re: LSUS Online MBA Reviews

Just entered the program in Spring AP2. Taking Fin701 with Dr. Shi for my first class.

I would love the content, but the structure of the class is beyond frustrating. Just this last week I spent nearly 20 hours on this class alone (which seems excessive given other classes and reports here, and my own expectations of this class). The lectures are death by PowerPoint with very little additional context or explanation. He spends about 20 seconds on a bullet point (I've timed it and mathematically a good average given the number of slides and length of each video). There is no why or how, just a sentence or two on what. They are recorded with Apple earbuds, in a very echo prone office, and when combined with Dr. Shi's thick accent, make for a difficult experience. The study problems are full of errors (copy and paste errors or referencing problems that do not exist with needed information to solve). Many of the solutions make assumptions or jump vital calculations. Many of the concept problems were never covered in the lecture and the solutions act as additional factoids. The quizzes and exams do not reflect much of the material. You cannot discuss any of the quiz or exam questions with the professor as it is a non-refundable class. I'm not sure how that logic flows that because the class is nonrefundable you cannot discuss what and why question was wrong or even what the right answer was. Remember, the exam and quizzes do not follow the lecture much at all. The group project was unsolvable with course materials and required additional instructor intervention.

I'm an undergrad graduate from LSUS in 2012, graduating 3.96 in Computer Science and spending most of my electives obtaining a Business Minor in preparation for an MBA. I loved my time there, making many relations with students and faculty that persist to this day. Excel is my job and life (I'm a technology architect) and no spring chicken (just turned 43). I work directly with VPs and CTOs at Fortune 100 organizations in the Seattle area. I love studying, learning, and business. Knowledge is my life.

And yet this class has ruined any desire to continue on with the program.

Did I mention the Dean of Business has now threatened me with honor code violations because I was raising concerns to her about this issue? Apparently if you raise concerns, receive canned responses that do not even address your concerns, then show multiple structural issues with course materials, they'll just threaten you with an honor code violation to shut you up. They also refer you back to the professor, but overlook that in many cases the instructor can't respond because it's a nonrefundable class. And if you say you want to contact other students to see if they are having similar issues, that is also an honor code violation. Also, apparently I need to learn diversity and cultural differences (I mentioned I'm from, and currently live in, Seattle, one of the most diverse locations in the United States) because I questioned Apple earbuds in an echo prone office. I made no mention of his accent, but diversity and cultural difference was thrown immediately. As if saying diversity and cultural differences was a terminal stop to any criticism of production quality.

Anyone else taking this class, or have, and experiencing similar issues?

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That’s a horrid review

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I wish it wasn't my experience.

There is very little response on Dr. Shi on this board, because I believe he has only been offering the course for a very short time. Most of the lecture videos were produced in November 2019. However on page 430 is one review that lines up very similar to my experience.

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Han Shi is the worst. He is extremely unrealistic with his FIN 701 course. The average grade is an F. He will burn you out and then you take the practice problems and its on concepts that wasn't clear or he didn't teach. His tests are even worse. If you see he's teaching the class don't take it. Wait for a better teacher.

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I sent an email last week, Apr-6, to the the office of the Dean of Business. Admittedly, it was a little raw given I was very frustrated with the class. I wanted to save the draft to filter the frustration a bit better, but accidentally hit send instead. I sent a companion email with a proper salutation and apologized for the admittedly raw content.

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Hello (Dean's Administrative Assistant),

I'm wondering if I could schedule some time to talk with the Dean about my concerns with the online MBA program.

Background
I am an undergraduate LSUS alumni from 2012, receiving my B.S. in Computer Science with a Business Administration minor, in preparation for an MBA, graduating Summa Cum Laude. My current role is a (Removing PII), where I work directly with Fortune 500 CTOs to develop their technology solutions to meet business objectives. Some of my customers are (Removing PII). Due to my education from LSUS, I am able to operate at a very level helping these very large organizations through their technology journey.

My Concerns
I was very excited to continue my education through LSUS with a quite affordable online MBA program. To start, I went to RateMyProfessor.com to get a feel for the professors for the classes available during the Spring AP2 session, selecting Dr. Han Shi for Finance 701. My choice in concentration is Finance as I want to better understand and communicate in financial and business terms technical solutions for my customers.

However, my disappointment was very quickly established. Although many of these issues were in Week 1 of the course, they are persistent to now, starting Week 5.

1) Their is little to no discussion on the hows and whys of a concept. The lecture consists of 3 videos with companion slide decks. Each video is approximately 20 to 40 minutes long and follows very closely to the number of pages in the slide deck. This means a fairly consistent rate of 1 minute per slide. If there are 3 concepts on a slide, the discussion per topic is about 20 seconds. Thus we have enough time to mention a point, but not reason the point. Only that it is important along with dozens of other factoids.

2) The lecture videos are produced with an apple headset inside of an office. Echo, low recording device quality, and a very thick accent makes for a truly frustrating video experience.

3) Many of the practice problems utilize intermediate terms or barely discussed points. One is left to perform their own research for much of the work. The lecture and notes, several times, have not covered a topic, and one must infer their own conclusion. So too with many of the conceptual questions, which do have answers provided eventually, have many concepts that were never covered. The questions would be great if they had a foundation upon which to build, however, many times the answers provided are the foundation for the concept. It's a classic chicken and egg scenario, but with structured learning.

4) Dr. Shi has said he cannot discuss any quiz question due to the class being nonrefundable. This means when we're wrong, and by the distribution of grades, many are wrong a lot, we have no avenue to figure out why. Coupled with the above makes for a very frustrating experience if you learn by figuring out why you were wrong.

5) ProctorU has repeatedly been very unprofessional. Their systems continually report a false positive on my laptop, which causes 30 to 60 minutes of additional technical troubleshooting before I can take a test. Each time I am eventually let through with an apology, but yet it occurs with every test. They have no escalation team to actually solve the problem. Every proctor has had a different experience of questions, pre-checks, and escalations. Again, without any escalation, or team to work through a problem with their system (I had one supervisor say this was a known false positive), I'm left to spend the first 30 to 60 minutes of each test frustrated trying to take a test on material I quite frustrated with in the first place with. Imagine if you walk into take an exam, you've spent the last 6 hours studying, trying to figure out what the professor wants, only to walk in and troubleshoot your pencil for 30 minutes. The same pencil you've used for every exam before and troubleshoot, and then after that 30 minutes somebody says "ok, go ahead". That was me yesterday. And Saturday. And last week. And two times the week before.

After 4 weeks, I am not learning. I'm spending 15 hours a week memorizing factoids through a virtual fog with little to no recourse to figure out when I'm wrong, and thereby correct my mistakes. I have been a troubleshooter for most of my career, and in many ways still am. So being unable to troubleshoot why I'm wrong, which is where the majority of my learning occurs, is unavailable to me. The math is the math, and I learn enough of it to pass most of the exam and quiz questions, but the conceptual questions I am guessing most of the time. I'm not here to recite bullet points, I'm here to learn, and not learning has my frustration level at nearly an all time high as I consider myself an academic when it comes to knowledge. The ProctorU frustration is beyond the pale at this point.

I am no stranger to the concept online learning is not for me, however, in the technology field, that is the majority of learning. I have spent 20+ years learning online, watched MIT and University of Washington online learning libraries, especially in Computer Science, and learned much. Youtube videos over many topics, from electrical wiring to plumbing and soldering. Yet I am not learning, spending 15+ hours a week, and increasingly becoming frustrated.

My fear is, when combined with the RateMyProfessor.com site, I am in for an even worse experience with other professors and other topics. As of right now, I do not expect to continue my education through LSUS MBA program. I am reaching out as an alum, knowing the level of education LSUS provides, and being very disappointed.

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My apologies, I guess I did mention the accent in the original email. Regardless, I still stand by criticizing production quality, which makes understanding a thick accent very difficult. The critique was one of production quality with the accent adding additional context.

My companion email after receiving a response from the MBA Coordinator.

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Thank you.

My apologies, I hit send on accident and thereby way too early. There were too many grammatical errors, which does not reflect my typical level of professionalism. I also let my frustrations speak a little bit too much and wanted to dial it back on a second read. Alas, we get the raw version, which may or may not be better for the discussion anyway.

Again, thank you, and I look forward to discussing the issue with [s]Associate Dean of Business[/s].

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The response I received was very canned. I will not copy it here as I do not believe in violating the trust of correspondence, however I will provide a summary in a short while.

You may get better results if you check your ego at the door.

Thanks baroqen...
I will be taking FIN701 class in summer AP2 with Choi.Thanks for the details.

I am doing MBA Data Analytics..I was thinking of taking ISDS 705 in summer AP1 with Darban Mehdi. I think you recommended taking Lind. She is not teaching in summer AP1.

Which course would you recommend to pair with ISDS705?

I wouldn’t worry about being able to handle the material without taking the 500 level optional classes, however if you have a full time job, it will probably be hard to take 2 classes simultaneously.

Currently weighing my options as I work in the oilfield. I may not have much work for this upcoming 7 weeks but in the event that I do get to go back to a rig it could mean limited internet access. Thats why I am still considering my start date.

Any recommendations on which 2 classes that I should start with to ease my way into the program?

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may not have much work for this upcoming 7 weeks

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You could forego the oil rig and take 3 classes. I did, when I was on leave.

sooo annoying how there's very slim pickings on the elective courses. Im going to have to choose electives I really have no interest in taking

I assume you mean 760.
No. They are not related.

I would like to start a petition to eliminate the no return policy.

Does anyone know a good online method that would include the ability for the signers to prove they were students or applicants?