1 Month Update of South College's EdD | CBE Doctoral Studies, EdD, DBA

Join the CBE tribe for grad school and competency-based education (CBE) experiences and insights: bit.ly/2VFN1Kj
DISCLAIMER: Work processes, timing, and approaches to schooling may vary due to factors such as work commitments, personal life, academic background, skills, attitudes, and mindsets. This channel aims to inspire rather than impose a specific way of doing school. I hope you enjoy and find the video motivating. I support diverse approaches to schooling that work best for each individual.
Current degree at South College:
• Doctor of Education (EdD) started July 1st, 2023
Past degrees I completed at Western Governors University (WGU):
• Master of Science (MSc) in Curriculum and Instruction (completed in 5.5 months)
• Master of Education (MEd) in Learning, Design and Technology (completed in 2.5 months)
• Note: Both programs were sunsetted after I completed them but WGU has newer versions that you can check out on their website.
Western Governors University Playlist:
• Western Governors Univ...
South College CBE Doctoral Studies Playlist:
• South College EdD

[@ciaray1]

Wow! Way to go on completing your first two courses, Justin! This time next year, you will be Dr. Justin!

[@lifebyjustin]

Well, thanks Ciaray! It's motivating to think that next year from now, I'll be a doctor!

[@jasonmiranda1967]

How is the length of the assignments and how many per course are in there typically ? WGU always had 1 shorter assignment and 1 longer paper

[@lifebyjustin]

In the first course, there were 27 assignments, and in the second course, there were 20 assignments. Other courses typically have between 12-21 assignments, as far as I know. In my case, the time it takes to complete each assignment with concentrated and undistracted effort varies from 1 to 4 hours, depending on the complexity and my familiarity with the content. This doesn't include any learning that needs to take place prior to doing the assignments. Many of the summatives are formatted as APA papers, and they must include elements of scholarly work to support claims, which is the most time-consuming part for me. And paper lengths varies a lot, just depends on the assignment. Could be 2 pages up to 15 pages (so far). The dissertation will be a lot more writing. As I mentioned in the video, the amount of work here and for a doctorate with 9 credit courses is significantly more than at WGU. It's like WGU multiplied by 10 in terms of quantity.

[@bdjtech3894]

Justin thanks for this insightful video regarding Sputh College. You're giving me a great amount of data to decide if the amount of work in this program is something I can handle. Wishing you continued success.

[@lifebyjustin]

Thank you for the feedback, bdjtech! I'm glad to know that the info is helping others in deciding whether the program is a good fit for them. That's my intention. Also, I appreciate the well wishes. I'm back in good rhythm these days.

[@bdjtech3894]

What's your opinion on the volume of work for this program? Is the volume of work work required a result of this being a CBE based program or would you expect the same volume from most EdD programs? I believe what I'm seeing in my limited research of online doctorate programs is that this one allows you to accelerate and potentially be done in 12-18 months, with a large volume of assignments. Other programs don't seem to gave the same volume, perhaps because they are spread over 3+ years?

[@lifebyjustin]

@@bdjtech3894 It's a lot of work, but I don't find the assignments overly challenging conceptually.The assignments are practical but require students to look through scholarly sources and reference them, which takes time. As long as someone keeps up with the workload diligently, it's possible to accelerate within the 1-2 year mark. But there will be a point where exhaustion sets in down the road. I anticipate that. Doing between 12-27 assignments, depending on the course, is much different than WGU. The EdD courses are 9 credits each, so think of each course as three courses. I like performance assessments, so I don't find the process to be painful (yet). Currently, I work part-time, which allows me to manage my energy decently. However, this could change once I start teaching again in the fall. Some students I know are accelerating with full-time jobs and a family and seem to be doing fine, but I'm sure they are in overdrive mode. Feeling tired might sink in at one point for them. In the Facebook group, someone asked for updates on how people are doing in the dissertation, and some current students mentioned that they haven't had the energy to give updates. One student said, "It's because we're tired," and another wrote, "...It's obviously a lot and draining, and after completing 8 other courses…we're tired and stretched thin." It's just something to keep in mind.

[@mykelwilliams227]

Do the credits from Ed.s Program at south college go towards the doctorate program? Which doctoral program at south college are you doing and what's your anticipated finishing date? Thanks

[@lifebyjustin]

Hey Mykel. You'd need to research transfer credits for a specialist degree, but from what I think I've heard, they don't accept transfer credits in general. I'm in the EdD program, specializing in Adult Learning, and I'm looking to finish everything from start to finish in one year.

[@mykelwilliams227]

Thanks for response, I am not asking about transfer, they offer an Ed.S and I am wondering if I complete south's Ed.s will I be able to apply to the Ed.D Thanks @@lifebyjustin

[@lifebyjustin]

@@mykelwilliams227 Gotcha, not to sure. Those type of questions are good to ask in the Official SC CBE Facebook group. The leadership is great about answering program-related questions for prospective and current students. You can search "South College CBE Programs-OFFICIAL".

[@womanshort]

🎉 You got this!

[@lifebyjustin]

Thank you! I needed to hear that today. It's been a rough start to one of the courses

[@gracemelove9315]

Does the program have tests you have to take or is the program mostly papers and presentations?

[@lifebyjustin]

No tests. Papers and presentations yes.

[@CocoasSelfLove-qy6so]

Excellent information! You are so good at offering up explanations.

[@lifebyjustin]

Thank you! When I was doing my research on South College, I couldn't find much info online. So, I wanted to create useful content for others to benefit from :)

[@CocoasSelfLove-qy6so]

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your videos. I am now in the Facebook group. You know, I’ve submitted my application and transcripts. Getting prepared for October 1st start. I’m going to continue watching your videos. The way you present is very appealing and I learn a lot. 🙇🏽‍♀️ Thank you.

[@lifebyjustin]

​@@CocoasSelfLove-qy6so Thank Cocoa! I'm glad you find the videos useful and that you learn something; that's the aim. It's great to hear that you'll be starting soon. October is just around the corner, and I'm sure you'll hit the ground running once you start :)

[@CocoasSelfLove-qy6so]

@@lifebyjustin I’m very impressed with you. I’m near Chicago in a suburb there. Is there any way I can text, email, or otherwise communicate with you personally? I’d like to have the honor to share ideas with you. I’m a former educator myself … a life long learner who recently retired.

[@lifebyjustin]

@@CocoasSelfLove-qy6so Thank you! I haven't set up an email or social media for this channel and its topics yet. However, if I do, I'll make sure to share that info with you. For now, feel free to leave comments, and I'll be more than happy to share my thoughts and ideas that way :)