Veritas College International

Does anyone here know anything about vertas college international. Veritas College - Home
They seem commited to missions and church growth. They do offer advanced degrees, M.A., D.Min., Ph.D. Any info is appreciated.

 

My good friend, Bryan Brodersen, is involved in starting this school. It is based out of the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murietta CA. It is not yet accredited but is in the accreditation process. Norman Geisler, an outstanding Bible scholar, is one of the founders of this school. Bryan says they will be offering an online MDiv soon. No doctorates are currently in the works. That's about all I know, but I can put you in contact with others who know more, if you would like. I'm actually thinking about going for an MDiv there once I finish my PhD.

 

Cool. I poked around the website. Found the concept interesting - that they don't accept individual students, but rather set up mini-campus sites (for lack of a better phrase) through churches. Although, I guess if they are starting an *online* master's program, that would be different?

And, if I may ask, why are you thinking of the MDiv? I know - nosy much? I'm just curious. Are you considering going into ministry at some point?

 

Yea, all I know is from a couple of conversations I had with Bryan, so I don't know any more than I have already said. MDiv just out of love for the Bible and maybe a slight addiction to grad work. Been thinking about a MDiv for years. No intentions about pro ministry. Been doing volunteer ministry, in one form or another, for 20 years.

 

There are so many worse addictions out there.

I think, once my children are grown and have left me to what I'm sure will be a raging case of empty-nester syndrome, that I'd actually like to pursue an MDiv for the same reason. Uh, the same first reason, that is. I don't *think* I've any grad work addiction, in any case!

 

It's the best book to study! My only daughter is going to Cambridge for at least the summer, so I'm getting my first taste of empty nest myself.

 

This is the first time I've heard of it.

It seems to be running a network of branches, affiliates and/or franchises all around the world. Apparently all of these things claim degree-granting powers that supposedly derives from a Colorado religious exemption.

http://www.veritascollege.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=137&Itemid=173&7934b90e3987fe098049beea1923cea5=8df1e51347ba89f3a85f7f1f3dcddad2

The organization's physical presence in Colorado appears to be a minimal one-person office. Here's an announcement out of Australia seeking a volunteer to staff it.

http://www.christianvolunteering.org/org/veritas-college-international-0.jsp

So apparently, the thing is really based in Perth Australia. It's apparently just exploiting Colorado for its religious exemption, which it then treats as if it were a university charter (it's really nothing of the kind, but foreigners rarely understand that) and then distributes those purported degree-granting powers to branches around the world. These in turn insist that they are branches of a (non-existent) American school and hence immune from local regulation in their own countries. It's the same well-established dodge that most of the British degree-mills use.

Here's their accreditation page. They say that the Australian home branch has some kind of recognition in that country as a provider of postsecondary vocational certificates for clergymen.

http://www.veritascollege.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=136&Itemid=159

But they have their sights set a lot higher than that. Here's their Doctor of Philosophy program in Theology.

http://www.veritascollege.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=92&Itemid=171

I'm just speculating, but their busy activity in South Africa and the Dutch sounding names makes me think that this is likely the work of a group of South African expatriots currently resident in Perth.

All in alll, my initial impression is that this thing looks awfully flaky.

 

Hey Bill, it might look flaky, but I know some of these guys. They would never operate a mill. That is an odd organizational format though, I must admit. I'll ask Bryan about that the next time I see him and report back to the board. I might see him on Sunday night.

It's also possible that we are talking about two different organizations that happen to have the same name. Bryan didn't seem to imply that they had that much infrastructure set up.

 

This is the Veritas I was talking about. I know for a fact that it is legit. Are we talking about the same school?

VERITAS EVANGELICAL SEMINARY.COM - HOME

 

Yours is Veritas Evangelical Seminary
the other one is Veritas College International
International looks like completely different organisations.

VCI is "accredited in Australia to graduate level by the Training Accreditation Council of the government of Western Australia" - sounds impressive enough...

VES accreditation info is HERE seems to be state approval for now with the intention of proper accreditation in the future. Seems like they're going about things the right way too.

 

Chaplain62, it appears that there are two schools with almost the same name. It was my ignorance of that fact that has caused the confusion. I recommended one Veritas but you were asking about a very similar spelling Vertas. I would go with what Bill says about Vertas College International, it seems a little shady. Veritas Seminary is the one that is right on and was started by some of my friends and associates. Sorry for the confusion.

 

Oh, so it is two different things! Well, then, that makes a bit more sense with the idea of having DL MDivs, versus a school that doesn't serve individual students.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies.