This school was spun off from William Howard Taft University, I think, when Taft was trying to achieve regional accreditation. That attempt failed and Taft appears now to be trying for DETC accreditation. You'll see some similarity in their web sites: www.taftu.edu www.boyer.edu Boyer, which offers only the Ed.D. degree, is also trying to achieve accreditation by a DOE/CHEA-recognized accreditor. However, they do no say which one (referring to "the accreditor"), but I'd guess DETC. (It almost certainly isn't a regional accreditor). At this point, neither is accredited.
I've talked to one of the admissions people at Boyer. They have been very helpful, but have not discussed what accrediting agency they are applying to because "the accrediting commission prohibits us from disclosing that information." I really pushed them on this because I too want to know if it's DETC or WASC - but they aren't talking. Which, while frustrating, is good I suppose. According to them, they just finished sending in the application and are waiting to hear back on the status of their application. They could not tell me when they expected to have an answer. I've looked at some of their syllabi of their courses and they seem to be similar to the model Capella is using in their education program courses. Note however, that the program is not a completely distance learning program. You have to attend three weekend-long residencies (they call them focused seminars) during the course of the program and those residencies are held in Southern California. I don't know anything about Taft, but it seems to me that Boyer is sincere (at least at this point) in pursuing accreditation. They have added a number of faculty and seem to have an infrastructure in place for pursuing it. In that regard, they seem to be taking the same approach as Northcentral has, so it will be interesting to see what happens with them. Of course, they are still at the very initial stages (pre-stage, actually) of accreditation, so it's still a risky proposition, I think.
DETC apparently will not consider American schools offering the Ed.D. For this (and based on other information I've seen, which I think is reliable), I would be fairly confident it is WASC.
Thanks for the information. I have enrolled in the program and have found the faculty and staff to be helpful and prompt in response. I am currently taking my first class in the program and have found it to be well planned and challenging. With my current location, a program such as Boyer's makes a personal dream a possibility. Hopefully their application for accreditation will be successful.
You're welcome. What was the deciding factor that you learned here...that they are unaccredited at this point or that it is risky proposition?
For me the deciding factor is that I believe they are sincerely seeking accreditation. I know the risk associated with my decision. I can tell you that the course work required is as or more demanding than some of the accredited programs I have looked at, and more reasonably priced.
A more mitigating deciding factor might be "what will I do with the degree if they do not become accredited?"