Blush000

Thank you all for the advice, I am just very nervous. The program is not 100% online, it is blended and I will have to complete 300 to 450 classroom hours. I just figure I am 24 and now is a good time to go back and get a masters degree and if I want to do other things down the line , I can at a later time.

I have thought about OT but I see myself more as a teacher than as an OT. I actually think the career field is great and maybe down the line I may try it out, but for now I would rather be a teacher. I actually have to go to graduate school, rather than a post-bachelors program because I will be utilizing financial aid and financial aid is not typically offered for 2nd bachelors degrees

Thank you, I am not 100% stuck on the idea because nursing is still very appealing. The program is primarily online and I will have to do student teaching and an internship to complete the program. With it being NCATE accredited that simply means that once I graduate the degree should be recognized nationally and meets the high standards of the accreditation organization. It is similar to the ABA or APA. Here is a quick overview of the program: Quick Facts 2010-2011 Tuition $425 per credit hour (based on full-time enrollment) $25 intensive fee Program Delivery Format Blended Residency Requirements 3 on-campus intensives Credit Hours 36 total credit hours Up to 6 credit hours can be transferred in from an accredited and unconferred degree Internship A 3-credit hour student teaching is a required part of the M.A.T. program. Licensure The Education Department will verify that students have completed one of Liberty’s Virginia state-approved licensure programs. Students should verify any additional licensure requirements with their home state. Potential Career Fields Special Education Teacher I know if I become a teacher it will have to be special ed, and I completely understand the challenges of that field of work. I have yet to find an accredited graduate degree program within that field in Michigan for unlicensed students. So that is the only challenge.

Hi Everyone, I am about to reenter school and I am having a hard time deciding which career to choose. I believe nursing is an excellent career field with a ton of opportunities but working with and knowing nurses it seems like I could get burned out pretty quickly with bedside care. I am aware that there are other avenues in nursing but I am not 100% sure if it is the field for me. I have looked into many different career fields and I am now ready to make a definite choice. I am choosing graduate school and I want to become a special education teacher for middle school children. Having worked with individuals with disabilities in another position, it was really the last time I truly enjoyed going to work. The kicker is I finally found a school that would allow me to get a graduate degree is special ed without having a teachers license prior to enrolling. However the school is online. Having never taught and being unlicensed I am not sure how principals will look at a degree from an online college. The program is fully accredited by the NCATE and seems to be a great program. The school is Liberty University and I would have to do 3 (1) week intensives throughout the duration of my program. I guess my main question is for current and former teachers. Is the job market for special education still strong? Is getting an online education a disadvantage? Is Liberty University a respected school? Where is the best job market for special education? And if anyone teaches special ed, can you share your experience? Thanks guys and happy holidays!!!!! :)

Thank you guys I will look into that.

Bump...anyone have any advice?

Hi All, I am interested in getting a MS in Health Informatics. It seems to be an interesting and new field with tons of opportunities. However, the opportunities seem to be more geared toward nurses. I am not a nurse but I would love to pursue this as a career. My background is in psychology but I have administrative experience. Am I incorrect in thinking that this field is more focused toward nurses, or if I pursued a degree in Health Informatics would I be on an equal playing field when pursuing a position? What experience is typically looked for by employers for entry level candidates? Why is is geared toward nurses? Is this field expected to grow? Thanks!

Anyone, any advice you could give would be helpful.

The RN route sounds appealing, but I cringe at the though of being an RN and I have no idea why. For that reason alone, I feel like that may not be the right choice for me even though I find anesthesia very interesting and not only because of the money a CRNA makes but the field seems to be very challenging. Does anyone have any insight into the market for Respiratory Therapisy? How about Occupational Therapist? I know there are thousands of jobs for OT's now and in OT I would probably focus on sensory intergration, brain injury, spinal injury and other neurological disorders. But I don't want to be almost thirty before I step into my first professional career. I would like to work as COTA while I am waiting this year to enter into OT, but you have to be certified by law. With RT it love the autonomy and it seems like it will be a great career field, but not if there are no jobs! I'm going to shadow both professions to see which one I like better, but I would still like to know what you all think about the future labor market for OT and RT?

Thank you, with the prerequisites for PA I would not be able to begin a program until Fall 2011 at the earliest, and with my current position and Michigans economy that is not an option, me being able to get into another career field quicker, enables me to pay down some of my student loans and gain hands-on health care experience.

Hello, I wanted to get your opinion on possible careers. I have between crossed between nursing, occupational therapy, and respiratory therapy for some time. The desicion is so hard! Here are the scenarios: Nursing I will be able to enter into a program in Fall of 2010 and exit Fall 2011, my plan is to continue my education to become a nurse anesthetist after 3 years of ICU experience. That is about 9 years of work and school until I reach my ultimate goal. Cost: $25,000 (with tuition) and no relocation. Occupational Therapist I will be able to enter that program in Fall of 2010 and the program is 2 1/2 years, I am worried how the job market, which is abudant at the moment, will be in 3 1/2 years. I also hear that many OT's hate their job, but those people seem to have a hard time explaining what they do which indicates they aren't as invested in the career as they should be. I think it is a great career field but I don't want to end up without a job! After OT school and about 3-4 years of experience I will probably attend school to become a Physician Assistant. That would be a total of 10 years before I reach my ultimate goal. Cost $35,000 (housing and tuition) and no relocation. Respiratory Therapy I think this would be a great career and a stepping stone for other career fields. I will begin the program in January 2010 and end the program in January 2011. My fear is the job market for new graduates. Many say it's saturated and I'm not sure if in a year the market will be in a better or worse position. After 1-2 years experience I will be applying to PA school. That will be 6 years before I reach my ultimate goal. Cost: $30,000 (housing and tuition) and will be relocating to Nebraska. So what do you guys think? I already have a bachelor's degree and loans out of the wazhoo! I need to get into a career field that is profitable quickly so that I am able to take down some of my loans and continue into a satisfying career field. I am flexible as to where I live but Nebraska and Michigan are the places I am leaning toward.

I am interested in going to UVI but I'm nervous about moving to the Virgin Islands. Mainly, because I don't know where I will live and work. I want to move there some time in May or June. Is it hard to find employment? Can you work while pursuing the BSN? Any info about the St. Thomas and the nursing program will be helpful.

I want to go to the University of the Virgin Islands to pursue nursing, as well. I'm a little nervous, I don't know where I will work or live. Does anyone have any inside knowledge about the program, St. Thomas, jobs, and living conditions?

Okay, thank you, I just wanted to make sure that it was correct, I will have to go to a info session just to make sure, it does seem like a funny policy, you don't want to have to wait around forever to start a program and get your career going, but it also means that if you meet their requirements you get in and to me it is a plus that if you don't have a 4.0 you still have a chance at pursuing that dream. So its not a bad deal, but i'm not sure about waiting years to get into the program, i'm assuming that if your gpa is high you will probably get in before someone who is just at the 3.0 mark. I will go to the information session to make sure that is their policy. Thank you so much for responding!

Are you sure that Oakland University has a waitlist policy? How did you find out about that?