The college of Central London

Hi All,

I was wondering if somebody could shed me some light on whether "The College of Central London" is a good one to take up a PGDMS (Post Graduate Diploma in Management Studies). I am looking for industry standard recognition, accreditation and alumni value of taking up the course. Any info would be a great help.

Thanks in advance,
Regards,
Vinod Gopal

 

I have absolutely no idea, Vinod. Sorry. But it's good to see you posting again after such a long absence. Glad you're back.


I have a question for you. In your part of India (I'm not good at remembering which language is spoken where), what's the word for an Internet troll? All rhetoric is war, and I want to expand my weaponry. Many thanks.

Best wishes to you,

Janko






Carthage must be destroyed.

 

From the College website:
The College of Central London was first inspected by the British Accreditation Council for Independent Further and Higher Education in October and December 2004. BAC's inspectors reported on a satisfactory, good or excellent level of provision in all areas assessed during the inspection. They considered the college to be well-managed and well-resourced. There was a high standard of teaching and all staff showed good support for individual students and sensitivity to their language needs. Helpwith finding accommodation and general assistance in adapting to living in the UK was very thorough.
The College of Central London was awarded accreditation in January 2005.

So it appears to be a college of substance!

 

Thanks Uncle Janko! Say...!...Its a warm welcome i must admit Yeah its been a while since i visited this great forum and I hope to stay tuned a lot more often i promise.

Internet Troll in Tamil is Internet la "Tedi pakkaradu"

 

Great! Thanks, Vinod.






Carthage must be destroyed.

 

Thread-starters: PLEASE PROVIDE A LINK IN YOUR THREAD-STARTING POSTS TO THE WEB SITE OF THE ENTITY ABOUT WHICH YOU'RE INQUIRING SO THAT THOSE WHOSE OPINIONS YOU SEEK WILL NOT BE BURDENED WITH HAVING TO GOOGLE SAID ENTITY AND FIND SAID WEB SITE THEMSELVES; AND ALSO TO ENSURE THAT THE WEB SITE THEY FIND IS, IN FACT, THAT OF THE ENTITY ABOUT WHICH YOU'RE INQUIRING.

Appearances can be deceiving... as it appears you're trying to be here.

And precisely what web site would that be? It occurs to me that just about the only thing sillier than a thread-starter not providing a link is a responder quoting from a site and not providing a link where what's being quote may be found.

Are we talking about this place?

Not according to the only web site regarding accreditation in the UK that matters. If the College of Central London is a UK entity (which I wouldn't know because no one provided a link) then it needs to be listed on either this web page or this one in order to be thought of as "accredited" in the sense that we tend to use that word around here. It's not listed on either of those pages, so it's not accredited. From the DFES web site:

• Only those organisations on the above lists are permitted to award UK degrees or offer provision that leads to a UK degree. If an organisation is not contained on one of these lists then it is NOT offering a recognised UK degree.

The "British Accreditation Council for Independent Further and Higher Education"? Please!

Read this warning.

Do not call something an "accreditor" -- or an institution "accredited" -- if it is not. Do not mislead the reader here. That's not a request.

Almost certainly not.

Well, right out of the gate we know it fails as to your "accreditation" criterion. Once one knows that, is there really any point in inquiring further?

 

Re: Re: The college of Central London

Vinod inquired about a postgraduate diploma program.

I don't know how postgraduate diplomas are classified in the UK, whether they must be awarded by degree-granting higher education institutions or whether FE institutions can award them, whether they fall within the jurisdiction of the QAA, or whether the DFES website even pertains to them.

I think that I share your skepticism. But it remains possible that the BAC is similar to those many CHEA-recognized accreditors that accredit non-degree adult and continuing education programs.

I agree that 'DavidHume's' reply was insufficiently skeptical (and that's ironic, coming from David Hume). But what we probably should be doing now is researching the topic of British non-degree academic award programs and what recognitions they receive. Hopefully some of Degreeinfo's British participants will stick their heads in and educate us Yanks.

 

Re: Re: Re: The college of Central London

In the UK, certificates and diplomas are usually exit points on the way to degrees. That being the case, it stands to reason that accredited institutions should be issuing them. That said, it's entirely possible that certificates and diplomas can be issued legally in the UK by other than accredited, degree-granting institutions. If so, then that's certainly a worthy-of-discussion point on its own.

However, none of that has anything to do with the wrongness of College of Central London referring to itself as accredited by a bogus accreditor. Its having done so should be viewed here, at DegreeInfo, in the same way as are US institutions which claim accreditation by accreditors that are not approved by either the US Department of Education (USDE) and/or its Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Okay... my mind's open to that. If so, then I'll happily retract my earlier assessment here... and apologize to davidhume for assuming his trying to foist off an unapproved accreditor as legitimate. That, in that case, would be my bad... and I'll wear that, if that's the case.

I look forward to that.

 

Re: Re: The college of Central London

In his usual inimitable fashion, DesElms is pontificating from a North American perspective, on matters of which he actually knows very little. The College of Central London is a college, not a university. On the other side of the Pond, the two institutions are distinct and seperate entities. Since this private college offers certificates and diplomas, rather than degrees, of course it does not appear on the sites linked to above. Under UK law, there is no requirement for an independent, non-degree granting, tertiary institution to seek accreditation. However, this particularly entity appears to be approved by the British Accreditation Council:
http://www.the-bac.org/index.htm
one of the leading accrediting bodies for independent higher and further education in the UK.

Of course, this fact is unlikely to impress Dr. DesElms.

 

Re: Re: Re: The college of Central London

Apparently my willingness to wear being wrong, if that ends-up being the case, isn't enough for you. Please make your points -- including points that prove me wrong, if that's the case -- without the additional snide commentary.

Keep in mind that my attacks -- in more places than just this thread -- on the use of the word "accredit" or "accreditation" or "accredited" are simply in keeping with my belief that those words should be reserved for use by government-approved (or approved by government-appointed agencies) accreditors of higher educational institutions and programs. Other approvals should use precisely that word: "Approved" and not "accredited"... or so it is my opinion... or pontification... as the case may be.

 

Re: Re: The college of Central London

I've never heard of the British Accreditation Council before. But the DfES apparently has.

What do colleges have to do to register?
A. There are two routes by which colleges are accepted to the Register. Those colleges who receive public funding, have been inspected by government inspection bodies or are accredited through the British Council, British Accreditation Council or Association of British Language Schools are automatically added to the Register. Any college which falls outside these categories will need to make an application...

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/providersregister/faq.cfm

David Mendoza: Why are private schools for over-16s unregulated? Lack of supervision means that vulnerable, often foreign, students are placed in harms way.

Jane Williams: Private organisations which are set up to provide education or training for over-16s are subject to general law including health and safety legislation and the laws concerning the protection of children and vulnerable adults. In addition, the British Accreditation Council for Further and Higher Education acts on behalf of the British Council to oversee the quality of facilities and academic provision in private institutions. A number of foreign governments advise their nationals according to this accreditation. Only further education institutions, which are in receipt of public funding, are incorporated and regulated under the 1992 Further and Higher Education Act.

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/askjane/qa3.shtml

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: The college of Central London

I take it then that snide commentary is your own exclusive preserve, even when said commentary accompanies erroneous information, which given the search engine rankings of this board and the image it likes to project, could cause harm to the reputation of a legitimate institution? Or does that not matter?

 

I take it...or leave it

That's a durty lie! Snide cummentary is not the munnopoly iv th'moderathers.
Take meself, or even your ownself f'r an exhample.


______________


Dear Vinod, I do not recall a representative of a legitimate school speaking in the manner of the angry poster above. It would seem to militate against the school about which you asked, on grounds of crabbiness if not of accreditation. Be wise and cautious. Regards, Janko

 

Hi Vinod.

I just Googled 'College of Central London' and got more than 600 hits.

If you are interested in 'industry standard recognition', I'd suggest looking closely at those results and seeing who's talking about CCL and what they are saying. Is it getting talk on professional organizations' websites? Are major employers saying nice things about it?

My first impression, based only on skimming the first of the results, ws that most of the hits were marketing sites and there wasn't a lot of substance. But decide for yourself what you think.

And I Googled the school, restricting the search to .ac.uk sites. That only produced 15 lightweight hits. If you are interested in a postgraduate diploma that gets academic attention, this doesn't seem to be it.

My first impressions of this school are that it seems to be a legitimate provider of vocational post-secondary non-degree courses. But if your interest is an academic program at the graduate level, then this might not be your place.

 

huh! do ya want me to dig a google (needle) out of a haystack!?! Not too keen in it . Thanks...

the folks who advertised the course said the PGDMS would entitle me to take up a MBA after completion. Its getting creepy all the same after reading the thread and some of the prospective students who kibitzed with some alluring stuff made me sniff something fishy. And here I am! The muggle getting second opinion from the Wizards of Education. Thanks fellas. By the way the link is indeed http://www.central-college.com/

Sorry for any inconveniance created (insofar)

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: The college of Central London

So, then... your problem is with me and maybe with DI and its place in the universe. That's fine. I'm asking you to dismantle my points if you can, without also trying to dismantle me -- or any other member here -- or DI itself. I won't ask you again. If you want to turn this into a fight with a moderator over the moderator himself, or his moderation, rather than the points he makes, I'll give you three guesses where it will end-up and how quickly. If, on the other hand, you have something to say about this thread's subject -- including how wrong I am about it and why -- then say away. I'm a big boy... I can take it. But take one more swipe at me for being wrong... or maybe just being me -- or at anyone else here for whatever else it is you basically don't like about this place -- and you're outta' here.

I indicated that if it turns out I'm wrong, I'll wear it... and make appropriate apologies. I also indicated that that's not enough for you... which you're now confirming.

And, yes, of course, if it turns out that I should apologize to the institution, I'll do that, too.

You, in the meantime, should still consider yourself warned. Please make it about the points people make, not about the people who make them... or about moderators or moderation. It's difficult to imagine any relevant point one could not make -- including that I'm wrong as rain -- within those simple and unoppressive limitations. I mean... look... Bill's doing it... and with aplomb.

 

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by davidhume
So it appears to be a college of substance!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appearances can be deceiving... as it appears you're trying to be here.


'Thanks' for your gratuitous attack on me, for which you have since half apoligized.

I did say 'appears' so I was expressing a degree of Humean skeptism in my response.

But Des, please tone down because it will get to the point where no one will feel they can express a non party -line opinion on this site without the fear of ridicule, at best, or explusion, at worst.

 

Actually, I have not apologized at all. I've only said that I would if it turns out I should. But I'm not going to wait for that... keep reading...

Indeed you did.

The fact that you call it "non-party-line" reveals your perspective... that there even is a party line around here, and that you're on the wrong side of it. That's Crabby Forum talk... where you are a member and occasional poster of things that you wouldn't get away with here. My awareness of that does, I confess, cause me to buckle my seat belt when you post sometimes. To the extent that that is true, I am probably overly ready for you to take a shot at what most around here tend to hold near and dear... not to be confused with "a party line," mind you.

I just don't want newbie distance learning degree-seekers misled, David. I mean... really... that's the biggest thing. I am distressed, for example, that I may be the one doing the misleading as to the actual subject matter in this thread. I'm still researching that and will address that separately.

But because of your affiliation and agreement (in other fora) with those whom I believe do mislead others, and your occasional posts here that challenge what you consider to be this place's "party line," I'm probably overly watchful of you and your posts sometimes... and I stress the word "sometimes." My reaction to your words in this thread may be one of those times. I would add, "and if that's true, then I apologize," but then that really would be a half apology. I have to wear having done it before I can apologize for it; and, therefore, have said apology be whole, and not merely half.

So I now hereby do wear it... and I now apologize for it. I may be a bit too ready for you sometimes; and may assume motivations which may not be present. I think I did so in this thread where maybe I should not have. I'll pay better attention to that in the future.

There. How was that, for starters?

 

No problems, Gregg. But let me make one thing clear; I am not a promoter of degree mills or unaccredited schools in any shape or form. I have no 'agenda' on this or any other forum.

However, I do have the occasional 'dig' at someone who is taking themselves too seriously, or attacking someone on a position which they once held!

But promoting degree mills - never! Life is too short for anyone to either waste their time or money with such organizations.

 

Point taken...

...and keep your fingers crossed: I may not be done apologizing to you yet. I've got more research to do on the basic subject of this thread. Time will tell.