DETC-accredited University of Philosophical Research's new doctorate

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"Currently, the University is developing a Doctoral program to be announced."

Anyone know much about this DETC-accredited school? Its definitely New Age-y but this new doctorate might appeal to some of those life long learners out there.

 

Cool. Good idea to develop a doctorate with intent to train and graduate some doctoral students!

 

It will be interesting to see because my understanding is that DETC programs have been authorized to develop professional doctorates, not PhDs. Maybe it will be a DA program like the one at HMU.

 

If you're into the occult and ufos and stuff, this would be an awesome program, I think. The history of the school is pretty interesting. For those who are more skeptical it might be pretty fluffy. And there's virtually no utility in a doctorate from here outside New Age/occult/alternative circles.

 

The parent organization of UPR is the Philosophical Research Society which was founded by one Manly P. Hall, a well-known occultist. From Wikipedia:

In 1934, Hall founded the Philosophical Research Society (PRS) in Los Angeles, California, a profit orientated organization dedicated to the study of religion, mythology, metaphysics, and the occult. PRS maintains a research library of over 50,000 volumes, and also sells and publishes metaphysical and spiritual books, mostly those authored by Hall.

The representative I talked to at UPR is Maja D'Aoust, the so-called "White Witch of Los Angeles". The faculty list is sort of a who's who of New Age metaphysicists, including the famed Jeffrey Mishlove, the only person to ever receive a PhD in parapsychology from Berkeley. The programs in "consciousness studies" and "transformational psychology" speak for themselves as to their New Age-bent, if you read the descriptions of the courses. Spend some time studying this school, the faculty, and the parent organization and you can see their angle. I am not saying this is a bad thing, I think it is great that there's a school out there like this.

 

And what, praytell, should one call a professional doctorate in philosophy, given that the nomenclature Doctor of Philosophy is already spoken for?

 

I might be interested in this one. When I do my doctorate it will be in something fun and exciting and for personal enrichment, of course that's many many years away.

 

A.D.U.: Advanced Degree in Unemployment

 

D.Phil.? Maybe they'll create a new designation or maybe borrow one from another country?

 

I'm thinking that Oxford probably owns the DPhil post-nominal.

 

I thought John Bear or somebody posted something about DETC schools moving toward granting PhDs...

 

Why would you think they would offer a DSc? Philosophic Research is not very scientific.

 

He may have made some statements un that regards, but I certainly do not recall him making such statements.

 

My guess is that because the other programs are MA's that the natural next step up -- if a PhD is not possible -- would be a DA.

 

Ted, the DETC PhD issue was discussed over in the State-Approved / Unaccredited forum but I can't seem to find it now...

 

Those who work in the areas of Logic, Philosophy of Science or even Metaphysics might disagree with that statement.

 

Very true. In fact, I believe they could advance some compelling epistemological arguments about boundaries of knowledge...