This is a great board. I've thorougly enjoyed all the comments, insights, discussions that have been posted. I have a B.S. and M.A.R. from two different regionally accredited schools and want to pursue a Ph.D. through Potchesfstroom University. I want my doctorate to be from a secular school. That said, I have three questions: 1) How exactly do you pronounce "Potchefstroom"? 2) Since the program I'm considering is through PUHE's Greenwich School of Theology, would the Ph.D. be considered a religious degree or secular? My research would focus on a religious communication/publication topic. My overall intent is to eventually teach at either a secular or religous school. 3) Would a PUCHE degree on such a topic allow me to be marketable to secular schools? Thanks. --Roscoe
Pronunciation is straightforward: potch as in botch or crotch ef is more like the uf in puff stroom with oo as in boot, with a little bit of boat I'm sorry, I'm not better at explaining pronunciation. Now who knows the origin of the name? (Posted in another thread -- hint: the Pot comes from my namesake, Hendrik Potgieter). My favorite pronunciation challenge amongst university names is Loughborough. I have heard it pronounced "Louger-Borouger" (with ou as in out).
Actually, it's lufburu (all three "u"s pronounced as in puff). Not hard, but I've heard an amazing number of variations. Incidentally, occasional degreeinfo participant Neil Hynd received his Bachelor's from Loughborough.
Hmmmm... When I looked at Potchefstroom, I was never really able to nail down, to my own satisfaction, whether they're a religious or secular school. The name--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education--sounds sectarian, but the school is part of the South African public university system. My understanding (Russell would know more about this) is that on-campus students are expected to strudy theology from an explicitly Christian perspective, but Greenwich School of Theology takes a non-confessional approach (when I considered Potch, I was actually going to do my dissertation on a Conservative Jewish theologian, and nobody had a problem with the topic). Cheers, ------------------ 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)
Potchefstroom is a unique institution in South Africa: a state-subsidized university providing education from an explicitly Christian viewpoint. This situation is authorized through an Act of Parliament (usually called the PUK Act or some such -- I don't recall the official name). Most students have secular majors -- engineering, science, law, business, etc. Potchefstroom is considered one of South Africa's leading universities in all of these fields. Potchefstroom degrees are recognized in both academe and business throughout the western world. (Please note, however, that I know nothing about Greenwich School of Theology, and nothing about degrees in theology, religion, divinity, etc.)
Roscoe, I too have regionally accredited degrees (BA, MA, D.Min.), and am enrolled in the PUCHE Ph.D. program--as of September 2000. If you would like to e-mail me I would be glad to correspond with you on this matter. Russell [email protected]
Thanks to all of you for your input. You have been very helpful. And Russell, I'll be sending you an email. Again, thanks. --Roscoe
