National University Reviews of Doctoral in Psychology

Use this as a warning. Plan on the career taking an extra year and a few thousand dollars more. Went in after being told it would be 80k and 4 years. Here I am at 94k with Lord only knows how much longer. See the thing is after you are done with academics you will need an extra 4 courses at 3k each. Or maybe 8 because if they need the money they will put you on a "supplemental" course. These are created to help you with the dissertation but who needs 12 weeks to get through 1 chapter? Or 20 weeks,... Read More because they will say everything looks good until it's time to pass you on to the next chapter. Then they will come up with a reason for needing the extra 8 weeks. Save yourself the trouble go somewhere else!

I graduated with a PhD in General Psychology in 2009. I was very pleased with my learning experiences at the school and have found the credential well accepted for teaching purposes. Yes, even in 2008 it was expensive but I knew this going into the program. The one on one experiences I had with faculty were very meaningful and I appreciated the feedback I got on my writing assignments. The dissertation modules were co fusing at times but at the end of the program I could see the method to the madness.... Read More Folks, this isn't the ki d of program where you'll be interacting with a bunch of students on the same journey. If you want that, join a social media group of learners. To make it through NCU, you need to be self motivated. If you can do that, you'll find the program to be well worth your time.

The coursework is actually a template that instructors do not influence, thus limiting them to review and grade status. This module would be acceptable but the one-on-one professor (their student load is much higher than advertised) does not validate the quality of the instructor. The final course I took the professor was unable to define core concepts, such as Janis' 1972 groupthink theory. Northcentral is clearly a pay for degree program without academic or scholarly goals. If you are not interested... Read More in an education this program is fast paced, but of low quality program.

I graduated a year ago from Northcentral after receiving both my Masters and PhD. I feel like I received an excellent education, but that's all I received. The program did not allow for any research or teaching experience, which is needed to acquire a position. The school had, at the time, no one to advise students in the field of Health Psychology with job placement or job leads. Here it is, just about a year after receiving my doctorate, and I have no qualifications for a job other than my credentials.... Read More This is very disheartening. I spent many years studying hard to acquire my degree and I feel that the advisors and university dropped the ball.

I completed my PhD with Northcentral University in 2011 and I am now an assistant professor on my way to being a tenured. The PhD is very difficult and challenging process. Barriers to completion are not common--they are certainties and reality. When I read reviews about NCU, I promise that the complaints by students are the same as other students at brick and mortar schools. Committees provide inconsistent and conflicting feedback. You change one thing for one committee member and then change it... Read More back for another. Committee members get weeks to review and make suggestions and the student gets 1-3 days to make corrections--horror stories all PhD candidates experience. My PhD has opened a number of doors for me and I am actually in a much better place to write and publish than my colleges from traditional PhD programs because I am used to forging forward and figuring out things on my own. So many of my colleagues need a team of people to help them write a journal article or book chapter and struggle greatly with being independent scholars. All this to say--NCU was a blessing to me--very difficult and rigorous program, and it certainly did not feel like a "blessing" at the time--but now I see I am a much better member of academia for my doctoral experience with NCU.

Northcentral is incredible. I was super nervous prior to attending, but once I started, I immediately understood how lucky I was to be attending. I have jobs and children, so on campus Ph.D. was going to be difficult. I was very hesitant about online programs. Now I am no longer nervous. Furthermore, the one to one instruction is unreal. Dr. Streit, my first professor, was beyond incredible. I am so impressed with her ability to help me focus on dissertation ideas, develop those ideas, and being... Read More generally responsive to every question and ideas shared. I was nervous about attending this school until I was exposed to Dr. Streit.

I received both my Masters and my Doctorate through NCU. My experience was good.... I had some good professors, some not so good professors and some great professors (just like any school). I also felt that some of the courses were applied in the wrong order, but I could have talked over my schedule with my advisor more. Advisors changed often and like professors they were not all that great. I did have some great experiences. The dissertation process was exhausting (as one would expect). Overall... Read More I think NCU was a good choice and would encourage anyone who decides on NCU to talk with your advisor about your plans and be sure to take your course in a manner that fits your needs (i.e. if you have kids, no hard classes in the summer!).

Some courses were okay, but for the most part it's a lot of busy work. They say it is work at your own pace...except you have to hand in weekly assignments by Sunday at midnight, then wait until the next Friday to get feedback, then turn in your next assignment on Sunday. So basically, instructors have 4 days to grade and I have to do all of my work on the weekend. It's against policy to hand anything in before getting the previous assignment back! And the dissertation is the same. They tell you... Read More that you can work ahead, but then you still have to wait and hand each section in on the weekend it's due, for 48 weeks! Feels like grade school to me not adult education!

I started my program in 2008 to earn my doctorate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology to compliment my MBA. I read all of the catalog requirements and began. In 2010 my father unexpectedly passed away 3 weeks before class was over and 2 assignments still due. I contacted my advisor and the professor immediately since I would be travelling to take care of funeral and estate situations and would need an extension. No reaponse. I ended up getting one of the assignments turned in the last day of... Read More class (I had still not been contacted back). Then with the rolling enrollment NCU started my next class. I contacted again requestiong one of the breaks that was allowed under my catalog. That I got a reply to tgat the catalog had changed and that wasnt an option any longer. I got the final assignment of the original class in 2 weeks late. Neither of the last two assignments were graded but my grade assigned (F). I then contacted the current class in which I was behind in then explaining what was going on, no response. Again this term starting behind the 8 ball plus trying to get caught up at work I again was running about 2 weeks behind. No late assignments were accepted or graded, so another F went on my record and the school again rolled over my enrollment. Frustrated at how this was going I dropped the class and program. NCU again had dinged my account for tuition (which I couldnt get refund on, since it was after day 5 of the course AND instead of assigned a WD (withdraw) they posted a grade of F. Little to no response with advisors, administration or so called professors. They have a great system going to keep the dollars flowing in with little regard for student well being or learning. Very disappointed. With 18 passing hours (A/B) I could have used those to hit my next pay raise but with the 3 Fs I cant have the transcript even sent to my employer. Sadly, NCU knows exactly what they are doing.

Consumer Beware. Financial Aid services were NOT transparent, and/or forthcoming in information, which sadly reflect upon the entire university. Poor/miscommunication was common between departments, Professor was caring, as well as proficient. Although I did well in the course at NCU, the institution was problematic My overall experience with this institution concerning resolution was both time consuming and exacerbating. If you're looking for an institution of both quality and integrity, you may... Read More want to look elsewhere. .

I am earning my PhD in psychology. The overall purpose of pursing my degree with NCU is that my goal is to enhance my profession as a marriage coach and academic lecturer. I also plan to contribute to research in this area. overall, NCU has been a learning experience. I feel that the writing and research opportunities were extremely rigorous. Most, but not all, of my mentors were helpful with some areas of the curriculum, and less so in others. For example, there were times were feedback was not... Read More helpful or seemed a cookie-cutter response. Some mentors do not thoroughly explain instructions or offer their expectations clearly However, there were some mentors that were very detailed in their feedback and understood the course material well. I think it really depends on the class. I will say that the support services are excellent. Anytime I signed up for assistance, such as with Statistics, I received exceptional support. I went through two academic advisors, and the one I have now is wonderful. She check in and always answer my questions within 24 hours. The biggest flaw about NCU is that there isn't enough practical experience for psych majors. I think they should offer internships or clinicals. I had also mentioned adding a life coaching certification component as a specialization to the psychology curriculum because I think psych majors need more hands on opportunities in order to secure a career in the field. However, in my case, I do believe my degree from NCU will enhance my career, especially after I attain my coaching certification form another institution. I also think it will serve me well as a professor. So, as you read the reviews, and make a decision as to where you want to invest your money and earn your degree, keep in mind what you want to do with your degree and how it will be received in the industry of your career. For me, NCU is ideal, even though improvements are needed.

It SHOULD have been a good fit, with the self-paced learning and online format, but it is a disaster. For an online school, the website is straight from 1996. Don't let the shiny EXTERNAL site fool you; the one students use is a joke. Instructors come and go with no notice (I was in a class for 21 days with an instructor who had quit prior to the class starting). You have to fight them about everything, and they "continuously" enroll you, you know, for your own... Read More good, so you are always in school. You have to ask permission to not be in class. With NCU, the meter is ALWAYS running.

Yes, but not at this school. They are always changing the process on you, with no warning, and not even the instructors and staff and keep the policy changes straight. STAY AWAY. Remember, this is a FOR PROFIT place, and you are a customer, not a student.

Find another place to go to school. Online education isn't there yet, and NCU is Exhibit A in why online degrees aren't taken seriously.