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Working Parents - BusinessWeek
Read the top working parents blog. Learn about the affects of working parents on children and get the latest tips for working parents.
  • A Conversation Every Family Should Have

    We're continuing a tradition at Working Parents started last year. Asking you to take a moment this weekend to discuss your desires for how you want to live the end of your life. If you are seeing this issue come up a lot in the blogosphere this weekend, that's because more than 100 bloggers are putting up the same post, in an effort to help start "the conversation"--one of the most important you'll ever have. If you want to reproduce this post on your blog (or anywhere) you can download a ready-made html version here.

    Last Thanksgiving weekend, many of us bloggers participated in the first documented blog rally to promote Engage With Grace a movement aimed at having all of us understand and communicate our end-of-life wishes.

    It was a great success, with over 100 bloggers in the healthcare space and beyond participating and spreading the word. Plus, it was timed to coincide with a weekend when most of us are with the very people with whom we should be having these tough conversations--our closest friends and family.

    Our original mission to get more and more people talking about their end of life wishes hasn't changed. But it's been quite a year so we thought this holiday, we'd try something different.

    A bit of levity.

    At the heart of Engage With Grace are five questions designed to get the conversation started. We've included them at the end of this post. They're not easy questions, but they are important.

    To help ease us into these tough questions, and in the spirit of the season, we thought we'd start with five parallel questions that ARE pretty easy to answer:



    Silly? Maybe. But it underscores how having a template like just five questions in plain, simple language can deflate some of the complexity, formality and even misnomers that have sometimes surrounded the end-of-life discussion. Over the past year there's been a lot of discussion around end of life. And we've been fortunate to hear a lot of the more uplifting stories, as folks have used these five questions to initiate the conversation. One man shared how surprised he was to learn that his wife's preferences were not what he expected. Befitting this holiday, The One Slide now stands sentry on their fridge.

    So with that, we've included the five questions from Engage With Grace below. Think about them, document them, share them. Wishing you and yours a holiday that's fulfilling in all the right ways.




    (To learn more please go to www.engagewithgrace.org. This post was written by Alexandra Drane and the Engage With Grace team. )

    If you or someone you know would like to prepare an advance directive, this site contains downloadable forms for every state and Medline Plus has a section containing lots of background information on directives here.

  • A Fond Farewell to Working Parents Readers

    This is a week to give thanks-and to say goodbye.

    After six years at BusinessWeek and four years as a lead writer on this blog, I will be leaving BusinessWeek on Dec. 1.

    Working Parents was started by my colleagues Amy Dunkin, Anne Tergesen and Toddi Gutner, based on the conversations we had about our families-usually on Monday mornings. Since the blog's launch in January 2006, we've been successful in our mission to "lead a broad discussion of the issues and day-to-day concerns of working parents, offering up interviews with work/life experts, examinations of relevant research, and personal accounts of bouncing between separate, sometimes conflicting worlds."

    Some of my favorite posts How Mac 'N Cheese is Like a Cigarette and Honoring a Wonderful Life were written by my colleague Cathy Arnst. A post I wrote on The Motherhood Penalty went viral. And I constantly refer back to an interview with Leslie Morgan Steiner, author of Mommy Wars.

    I feel especially appreciative that I was able to ride the BusinessWeek train for as long as I did. I'm also thankful to McGraw-Hill, which owned BusinessWeek for the past 80 years. The corporation has a commitment to work-life issues, incredible benefits, and an impressive women's network. A flexible work schedule kept me sane during the past five years. In addition, my BusinessWeek managers and peers were especially supportive during a rough period when my son had seven surgeries. For that, I am eternally grateful.

    I'd also like to thank the other bloggers out there who keep the conversation alive. Special shout-outs to Cali Williams-Yost, Marci Alboher, The Sloan Work and Family Research Network, The Families & Work Institute, The Juggle, The Motherlode and countless other thought leaders out there.

    Although my time at BusinessWeek has come to a close, I'll be blogging about parenting issues and work-life topics in the future on MommyTracked. You can also find me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

    Have a happy, healthy Thanksgiving.

  • Best Places to Raise Kids

    BusinessWeek is running its annual list of the best city or town for raising kids in each state in the nation. The rankings are based on a calculation using a number of criteria, such as schools, housing costs and crime rate. The overall winner? Tinley Park, Illinois:

    Tinley Park, with its top-rated schools, low crime, beautiful parks, relatively affordable houses, and easy access to jobs, is the winner of BusinessWeek's Best Places in America to Raise Kids. Working with OnBoard Informatics, we chose a winner for each state, but the Chicago suburb—only an hour south of last year's winner, Mount Prospect, Ill.—scored the highest. Named after the village's first railroad master in the 1800s, Tinley Park has two train stations, which carry commuters to Chicago in 45 minutes. Single-family homes for sale in Tinley Park start at $166,000 for a two-bedroom, two-bath house spread over 1,200 square feet to brand-new four-bedroom house for $630,000. All three of the main high schools serving Tinley Park are ranked in the top 100 in the state. And the students are closely tied to the community and often stay there after graduating.

    I know nothing of Tinley Park, but New York's winner certainly gave me pause--Tonawanda, right next to Buffalo. My mother grew up in Tonawanda and my grandmother lived there until the day she died at age 96, which I guess makes it a good place to grow old. But when I think of all of New York State, it probably wouldn't be my first choice for raising kids. Then again, as a western New York native, I do like to see that part of the state get it place in the sun, in part because it doesn't get a lot of sun.

    The list always stirs up a lot of controversy. Check it out and let us know where you would prefer to raise your kids.
Frequently Asked Questions PDF Print E-mail

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) For Online Students

1. How does the online program differ from the on-campus program?
2. When can I enroll the program and start the courses?
3. What are the admission requirements?
4. How much does an online degree program cost in addition to tuition fees?
5. Can I get Assistantships or Fellowships as an online student?
6. Is it all really online?
7. I have never taken an Internet class. How do I know I can do this?
8. Am I required to be in my online course at particular times of the day or week?
9. How to obtain guidance from professors?
10. Do I ever need to attend a course on campus?
11. How many classes will I need to take?
12. Am I required to complete a thesis or take a comprehensive exam?
13. Will professors help me to complete my thesis?
14. How long does it take to complete the M.C.U. online program?
15. What is a mentor advisor and how do I have one assigned to me?
16. I am an international student, will my English level be a problem?
17. Do you accept any graduate credits from other programs?
18. If I am a student currently on other campus, can I take these online courses?
19. Why does the University encourage students to join work study and internship?
20. When can I start Online Work Study?
21. What can I do if I can not pass one course?
22. I still have questions. Where can I get more information?

1. How does the online program differ from the on-campus program?
Online programs have a different curriculum because they are geared towards flexibility and functionality while on campus curriculum are more geared towards theories and background knowledge. The evaluation of students in online programs will involve an applied project rather than traditional comprehensive exam. The degrees awarded by online programs have no difference from regular on campus programs because they are accredited by the same authentication bodies.

Upon successful graduation, all degrees are issued directly by M.C.U. during graduation ceremony or by express mail. Employers can verify degrees directly on our official web site. Please visit Academic Records Department page for more detailed degree/diploma/certificate related information.

2. When can I enroll the program and start the courses?
There is no deadline for online programs application. Students can apply for online programs at any time during the year. In general, the application and admission process take an average 1-3 months via email, fax or regular mail. Courses usually start within 30 days after the student is admitted and the required tuition fees are received. However, each major may have limits on how many students can participate at a specific time due to the assignment of professors. Certain fellowships and low income assistantships may have deadlines. Admitted students who can not attend on time need to request delay from the admission committee or reapply in the future.

3. What are the admission requirements?
Associate Degree Admission Requirements:
a) have completed high school, occupational school or equivalent education. A scanned copy of relevant education documentation may be requested.
b) complete application form online, and follow rules and regulations of MCU.
c) All international students should complete an M.C.U. English Placement Test based on requested degree and major.

Bachelor Degree Admission Requirements:
a) have completed high school, occupational school or equivalent education. A scanned copy of relevant education documentation may be requested.
b) complete application form online, and follow rules and regulations of MCU.
c) All international students should complete an M.C.U. English Placement Test based on requested degree and major.

Associate To Bachelor Admission Requirements: (For students already with an associate degree to be upgraded to bachelor's degree)
a) have completed two years or more of college studies or equivalent education. A scanned copy of relevant education documentation may be requested.
b) complete application form online, and follow rules and regulations of MCU.
c) All international students should complete an M.C.U. English Placement Test based on requested degree and major.

Combined Bachelor/Master Admission Requirements: (For students already with some college education to be upgraded to bachelor's and master's degrees at the same time. )
a) have completed two years or more of college studies or equivalent education. A scanned copy of relevant education documentation may be requested.
b) complete application form online, and follow rules and regulations of MCU.
c) All international students should complete an M.C.U. English Placement Test based on requested degree and major.

Master Degree Admission Requirements:
a) have completed bachelor degree or equivalent education. A scanned copy of relevant education documentation may be requested.
b) complete application form online, and follow rules and regulations of MCU.
c) submit 2 letters of reference. Download reference form here in PDF format (90kb) or in MS Word format (490kb).
d) All international students should complete an M.C.U. English Placement Test based on requested degree and major.

Doctoral Degree Admission Requirements:
a) have completed at least Master's degree or equivalent education. A scanned copy of relevant education documentation may be requested.
b) complete application form online, and follow rules and regulations of MCU.
c) submit 2 letters of reference. Download reference form here in PDF format (90kb) or in MS Word format (490kb).
d) All international students should complete an M.C.U. English Placement Test based on requested degree and major.

4. How much does an online degree program cost in addition to tuition fees?
There is no additional cost in addition to tuition fees and the one time internet set up fee ($100). You may view the most current list of tuition cost of your interested program on our web site. For online degree programs, all textbooks or curriculum materials are provided directly online at no additional cost. This can save students up to $2,200 each year for text book expenses comparing to regular on campus programs.

5. Can I get Assistantships or Fellowships as an online student?
Yes, apart from common fellowships (based on student's merit), we have assistantship especially for low income online students. For example, our New Era Online Grant can exempt low income students (whose family annual income is below $60,000) over 90% of the total tuition. You may also be interested in our Online Work Study program (OWS) designed specifically for low income online students. All students graduated with an online bachelor or master degree are guaranteed with 10 month paid internship.

6. Is it all really online?
Yes, every aspect of the program is online. Students do not have to visit any campus in order to complete the degree.

7. I have never taken an Internet class. How do I know I can do this?
Participating in an online program is to participate in a "new" world of learning. If you have the skills looking at this web site, you already have the basic technical skills to be in our online classes. All online courses may include online video viewing, text viewing and email or video mail correspondence. Our online courses do not require installation of any special software. You will be issued a user name and password in order to access your online class area. Please view How Online Courses Work for details.

8. Am I required to be in my online course at particular times of the day or week?
You are not required to be online at a particular time or on a particular day. You are required to actively participate in your courses. For bachelor's, master's and doctor's level courses, you must access one of the courses online at least two times per week with your password.

9. How to obtain guidance from professors?
Students follow online curriculum to complete studies. They interact directly with their faculty typically through email. If a direct online video/audio communication is required for certain academic guidance, an email notification of no less than 3 business days will be issued by the professor.

10. Do I ever need to attend a course on campus?
No, however we would enjoy seeing you at the graduation ceremony!

11. How many classes will I need to take?
The M.C.U. online program will consist of 12-14 courses for Bachelor' and Master' degrees and 9 courses for Doctor's degree. Please review each individual program for details.

12. Am I required to complete a thesis or take a comprehensive exam?
1) In order to obtain online Bachelor's and Master's degree program, professors will assign online homework and online exams. Master's degree students are required to submit a thesis before graduation.
2) In order to obtain online Doctor's degree program, professors will assign online homework and online exams. Doctor's degree students are required to submit a thesis after the completion of required term papers.

13. Will professors help me to complete my thesis?
Yes, professors will give necessary guidance and revise the thesis.

14. How long does it take to complete the M.C.U. online program?
You have six years from the start of your first course to complete your degree. However, we would encourage you to stay within the 2 to 4 year plan.
1) For the Bachelor's degree program (total 120 credits), it normally takes 4 years to complete. Online students who continue to study during weekends, winter and summer vacations (approximately 4 months) can achieve faster progress within 2 years and 8 months.
2) For the Associate to Bachelor's degree program (total 50-60 credits), it normally takes 2 years to complete. Online students who continue to study during weekends, winter and summer vacations (approximately 4 months) can achieve faster progress within 1 year and 4 months.
3) For the Combined Bachelor/Master degree program (total 114-120 credits), it normally takes 4 years to complete. Online students who continue to study during weekends, winter and summer vacations (approximately 4 months) can achieve faster progress within 2 years and 8 months.
4) For the Master's degree program (total 64 credits), it normally takes 2 years to complete. Online students who continue to study during weekends, winter and summer vacations (approximately 4 months) can achieve faster progress within 1 year and 4 months.
5) For the Doctor's degree program (total 52 credits), it normally takes 3 years to complete. Online students who continue to study during weekends, winter and summer vacations (approximately 4 months) can achieve faster progress within 2 years.

15. What is a mentor advisor and how do I have one assigned to me?
Your mentor advisor will be assigned to you after your admission. Your mentor will assist you with career planning, help you to understand policies and procedures, prepare you for your dissertation (if you are a doctoral student), monitor your academic performance, and serve as an additional source of support and guidance during your program.

16. I am an international student, will my English level be a problem?
We only admit students with certain level of English. All international students should take the M.C.U. English Placement Test before admission.

17. Do you accept any graduate credits from other programs?
Depending on the curriculum, you may be able to transfer up to twelve credits from other accredited graduate programs. All credit transfer must be approved by the M.C.U. admission committee.

18. If I am a student currently on other campus, can I take these online courses?
The online degree program is designed for students who wish to complete their entire degree online. Students can be admitted to online courses only if they receive written approval from their advisors and are subject to re-application.

19. Why does the University encourage students to join work study and internship?
Based on research, students who participated work studies or internships have significantly improved adaptability to corporate environment and competitiveness during work. Even though the stipends paid to students are usually lower than regular employees, our students can benefit more from such experience, which can not be measured by dollar amount. M.C.U. expects students to understand the value of such experience.

20. When can I start Online Work Study?
All online degree students can start Online Work Study within 3 months after classes begin. Please review details for Online Work Studies here.

21. What can I do if I can not pass one course?
All our professors are devoted to the future of our students. If a student fails in one course, M.C.U. will allow the student to retake the course free of charge until he/she completes the course successfully.

22. I still have questions. Where can I get more information?
Please contact us if you still have questions.
  		 

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