i have heard excellent reviews re this school re their dmin. the program seems well regarded in the catholic and anglican seminary system, yet they seem to be getting bad reviews i believe primarily related to a new non acceptable accreditor. does anyone have inside info on this enigma.
I remember being somewhat impressed by their faculty, and know at least one highly credible person who is doing a doctorate through the school (and says it's a rigorous program), but the unrecognized accreditor is definitely a black eye, as is the similarity of the name with the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley (accredited and much better known), though they don't seem to harp the similarity. I'd say if they dropped the unrecognized accreditor, I would have no serious problems with the school. Peace, ------------------ Tom Head www.tomhead.net co-author, Bears' Guide to the Best Education Degrees by Distance Learning (Ten Speed Press) co-author, Get Your IT Degree and Get Ahead (Osborne/McGraw-Hill)
It might help to note that the "unrecognized accreditor" of the Graduate Theological Foundation is everyone's favorite religious accreditation mill, the Accrediting Commission International (ACI, of Beebe, Arkansas). I have always considered GTF to be a degree mill, based largely on their degree requirements (which I consider to be a joke). With their affiliation with ACI, however, I have no doubt - the school is a sham, which merely proves that Catholics and Episcopalians are as naive as evangelicals when it comes to distance education.
GTF offers a D.Min. (Pastoral Counseling/Care) via Alamance Regional Medical Center, in Burlington, NC. This program is advertised freely, and is embraced by the hospital. I met with the director of the program, who serves as a full-time chaplain for ARMC, and inquired about the program. The GTF/ARMC D.Min. costs around $8,000, is earned in 3 years, with the residency being completed at ARMC. He was quite frank about the accreditation, stating that the GTF doctorate was not designed to qualify one for a teaching position. To be frank, I was surprised that ARMC would recognize the doctoral program, considering it was not regionally accredited. Russell
No D.Min. qualifies one per sefor a teaching position; the nature of the D.Min. is professional, not academic. Nonetheless, I would be surprised to finr that the actual powers-that-be at ARMC recognize the GTF doctoral program. If the program director, is indeed, a full-time chaplain at ARMC, chances are that the recognition by the hospital is a one-man show - the chaplain's. I repeat: There is no legitimacy to a GTF degree, and any person with legit credentials who would affiliate with GTF in any manner has his or her head up his or her butt when it comes to an awareness of accreditation issues.
It is true that the Ph.D. is the standard terminal academic credential, however, there are many D.Min.'s who teach at RA/ATS schools in the area of practical theology/pastoral ministry, several of whom I know personally. The D.Min. is indeed a professional doctorate (as is the MD, DBA, DDS, etc.), but also one with an academic component, i.e., course work, academic papers, a legitimate dissertation, etc. Regarding the "one man show" recognition at ARMC, this could very well be true. Again, I am surprised that ARMC has this joint program with GTF. Russell
I once had someone from within the GTF administration explain to me their reason for acquiring ACI accreditation. As most of you know, GTF has some cooperative links with some folks at Oxford University, whereby GTF students are able to enroll in summer courses in theology at Oxford, and whereby certain reputable Oxford faculty members are able to supervise GTF research candidates. Apparently, at some point, the folks in Oxford insisted that, in order for this cooperative relationship to continue, GTF would have to gain accreditation. As a result, GTF chose to hook up with ACI. Apparently, if what I've been told by this member of the GTF administration is true, the folks in Oxford must not be aware that ACI is unrecognized (as hard as that is to believe). In my opinion, GTF's decision to employ ACI accreditation is truly despicable. Furthermore, however, I agree with those who've expressed criticism toward GTF's academic requirements. While I have no basis for questioning the level of difficulty or academic quality of GTF's programs, the number of credits required for each degree program are closer to the Master's Divinity School than to any acreditted degree program. Furthermore, even their Oxford-based research degrees seem to require an usually short number of words.
GTF Accreditation Any questions about the GTF should be directed to the GTF here http://www.gtfeducation.org/About_GTF/Accreditation.html Graduate Theological Foundation | Dodge House | 415 Lincoln Way East | Mishawaka, IN 46544 Int'l: 574/255-3642 Fax: 574/255-7520 http://www.gtfeducation.org/emailer/emailform.cfm?id=5&subject=Information Request
