Graduate Theological Foundation

I am considering doing a Research PhD in RS at GTF. I have read thru all the threads on this site and found them helpful. I also have written Dr Morgan asking about the ACI issue.

GTF seem to me be trying to creatively provide legitimate, albeit unaccredited, opportunities for distance learning. Certainly their program fits perfectly with my research aims. My thesis will be on the bridging of the Catholic Protestant divide on PEI, and the only place to adequately do the research is on PEI, with a local Univesity prof as tutor. GTF is trying to make this type of thing happen and I think that is great. And while a 60,000 word thesis is not the usual 80-100,000 it still demonstrates ability to do serious research.

At the same time I do want a degree that will automatically preclude me from teaching RS because it is not recognized.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Also what does RA mean?

 

Hello, Prince Edward Islander!

RA means Regionally Accredited.

 

It is my understanding that GTF is not GAAP*.

One with the proper qualifications can do a GAAP doc in Theology very inexpensively and by distance learning . Some schools offering such are governmental universities with tuitions under $3000!

Given that fact, why would one choose a non GAAP program?



*ie, if not in the USA , where CHEA and the US Dept of Ed approve accreditors, is recognized by the national education agency of the respective country it is in which it is located.

 

What is "RS"? I'm guessing 'religious studies'.

They certainly seem to have some positives, such as the seemingly credible people associated with them. On the other hand, some things about this GTF put out a rank odor, in my opinion. I'm still undecided whether it's 'questionable', or whether it's a good albeit non-accredited school that's not always presented well.

I think that you need to distinguish between two issues: educational value to you personally, and degree utility out there in whatever communities you anticipate using your degree.

Concerning educational value, things like degrees and accreditation aren't terribly important. Students can learn informally by independent study, after all, so working with people with similar interests can only add to that. You need to decide if whatever courses GTF offers interest you. You need to look at who is involved and at whether their activities interest you. Finally, you need to decide whether you find it all suitably credible and valuable enough to pursue. Only you can decide that.

Concerning degree utility, you will inevitably have to consider other people's opinions. Precisely which people depends on how and where you anticipate using your degree. I would guess that unknown and non-accredited American theology schools may not be received very well among mainstream academics, if only because religious exemptions make most of that class of schools little better than mills. That might change though, if you are operating in an environment that's already positively familiar with GTF.

My student's-eye view of academic hiring in religious studies is that it can be very competitive. That's probably more true for large secular universities and perhaps less so for small sectarian schools of the sort that are more common in the US than in Canada.

If I was interested in pursuing a career in mainstream university teaching, I would pursue a recognized accredited degree at absolute minimum, and I would probably favor a solid reputable on-campus program over DL.

 

Re: Re: Graduate Theological Foundation

Excellent answer !

 

Thanks for your quick and helpful replies. Yes RS is Religious Studies.

Bill Drover you mentioned some other DL accredited schools. Can you give some specific suggestions?

Also what do any of you think about the credibility of UNISA or the Open University (though I am not sure if the latter offers a RS PhD). In terms of my communicating with UNISA versus GTF, GTF is hands down superior. I have found Dr Morgan and Val Relos to be very helpful.

Callum Beck

 

Trinity Theological Seminary offers the Doctor of Religous Studies degree and the cost is excellent.

Trinity is a candidate for Regional Accreditation. They may become fully accredited within two years.

I am enrolled in the program.

 

Greetings Callum Beck,

Bill Grover (my Calvinist friend) is referring to schools such as the University of Zululand (UNIZUL) and others in South Africa. SOuth Africa has a well respected education system and someone posted here pretty regulated as well. The cost for a research doctorate no residency is less than 3000 US dollars for the entire program. UNIZUL in my experience (not currently enrolled there) is very easy to deal with. Bobby Loubser the Dean of the theology school has very good credentials. There are also other slightly more expensive options with more well known theology faculties.

Jimmy refers to Trinity. Trinity is a candidate for RA and has some good doctoral programs. Well qualified and ample faculty. Fairly affordable (170 per credit hour with some tuition assistance available Jimmy & moi received 35% plus no tuition for the research phase). For disclosure purposes I am considering them. Caveat...candidacy is no guarentee of full accrediation. It is likely based on statistics but not guarenteed.

I don't know whether GTF is still ACI accredited but that was a major lapse in judgement. I remember their announcment in their newsletter and I felt compelled to post a "Levicoff was Right" thread.

BillDayson, points our that utility is different from value. Your GTF degree may be valuable to you and if that is all that is important then that is great. If you want to use it to teach then you are likely to encounter some obstacles.

Weigh your options carefully.

Good luck!

North

 

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Callum

Please look over Jason Baker's site on distance Christian higher education. There you will find several GAAP doc programs doable by DL in RS. You can make a good comparison.

Unizul and several other South African state universities have a faculty of Religion offering doctorates in Practical Theology, OT, NT, Systematic, or Historical Theology/Church History.

My experience with Unizul (University of Zululand) has been very positive. I think it reflects somewhat the way things are done in some other SA schools. There are differences , you should know, in cost, reputation, and residence requirement among the several SA state universities. Yet all are GAAP! I'll remark on my Unizul experience:

Unizul is a residential SA state approved university with about 7000 students. It has about a dozen faculties as, eg, Education.

One faculty is Religion which offers grad degrees in RS by distance education. Mostly this uses a research format. I am (*IF* I finish and it passes) , getting a ThD by doing a dissertation -they say thesis- on trinal relationships in Systematic Theology. Unizul also offers docs in practical theolgy etc

If you will get on the Unizul website and go to the Faculty of Religion you will find the criteria for admission to the Doctor of Theology or D Phil degrees. Bobby Loubser is the one to contact. If you have a master's degree in religious studies accredited by ATS or one that is RA , then you may be able to enter Unizul's doc , doing it by dissertation only, and complete it entirely by distance at a total cost of around $3000 US dollars. Expect it to take 3-5 years. But one only pays tuition the first two years--around $1000 per year. There are also registration costs. I've found the Unizul people fairly easy to deal with and not, in general, hard to reach.

My research proposal being accepted , while I keep in contact with my supervisor, I work very independently! Yet when I complete a chapter , I have a local, informal reader whose PhD is from Dallas Seminary , who is published in the area of my topic, and who is a prof of NT at an accredited US school. My Hebrew and Greek are not really good. He also checks my grammaticisms. The Biblical languages are not absolutely necessary unless the area is NT/OT, but I feel to do my topic well I need them. This reading of my chapters locally is done with the consent of my Unizul supervisor.


I hope to finish writing in Nov of 04. When the dissertation is completed, four profs from three SA universities will evaluate it. This better assures that the dissertation meets certain minimal standards. If they pass it, I will receive the D.Th. degree in May of 05...one month before my 65th bd!

 

You go Bill...go Bill...go Bill....

PS I think with all of your familial experience and credentials you would make a great USAF-Civil Air Patrol Chaplain. It would put both your life experience and education to use.

http://www.cap.gov

North

 

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Do you recall, friend North, that a couple of years ago I came here to DI being a student at TTS and you were at UZ!!! Now, I am at UZ and you are at TTS. My o My.

When I finish UZ , I may apply as Chaplin. I think I will quit junior high teaching this June.

Very best wishes,