South African Theological Seminary - LIGIT?

I know nothing about the South African accreditation system. Can someone tell me if the South African Theological Seminary (http://www.satsonline.org/satsdrupal/index.php?q=node/5) is ligit? Are they properly accredited? Are its degrees internationally accepted and recognized in the United States?

On another note, I came across something on the web earlier this evening that said UNISA allowed its accreditation with the DETC to expire in 2007. I have not verified this, but if it's true, why even go through the expense of gaining DETC accreditation in the first place???

Pug

 

Here is a link to Bakersguide.com which gives more information on SATS: http://www.bakersguide.com/directory/Colleges_and_Schools/South_African_Theological_Seminary/_South_African_Theological_Seminary/details/

There are also numerous threads on degreeinfo.com which mention SATS.

 

Every discussion of SATS that I recall portrayed them as legitimate. They are accredited by the Council on Higher Education under the aegis of South African Qualifications Authority which, loosely speaking, is equivalent to US regional accreditation. Here is a good, if old, article on SATS.

I don't know firsthand about the transferability of credits or the acceptability of degrees but I expect there would only be the usual problem of having academic work of one country authenticated and equivalenced against another country's standards. In the US, for instance, you might need to have your transcript evaluated by NACES.

At one point I was considering the B.Th. and inquired how long I could take to complete it, figuring I already had a good workload and could take only a class or two at a time. I was told ten years.

I'm aware of only one bit of controversy: The former principal of SATS, Dr. Christopher Peppler, holds (among others) a credential from a 'less than wonderful' institution. See this discussion.

 

Thank you. I've done a little digging since my original post and agree that SATS looks to be on the up and up. I am handling a full load at the moment may consider this school at some point down the road. You said you were considering them at one point, did you eventually decide against them or have you not made a decision?

Pug

 

I had finished my Bachelor at TESC and it came down to pursuing a Master of Astronomy at James Cook or, lacking theological basis in my BA, backing up to the BTh from SATS with intention of moving on to the MTh. In the mean time I started teaching a Bible study at church. Since, in the process of class preparation, I'm getting some of the education I would have sought from SATS I therefore went with astronomy at JCU.

I had considered taking the minimal possible BTh class load from SATS during the Masters figuring SATS allowed ten years and I could take one class per quarter, but then astronomy class started and I realized how VERY hard I'll be working on all the science and math. After the astronomy degree(s) are finished - three to eight years or so - then I may well 'start over' with the BTh at SATS.

 

Just out of curiousity, why would you do the bachelors rather tan taking the bridge courses and doing the masters?

Pug

 

The bridging program is just three classes and is not enough foundation for my tastes upon which to build a Master's degree. Without the Bachelor, there's no Old Testament studies or Greek, for instance.

 

That sounds reasonable. I think I would probably consider the bridge program for my own degree path, but I've also taken a number of other prepatory classes like NT Survey, OT Survey, Apologetics, God and Angels, Man and Sin, Gospel of John, Doctrines, etc.

Pug