Nicole’s Experience

I started working on my bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1984, the year I graduated from high school. After two years at Chico State, life got in the way. Over the course of the next few years, I completed one semester at CSU Fullerton and a few general education classes at Shasta Community College.

In 1998, determined to finish my degree, I enrolled in the BSBA program at University of Phoenix Online. Because I was a working single mother of a 9-year-old and worked varying shifts as a public safety dispatcher, the flexibility of the online program appealed to me. However, I questioned whether I would find the coursework to be truly valuable, or whether I’d just be buying a glorified degree.

I found the coursework at University of Phoenix Online to be as engaging as any I had taken in the bricks-and-mortar environment. The workload varied somewhat with each course, but the structure was essentially the same.

Each week, at whatever time was most convenient for me, I had to:

• Read lecture notes, textbook and/or journal articles
• Respond to discussion questions
• Post thoughtful responses to at least a given number of peers
• Write essays of varying length using APA format

Assignment deadlines were typically set for midnight of given days of the week, and final essays ranged from 2,000 to 3,500 words.

During my time at University of Phoenix, I made lasting connections with several peers and one of my instructors, and when I received the BSBA degree, in May 2000, I truly felt that I had earned it. And, as an alumnus, I still have access to the school’s online library, something I use regularly.

Two years later, I decided to become a teacher. National University had recently opened a campus in my hometown, but having so enjoyed my classes at University of Phoenix, I chose to enroll in the online program at National University.

I had to take two classes on campus and do my student teaching in local schools, but I completed the rest of my coursework online, earning both a California teaching credential and a master’s degree in cross-cultural teaching.

I highly recommend online coursework to anyone interested in completing a degree or certificate program. You will see significant improvement in your writing and research skills, regardless of your field of study, and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you are using the Internet for something more useful than watching funny videos on YouTube.

- Nicole
San Francisco, California

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