Well, here cometh I...another "burned" by Berne. I met a fellow educator who had completed the program. She didn't seem like a flake. She was impressive. I read her dissertation. It was more than adequate and seemed quite scholarly... I met the provost. I thought he was enthusiastic and yes a great salesman... He was certain that Berne would have their US accreditation in less than a year... Eleven of us bit... We did the summer residency. It was grueling to say the least. We needed 48 hours in each day....We had until September to finish the qualifying paper on leadership. This was also a part of the 15 semester hours that are earned on the island. However, the Stafford loans have now stopped. One person was unable to get their school district to recognize their credits for salary advancement. The alumni is shaking that they may recind her degree... All of the professors that we met and worked with except two or three have left... We are now looking for someone to take our credits... This seems like an impossibility... Walden told us no.... Capella said no. Has anyone heard anything about National Institutes' International Graduate Center in St. Croix, Virgin Islands??
Few people here have ever called Berne a degree mill and it may very well offer programs that are challenging. The unfortunate thing is that the ownership has chosen a route to supposed legitimacy that is recognized by few educational organizations. If Berne had moved a state or two west and applied for North Central Assoc accredidation, as have others, they might very well have received it. Instead they do the chicken poo thing and look for foreign legitimacy, a practice perfected by degree mills. Walks like a duck????
Yes, the good folks at Mail Boxes Etc. in St. Croix (who just happen to lease them their "campus") have heard of them. You can't be seriously considering this institution unless you are a glutton for punishment.
I was wondering about this because two of the professors that left Berne were there.... We've got all of these hours and do we chuck them or finish with Berne or what? That's my dilemma.
I agree completely. Walden and NCU (a.k.a. SCUPS) relocated to NCA jurisdiction to achieve RA. Capella and Jones received RA from NCA despite their lack of B&M facility. Ike Okonkwo, Ph.D.
Chuck them. Move on with your life. You will be much happier for it. Who wants to explain a Berne degree? If nothing else, can you imagine what comes up on Berne when you do a Google search. Their P.R. and lots of bad comments. Better to find yourself a school that will be universally accepted. Tom Nixon
IKE, your comments about NCU (a.k.a. SCUPS) seem out of line. They are seperate and disinct institutions and the RA folks are assuring the seperation is maintained!
The official acceptance of credits at the graduate is minimal at the Master's level (25% is the most I've ever heard of) and near zero at the doctoral level. I used the word "official," however, for the same reason I put a "Bending the Rules" chapter in my book, Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning. It is done, but never publicly announced (and rarely acknowledged). One of the most common methods is for the student to enroll in courses in independent study at the new school, and then slightly (at best) massage the work done at the old school, and submit it (assuming, of course, that it is quality work). Shopping around and knowing someone are two relevant things. The research doctorate, as offered by many British and some Australian and South African schools, is another option, if you have a properly-accredited Master's. Typically it would require nothing more than the dissertation. Best wishes in this difficult situation.
Former Berne provost RespondP (Post removed due to litigation by Berne U. against the poster. For more information, check out the thread here
Re: Former Berne provost RespondP This would be Frank Mo. See http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6605
Hi Dr Knisley: I'm fairly skeptical on this, but the website is well-argued and the academic council impressive. I hope you are able to proceed expeditiously toward RA or NA, and that the location in a US territory is a sign of willingness to accept standard forms of oversight and accreditation. Best of luck to you. Janko
This thread is one of three that was the subject of litigation by Berne University against it's former provost. We have removed comments made by the former provost at his request (they were largely non-substantive to the discussion anyway). To read more about this situation, check out the thread here
