definitions for school codes used on the ODA

Re: Re: Oregon religious degree mills?

I note that the ODA has labeled the University of the Holy Land as a diploma mill. Here's why.

I guess that I'm just a troll at heart since referencing the ODA web page seems to so frequently generate visceral emotions in certain crowds.

 

Re: Re: Re: Oregon religious degree mills?

The words "diploma mill" suggest a school that lacks academic substance.

I'm not sure if that's entirely accurate with regards to the University of the Holy Land. Here's why:

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Conference on Khirbet Qumran: Its Archaeology, Scrolls and History April 28, 2004 -- Co-sponsored by the Ecole biblique et archeologique Francaise, and the University of the Holy Land

http://orion.mscc.huji.ac.il/resources/boardConferences2002.shtml

UCLA visiting professor taught for two years at University of the Holy Land

http://www.nelc.ucla.edu/Faculty/Mullins.htm

Abstract of a talk that Stephen Pfann delivered at Hebrew University on the redaction history of the rule of the congregation at Qumran

http://orion.mscc.huji.ac.il/symposiums/4th/pfann.html

Pfann delivers a Hebrew University talk on casting lots at Qumran

http://orion.mscc.huji.ac.il/symposiums/upcoming.shtml

Pfann speaks at a conference at Brown University on communal meals at Qumran

http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/2002-03/02-031.html

Harvard Semitic Museum thanks U. Holy Land's William Broughton for his help on their exhibit on ancient Hebrew domestic life

http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~semitic/HOAI/adultmain.cgi?article=acknowl.htm

U. Holy Land is an institutional member of the American Schools of Oriental Research

http://www.bu.edu/asor/corpmem.html

Pfann gives a talk at Smith College

http://www.smith.edu/acamedia/Archive99-2000/aca041300.html

Book published by U. Holy Land's press n Fuller Seminary graduate class required reading list

http://www.fuller.edu/cll/fnc/ecds/033/OT531_Liid033.html

Pfann lectures at Wolfson College, Oxford on the early Essene movement

http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/2001-2/weekly/280202/lecs.htm

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Alan may or may not be right about UHL not possessing Israeli authorization to grant degrees. But as I wrote in my last post, my layman's impression is that religious schools serving the various religious communities in Israel come under the jurisdiction of the Religious Affairs Ministry, not the Education Ministry. And rightly or wrongly, UHL says that they are authorized by the Religious Affairs Ministry. So I'd guess that they are operating legally.

Whether Oregon should consider that accreditation is another question entirely. I'd venture 'no'. So I guess that if I were Alan, I'd tentatively give UHL an 'F', the foreign equivalent of an American state-approved unaccredited 'S' school. But I'd probably contact the Israelis to verify that UHL is indeed legal and I'd inquire into what kind of oversight the school receives.

Nevertheless, Oregon or no Oregon, I think that the evidence shows Pfann and his associates do receive some recognition from the scholarly community, particularly in Qumran studies. So while I'm not sure how useful his degrees would be as vocational qualifications, I'd also say that students that don't need accredited degrees could do worse things with their time than studying at this Pfann-tastic place.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Oregon religious degree mills?

My "trolling" wasn't meant to hook you!

I have to agree with you. I also would like to reinforce your point that unlike typical diploma mills, UHL seems to have academic substance in the very narrow area that they specialize in. Which you have pointed out many times is a most excellent sign for an unaccredited institution.