So there's nothing wrong with Mail-Order University degrees eh?

Dept. of Homeland Security begs to differ...

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/6473914.htm

[Shitoryu Dude]

Another one bites the dust,

Can't seem to go a year without a fake degree scandal hitting the news. When will people figure out that "non-traditional degree" translates into "fraud" for the rest of the world?

:beer:

[Senjojutsu]

So Jeff and Harvey,

Then I would ask your opinions, not specific to Laura Callahan's fake degree issue, maybe this even rates a separate thread?

What about the use of new broadband technology within higher education and to educate the masses, such as the University of Phoenix and other "online universities" now are doing?

At first I thought those where nothing but scams, but does one have to sit bored in a lecture hall versus one's own computer room? Also if there are defined course syllabus and examinations to pass to get credit, why be (physically) there?

[elder999]

Originally posted by Shitoryu Dude
Can't seem to go a year without a fake degree scandal hitting the news. When will people figure out that "non-traditional degree" translates into "fraud" for the rest of the world?

:beer:

I beg to differ.
There are legitimate"non-traditional" degree programs.As an example, I got my Doctorate almost entirely online, in a customized program of Stanford University's. Granted, it wasn't entirely online, but a close examination of my curriculum vitae would reveal a great deal of credit,in a variety of degrees, earned throughout my career in a non-traditional manner.Accreditation is key-while an engineering degree(Bachelor's) from the University of North Dakota-something that can be earned almost entirely online, now-is almost beyond reproach, a Bachelor's from the school in this instance obviously is not.Neither the Bachelor's-or any degree-from the university of North Dakota, nor my Doctorate from Stanford give any indication of the way they were earned. Indeed, they are thought to be the same as, and treated as degrees earned through full-time attendance. I recently hired an engineer who earned his degree through the UND online program while in the Air Force.

Los Alamos Laboratory is a member of a consortium of industry and various legitimate, accredited learning institutions that offers these sorts of programs, called National Technical University.

So,yeah, the U.S. government does these sorts of things all the time. They paid for my degree and set up the program for me to earn it-and it wasn't bogus at all.

http://scpd.stanford.edu/scpd/default.htm

http://www.worldwidelearn.com/ntu/online-graduate-degree.htm

I have to agree with Aaron. There are several, legitimate, accredited schools that offer "distance learning" classes. My school, University of Kentucky, offers such classes. I have no problem with these whatsoever. The problem that I see is people are using entities such as "National Correspondence School", or to put a little of a "Martial Arts twist" on this, the "University of Oriental Philosophy" to claim legitimate educational credentials. They clearly aren't, as the article above seems to indicate.

[Starkjudo]

I agree fully with Aaron and Jeff here. There is a world of difference in accredited on-line and distance programs presented by real-world universities, and mail order or online programs that are not accredited and are little more than a website and a PO box. Let's not even get into those PhD in "martial studies" that are beginning to float around out there - those are just horseswaggle.

Rob Thornton

[Shitoryu Dude]

Most of the offers I get for "non-traditional degrees" seem to be run by a few people with a PO box, a printer, and a checking account. All they ask for is your check and how to spell your name. Diploma mills have been a problem for a very long time and not a year goes by without a scandal of some sort associated with them. Quite honestly, I could turn out a very good diploma myself should I choose to buy some printing software and some good paper - and it would be about as authentic as the rest of them. Accreditation is the key, and hardly any of these places have it.

From radio talk show hosts/relationship advisors/authors to quack MA seminar holders, you can find people with advanced degrees from what are basically fictitious universities. I know that for many people they see this as "legitimizing" the study, learning, and on the job experience that they have performed, but there are other avenues to approach that from that are not fraught with the possibility of being "outed" as a fraud.

Personally, I wouldn't mind combining the past 15 years of continuing education credits I've earned with my diploma and getting a more impressive piece of paper to hang on the wall. I'm sure the University of Phoenix would be quite willing to help out, but I have not enough incentive to follow through. My resume packs enough punch already.

:beer: