Accredited and Non-Accredited  Degrees in Academia and  in the Wider Market Place

 

Introduction and Review

 

Over the years, one of  the authors has had a number of publications that dealt with the pursuit

and the  difficulties in obtaining  graduate degrees.(  Snell et al.1976, Snell& Wakefield,1977,                  

Snell, 1990, Snell 1993)  Perhaps, one of the most comprehensive books  relative to this

issue is John Bear’s discussion and his experience analyzing both accredited and non-accredited programs in education (1995.) He indicates that both  of  them  have a number of characteristics in common.

 

Additionally , one of the authors of this article  has been reviewing accredited / non-accredited curriculum since the mid  70’s. Further, there is a recent and  extremely comprehensive article on the financial returns of accredited PhD.s in  OCCUPATIONAL OUTLOOK QAURTERLY (Barkhume, 1996-7:3-15.)

 

The crux of this article is to get a closer look at the non-accredited programs, by comparing  them

with accredited  degress through participant observation,  on site inspection, surfing the internet,  as well as reviewing the personal  observations one  the author has had as an instructor of  accredited correspondence classes and as a student in two accredited correspondence classes.  Also, the authors will  describe areas where  certifications are not unacceptable to others  who  have the accredited degree.

 

 

Participation Observation

 

In the 90’s,  one of the authors  entered a non-accredited Ph.D. program for roughly a month to uncover the differences between an  accredited Ph.D. program that he attended  in the 70’s  and a  non-accredited

Ph.D.

 

As part of the research portion of this article,  one of the authors  paid  a matriculation fee of

$200.00 to enter a program. The contract of the school indicated that the work

would be off campus, would provide a mentor, and would require completing  transfer forms           

of  previous credit from accredited schools for  application to the doctoral degree.

The contract also specified that that each student legally and formally acknowledge that

the program was not accredited. This is not  only ethical, but important in terms of how the degree

is used.(Carlson, 1997.)

 

Further, at least two calls were received  from  a mentor answering questions that

a student may have about the program and the use of the degree.  Other students who had graduated from the program were also available to talk with  new students.

 

There were major differences between the accredited and non-accredited schools. The accredited school

usually takes 6 to 8 years beyond the master’s degree to finish the work going part time. This includes

face-face classes, a language requirement, a cognate field completion, comprehensives, and a

doctoral dissertation. The non-accredited would probably take about two to  four years going part time, because they would accept the accredited school work, work experience, and then a doctoral dissertation.

So there was a difference in terms of rigor.

 

On  Site Inspection

 

The writer of this article is located in a state where laws are quite stringent in terms of location

of non-accredited programs. Further, the surrounding states also have similar legislation. Thus, one of the authors  traveled  1100 miles by plane to visit a non-accredited program. It was located in a 3rd floor suite

(roughly 25 feet by 100 feet) in a financial center in the downtown area of  a southwestern community.

As one entered, there were 2 administrative assistants who handled files and phone work. Another office was for the faculty dean and the last office contained the president of the school.

 

 One of the authors was able to obtain information literature about the program. Also received a card indicating the nearest program  coordinator. Literature included curriculum, faculty listings, and graduation requirements. It would appear that the majority of the work by both students and faculty were by mail as promised in the literature as there was not room for  face to face classes. E-mail was also available.

 

Additionally, one of the authors called the president of a non-accredited school and asked about the

requirements and the quality of faculty. The president was remarkably forthcoming and sent

both student catalogue and faculty handbook. The handbook described the mentoring program

and honorium for faculty. Nearly all the faculty listed had a masters’s degree from an accredited

school and many had an accredited PhD. Some were retired and others worked in business and industry and mentored on an adjunct  basis.+

 

 

 

Internet

 

Readers may note that numerous non-accredited and accredited programs are now offered on the internet

(Ellsworth, 1994.) One of the most useful references is to look under “colleges and universities”

in the WORLD WIDE WEB YELLOW PAGES (1997.)

 

One can download a few of  these courses and there appears to be  at least a superficial  "blur" between

accredited and non-accredited school work. You may want to compare Pacific Western University(www.pwu-hi.edu.) and the University of  Phoenix (www.uophx.ed/online). One is accredited and the other  may not be. Wording is cautious here to avoid litigation. The reader will have to search the internet to discover which is which.  But both have off campus programs. The author did drive by

one of the schools and did note that it had a campus.

 

 The above description of the program that one of  the authors entered is extremely similar to accredited programs. Once again, the literature from the internet contains curriculum, faculty, and graduation requirements. The websites are listed in a prominent business periodical and also a popular psychology magazine. Both accredited and non-accredited school work is advertised. Bear (1995)  suggests that  on the internet, to see alt.education.distance.

 

One of  the author did so, but without success. However, the author found that Dr. John Bear’s www.degree.net to be extremely  valuable. The following are also very useful:

 

www.infoseek.com>directory> distance learning>internet based>lifelong learning>directory of online

colleges>internet universities and training institutes

 

www.yahoo.com>education>distance learninmg>colleges and universities

 

www.excite.com>careers and education>united states> (check state)

 

www.lycos.com>education>undergrand and graduate>college net>

 

Author as Instructor/Student

 

 Further, one of the authors is an instructor of  a correspondence course at an accredited two year junior and community college. As this is being written,  his school is preparing internet courses. For nearly two decades,  his school has provided numerous off campus course work. Thus, it would appear that

he would have some idea about how off campus work is conducted which may be similar to  the work of an educator in the non-accredited program One may also note that between 40% to 50% do

not complete the off campus work of the classes that he teaches or mentors. If the non-accredited schools are this rigorous, one can not be sure because the authors did not have any information about this issue.

 

Additionally,  one of the authors has been reviewing between  50 to 75  accredited and non-accredited  doctoral programs since  the mid 70’s. Further, the author was a student in two different correpsondence classes at two different universities.

 

It appears that  accredited and non-accredited have more in common and will do so in the future. It would also appear that regardless of the legislation, non-accredited schools will remain in the academic environment.

 

Application

 

If the above is valid,  is there a place for non-accredited education?

 

Although  non-accredited schools show some promise, it is unfair for two individuals to compete in the market  place, in which one has had to go through a much more rigourous accredited program and the other has not.  Accreditation provides an invaluable resource to let the student and the wider public  know that individuals have gone through the rigors involved in graduate education and that their knowledge is applicable to the fields that they enter.( Green et. al. 1990.)

 

However, there is an area where “certification “ is possible. In other words, an industry developes

standards and certain courses or training are necessary for the certification. Thus, the individual takes

a course or courses from an accredited college and then the profession, semi-profession or industry determine success and provides a certificate. In fact, this has already happened. (Palinchak, 1998:4).

 

Further, adult students are more likely to be involved in virtual universities that are on the internet and are accredited. The accessibility to degree programs is as competitive as non-accredited schools.

(Van Dusen, 1998.)

 

Finally, the argument about accreditation will continue to be part of the academic debate. In the meantime, it would appear that access to accredited programs may  become similar to

those  that are not accredited. The difference is one of rigor and standards of acceptance.

 

Conclusion

 

Accreditaton will remain a major component of education. However, alternatives to accreditation are now coming from business and industry.

 

References

Barkhume, Megan (1997)

The job market for Ph.D.s Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Winter, 3-15.

 

Bear, John and Mariah P.  (1995) BEAR’S GUIDE TO EARNING NON-TRADITIONAL COLLEGE DEGREES (Bencia, California:1995.) See also a rejoinder to Bear’s guide in Smith, Walker and Thomas Canara, ACCREDITED COLLEGE DEGREES BY CORRESPONDENCE (Philadelphia: Crenshaw Publishers) 1996. Bears guide and website however are thought to be “the standard” for alternative

education and Dr. Bear has testified before the US senate and house relative to accredited and non-accredited schools.

 

Carlson, Margaret “Lies My Ambssador Told Me” Public Eye  TIME, December 22, 1997, 31.

 

Ellsworth, Jill  (1994) EDUCATION ON THE INTERNET

(Indianapolis, Indiana:Sams Publishing) Also see”colleges and universities” in

___________, (1997)WORLD WIDE WEB YELLOW PAGES (Indianapolis, Indiana:New Riders

Publication)

 

Green, Donald, Snell, Joel C, Corgiat, A. and Antony Parimanath (1990)

The professionalization of the paralegal, Journal of Paralegal Education and

Practices, 78-86. see also the reprinting and revision in Legal Assistant Management

Association Manager, May-June 1996, p.10-11.

 

Palinchak, Robert S. (1998) Higher education’s chameleons, Community College Week,

May 4, 1998, Vol. 10, #20. One should note that unfortunately accredited schools have

according to their critics “taken on” some of the negative qualities thought to be related to

non-accredited schools . See Staples, Brent(1998) Pressure inflates grades, Omaha World Herald,

March 10, 1998, p.19.  Further, a non-accredited degree can become a future “time bomb” to one’s career

See Goodsell, Paul Principal’s doctorate may be just a bookmark, Omaha World Herald, March 17, 1998, p.1

 

Snell, Joel C. Webb,Vincent J., Hoffman, Dennis and Bill Wakefield (1976)

The college student teacher in hard times:junior faculty in a new age of scarcity,

College Student Journal,  p.245-252.

 

Snell, Joel C & Bill Wakefield, (1977)

The college professor, the college student, and credentialism, College Student Journal,

p.243-252.

 

Snell, Joel C. (1990)

Reforming the Ph.D., Chronicle of  Higher Education, p.4.

 

Snell, Joel C. (1993)

Those who did not succeed in the Ph.D. program: how many are there? what went wrong?

how can they resolve their dilemma? College Student Journal p. 223-233.

 

Van Dusen, Gerald C. (1998)

Technology:higher education’s magic bullet  Thought & Action: The NEA Higher Education Journal,

p. 60-61.

 

*Latest studies still support the value of graduating with the bachelors and even stronger support

for the masters or higher degrees (Koretz, Gene [1997] “Sheepskins are golden fleeces , how degrees ratchet up earnings” Business Week, July 28,  p.24.

+ Special thanks to Douglass Caprogrossi, PhD formerly of Cornell University, now president of

Greenwich University.

(Parenthetically, the number one  nonfiction author in terms of sales has a Ph.D. from a very good

non-accredited school that asks the wider public to judge their program by it’s graduates.

See Gleick, Elizabeth “Tower of Psychobabble” Time, June 16, 1997.)