Liberty University, VA

I am tempted to go for a Master of Arts in Religion at Liberty University, VA, http://www.liberty.edu, for personal development only, no working advancement or the like, and this MAR programme is only around 7K.

Does anyone have experience with the University and also with the acceptance of their degrees (as, though it may only be for personal enrichment, it WILL eventually shopw up on a CV)? As a religious institution I am always a little bit nervous as they don't fall under any state licensure.

Any advise is appreciated.

adelheid

 

No need to be nervous about Liberty's quality. They are accredited by SACS, which is considerably more stringent than SCHEV.

As for the name and religious connection, this is a real concern. Many people have posted comments on this board about the names of schools and that impact on degree acceptability. My own doctoral research, while not focused on this, revealed that how a school "sounds" on paper is often a big player in terms of its acceptability to employers. Sad, but true.

That said, there are much bigger issues regarding taking a degree by distance learning. If you get past those (curricular content, delivery methodology, costs, etc.), then the name of the school should mean little. It is more likely that those other factors will drive your decision.

Rich Douglas, Ph.D.

 

Received the Liberty graduate catalog yesterday. Boy, do their programs look tempting! At $165 per credit hour for tuition for some programs.................nah, I'm finished with going to school!

 

hm.. the MA Religion in DL format is 45 credits @ US$165 = US$7,500. I have never studied at a US University, is that too much? Which other university would you, Jimmy, recommend, to cut down costs?

adelheid

 

Perhaps my comment wasn't clear. The tuition is a BARGAIN. I'd go for it.

 

Liberty is a pretty well respected B&M and DL program in Virginia and the Carolinas where the religious nature of the institution is often a plus in many circles.

Their football team lost to Coastal Carolina Univ. in Big South Conference Play at Coastal 33-6 last night - GO COASTAL

From a prospective student perspective, I'd look at the theology of Liberty and consider that a pretty important consideration in whether I wanted to earn a religion degree there. I don't personally agree with their theology or I'd be all over study there....

 

Going or coming?

 

always seems to be more going than coming -- anyone want to send me a few???

 

Adelheid,

I am a DL student at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, and it has been a most rewarding educational experience for me. The faculty is excellent, and I have found the support staff very helpful, although I gather the latter was not always the case in the past.

As far as acceptance of the degree, do a google search and you will find faculty teaching at other evangelical seminaries with degrees from Liberty.

Coach Turner is right, you should always consider the theology of an institution before undertaking a program with them. Liberty itself is very definitely Baptist, Premillenial, Dispensational, etc., although in on-campus classes, I have met students from other backgrounds ranging from Presbyterian to African Methodist Episcopal.

Best wishes

 

Liberty is a great school in my opin. Coursework is challenging but you incorporate religion in almost every class you have. I did not like the idea of having to find a proctor to take my tests with: it was as if they did not trust me. being in a remote location did not make finding one easier. other than that, all things were great and you did not have to worry about people questioning the quality of the education u received.

 

Harijan/Kevin: how did you find your invilgator? Did he have to be a tutor at an educational institution, or a pastor, or would "anybody" really be acceptable by Liberty? I am thrilled by their programmes, but am worried that I can not find an acceptable supervisor.
What is your experience?
Thank you for your advise.
adelheid

 

Adelheid,

The testing center at a (relatively) nearby college proctors my exams. They shut me in a room with test materials only and observe through a glass window. It is sometimes a pain to drive 45 minutes to take an exam, but I wanted a testing process that was as reputable as possible.

As I recall, some of the other options LU accepts are church pastors, or other college professors. LU has shown flexibility for people in sparsely populated rural areas or on military assignment.

Dave