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This is a program that quite simply put is what you put into it. Many people scoff at a distance / hybrid education as it is perceived to be a diploma mill. So long as you put in the work, that is not the case with UW-Platteville's online and hybrid component. This is not something that is for the student who cannot structure their workload or motivate themselves as expectations are loose and some may find themselves desiring more of a hard-and-fast calendar of deadlines and hand-holding. However,... Read More for the adult graduate student, it is well worth the effort if you are a good fit. Pros must be addressed first. The program offers fantastic resources and a phenomenally broad depth of curriculum with the ability to specialize. One simply does not see that in most of the programs that are specific to education or vocational counseling or clinical-counseling. The professors are diverse and offer a fantastic networking ability and potential to develop many specific sub-field contacts. If one wants to get into school counseling, they can. If one wants to be a vocational counselor for a state-agency, they have that ability too. If one wants to become a LPC, they have the connections and means to do so. The program is also very, very accommodating to the working or parenting balance. I did both while attending. Deadlines are understanding that this is a program tailored for the adult with outside commitments. I did not encounter one single lecturer who was an outlier here. Additional pros are that it is flexible with time, minus some courses being specific nights. The distance option is quite fascinating and offers the ability to hold a live class that is interactive and give the same pros as a physical classroom. The cost is very, very reasonable and the financial aid office is quick to respond. One of the more enticing factors, for me, was that the program accepted a comparatively large amount of transfer credits. Finally, the degree carries with it the University of Wisconsin weight. That means one isn't going to be coming from a diploma mill, and employers are certainly not going to look at students as such. Now to the difficult part with regards to the cons. The program is coming out of a very new status where it has transitioned between accreditations including one where the hybrid model was not accredited. Thus, the bulk of my learning switched to online classes. I believe this to be a normal hitch. However, it is worth noting that all details have not been ironed out. The other down side is that the staff has had some turnover in my brief time from the program. This was not highly prevalent. However, it did pose a problem for those who sought to choose a specific professor for their Seminar Paper or Thesis. Finally, because of the adaptability and general orientation of the degree, it can pose a problem for individuals who want to specialize and have a language on their degree such as Clinical Psychology. This also factors in to the ability to specialize and get into a deep set of electives to grow as a professional. It also has given a hard time to some students who want particular practicums where the school, in its general and distance model, have no official partnerships with practicum sites (side note: they are very willing to accept new practicums that students wish to set up on their own). Overall, the value of this degree is well worth the cost in terms of time and money. I look it as an input-to-outcome ratio. In this case, it is an investment well worth the time. It has also helped me get into a 2nd graduate program that will complement my first masters (MSN with a psychiatric capstone). I know of plenty of other students who have gainful employment and successful promotions with this very degree. Just remember, that this is a terminal degree and, if seeking a 2nd masters or doctorate, many of the courses will not transfer to the doctoral level unless it revolves around counseling. Again, my experience was a great one. Ones success very much revolves around that sole factor of putting in the work to make it worth the while.

It was a fairly good experience for going to a strict Baptist-Christian School. The school had a great business program with professionals who knew really well current events and how to teach it. I did not like how ridiculous the student life department was regarding their rule systems and early locks on all the dorms. The school's mandatory daily chapel services are a bit too much and overkill as well. All in all, most of the students themselves tend to be great people to meet and hang out with... Read More and the teaching faculty are great people that love to spend time with students, although administration is another story entirely.