Acceptance of DETC degrees for State/government jobs

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Abner, Dec 26, 2004.

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  1. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    Hi:
    Has anybody had a Bachelor's degree from a DETC accredited University accepted by a State/government agency? Many of the State of California Jobs I consider state they want a degree from a "recognized University". Basically, from what I can tell, a degree from a DETC accredited University meets this criteria because it is Nationally recongized by the CHEA, a legitimate accreditor. Please advise.

    Thanks, and Merry Christmas! :)

    Abner
     
  2. tcnixon

    tcnixon Active Member


    While your assumption may or may not be true, I would get confirmation before embarking on a DETC-accredited degree only to discover that recognized = regionally-accredited.

    Always a good idea to check first.



    Tom Nixon
     
  3. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Please consider a search of this board's threads. There is a great deal of information available on this topic.

    Degrees from DETC-accredited schools are unacceptable in some situations. However, government seems to be a place where acceptance might be rather high. (I don't know of any research to support this, however.)
     
  4. I think DETC is the way to go. RA schools are big business and I personally think most RA programs are taking advantage of distance learners that want to earn an accredited degree. The least expensive DETC MBA costs arount $5,000, while it is hard to get an RA MBA for less than $12,000.
     
  5. TomICAVols

    TomICAVols New Member

    "recognized university" is nebulous at best. I think it would be a way of discouraging applicants from diploma mills.

    As I state often, I've taught school, worked in banking and finance, and in administration in the university setting. Not ONCE was the accreditation of my degree ever brought up, though I graduated from a very small college.
     
  6. -kevin-

    -kevin- Resident Redneck

    Abner,

    anecdotal information at best. In the federal government the guidance states that the degree must be from a school that is accredited by an accreditor recognized by the Federal Department of Education. However, in some instances more defined accreditation/approval is required (as in AMA, ABA, ABET accreditation or approval) for professional degrees like MDs, Attorneys, or Engineers. These additional levels of accreditation are found in RA schools or equivalents.

    A cursory look at some of the engineering and other professional fields in the California state job listings required state licensing for these areas. I don't know anything about the California state licensing requirements.

    You didn't mention what type of job, or if there was a positive education requirement, so my recommendation would be to call the state personnel office for clarification.

    Happy Holidays,

    Kevin
     
  7. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    Thank you all for your replies;

    Let me explain my situation a little further. I currently work a State of California Agency. I qualified on a combination of experience and an R.A. A.A. degree in lieu of a bachelor's degree.
    I am currently a Guided Independent Study Student at the Univeristy of Iowa (Bachelor of Liberal Studies). I have about 18 semester hours with Iowa, 4 units in Math for Mgmt from UCLA, and .6CEUS from the University of Irvine.
    I recently turned in an application for Columbia Southern University(DETC). The University of Iowa is a great distance program, but rather slow.
    I have been contemplating appying for higher paying jobs with my current State employer. I believe a Bachelor's will make it easier for me. The jobs I have been browsing around at are not teaching or engineering jobs that would require a special accreditation, etc. The job openings that I qualify for merely state "have a Bachelor's from an recognized accredited University". The website is www.spb.ca.gov in case anyone would like to look.

    Any further input would be greatly appreciated!!

    Thanks and happy holidays!

    Sensei Abner
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 16, 2010
  8. BubbaGump

    BubbaGump New Member

    If you are looking for a great DETC school, I would recommend Aspen University, my experience there has been first rate. They have a Bachelors completion program, and accept transfer credits…
     
  9. TomICAVols

    TomICAVols New Member

    I bet if you contacted the folks about the job in question and explained your question, you'd find you know more about accreditation than they do. Accreditation seems to be something that, in the real world of employment, means "You didn't pay $50 for your degree, did you?" :D Problem is, RA schools have programs that are creampuffs. That's why accreditation is pretty well a non-issue unless you need a law degree, architecture degree, or other degree that would cause you to have to sit for licensure (as was pointed out earlier).

    Any degree from a CHEA recognized accreditation agency should suffice. But ask the question. You'll impress and confuse the folks

    :D
     
  10. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Again, this ignores the host of evidence indicating that there are many situations where a degree from an RA school will do, but one from an NA school will not. And making the distinction will hardly impress people (by confusing them?). Instead, it will draw questions to your qualifications, hardly the impression you want to leave.
     
  11. TomICAVols

    TomICAVols New Member

    Perhaps. But it begs the question that if they cared, they care enough to know it. Depending on the field, they are far more impressed with certifications than whether or not the degree is accredited. Depending on the field, they don't even care what major you have. Having worked in HR extensively, I've seen this first-hand.

    I didn't say they were. I just argue that there are other things they are more knowledgable about.
    You are making a link that isn't there. Your first assertion isn't there, so this isn't either. Even if it was, this assertion doesn't make any sense. I wasn't making that correlation, just pointing out the facts.

    I have seen those, too, and I agree that an unaccredited degree would probably not work (though the US govt has paid for many folks to get degrees from Kennedy Western. This has been in the news a lot lately here locally at ORNL, a field where I personally want shabby degrees dont you?:D) The tie to licensure is there because state bars require ABA accredited degrees; boards of Architecture require accredited degrees, etc.

    QUOTE]Again, this ignores the host of evidence indicating that there are many situations where a degree from an RA school will do, but one from an NA school will not. And making the distinction will hardly impress people (by confusing them?). Instead, it will draw questions to your qualifications, hardly the impression you want to leave.[/QUOTE] I acknowledge there are situations that a NA degree would not work but an RA degree would. And you did not get the tongue-in-cheek nature of my "impression/confusion" sentence. But do this for me: call up the HR offices of ten employers. Ask to speak to the director. Ask her about accreditation. If she knows the difference between accredited and unaccredited 3 out of 10 times, I'll buy you dinner :D

    I think you are responding to a caricature of my post rather than the substance.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 28, 2004
  12. BubbaGump

    BubbaGump New Member

    Rich, isn't your research like five years old. Thats a long time in internet years...
     
  13. BubbaGump

    BubbaGump New Member

    TomICAVols

    Rich does this all the time, he slants an argument so he can argue against it, and then brings up some research he did a long time ago.

    He also has LOTS of time to post, so he’ll beat you down with volume, slanting his comments. Don’t bother; you’re not having a dialog with him, just a series of monologs. Life is to short.
     
  14. BinkWile

    BinkWile New Member

    About a year or so ago, a retiring US Marine GySgt whom recieved a BA from American Military University (DETC) in Homeland Security was denied a job in DHS because it required that the degree be "accredited," which turned out to mean RA. He came into the education center ready to kill someone from AMU.

    Needless to say he was quite irate, did say he would fight it. He may have eventually gotten the job, but he was denied at the time. Seeing as how some DETC degrees have become more acceptable, and that AMU is pursuing RA, things might have changed.

    My only advice is to ask BEFORE you enroll if "accredited degree" is listed as a requirement is to CALL AND ASK.

    Good luck
     
  15. Gary Rients

    Gary Rients New Member

    The online MBA program I'm enrolled in only costs about $5,000 for state residents and it's not only RA but also AACSB accredited. If someone has an option like that available to them then I can't think of any advantage in choosing a school that is only DETC accredited.
     
  16. jugador

    jugador New Member

     
  17. -kevin-

    -kevin- Resident Redneck

    DETC degrees are acceptable with limited exceptions. These exceptions will be noted in the vacancy announcement (ABET, ABA, etc...) Usually engineer, attorney, doctor, etc... positions will stipulate additional accreditation and in some instances (professors, etc...) regional accreditation is a requirement to comply with accreditation requirements for teaching or research. I would recommend common sense in this area. If you know that additional licensing or professional requirements exist and DETC schools do not have these covered then I would recommend an RA with program accreditation. I needed continuing education to maintain one of my certifications and DETC schools were acceptable to the HR folks. Unfortunately, most folks don't know anything about accreditation so the information in the announcement may be meaningless to the applicant. In addition, some positions, including the one below, require a specific number of hours in an area.


    Regards,

    Kevin



    excerpt from a DHS position announcement:

    "This position has a positive education requirement.

    If you are including education on your resume,
    report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by
    accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of
    Education.

    You MUST MEET ALL THREE REQUIREMENTS LISTED BELOW, unless you are
    covered by an exception (See Exceptions to Qualification
    Requirements):

    1)Completed a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor?s degree,
    that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in
    any combination of the following fields: accounting, business,
    finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial
    management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and
    management. A copy of a college transcript from an appropriately
    accredited educational institution must be submitted to document
    completion of this educational requirement. Transcripts must show
    the number of credit hours earned for courses successfully completed."
     
  18. DaveHayden

    DaveHayden New Member

    Wow Bubba

    I am surprised such a harsh personal attack got by the moderators. I guess they take breaks too! Hopefully they'll delete it when they do spot it.
     
  19. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    No. It is 3. I've been working in this subject for more than 25 years. The dynamics of this subject (accreditation and its acceptance in the workplace) haven't changed a bit, with the exception of DETC's emergence.
     
  20. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    I notice you have time to (attempt to) start an argument with a baseless ad hominem. I post a lot because this is (a) a hobby and (b) because I have a Ph.D. in this field. I also hold down a 6-figure job as well as teaching and consulting gigs. You?

    Three years is hardly "a long time ago." Even a simple search of this board would reveal that. Interesting that one critical of another's research skills cannot manage even that little bit.
     

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