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Maria! Great to see your name and face. CBE is intense, but luckily, I didn't experience burnout. I was on a roll and close to the dissertation! Though, life events happened, and there wasn't an option for a Leave of Absence (LoA). The school only offered program withdrawals with the option to return. I wish they offered LoA, but I understand why they don't. Three courses at a time sounds like a good pace for you. When I took two CBE courses at once, it felt like a lot, so I imagine multiple courses keep your mind very busy. A history master's would be interesting. I'd love to study something creative again, like an MFA. Who knows what the future holds right

Love that! I'm glad to hear from others who share similar values around lifelong learning

I really appreciate that comment, especially "be kind to yourself." Life has many twists and turns, so kindness and patience are important. Thanks for the thoughtful comment. It's always nice to meet others who love learning

Thank you!

Already halfway, good for you Awolque! Happy to share my experiences, so thanks for tuning in

I do remember! You're far along; I love hearing those types of stories from doctoral students. I was meaning to look more into the Purdue University Global program. I like the sound of an "Applied Research Project." And thanks for the thoughtful comment and well wishes :)

I love hearing these types of stories! They are not just great for me to read but also for others. You are a true accelerator and proving the path of directing your own learning. It sounds like you're well positioned to finish the dissertation within the next term. Awesome job!

@@lifebyjustin I meant to say I started Feb 2024, not 2023. I had a lot of time when I started to devote to my studies, like you did. I was on FMLA from work at that time due to having surgery, so I used the time laying in bed all day to be productive with my coursework. I was able to get the first 4 courses complete in 5 weeks because I just worked all day every day on them because I couldn’t physically do anything else. Thank you so much…your channel was truly inspiring and one of the huge factors of why I enrolled!

You're welcome! It's amazing what can be accomplished with inspiration, motivation, space, time, grit, and a goal :)

I appreciate that comment, thank you! To me, speed wasn't a factor in why I took a break. Even though I was in a good state and rhythm when I left, I had to shift my priorities because of personal circumstances. But there were times when I felt overwhelmed by the work around the 5th course, not so much due to the pace but because some courses felt constrained by their academic nature. I got out of that mindset around course 7 and found the 8th and the parts of the 9th course I completed most enjoyable.

That's a thoughtful comment, thank you Nick! I was happy to share my CBE journey to help others :)

BDJ Tech, no problem at all. Thanks for the well wishes. Glad you made it into the program. I know you were considering your options and when to join SC. Five courses in the EdD or DBA are a lot! People don't realize how much work it is. Good luck with the start of the second term

I appreciate you saying that. It's hard to prioritize oneself, but I have no regrets about the decision. And thanks for the well wishes! July 1 is just a few days away. I started a year ago, which is crazy to think about. One year zips by

Glad I posted in the nick of time to pique your interest! July 1 is soon; it's crazy to think that's a year ago from when I started. Time will go by fast in the program.

@@lifebyjustin Yes I found came across your videos right on time. I hope that you continue to update us on your journey. Congratulations on your new position!

No problem! Thanks for the well wishes, KW.

Hey! I didn't prioritize types of accreditation because my goal for pursuing the doctorate was mainly lifelong learning and a strong interest in CBE. If I were aiming to be an academic and wanted a professorship at an R1 university (or a U15 in Canada, where I live), accreditation and program reputation would have been much more relevant to my decision-making process. In my current line of work, a doctorate is not required, so the employer would not prioritize it.

Nope, most assessments are written based. There are no exams or tests.

I did indeed complete that many EdD courses in under 6 months-8.5 courses actually. The EdD and DBA are similar CBE programs but have different courses. Feel free to check out the Facebook groups to read about people who have more recent direct experience navigating the programs, since I'm no longer enrolled.

None of that. You just follow the syllabus. You do your own thing. No group work, but there are optional weekly meeting zooms you can join. They'll email you the video, too.

Hi Frankie, I wish I could provide more insight on this topic beyond what I said in the videos I made, but I don't have much more to add. Also, it's been about four years since I was in the enrollment process. Hopefully, someone else can see your comment and chime in! My understanding is that WGU makes exceptions for Canadians nowadays. I would run scenarios with the enrollment counselor to see what could be done for Europeans, such as a stay in the US/Canada to make things work. Ask about needing a SSN or an international tax ID. Or, look into other competency-based education (CBE) programs such as those at University of Massachusetts Global (UMass Global MyPath), University of Maine at Presque Isle (YourPace), South College (CBE), Purdue Global (Competency-Based ExcelTrack), or Capella University (FlexPath).

@@lifebyjustin Thanks for the advice, Justin!

I've heard that people have had both positive and negative experiences with the enrollment process, depending on the personality and helpfulness of the counselor.

@@lifebyjustin mine seem straight ghetto.. as if I was incompetent

Hi Sakinah, Glad you're enjoying the binge-worthy videos! While I'm not well-versed in the Doctor of Ministry, I did notice it has more courses than the Doctor of Education program I was enrolled in. Both follow a competency-based education (CBE) model from what I know. CBE leans heavily on independent learning, which may not suit everyone. Personally, I value instructor input, but I'm okay without a strong sense of community in my learning. The Facebook groups offer some support, but it's mostly about asking questions, not collaboration. Considering the commitment involved, trying some asynchronous courses before diving in might be wise. This doctoral program is a marathon of self-paced learning, unlike anything I've experienced before, and even compared to my previous CBE programs.

The EdD program included case studies, reflections, and various academic tasks such as annotated bibliographies, literature reviews, and research papers. All assignments were either in written or presentation format. There were the occasional visual summaries like infographics but that wasn't common. And there were no tests.

No tests. Papers and presentations yes.

Hey Jonathan, I'm not too sure about returning yet because I have a lot going on. Luckily, I can reapply and write a letter to someone in the leadership team and return down the road if I choose to, so I don't feel pressure to decide now or soon. Right now, school doesn't feel like a priority, though I don't regret going to South College. I didn't love all the academic writing, but I learned a lot from the process of doing it. I teach research as one of my jobs, and I feel much more well-versed in the area after doing so many annotated bibliographies, literature reviews, position papers, and research papers. I also gained new discipline-specific knowledge, particularly in Adult Education. Prior to this, I didn't have much knowledge about Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which was emphasized in my specialization. The coursework gave me good perspective. And, I deepened my understanding of Competency-Based Education (CBE) while being a CBE student outside of WGU. It was an interesting experience I'd say.

And Jonathan, you can check the pinned comment on my video titled "Number of Assignments at a Doctoral Level (South College) vs. Masters (WGU)". I detail my experience with the EdD assignments at South College. I write about assignment types and how involved they are.

I'm not sure about the new version of the MS in C&I program, but in the one I was enrolled in, teaching experience wasn't required for admissions. Though, completing assignments would have been challenging because I often referenced my teaching experiences. Since it's a master's degree, having practical experience can be useful. In my opinion, you'd likely enjoy the experience more if you have a teaching job to draw upon in your assignments. But check with a WGU enrolment counselor, they'll clarity on this too.

Not anymore

No problem! Actually, my degree was in Education, not IT. However, the graduate degree did prove beneficial in general. It provided me with concepts and a better language to describe my work. Going into WGU with work experience is very helpful because it allows you to accelerate. Competency-Based Education (CBE) is built upon the premise that you can progress at your own speed based on your prior skills, experience, and knowledge.

@lifebyjustin Whoops my bad assuming you went for IT 😅 thank you for the response, really appreciate it!

There's no tests; only assignments. Most assignments are papers using APA formatting.

Hey Michael. Yes, I did about 8.5 courses in a term. If you check out my video titled "Number of Assignments at a Doctoral Level (South College) vs. Masters (WGU)," you'll find a pinned comment that includes my Q&A addressing common questions about my experience with assignments. There's a lot of detail there. Hopefully, that will address your questions!

That's great to hear! It's awesome that you're taking on the challenge of the doctorate. Actually, I don't have a template version of the assessment document; I ended up filling it for a few courses and then switched to separate documents for each assessment.

Nice job finishing your first PA! Hope the rest go smoothly :)

Amazing! Awesome job Markie.

Haha, yes, do some catchup. Maybe our paths at South College will cross down the road. And thanks Nelson-I appreciate the sentiment :)

Hey! I'm not certain about that. After graduation, I underwent a qualification evaluation process in my province to see if my qualification was equivalent in Canada. The assessment focused on the specific credential rather than the university. My province confirmed that the master's degree I got is equivalent to a Canadian master's. Unfortunately, I don't have more info on credibility in Canada. You might want to check with school admissions; they may have criteria for evaluating international degrees.

For sure, the process of accelerating seems thrilling but it's also full-on and tiring at times. Some of us accelerate for particular reasons, like financial limitations in my case, but it demands a level of intensity that can be challenging overtime. This is especially the case with a lot happening in life.

@@lifebyjustinAgreed I like CBE programs for the opposite reason, I had a demanding career and get short bursts when I can complete graduate work. That is where WGU was super helpful for me, for my first master's it took 3 years instead of two for my second one it took the full 2 years but ontime. For my last master's I am doing it will be slightly accerated but I plan on doing a doctorate at South in May and will be taking my time over 2 - 3 years to get it done which to me for a doctorate program is still accelerated but I am confident it will be rigorous regardless but I will also have enough time to get everything done.

@@bkgaming1961 Well there ya go, you showed how CBE can support a learner's needs and preferences. It gives people flexibility, which we could always use a bit more of :)