Hi, I have heard of Oxford Brookes University in the UK but not this one : http://www.brookesuniversity.org/ Does anyone have any experience with this establishment?
It's new to me. No mailing address. No telephone number. No faculty. Claims accreditation, but doesn't say from whom. Degrees (including the "Bacholar's") in large number of subjects. URL registered to Herniewati Binte Johari in Singapore. No, I don't think it is a fine school.
looks like... I believe you'll find a certain amount of shared text between the Brookes site and the sites of some University Degree Program clones. Compare text at http://www.brookesuniversity.org/srv.htm with the Student Services - Ashbourne University page at http://www.ashbourneu.org.uk/student.htm as well as Parkhurst University at http://www.parkhurstuniversity.org/services.html and Carrington at http://www.carringtonu.org.uk/student.html. There's also Thornhill at http://www.thornhilluniv.org/student.htm and Sherwood at http://www.sherwoodu.org.uk/services.html. Note the amusing Thornhill page title: "Sacramento Regent University."
Somehow it is not suprising nor the first time that a school uses a similar name to confuse. Remember the Concords that cropped up. I am sure this site has the potential to be very confusing to a potential student who lacks discernment. On a similiar topic, I came across a Dr. Francis Maria Gianmichael Salvato, SFI, ThD who is the head of a Fransciscan alternative order in the states (non Roman Catholic). His ThD is from Sanctus Theological Institute (without looking I am guessing this one is unaccredited and Bill can comment on its rigour) but his Masters (MSc) is from Canterbury University in Chesire. When you google you come up with a Guardian article that notes the potential for confusion with other recognized Universities in Canterbury. If it is the same one then I think they note it operated out of a mail forwarding service in the city. If so, pretty slick. Unfortunately all of this (name and attachment with England) serves to confuse the student and if not the slick student then others who are confused and hear a wonderful English sounding name and connect it with ivy, etc. I think Dr. Bear made a comment to this effect on a PBS program. That is where I am somewhat happy to see organizations like ODA that attempt to protect consumers. One could be depressed by the plethora of mills operating and those running around and passing themselves off as "college graduates". Mills also hurt the image of distance learning. I realize there may be problems with the ODA approach but it meets a need. North
Sanctus was an outfit that bestowed degrees on episcopi vagantes as fashion accessories for their ecclesiastical millinery. It had (or has) absolutely no USDE/CHEA acreditation. Its credibility among real denominations might well be open to a slight bit of questioning, just as the "holy orders" of its customers--oops, "students"--can be just a bit tatty. Now, if you don't know what episcopi vagantes are (sg. episcopus vagans), use either term and search this forum. If this sort of thing strikes you in the lace-and-damask zone as funny, check out Peter Anson's classic book "Bishops at Large", or else this phenomenal collection of personalia compiled by a comparatively levelheaded cleric in this particular ecclesiastical cloud of incense: www.ind-movement.org/people_be.html
Uncle Janko, I am glad you are on this board. You crack me up with your intelligent humor (you could almost be English). That web site you gave is amusing and I have enjoyed reading it. It runs from quite legitimate groups like the Charismatic Episcopal Church (CEC) who are over several contintents....... to some mom and pop denominations with theospohical/inclusive theologies. What is fun is to look at some of the pictures with folks dressed up in their ecclesiastical finery in front of alters that are in someone's basement or breakfast nook. Our friend, Dr. Francis Maria Gianmichael Salvato, SFI, ThD has his own group http://www.franciscanlife.org What is amusing is that the pages repeatedly call him the "Servant-Father" and his bio page calls him the "reluctant Bishop" who served the poorest of the poor.....yet he is also referred to as Most Reverend and more importantly for being so humble he found the need to pick himself up a Masters degree from Canterbury University (if the one the Guardian article talked about then it operated out of a mailbox) and a doctorate from Sanctus. Err....ya. Again, nothing wrong with not having anything beyond his bachelors, so why the need to have funny degrees to puff up his resume. His site also says he was born Frederick Salvato but chose these other names in religious life (Francis Maria Gianmichael Salvato). Don't get me wrong, judging by his web site he is involved in some helpful ministries. I guess plain old Fred Salvato wasn't working for him. Some of the folks uncle mentions via the web site remind me of those guys dressing up to be Masonic Knights Templars and Elks. By day mundane garbage collector and by night His Emminence...the Most Imperial Reverend Bishop Exarch Protector. There is even one guy who has a "orthodox" type group and he has some really tough looking dudes who are part of his order taksed with security. Would not want to short the collection plate in that church as it might reslut in broken fingers. Hey......what about the Most Rt Reverend Emminent Guido Sarducci North the III, Esq, DD, JD, Cosmonaut, humble servant of the servants. Got to find out where our other friend got his curtian rod. Even as we speak I am having my drapes made into a nice robe. North
