While not new, increased ease in using technology has helped to proliferate distance education programs. However, more does not always mean better. As with any educational endeavor, distance education programs need to be carefully evaluated and the results recycled to improve the program. Asynchronous distance education programs are relatively new and not as clearly diffused to a potential student base, so a robust body of evaluation literature has yet to emerge. The purpose of this study was to gather current and former student opinions about an asynchronous distance education Master of Arts program in Health Studies at The University of Alabama (UA). The sample for this study consisted of all graduates of the program between 1996 and 2002. The final sample consisted of 65 usable surveys for a response rate of 69.9%. This systematic evaluation of student opinions of the courses and program services offered by the UA distance masters program in Health Studies elucidated valuable insights in three areas, and provided at least one caveat. First, the vast majority of students see the distance masters program as meeting their needs with a minimum of administrative or technical effort. This is clear on two fronts – students realize they are receiving the same instruction that resident students are getting, and they feel they are learning the material. Secondly, through the efforts of the faculty and support staff, the students feel valued and that their concerns are being represented. Third, half of the students surveyed said they took the courses because a colleague recommended it. In the field of marketing, word of mouth advertising is considered a strong indicator of success – it can make or break program efforts, no matter how expertly conceived. One final caveat – the UA program has a ready audience in teachers who are required to pursue continuing education and/or advanced degrees. While this audience has emerged as the largest pool of potential students, continued out reach will be attempted in other markets. Although many of the comments are specific to the program at UA; this presentation allows health education faculty and administrators to glean valuable insights on factors that would enhance the success of a distance education program.