maybe an elective. To learn language takes time, which is very difficult by means of CB programs. So i believe this course should be rather replaced with smth else.
Also agree, Computer science degree will be one of the most popular programs in UMPI.( if they decide to add it)  it will be huge competition to TESU

[freeloader]

I have been quite happy, on the whole with UMPI YourPace. Things that I would like to see added/changed:

Category A (relatively easy/feasible):

1.  Offer Cost Accounting: this is a major subject in accounting, is tested on the CPA exam, and is a required prerequisite course for many graduate programs in accounting.

2. Make syllabi/more information about course requirements available BEFORE you add a competency.

3. Offer Statistics: As with 1, this is a very important course for students in a number of disciplines. Stinks that it isn’t offered through UMPI YourPace.

4. Improve transcripting of transferred courses: It seems that courses that are not offered at UMPI (and thus don’t have a course number) come in as general transfer credit or a duplicate course. I had Cost Accounting from a prior college and Sophia stats. Cost came in as a duplicate of managerial accounting and stats as general credit.

5. More minors using available resources: UMPI offers minors in at least 5 fields (English, history, political science, social studies, and criminal justice) on-campus that could, it seems, be very easily offered using the competencies already available through the YourPace platform. Also, would seem likely to attract more students. I haven’t asked about potentially pursuing one of these minors as they don’t interest me, particularly.

Category B (more difficult):

6. More competencies/minor/concentration/major in finance, marketing, and economics: I appreciate the course they offer in these areas, would love to see more.

7. Competencies/minor/concentration/major in agribusiness or agricultural economics: I am probably the only one who would want these, but I would love them to be offered. UMPI offers this coursework on-campus, so it isn’t an absurd proposition. These are also fields that are not widely offered by other online universities.

8. CBE MBA and/or masters in management, accounting, finance, or marketing. They do have the MAOL, so are developing the institutional competency to eventually offer one of these. The biggest problem would be lack of programmatic  accreditation, but brings us to number 9.

9.  ACBSP or IACBE accreditation: AACSB won’t accredit competency-based programs (which stinks), but this would be a very nice addition.

[missbootyfull]

I have been quite happy, on the whole with UMPI YourPace. Things that I would like to see added/changed:

Category A (relatively easy/feasible):

1.  Offer Cost Accounting: this is a major subject in accounting, is tested on the CPA exam, and is a required prerequisite course for many graduate programs in accounting.

2. Make syllabi/more information about course requirements available BEFORE you add a competency.

3. Offer Statistics: As with 1, this is a very important course for students in a number of disciplines. Stinks that it isn’t offered through UMPI YourPace.

4. Improve transcripting of transferred courses: It seems that courses that are not offered at UMPI (and thus don’t have a course number) come in as general transfer credit or a duplicate course. I had Cost Accounting from a prior college and Sophia stats. Cost came in as a duplicate of managerial accounting and stats as general credit.

5. More minors using available resources: UMPI offers minors in at least 5 fields (English, history, political science, social studies, and criminal justice) on-campus that could, it seems, be very easily offered using the competencies already available through the YourPace platform. Also, would seem likely to attract more students. I haven’t asked about potentially pursuing one of these minors as they don’t interest me, particularly.

Category B (more difficult):

6. More competencies/minor/concentration/major in finance, marketing, and economics: I appreciate the course they offer in these areas, would love to see more.

7. Competencies/minor/concentration/major in agribusiness or agricultural economics: I am probably the only one who would want these, but I would love them to be offered. UMPI offers this coursework on-campus, so it isn’t an absurd proposition. These are also fields that are not widely offered by other online universities.

8. CBE MBA and/or masters in management, accounting, finance, or marketing. They do have the MAOL, so are developing the institutional competency to eventually offer one of these. The biggest problem would be lack of programmatic  accreditation, but brings us to number 9.

9.  ACBSP or IACBE accreditation: AACSB won’t accredit competency-based programs (which stinks), but this would be a very nice addition.

I just looked at degree audit and looks like they offer cost accounting?

[freeloader]

missbootyfull
I just looked at degree audit and looks like they offer cost accounting?

Oh, ok. That’s good to know. I am doing the BABA-Accounting Concentration, not the BA in Accounting.  Cost is not required for the BABA and isn’t on my degree plan. If it’s on yours (and I am assuming you are BA-Accounting), bootyful, I guess they do offer it. Sounds like I need to reach out to the YourPace people to see if I can get that changed on my transcript to show as Cost Accounting. Interestingly, Cost does not show as being one of the required courses/competencies on the website for the BA-Accounting

[ss20ts]

One thing people need to keep in mind is that UMPI is a VERY small state school. There are only about 1400 students on campus. It is not a big school at all. The foreign language requirement is a University of Maine requirement. SUNY has it as well. Many state university systems have it. It's not going anywhere and honestly Spanish 1 was not a hard class at all. Many of the changes listed above just aren't possible because of the size of the school and staff. YourPace is not on a platform owned by UMPI. It's not like WGU (thank goodness!).

I wouldn't make changes to UMPI's YourPace program. It needs to continue to grow and have more students. I completed my bachelor's degree because of this learning platform. I've worked on my bachelor's degree on and off since the mid-90's. Without UMPI, I don't know that I would be a college graduate (FINALLY). I personally loved the platform. I didn't find most of the classes to be really difficult. Some have a lot of content. Some don't have much content.

The YourPace program has only been around for a couple of years. It's growing. They're adding more programs. For the first time in their 117 year history, they now have a master's degree. And it's in YourPace not on campus. This degree took a few years to design and build. While it it would be great for them to have an IT program in YourPace, it won't happen overnight. They only started an on campus IT program this last year through a grant from the federal government. Remember, it's a VERY small school. Many of their programs are partnered with another U of M campus and aren't entirely taught on campus.