Concordia University - Portland

I am currently completing my M.Ed Curriculum & Instruction: ESOL degree and will be done August 2016. I start in July of 2016. I have to agree that some professors are not very engaged, and others are awesome! Because it is online, a lot of the weight is put on your shoulders to pull your own weight, but almost every professor that I've had so far (in my 9th class) has been extremely helpful, resourceful, and willing to answer all my questions. One thing that I do not like about the online program... Read More is that it is nearly $700 per credit so it is very costly and because it is online, there is A LOT of reading. Some classes has videos to watch in place of reading, but other courses just have a ton of reading. If you are not self disciplined, their online program is not for you. YES their M.Ed program is legit, and yes the professors are real people. I have noticed that one or two professors do not live in the U.S., but used to and moved out of the country for an experience of a life time. The best part about having an online program is that you have no idea who will be in your cohort, but I have learned so much from my cohort because we are all over the country. You get to learn from people that have so many unique and different experiences. A lot of people say that you just pay for a degree, but this is definitely not true. There are people in my cohort that failed various classes from lack of effort. I have done fairly well on most of my assignments, but I also put in hard work. Some professors are easier graders than others, but they always give great feedback on how to improve. I already am a certified teacher, but the only thing I truly wish is that I had some actual teaching experience throughout the course. In some of the classes we had to record ourselves teaching ESOL students, but the student teacher experience would have made me feel a little more confident. FYI: Check your state's requirements because not everyone can receive their M.Ed in ESOL and will be certified to teach ESOL or to teach at all. You must be a certified teacher already and in many states there are additional tests that must be completed to add ESOL to your teacher certificate. Here in MD I have to take the ESOL Praxis. I think only Oregon residents can complete the program and add ESOL to their certificate.

Concordia University is a great school. It's small, and often thought of as "that school on the radio". But upon visiting campus, Concordia can easily and quickly become a home. Being a small campus, you'll take a maximum of five minutes to cross it. And you get a very personalized education as you take interesting classes with caring professors. There is always something to do: sports (competitive and intramural), clubs, weekend activities, community service, and all sorts of school events. Plus,... Read More Alberta Street is just a few blocks away with tons of restaurants to explore! As a private institution, they never push religion on you; the religion classes are actually very interesting and thought provoking. If you are religious, there are great places, people, and events through which you can live out your faith. It can be pretty expensive, but financial aid helps out the best they can. There is even a scholarship for simply filling out the FAFSA! I never intended to go to Concordia, but as soon as I visited, I knew it was where I was meant to be.

Concordia is more interested in signing up students than actually teaching them. By that I mean 80% of my professors (8 out of 10) hired appear to be teaching as a second job and putting in the effort of such. I have come to understand I am paying Concordia approximately $2100 per course so I can be handed a syllabus with 20 assignments, and then I'm set free. There is zero instruction from the professors; the learning I'm doing is solely from my research and through my motivation and even then I... Read More am not receiving feedback, let alone quality feedback on my ideas. Understand I am not basing my judgment of Concordia online with an on campus course, I am comparing Concordia online against other online classes I have taken as well as courses other colleagues have taken. The expectation level for the instructors at Concordia is truly sad especially when education in this country is already under attack by so many.

I loved this school. Yes, I did sacrifice my nights and weekends for an entire year, but it was worth it. I worked full time and was raising three children at the same time. My family was understanding. Best thing I ever did because now I have a new position at a college with double the pay. My classmates were wonderful and my professors were great. I never had an issue getting a response to any question whether it was from a professor or financial aid. Everyone from the admissions process down was... Read More fantastic. I highly recommend this school. It is very demanding, but worth it, if you are willing to put in the time. It definitely helped me advance my career.

I am currently in my 7th out of 10 classes of the Masters of leadership program at Concordia. The program is very demanding and one should expect to devote all of their free time towards the program. However, this is to be expected in an accelerated one year program. I am very impressed with the quality of education and the incredible amount that I am learning. Without hesitating, I would recommend this program to anyone who is willing to put their life on hold for one year. It will take be 4 years... Read More to earn back what I spent on this program. Therefore, I would consider this an excellent rate of return given that from graduation forward (including retirement), I will earn a better salary.

My time at Concordia was fantastic. It was home for two and a half years, after I transferred from a community college. Transferring credits was a little complicated, so I added on half a year, but in the end, I think it was a good thing. The staff is so nice and helpful, from admissions to financial aid. The professors really do make you better. And the religion is never forced. I liked that it was a Christian school, but I knew several people were not Christian, but never felt pushed. Sometimes... Read More the small school atmosphere felt like high school with the jocks and the nerds, but you get past that. Being so close to Alberta street, and having so many on-campus events, there is never a dull moment. I recommend Concordia 100%!

I'm currently in the 2nd week of my 3rd course. I have really enjoyed the program so far. I have learned a lot of new information that I can use in my classroom. The only complaint I have is the APA format. I was not familiar with APA and the instructors will count off points for every little period or comma. In fact, my first paper was considered plagiarism because I didn't put quotation marks around the quotes. I was able to redo the paper and corrected the errors and received a good great. Before... Read More considering this program, be sure you are familiar with APA format and you should do great!

This program is supposed to be for teachers of all age groups. As a high school teacher... do not take this program it is geared towards younger students. Also they are more concerned about your APA than anything. I once got a c on a paper with the comment that my content was great but I had APA issues. Isn't the point of learning the content not the fact that I was supposed to put the period after the parenthesis not before? I honestly do not feel like I learned anything about curriculum, maybe... Read More some new instruction but anyone that did teaching in their undergrad be prepared for a lot of repeat information.

I DO NOT recommend this online program to any working adult, especially educators who tend to have unpredictable schedules. Even though the program is advertised as being "flexible", it is not at all. If you do chose to attend Concordia University - Portland online, here are some things you can expect... You should be prepared to give up all of your time in the evenings and on the weekends. Expect to submit the equivalent of three to four fully researched essays per week (in their five week courses),... Read More whether as discussion board posts or as additional assignments/projects. I almost feel as if this institution is intentionally requiring lots of "busy work" so that students easily fall behind and end up paying more money in tuition. This has not happened to me, but when I began the program I had about 14 colleagues in my cohort, and now I have 3. Enter at your own risk!

Concordia is a small Lutheran University with a mission, "Prepare leaders who serve others through careers with global non-profits, educational institutions, and community development organizations. Graduates will gain intercultural competency, international experiences, and a deeper understanding of how to navigate complex partnerships in and between global communities." The University lives this mission. I would highly encourage Concordia University to anyone who wants to go to a small university... Read More that cares about your individual development!

I am completing my Masters in Business Administration at Concordia University-Portland. It is a great place for any level of education for . It is close to my place of residence where buses are easy to come by. It has the most supportive stuff who are will to go in their way to help students with both academic and career opportunities. It is a great place to form networks and also helps with finding great internships and job opportunities around the world. However, it is a great school, it is very... Read More expensive to afford. Even though it has this disadvantage, I would recommend Concordia University to anybody who is willing to continue with their education regardless of their field of study.

While the program was rigorous, it was also excellent. I learned a plethora of information that I could use at work. The science concentration courses were very, very good courses for the program. This is by far the BEST school I have ever attended. Along with excellent courses that are beneficial for employment in the area of science, are also a GREAT administrative offices. The people are always available to answer any questions. They are very nice and respectful. If they cannot help you, they... Read More will transfer you to someone who can help you, AND will not hang up until they know the person that they transferred you to is available to help you. I love this school. It is the BEST educational choice that I have ever made. After graduating from the Master's program, I went ahead and enrolled in the Doctoral program. This school is Excellent, and it represents what college should be.