Warnborough University

Has anyone any experience/knowledge of Warnborough University? I am looking for a doctoral program in education, preferably policy studies or curriculum/instruction that is relatively inexpensive, as short in duration as possible, but still reputable in academe and government. Capella is just too expensive, and it looks like Monterrey (my latest great hope) would hardly be worth the trouble. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

I am sorry but Warnborough University is a degree mill to be avoided at all costs. A simple search of usenet AED using "Warnborough University" yields all the information needed including the following article from Oxford University newspaper.

(©1996 Oxford Student
Publications Limited).

Michaelmas 1996 Issue 4: News:
College? What college?
by Suzanne Pritikin

A private college in Oxford that was rocked with scandal last year for
giving the impression that it was a degree-awarding part of Oxford
University has vanished without a trace. It has unquantified debts,
including some owing to a real Oxford colleges

Staff of Warnborough College, including its founder, Dr Brenden
Tempest-Mogg, are already facing the loss of US financial grants and a
lawsuit by 15 American students. They have now vanished, shutting down the
college and leaving a £6000 debt to Hertford College.

"We think they owe money all over the city," said Peter Baker, Bursar of
Hertford College. According to Baker, the money owed to Hertford was for
21 rooms in Hertford that Warnborough rented for two weeks over the
summer.

The rooms were used, Baker said, "for a language programme for some Japanese
students, and sponsored by a Japanese company."

While Hertford is taking legal action against Dr Tempest-Mogg and
Warnborough College, problems have arisen since solicitors are unable
trace any of the people involved.

Hertford College is not the only plaintiff trying to find Tempest-Mogg and
his deputy Selma Gebali. The college is in heavy legal trouble in the
United States, both from the US Education Department and American former
students.

According to a court ruling in the US last year, Warnborough had misled
the Education department when in 1994 it re-applied for financial grants.
The college stated that it issued degrees in graduate, Bachelor and
associated degree programs.

In reality, Warnborough College is not recognised as a degree-awarding
institution in the UK. American students made up the bulk of Warnborough's
65 students, and along with financial help from the US government, paid
$20,000 US per year.

The college was already faced with the loss of income from abroad, when 15
American students abandoned the programme after less than a month in
September 1995 . The students said that they had been misled by the
prospectus into believing that Warnborough was affiliated to Oxford
University.

In June 1996 financial problems caused Warnborough to move out of their
19th century country house in Boars Hill to two rooms at New road Baptist
Church, Oxford. In August the college disappeared.

For now, the only trace of Warnborough College or Dr Tempest-Mogg is a
post office box number, which was given as a forwarding address.

According to Mr Baker, Hertford is optimistic about getting its money
back. "We are extremely angry that Warnborough College should have
exploited us in this manner, and for all the others who got caught in
their web of debt," he said.

There are numerous legitmate doctoral programs out there at low cost including Univ of South Africa. Others here would be better to consult on which is best in your situation.

Best Regards,
Dave Hayden

"Computers allow people to make mistakes faster than any other invention with the possible exception of alchol and guns."

 

Warnborough is unaccredited, unrecognized, and generally a waste. Our own John Bear describes their....ahem..."offices" in this article: http://chronicle.merit.edu/jobs/2000/10/2000101301c.htm


Bruce

 

But Bruce, the "one room office" John describes did have new carpet, a very nice desk, chair and a telephone. Stacked neatly on one side of the desk was a ream of beautifully embossed Ph.D. diplomas, already printed, with the exception of a name. Surely this counts for something, I mean, they seemed so sincere!!

Russell

 

Well, why didn't you say so? That makes all the difference in the world!! I guess I *will* be sending them that money order after all!


Bruce

 

Thanks, guys for the helpful--if discouraging--information. Anyone out there know of a doctoral program in education that costs something under $615/hour or $30,000 per program? I'm just a lowly teacher; I can't afford Capella, Walden, or even UK or Andrews.

 

You might want to check this Admin, Curriculum & Design program out: http://hou-edadone.unl.edu/welcome.htm . There is limited residency, but they seem pretty flexible.

If you want to do a little research, here is a general list of DL doctoral programs with some annotations. The UK, Aussie, and S. African programs are generally less expensive than U.S. RA programs, if that is an option for you. The link: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Haven/2386/dlphd.html

If you want to immerse yourself in the pool of tradition, here is a new, University of Bath DL program(me): http://www.bath.ac.uk/education/edd/

Good luck.

 

Thanks, Bill. The UNL program is for higher education and I'm definately K-12, but I'll check out the others you suggested. I'm also looking into the PhD in Leadership at Andrews University. Since it's individualized (according to the web site) it might work.

 

Oral Roberts University has an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. You can focus it in the area of Christian K-12, or Higher Ed. You can also focus it in a secular (non religious) emphasis that qualifies for the Superintendent certification in OK.

The program is relatively inexepensive but by no means cheap. It is offered through on line, summer courses and independent study.

ORU is relatively well rated at the undergraduate level (2nd Tier).

Only issue is that you are required to adhere to the Honor Code (no beards, no drinking, no smoking, no alcohol). On at least two of those counts Jesus himself would have been expelled.
http://www.oru.edu

You may also want to look at some of the South African options (eg UNISA). Well respected and highly affordable.

Viel Gluck!

North

 

Sorry about that. Since North brought up ORU, Regent comes to mind:
K-12 School Leadership http://www.regent.edu/acad/schedu/edd.html
Tuition: $325./hr
I think that it is 100% online

Another school that has received a lot of attention here is the former Univ. of Sarasota, now (sadly) Argosy Univ.:

Argosy C&I and Educ. Leadership. Not 100% DL; in Sarasota, FL or LA -- http://www.argosyu.edu/
Quite annoyingly, the don't have tuition information on their website.

Top-notch school, Univ. of Calgary. May have to negotiate residency: http://www.educ.ucalgary.ca/gder/padmit.html

 

Come now, North! I don't think the beard is an issue with Niki. So, hopefully, ORU would still be an option.

Russell

 

Nope, beard's not a problem. I'm curious: What did you say "since North brought up ORU, Regent comes to mind"? Are these schools, as I've seen said here, less than wonderful? (Besides the beard thing, of course.)

 

Yes, but a different TYPE of wonderful, they have some "rules to live by" that are just a bit different. Oral Roberts and Pat Robertson NO beards?????

Dan Snelson
Who does not drink, does not smoke and does not shave....

 

They are both academically quite solid. ORU of course does have the baggage of Oral Roberts name which tends to bring up preconceived notions. Regents is a graduate school that has come a long way from its days as CBN University. They even have an ABA accredited law school. They are well endowed thanks to Pat Robertson's business ventures. Campus appears classy on paper (red brick buildings and white columns). The University seems to have gone out of its way to project class & prestige. They do have a number of DL doctorates (short campus visits). Jason Baker (Bakers Guide) graduated from their DL Ph.D. program and is now a professor.

Another school that has a reasonable DL Ed.D. is Liberty University. They are fully accredited and do not expect the adherence for DL students to the same things that ORU does. http://www.liberty.edu

Check out http://www.bakersguide.com
Jason has a good list of doctoral programs under *comprehensive doctoral programs*.

I was accepted at ORU (DL Ed.D.) but did not attend. I was not thrilled with being told I could not wear facial hair if I chose to and could not have an occasional drink if I wanted to. After all I am Lutheran for crying out loud

Good luck Niki.

North

 

The others have about covered it. I wasn't being prejorative. You didn't happen to say whether or not a religious school would be okay for you in your original post. When North opened the door to one (a well-regarded one), Regent came to mind since they have an education program that is possibly relevant to you.

Bill

 

Good for you, Dan! My only suggestion would be that if you have an olive complexion and carry a machine gun, please do not go to Afghanistan. With the beard, olive complexion and machine gun, the Taliban may think you are one of them.

Russell

 

Actually in my DMV picture with my rimless glasses I look like SANTA complete with the rosey cheeks

Dan

 

Glad to hear it, Dan. The North Pole is no doubt a much more pleasant place right now than Afghanistan, and besides, we would miss you on the forum.

Russell

 

Niki, I am going through the admissions process with Charles Sturt University for a PhD in Education and I plan to begin my doctoral work in Feb 2002.

My desk is piled high with information from about 15 universities in the US, UK and Australia. I settled on CSU in Australia for several reasons.

The university is well-known and the doctorate is a research degree. There is a course-based EdD if you're more interested in that though I preferred the Phd. The cost is very low [total 6K - 8K] compared to US universities [25K - 35K] and the program can be completed in as little as two years.

You will be required to have a regional supervisor in this country -- one who is an expert in your dissertation topic field and who will work closely with you and will commit to being available for the entire two-five year period of time. You will be responsible for locating this regional supervisor.

The other reason is that the program is non-residence. I just this morning received confirmation in writing from the university that I CAN complete the doctoral program without going to campus at any point in time -- although my husband would love for us to go to Australia at some point during the two years He's always wanted to go there while I am content to keep my feet planted firmly on US soil! We'll see how that works out -- time will tell

At any rate, after six months of searching and talking with universities, I finally decided on Charles Sturt and am very happy with that choice. My first tuition check for doctoral work gets sent out the end of this month

 

Thanks, Sunnie. I've looked at Charles Sturt, along with the other Australian schools. I hesitate because, well, I'm just not familiar with their way of doing things. One question I had: Are the regional supervisors compensated in any way? If so, how? If not, how in the world do you talk someone into doing this? Actually, I have in mind someone who might be a good supervisor; I'll look at Charles Sturt again.