Capella University Reviews of Doctorates in Business

"As a doctoral student in the School of Business Management, I have been impressed with the high calibre design of their online course rooms, and the quality program curriculum. The PHD program instructors seek performance excellence from their students. The doctoral programs are further in business enhanced by the addition of in-person onsite residencies."

"Having attended only brick-and-mortar schools in the past, I was initially skeptical about opting for a virtual Ph.D. program. However, I'm glad I chose Capella University for such an adventure. To begin with, at the doctoral level "you get what you put in"; in particular, I found that online training, such as the type offered at Capella is suited for experienced professional (like me) who are life-long independent learners, and who will be too bored listening to the type of instructions given by a professor at your typical brick-and-mortar school that might not have as much practical experience. On that note, I had a fantastic experience during my almost four-year Ph.D. journey at Capella. During course work, I found the instructional materials, the assignments, and course-room discussions to be very useful. Also, I thought that the residencies I attended were well planned/organized, and they provided an important avenue to have face-to-face interaction with other learners and instructors. During the dissertation process, the vast amount of knowledge and instructional materials I had acquired during the course work and residencies were extremely valuable. In sum, I thought that my experience at Capella University was great--I was very impressed with the rigour, thoroughness, and often frustrating reviews I experienced while completing the 16 milestones for my dissertation study. Last but not least, I would definitely recommend this school to others in the future."

"This school is terrible. The instructors are arrogant and not helpful. They don't take into consideration that students come from different schools and their backgrounds, strengths and weaknesses vary. They get you in the school and leave you on your own. They don't care they have the tuition money and student enrollment numbers. That's it. You're left with a student loan for something you didn't finish. Not enough instructor support. Now I'm in debt and no degree. I felt like I was set up for failure. Mind you I'm quite capable of learning. I have a MBA. I was enrolled in their DBA program."

"This University is focused on money not education. I already have a PhD in Chemistry from a brick an mortar University but decided to continue my education many years later with a degree in Business. The classes were very good and I learned a lot. However, the doctorate portion of the program was very lacking compared to what I did in my previous graduate studies. It was not going well and I requested to be placed on leave while I decided if I would continue. This was done for a quarter but then I was charged for the following quarter that I had not requested to be signed up for. I have sent many letters to Capella explaining that I did ask to be enrolled and explained why I left. They will not even talk with me about the program unless I pay for the quarter I did not attend. I would like to discuss the option of completing the program with a Masters but this is not their priority only the money."

"I have received my Bachelors, MBA and am in my Dissertation phase of the PhD program at Capella. Capella's professors provide you with a list of assignments, due dates and expectations upon beginning the classes. Participation is graded up to 50% percent of your grade but if you read carefully the requirements of the participation then you can easily nail that 50%. I found the program flexible as long as I planned ahead and once I figured out that I must meet the minimum requirements it was easy for me to integrate the workload into my very busy life. The PhD program has been the most challenging. The course work was more difficult and Track 1 and 2 have evolved since I attended to better prepare students. Comprehensive Exams are extremely intense and there is a reason that only 2% of the population has a PhD. The courseroom experience for dissertation is frustrating but as get closer to milestone 6 I am hopeful that the process will go faster. New learners are prepared thru Milestone 5 during their Track 1 and 2. Overall, I am pleased with the school, I have been challenged and have gotten from the experience what I have put into it!"

"I discovered that all the expected outcomes depend on individual motivations, willingness to sacrifice, and ability to extract value from school resources (incl. faculty, library, cohorts, etc.). My dissertation mentor and faculty not only were solid academic professionals but each was a professional consultant. Entrepreneurship through consulting was part of motivation for pursuing my doctorate. The relationship was perfect to further my education and learn my desired profession from experts. The faculty narrowed the gap between academia and practitioner for me. Through their influence and always being willing to advise, assist, and consult I learned more than what could be offered through a syllabus or individual course. I am grateful for the experience. i wish to continue relationships with many of the faculty long after graduation. Once again, it is important that each prospective learner weigh their motivation v. willingness to commit."

"I have two graduate degrees, including my PhD from Capella. The other is an MS from a well-respected brick and mortar school where I now teach. By far, I worked harder and learned more at Capella (which should be expected, since it was a more advanced degree). Many doors have opened to me that I never could have anticipated, including (among others) the opportunity to chair a prestigious international conference at one of the top Boston-area universities. (Hint: what are the first two that come to mind? You probably thought of the one I'm referring to.) Those who says this is a diploma mill have no clue what they're saying. It is anything but. Enroll here only if you're seriously about learning. And be prepared to work hard. You will EARN any degree you get from Capella."

"Capella is really one of the worst school to attend. Universities such as Capella will take our country back years and years. The education materials are weak. They promise you of flat rate, and you think you will be able to save thousands of dollars because now you can take as many courses to finish fast, but it's big lie. This school should be going through serious audit and former students should be getting their money back. My advice to students, if you're busy professional make your choice very careful. It's not like before that you have no options, there are many other reputable schools that offer online education to working busy individuals. Don't be fooled by no GRE, GMAT, or other standardized test that CAPELLA offers, invest some money and time to complete courses in GRE, or other exams and attend good school. You will see a good return on your investment. Capella will find many ways to keep you in school and you will find yourself paying more and spending more time to get your degree. Be AWARE of Capella practices."

"This University is a joke. They do prey upon students and they are not consistent with graduation requirements. In the DBA program, they allowed some students extra time and support to finish work that was not afforded other students. I finished my coursework with a 4.0 and they did not allow me to complete my dissertation to finish the program. I had health issues, family deaths, and other personal crisis that I was facing, and I was never advised to take "leave" from the program. Out of the group that I started the program with, only 2 people, JUST two have completed the program. To my knowledge they did two of us the same way, but their graduation rate is abysmal and the program is a joke. DON'T go to this school. AND, they started to loose numbers so they kept raising tuition to make up for it."