Amberton University

[ss20ts]

I have begun my graduate degree program journey with Amberton University. Last summer I started a grad program in project management at Charleston Southern University. I knew the school was religious when I applied, but I was not prepared for how religious and that religion would be in every single class including reading a book on Proverbs and writing about religion. What religion has to do with project management I don't know. Because of this experience I was VERY hesitant to apply to Amberton because they too are a Christian school. I chatted with a few folks on this forum and the sister forum who attend Amberton and put me at ease so I applied. Yes they are a Christian school however religion isn't in the courses except for a handful of classes which I will not need to take. There is an ethics course required but there are 2 sections - one looking at ethics from a religious perspective and one without the religion. 

I applied and was accepted within 2 days. The application was very short and easy to fill out online. It was free. I did have to send my transcripts proving I had completed a bachelor's degree. No biggie. They received the transcripts the next from UMPI. Updated my FAFSA the same day and my financing is already completed. Overall, they are on top of things and pretty speedy. 

Few things to note....

Tuition and fees:
Tuition is $855 for a 3 credit class $285 per credit 
Fees are $35 per semester
So full time with 9 grad credits is $2600
Pretty sweet deal for grad school!
Oh and the tuition and fees are the same amount for undergrad.
*This is the tuition for Spring 2022. I imagine it will increase over time.

Semesters:
There are 4 semesters every year - fall, winter, spring, summer.
They are 10 weeks long.
There are breaks for holidays.

On the website you can see when every class will be offered for the next year. This a really nice thing to have access to. I was able to plan out every course required for my entire degree and know when I'll graduate before I even applied. 

Every course also has the syllabus on the website so you can see what work is involved, how the grades are calculated, what textbooks are required, etc. 

Transfer credit:
They may accept up to 12 graduate credits. They only accept RA credits with a B or above and must be 5 years old or newer.

Admission requirements:
There are GPA requirements and you need a bachelor's degree. Looks like you can still be accepted with a 2.5 GPA and if it's lower you can contact them to discuss your options. No GRE or GMAT exams required. 

There are 2 campuses. Both are office buildings. There is a library and offices on the main campus. No dorms. No sports. No clubs. None of that extra fluff that costs $$$$. Being an adult thousands of miles away I don't need that fluff. The textbooks are available through a link with ecampus. There is also a link to purchase school merch directly from the printer. So no on campus school store. I try to get Kindle books whenever possible so I won't be using ecampus unless it's a book I can't get elsewhere. 

The online courses use Moodle.

In person commencement ceremonies happen twice a year - at the end of the fall and spring semesters. They're held in a nearby church. One thing that is very unique is that you get to bring someone with you to walk across the stage side by side. It's supposed to be someone who helped you through your journey. People bring their kids, parents, co-workers, etc. That was a pretty cool thing to see. You're also encouraged to cheer which is not the case at every school for some odd reason. 

I'll update this post as my journey progresses. Classes begin March 12.

My degree is the MS in Agile Project Management.