Terry Curran, Director of Marketing of American Health Science University joins us to discuss their distance learning degree programs.

Tell us about the distance learning programs offered at American Health Science University.

We offer a Certified Nutritionist CN and Master’s Degree in Nutrition Science. The CN program consists of six courses, a 150- internship and a comprehensive certification exam. The Master’s program consists of twelve courses. Detailed descriptions of the programs along with course descriptions can be found on our website at http://www.ashu.edu.

What is the typical duration of each of your programs?

CN - 1 1/2 years - 2 years

MS - 3 - 3 1/2 years

What would you say makes American Health Science University programs different and better than other comparable online programs?

We have been offering distance education programs exclusively for more than 25 years

High quality programs

We have the highest level accreditation possible for a distance learning institution through the DETC

Our high level of personal student and alumni support

How important would you say accreditation is when choosing an online college?

Very. Students should not consider a non-accredited distance learning school. The DETC accreditation is extremely rigorous. They check the financial stability of the school, the credibility of all instructors and personal, the quality of your courses, the quality of student and alumni support, etc, etc They also make sure that our alumni are employable.

It increases the chances (always subjective) of transferring credits and increases substantially the credibility of the certification and/or degree.

There is some debate as to whether or not online degrees are as worthwhile as traditional degrees. What steps does American Health Science University take to ensure that online students are receiving the same education that they’d receive in a classroom?

DETC accreditation

Highly qualified instructors

High level student and graduate personal assistance and support

Ongoing course reviews and updates

Internship

Practical activities as part of curriculum

Ongoing feedback systems for students and graduates

Continuing education requirements

Ongoing students and graduate feedback review

What would you say are some of the benefits of earning a degree online rather than in a traditional classroom?

Flexibility (accelerating through program, study and exams on your schedule)

Many times less expensive because we don’t have to maintain a large facility 

If a student enrolled in one of your programs was interested in finding an internship in their field in their area, do you have any means of assisting them in acquiring an internship position?

We have an established internship program along with an internship coordinator (who is available for guidance). The program includes a successful system for finding an internship

Does American Health Science University offer any job placement services to your students and graduates?

We thoroughly prepare our students for employment including starting their own business. The curriculum includes marketing techniques, working with practice clients, the internhsip, etc.. We also provide other services that assist graduates. We run ads for people looking for nutritionists at no cost on our website, we list our alumni on a map of the U.S., etc We have hundreds of success stories from our graduates. We recently polled our alumni and had hundreds of responses. Of those surveyed, 98% said that they recommend AHSU to others and more than 80% are working in the integrative nutrition field.

Is financial aid available to students in your programs?

No but we do have payment plans.

Do you have any advice for students enrolling in online classes for the first time?

We discuss the distance learning system with our applicants so that they are fully aware of how the program works. We also advise them on our website. We are clear about the expectations and that this is a self-study program. We make suggestions on hours per week to study and set multiple due dates for activities, exams, etc so that we are alerted right away if someone if falling behind. And, again, we offer them ongoing, proactive support, 

What do you enjoy most about your position at American Health Science University?

Integrating my marketing and nutrition skills and experience. Assisting with the training of qualified integrative nutritionists who make a difference.

For more information on distance learning programs available at American Health Science University, go here to visit them online.

Thank you Terry, for sharing and participating in this piece for Online Degrees 2.0

That concludes our interview!