Looking For A Good Unaccredited Program Religous Studies, PhD, ThD, DMin

Greetings,

I'm looking for a good DL program that would accept my unaccredited M.S.L degree. While the college I received my M.S.L. from is pursuing accreditation from AABC my degree will probably not be considered accredited by the time the process is completed.

I am looking for programs such as a PhD in Biblical Studies, DMIN, or a ThD.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Shawn

 

I am assuming the MSL is Master of Sacred Literature. Anyway, AABC only accredits through the bachelor's level. If you really want an unaccredited school then I would go with either Bethany Divinity College and Seminary or Golden State School of Theology .

 

The reason he is looking for an unaccredited doctorate is that he likely can't get into an accredited one. Note that his master's degree is unaccredited.




Tom Nixon

 

Bill,

Could you give him a couple recommendations for schools that would accept him as a doctoral student based on an unaccredited master's degree?

Thanks!


Tom

 

Shawn:

What is an M.S.L.?

Why do you want a doc in Theology/Bible?

Why do you want an unaccredited doc?

The following assumes the doc is PhD/ThD in Theology, OT, or NT. Personally I worry less about unaccred schools offering the DMin.



What do you think the qualities of a "good" unaccredited doctoral program would be in terms of :

1) prerequisites,

does the school let most anyone in who can pay? Does the school require entrance exams? Does it require evidence of research skills so necessary at a doc level? Or does it let just about anyone in who has the $ ? But if the school does not carefully measure applicants then how could it determine the ability of its apllicants to do work at a genuine doc level? If not done, this is a sign that the program really isn't at doc level. They are matching the work to the student and not the student to the work. While I've done this for 35 years in teaching special ed JH kids, it hardly is suitable at the doctoral level.


2) languages?

I believe that I can show that Scripture cannot be well understood at a doctoral level unless one has a working knowledge of the languages in which that Scripture was written . To suppose one is doing rigorous work but not utilizing insights and arguments exegetically based on the grammaticisms and so forth of the originals is deception. Coursework at the doc in "Bible" , IMO, which does not require some interaction with the Heb/Grk texts is not doc level work. I know of one unaccredited DA in Bible program which requires no language but purports to equip one to teach Bible in a college. Just wait until that one so poorly equipped is asked the simplest of questions, by a student exposed to first year Greek, on say John as, "Dr XXX, why does the preverbal predicate theos in 1:1 lack an article?"


3) rigor of coursework.

ThD/PhD doctoral level work is not just more of the same as at the master's level. That is one problem I've seen even in a TRACS doc program. And I have seen it in a pretty fair unaccred program too. Doc work should engage the student in interactions with issues which are very complex. We are no longer doing surveys.

IMO , one would be hardpressed to in Theol/ Bible go from even an accredited MA right into a doc program. But I know it is done. The BA/MA IMO does not equip one with the roundedness and in depth experience to do well in the PhD/ThD. But it is done, at least outside the USA and possibly here too.



4) dissertation research

The dissertation should not just be another 300 page rehashing of what's been already done. It should be written at a level equal to that composed by RA docs in the field. It should meet and interact with --within the qualifications established in the introduction-- the best minds and expressions in the literature on that topic and establish a new way of looking at or dealing with some significant problem.



5)qualifications of professors.

If a "good" doc program is in part good because it leads the student through the same challenging rigorous experience of an accredited program, then how could this likely happen when the student's profs themselves have not experienced the effort of an accredited program?

If a school does not have profs with accredited docs themselves , then why would we suppose good doctoral work, in the sense of being similar to RA , is occuring under the guidence of those profs?



6) utility/recognition

Will the doc from whatever school be one which is laughed at and scorned by other educated evangelicals and by those who understand academe? Will you be able to use that doc in teaching or some ministry beyond the narrow confines of some denomination that school represents?




If one is convinced , in my opinion practically always wrongly, that an unaccredited doc is desirable, then that one at least should make an all out effort to determine that that program is genuinely done at a doctoral level. Otherwise, deceit is being practiced. And deceit has no place in the life of one studying Bib/Theol from a Christian perspective.


l

 

Bill Grover gave you a good checklist above. You may also check into what is accepted by your your denomination. Many religious schools do not seek accreditation due to worries about having to compromise Doctrine to gain accreditation. As an example, I can think of one school that has a rigorous program, is well accepted by their denomination,(Presbyterian in this case) and is very proud that they do not seek accreditation. I'm assuming this is why you are looking into an unaccredited degree.

 

Re: Re: Looking For A Good Unaccredited Program Religous Studies, PhD, ThD, DMin

Not bad choices. Wonder why you recommend these particular programs?

 

You've been studying too hard, Bill, ha! Look again. As for me, I designed a course for Bethany about five or so years ago. They have just left my name on the site and in the catalogs, that's all.

 

I think among the combined core faculty of Golden State and Bethany there is not one accredited ThD or PhD in Bible or Theology.

So let me understand, to teach the alphabet in a public school one's degree must be accredited. But to teach Theology at the doctoral level it matters not. Now that really makes sense.

By all means you must choose one of those quality schools

I see your name at Bethany Jimmy

 

Complete the sequence:
half penny
penny
two pence
three pence
six pence

 

===

repent - ence? (sic)

 

Are you sure you check out the right Golden State? It's Golden State School of Theology and the costs are very reasonable. The undergrad courses are only $100 and the grad courses are $125 with post grad courses being $150. Bethany is not expensive. If you pay less than these costs you will for sure be earning a degree from a mill. Not everyone on here considers Golden State or Bethany a degree mill. But, paying less than these schools charge will almost guarantee everyone calling that school a degree mill. Remember that both Bethany and Golden State have reasonable payment plans. Just out of curiosity, what is your denomination? Does it have a seminary or Bible college? Will it cover some of your costs?

 

I am looking for an unaccredited program and most likely a D.Min program in Biblical Studies for two reasons. Expense and my unaccredited Master of Sacred Literature.

I wasn't aware that the AABC accreditation did not cover Master's programs. That's not good.

I've looked at Bethany and Golden State but at present they are too expensive. My denomiation has Seminaries that will will accept my unaccredited M.S.L. however, none has a distance learning program. I'm not particularly happy about Bethany's KJV only requirements either.

I am currently progressing in a three residents program working on a RA- MSSW with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy.

I'm not concerned with accreditation in the Biblical Studies area as it isn't not a necessity in my denomination. I might consider a Master's level program that leads to Th.D. or Ph.D. in one of the European or African programs. If any one could could give me some info on those and costs. I have a RA undergraduate degree and could be accepted into one these programs I suspect.

I would like more information about some of these. How do I find out about them. Do they have weblinks? Contact Information, Etc.


I would expect the program to be rigorous academically.

Thanks for your help and I look forward to any other information you may provide.

Shawn

 

I am looking for an unaccredited program and most likely a D.Min program in Biblical Studies for two reasons. Expense and my unaccredited Master of Sacred Literature.

I wasn't aware that the AABC accreditation did not cover Master's programs. That's not good.

I've looked at Bethany and Golden State but at present they are too expensive. My denomiation has Seminaries that will will accept my unaccredited M.S.L. however, none has a distance learning program. I'm not particularly happy about Bethany's KJV only requirements either.

I am currently progressing in a three residents program working on a RA- MSSW with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy.

I'm not concerned with accreditation in the Biblical Studies area as it isn't not a necessity in my denomination. I might consider a Master's level program that leads to Th.D. or Ph.D. in one of the European or African programs. If any one could could give me some info on those and costs. I have a RA undergraduate degree and could be accepted into one these programs I suspect.

I would like more information about some of these. How do I find out about them. Do they have weblinks? Contact Information, Etc.


I would expect the program to be rigorous academically.

Thanks for your help and I look forward to any other information you may provide.

Shawn

 

SATS and Unizul

Bill said,
" (1) do a search for South African Theological Seminary. (2) review their website, (3) email to ask your questions

Cost should be below $2000 for this GAAP ThM, then if accepted upom completion into the Unizul doc, about another $2000."

Good advice!

That is the route I am on now.