Concordia University - Portland Reviews

I had been looking into Master's online programs for several years. I chose Concordia University because they were so helpful with enrolling and figuring out how to afford the program. I am half way through my year long program. I am loving the experience. Most of my professors have been knowledgeable, rigorous, and supportive. I have learned so much that has and will make me a better prepared teacher, that will be well educated and informed to better help my students be successful. The whole process has been smooth and anytime that I have had to contact someone for help, it has been a seamless experience and everyone I have been into contact with on campus has been so friendly and professional. I recommend Concordia University and it's online programs. They are supportive and work well with teachers who are juggling jobs and life along with furthering their education.

If this program has more than 1 star, the school paid students or people to write nice reviews because I have several classmates (teachers, school administrators, school counselors, etc) who have the same complaints as me about this program. Do not allow online reviews to mislead you to enroll in this program because you will regret it. Everything an enrollment specialist will tell you before enrolling is fake- a facade. They do not help you with promised grants and scholarships, books, etc. This is an accelerated program and they dont tell you that until the dissertation phase hits you. You are on your own. The school library does not provide any help on the weekend. They graduate writing center does not provide absolutely no help with your writing. They want you to book appointments and meet with someone via web conference during week days, if you have a full-time job, this will not work for you. Any help you ask, its always no and they give you 1000000 reasons why they can't help you, so you end up paying so much money to tutors, editing services, and more editing because to write at graduate level requires a lot of editing and work that you cant simply do on your own. The chain is so mean, you will be hesitant to ask any questions because they really don't help you. You are really on your own. I really suggest you dont enroll but if you really want to speak with current students and get their perspective before you embark on a journey to accomplish the impossible. You have been warned.

If you want a school that is incredibly disorganized, doesn't care about student success, and ignores student contact and requests this is a great school for you. However if you want a school that won't rip you off, will assist you, and provides a quality education do not enroll here.

I am a current student trying to graduate by 2020. This is an accelerated online doctorate program. You do not realize that and it does not really "hit" you until you enter your dissertation phase. The program is advertised and designed for people who have full-time jobs, have a family life, etc and are too busy to attend a traditional school classroom. However, once you enter your dissertation phase on the 2-3 year of the program, you are expected to deliver large amounts of research and information on "tentative" deadlines. This research you will not get done in 8 weeks if you have a family and a full-time job. You also dont know what you will be writing about or where your research will "drive" you, so you will spend more than 8 weeks putting this information together and brainstorming on how you will deliver. You will get extremely frustrated because life happens and your family and your job come first, but not really, you will find that the way they designed this program makes you question that, and your priorities. Its a tremendous amount of pressure and money because what they dont tell you is that if you dont pass a class after the second time, when you actually dont deliver crazy amount of information, then you have to retake the class and pay for it again. So much money that everything quickly adds up to 10, 20, and even 30k. Easily. I would really consider doing an accelerated program, and even more if its an online program for the sake of calling yourself a doctor.

If you want an honest opinion, this school is out to take your money and that is it. A few professors were actually decent, but in terms of how the programs operate and the financial aid and just billing side, good luck. You will have better luck dealing with a monkey than with these people. Like I said, this school is not out to help you achieve anything except take your money. Good luck to you if you decide to go here. This school does not even deserve stars below.

There are many issues occurring simultaneously within the schools, the administrators, students, and the program itself. I have found very few courses that have added valued to my professional and academic life, and those were only two courses. I did not feel I was ready to enter a dissertation phase because I did not feel that those 2 years taking courses prepared me for the work required. Some professors had no or little interactions throughout the entire program, no feedback on writing, there is no indication of what awaits for you. Once you've entered the dissertation phase, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN, and they expect you to submit deliverables on weekly simply based on a 45 min conversation recorded by a chair you picked, excel spreadsheet, and the online library. Any questions, you can email chair (who is rude and by no means helpful), the library is not available on the weekend (shocker). As a full-time employee, the weekend is all we have to conduct my research and write, but if you have questions, there is some online resource, a random librarian somewhere within the US will attempt to help you and in the end will tell you they are not familiar with your school system so you have to contact the librarians on Monday when they are available to help you. This school is a total set-up for failure. If I was not this far into the program, I'd quit! and enroll myself in another school that cares and has the resources to support students. But guess what? if you enrolled in this program, you cannot transfer anywhere else because your credits will not be accepted anywhere else, so you will be stuck in this program and forced to finished otherwise you wasted 2.5-3 years of your life and your finances trying to accomplish the impossible. I don't know how to start my dissertation when they offer no help whatsoever. No help. No weekend resources. You are on your own. Good luck hiring a tutor to help you and the 100's of dollars per session you will paid when the school resources lack the help you need.

The CU-P program provides a firm foundation and broad curriculum to shape the student into the leader that is needed in higher education. The professors have a tough job since the program is fully on-line, but if you commit to communicating openly and often, the guidance provided will help you progress through each class. Now midway through the program, I am watching cafeully the process of dissertation and exchange thoughts and ideas with the cohort as each step of the way. The courses may seem to overlap a bit in the research, but I view this overlap as a means of develping a deeper understanding of the research process. The doctoral program is NOT a high octane MSc or BSc program, it defintiely opens the door to a more research-based pursuit in higher education.

This school enables anxiety and triggers depression. I was initially excited to move from Texas to Oregon to pursue a master's degree and begin a new chapter in my life! The professors (at least the ones in my program were, for the most part, great. My problem derives from the corrupt, administrative side of things. I applied for graduation in summer 2017, and it was approved by two (2) advisors (they fired one advisor and got a new one on my last term), and it was submitted to the registrars office. I presented my final project and turned in my final paperwork. When my degree did not arrive by mail, I contacted my advisor who assured it would mail in the next couple of weeks. Come Thanksgiving, I still had no degree, so I contacted my advisor once more who told me it would arrive early December. By January, after Christmas break, my advisor called me and let me know that I was one (1) credit short of graduating. On top of that, I had to pay for this class because it was, as they said, my fault. And let me just say that this school does not give its students the authority to register for classes; it is required for students to to set-up an appointment with their advisor--who is the only authorized figure to register students. Supposedly, this is for our benefit; however, two (2) advisors overlooked that I was one (1) credit short and the registrars office was one semester behind on catching a mistake they were supposed to catch when I applied for graduation two semesters before (Fall 2016). When I conducted my undergrad, I was in charge of registering for classes and had authority to look at offered courses throughout the year, and I was on top of things--able to print and accommodate my schedule. Concordia made me look bad in front of my employers, family, and friends because I had said I had graduated in summer 2017 when it turned out it was not true. Thus, it enabled my anxiety, as I struggled to balance a part-time job, an additional class, and the burden of paying for my school because I did not qualify for financial aid (since it was only one class). I was depressed because of extreme budgeting. Now, a year later, I finally got my degree and can, wholeheartedly, say that Concordia is the garbage that litters your sanity.

The school is a ripoff and a fraud. BEWARE! This university is a ripoff and a fraud. The professors failed to follow curriculum, and they are very prejudice. All they worrying about is money. I contacted the President's Office, Vice Provost and Director, and they failed to do anything. I passed the course in the dissertation phase, and then they wanted me to take the course again even though I passed the course.

I love Concordia University-Portland doctoral and graduate programs. It's worth the effort, professors are awesome and engaging. As an online student, you MUST be self-motivated. I am a 4.0 GPA, still striving. Thank you CU for the opportunity to SHINE.