Complaint Review: Walden University - Minneapolis Minnesota

Walden University is not a quality school. I am embarrassed to say that I was a student there from July 2012 to November 2013. I completed 11 courses in the PhD in public health program. 

Walden does a very good job marketing itself as an institution of higher learning and enrollment recruiters exaggerate the level of accreditation the University has. It is true that Walden University has regional accreditation, but it lacks many important accreditations that are specific to each program or field of study. For example, Walden University's public health programs are not accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) nor are they recognized by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health. Recruiters, in my case, brushed off my questions about CEPH accreditation but assured me that the university was “working towards” obtaining this accreditation and that it would be “in place” by the time I graduated. They continued to stress the university's regional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission; however, this accreditation is very common and does not carry much significance.

It is extremely important for potential students to know that many employers require more accreditation than what Walden claims to have. These employers will commonly include a statement such as “education qualifications must be from a school whose accreditation is recognized.” Without these important accreditations, some students may discover they have spent a lot of time and money on a degree that is not recognized in their field.

I strongly urge both current and prospective students to verify what professional accreditations are expected within their field. Walden University does a good job flaunting their regional accreditation, but potential students need to be fully aware that this is a basic level of accreditation that may not be sufficient enough to acquire a job in their field of study. 

But accreditation is not Walden’s only problem. Here is more information about my expereince with this school: 

During my time at Walden, the classes were very basic, the work was very easy (but time consuming) and grades were issued solely on the basis of meeting the criteria that 1) something was turned in within the deadline and 2) it was within the word limit set for weekly discussion posts (between 200 and 300 words). Content and quality of the work was never considered. I discovered that I would get an A if I worked hard and submitted a well-written assignment. But there were weeks where I was busy and I knew I had to finish an assignment on time and turned in work that was of much poorer quality. To my surprise, however, I still got As if the work was submitted on time. The only time my grades slipped below and A was when my work was submitted past the deadline (there is an automatic 20% reduction in points each day an assignment is submitted past the weekly deadline). 

The big eye opener for me, however, was when Walden University upgraded its online classroom platform. The new system made it easier to track dates and times of not only when assignments were submitted, but when they were opened, reviewed, and graded by the instructor. In my last class at Walden, the instructor of an advanced research methods class was behind in his grading. As the class whined down and the deadline for submitting grades was approaching, the instructor spent a morning catching. From the date and time stamps, I noticed that the instructor had opened, reviewed, and graded 5 assignments I submitted, all within a 2 minute time period. One of those assignments was my final paper in the class which was 21 pages long. Together, the five assignments totaled over 50 pages of writing I had worked hard to complete for the class. I was shocked, disappointed, and angry that the instructor did not even read what I submitted. Per Walden policy, the instructor only checked to make sure something was submitted by the deadline. The content and quality of the work does not matter and was not considered in the grading process. I still have no idea if what I wrote for this advanced research methods course is right or if I applied the different theories and methodologies correctly. 

This was not the first complaint I had about my courses at Walden. Earlier I had to file an appeal on a grade I received on a class because the instructor missed grading one of my assignments and forgot to award me the points for completing it. That time, at least, the school admitted it was an oversight and my grade was appropriately changed. I also had complained the lack of feedback and guidance provided by another Walden faculty member. It seems like most of the faculty is very busy and that checking into the online classroom is not a high priority for them. But you need to understand that Walden University does not have an actual campus. Everything is done online and the entire university is managed from a few small offices rented in some building in downtown Minneapolis. The entire faculty is borrowed from other schools. They might be professors teaching in-person at some brick-and-mortar school, or they might be on the faculty of one or more online schools. 

The instructors at Walden are more like moderators. They check the activity in the online classroom, they make sure assignments are turned in on time, and they review the score on the plagiarism software that is produced each time a student submits and assignment to ensure that the work is at least 80% original (you are allowed to plagiarize up to 20% of your work without penalty). Beyond that, few of the instructors provide helpful feedback on assignments. None of the course instructors “lecture” or do any real teaching. The courses are pre-packaged, so the individual instructors do not bring their own ideas, discussions, or assignments to the course. They just follow the course outline like the students. Most of the instructors are unaware of what the assignments actually are. Many times I (and other students) asked for clarification on the assignments and an instructor has replied that they did not create the assignment or write the discussion questions, so they had no real guidance to give. My time at Walden University was very disappointing. The lack of actual teaching, the fact that instructors graded assignments without reading them, and the lack of academic rigor and the easiness of the “busy work” of the assignments made me realize that I was not earning a PhD in public health …. I was buying one. 

Walden University is a for-profit business. They have very relaxed entrance requirements and basically will accept anyone who can pay the tuition (or qualify for financial aid). The poor quality of the education, combined with the lack of important accreditation leaves you with a degree that frankly is not worth the paper it is printed on. When I finally realized this, I withdrew from Walden and began my search for a more reputable public health program at other schools. While I was able to get into what I call “a real school,” I was told that the credits I earned at Walden would not be transferable. To me, that is a strong testament to how the legitimate schools view schools like Walden.

I am now at the point of starting over. I am at a reputable, respectable school that has a real campus and a long history of academic excellence. I am obtaining my masters in public health first, and then I will consider going on to complete my PhD. I want to make sure that the degrees I earn are respected and recognized by employers in my field. I only wish I had done more research and better understood the type of education that is offered by Walden and other for-profit businesses like them.

I am hoping others will read my review and not enroll at Walden University. I want to help people avoid making the same mistake I did.