QU Graduate Corner

Metrics Assessment

I'm not sure about you, but I never ended up taking my metrics assessments. First of all, when I originally attempted it there was a password issue. So instead I tried the practice test with a buddy. Oh boy, what a joke, I think maybe we got two right. Actually, my buddy got them right. We never laughed so hard. Every one knows that to find out the distance from point A to point B when you take a detour to point C is to call Triple AAA and get a Trip-Tik..

Then of course I panicked. There is no way I can take this test and pass. Plus I wanted to take the blogging course which was at the same time as the metrics lab. If I fail the assessment test I would not be able to take my elective. Do I skip the metric course, take it and the lab when the next group of OL students come through. The dilemma! So I called the CPS office, and they told me to go ahead and sign up for blogging and metrics course. They were offering the lab more for the students who felt they needed it. For me that was good news. I could take my elective and keep on the required course track. 

Now, the question is do I need to take that darn metrics assessment. Quite frankly, What questions on the assessment have to do with scorecards? If I don't take it or don't pass, later on down the road as I'm traveling from point A to point B is someone going to throw me into point C.  And not allow me to graduate because I did not take an assessment or replace it with the lab?  So best thing to do, is take the dilemma to CPS.

To make a long story short here is the scoop from Professor C. Harrison:

       "The assessments for the 2 labs (OL 610L and OL 620L) have been eliminated. These two labs are elective courses; therefore the decision to whether or not to enroll is up to the student."

Problem solved, I do not need to take the lab assessment! You must admit the CPS program does evaluate courses and requirements on a frequent basis and makes appropriate changes as needed. Talk about good process measuements.

One more week ...

And we have another semester under our belt. How fast the terms fly. Us metric folks are engaged in preparing our H & R Block scorecards or perhaps actually trying to finish up our personal tax returns. How are the scorecards going for everyone? Our group is doing fine. I'm just concerned about meeting his expectations. Not comfortable about how many measures we really need to define. Or how detailed we need to be about other aspects of the company, such as mission statements and recommendations.

I'm sure the boundaries course is working on their term paper. At least, this time around the briefs were due periodically, since I think during the last course, the majority of us were writing a dozen or more briefs plus our research paper the week before Christmas.

This semester has been a bit difficult for me, especially since I have two classes this semester. Two courses can be a challenge for the part-time student. But, I have had a lot of fun and enjoyed the elective. Electives should be fun, especially since we get to choose the course of interest. It might be neat if one semester the program took a break from the required courses and only offered elective choices. It would give us an opportunity to meet others who just recently started the program.

I would really like to sign-up for the e-business elective, but not sure if I can deal with two terms back to back of intense pressure. Have many others signed up for the elective?

  Well, try to enjoy the holiday inbetween school work.

Happy Easter!

Competency Assessments

For those of us who do not have a recent (within the last 10 years) accounting or marketing course to meet the degree requirements we need to take the accounting and marketing competency assessments.

The book recommended for the marketing assessment is The Principles of Marketing by Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong.

The book recommended for the accounting assessment is the OL220 Business Accounting by Porter/Norton/Swain/ Alberecht/Stice/Stice which is only available at the QU bookstore. If  I remember correctly it runs about $85 or maybe it was $65.

If you have an interest to buy a used book, loan a book, or sell a book  to a classmate feel free to use the comment area for networking such exchanges. If your just interested in reading a good book, check out I Just Finished Reading...  I'm currently listening to Blink! as suggested by Mike. When I'm finished with it I'm more than happy to pass it along.

Benefit of Doubling up on Electives

   This is a little piece of 411 that I found out during OL-620's on-site class Saturday.  The date of finishing all requirments by February 24th, 2007 pertains to OL students that started in the fall of 2005, but the doubling up pertains to all of the OL graduate students that want to finish early.  If you want to graduate early doubling up your electives with a sequential course will allow you to get done 7 weeks early per elective.  Take Pam, Mike, and myself as an example we doubled up OL-620 with OL-665, and if we double up one more elective, we will be done February, 24^th, 2007 instead of June 16^th, 2007.  Do not be mislead, it is tough but I believe it is well worth finishing 3 and ½ months early.

OL Program Grading

I like the rest of you have been in this program since the programs beginning, and as of now we are about to complete the fourth required course.  In two out of the four courses we received feedback in a timely fashion. One course has been over since mid December, I still have not received a grade on about 60% of the assignments and the other section received no graded assignments. In the OL-620 class we are about to finish our fourth week and only the first week of work has been graded.  Evidently, the professor is having technical difficulties.

I do not know about the rest of you, but I live by simple beliefs.  One of them is " if you cannot grade it, do not assign it".  Hopefully it will get better as they iron-out the troubles in running a new program, but as of now I am a bit disappointed.

Virtual Office launch

The blogging class was the first OL course to attempt the technology of Qunnipiac's Blackboard virtual office technology.

Prior to the meeting a set of instructions were emailed explaining how to initiate the session. Of course, when reading the instructions 5 minutes before the meeting, I panicked when I saw insert your microphone. Was I suppose to buy a microphone?  Well, although I couldn't get my audio to work, I guess you do not need to buy a microphone.

The screen was chopped up in about 4 or 5 sections. One section on the left seemed quite large and was filled with figures of a person from shoulder up and your name under the picture. We had about a half dozen on the call. If you have a large class, I fear the whole screen will be filled with silhouettes. Personally, I thought this was alot of space used to represent who was on the call. Especially since the actual follow my example work area was too small to view. In this area, there was no straight forward enlarge/maximize screen button. My eyes suffered trying to follow along. In the bottom right hand corner was an area where you could type in and chat. This was especially helpful if you could not get your audio to work.

In general, the audio was beyond poor. Either the professor or other students voices echo and faded in and out. Finally, we gave up on the audio and switched to a conference line hosted by www.intercall.com . This proved to be quite productive.

Students, at their places of business have had experience with Sametime web conferencing and it wins hands down when compared to the Breeze web conferencing.

Although the technology was poor, we must commend Quinnipiac University's CPS for providing and experimenting with innovated ways to allow the professional student a "classroom" interaction without physically needing to be present.

QU Course Pricing Policy

      Apparently Qunnipiac University policy (not College of Professional Studies) states that graduate program participants must pay graduate course credit prices for UNDERgraduate courses. 

For example, if you need to take the OL220 Business Accounting course, which is an undergraduate course, you will pay graduate course credit prices. Yet as a member of this class you would not have a graduate level instruction experience.

      Personally, I feel that not only is this policy not fair, but also it might deter a graduate student, such as myself, from signing up for a undergraduate course simply to pursue a field of personal interest.

      Let us know your opinions on this policy.  Is it fair?  Would you take  a non-required undergraduate course at the higher cost? I wonder what the policy is after you graduate from a graduate program.

Why Quinnipiac - Other Graduate Programs

Quinnipiac University has grown from a local college to an outstanding accredited university over the last two decades. It's Law School is approved by the American Bar Association of American Law Schools http://law.quinnipiac.edu/ and has been gaining status since it's acquisition of the old University of Bridgeport Law School years ago. In addition to it's Law School, Quinnipiac University offers a wide array of masters programs through through their Schools of Business, Communications, Health Sciences and its Division of Education and College Professional Studies. http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x2531.xml.

Quinnipiac University is conveniently located in the Town of Hamden, CT. Which has a diverse population and a rich cultural environment in which to study and grow personally and academically.

We would love to hear your comments on the University's Graduate Programs, so please post to our Blog.

Organizational Leadership Program

In the fall of 2005, the College of Professional Studies initiated a new program, a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership.  The popularity of the new program has resulted in another series which started in the new year. Will this program become the "new generation" MBA that corporations are seeking? For more information about the program click here.