I just cannot work out why one would want to do this: Mr. Newman holds Bachelor of Arts. in English, and a Master of Science. in Communication from Arizona State University, a Masters of Business Administration from Heriot Watt University, UK, and a Doctor of Science from Bridgewater University, UK. http://www.fafc.us/management.html Cheers, George
This one is easy, George. After earning two US B/M degrees, the guy earned his MBA from Heriot Watt. Being pleased with the UK's distance learning structure, he then pursued and completed his doctorate from another UK institution.
That is the beauty of education. If you want to go to a certain school, then you have that right. It is a good thing that others do not make that decision for you. So, to answer your question, that is why -- because we have the right to decide where we want to get our degrees.
I'm not Mr. Newman, so I have no way of knowing. I can only speculate about why people in general might do something like that. Perhaps somebody has always wanted a doctoral degree but never succeeded in acquiring one, whether because he couldn't get admitted into a doctoral program, couldn't complete one, or ended up choosing a different path in life. So now it's many years later, the guy is middle aged, and like lots of middle aged guys, sees his youthful dreams slipping permanently out of reach. He wants to grab the brass ring before it's too late. But most B&M doctoral programs are full-time, rather selective and aimed at young academic careerists. They would never accept a guy like him. It's true that there are some less selective 'low end' programs that are aimed at mid-career part-time students, and these programs are more apt to offer DL. But typically they are extremely expensive. Our guy is belatedly saving for his retirement. He may have a family, house payments, kids in school, so he just can't afford tens of thousands a year. Besides, even the 'low end' programs are going to demand lots of grueling work from him. He doesn't feel like putting in many years of labor at this point in his life. He wants a reward, he wants gratification. So he's surfing the web and he hits on a "university" that offers him just what he wants, just how he wants it. Sure, the degree isn't accredited, but he can live with that. It's legal isn't it? And it's just the title that our guy really wants, the sense that he has finally reached the pinnacle. So he goes for it. Bottom line: I think that a lot of these things are vanity degrees.
Preliminary report: There is no record (since 1991) at EBS that 'David Newman' has a MBA from Heriot-Watt University. He may have one awarded prior to 1995 when Heriot-Watt University and EBS were awarding separate MBAs, though a first check in the University's records has not found anybody with that name. There is a slim possibility that his MBA was awarded prior to 1995 (i.e., from 1982) when the University had its own MBA. Archives have just rang back to report that the University has no record of a 'David Newman' on its books has having been awarded its MBA degree. If he insists that he has such a degree award, he can prove this by telling me the date of his award and a quick check of the graduation lists (published and in the public domain) would confirm or rebut such a claim. I should advise Russell that there is no such university in the UK authorised to award degrees called 'Bridgewater'. It sounds highly suspicious: could it be a 'D..... M...'?
water under the bridge There was an earlier poster, often extremely antagonistic (idnat a nize way o sayin it?), who espoused a nihilistic notion that the way to shape up the perceived dumbing-down of US higher education was to get "degrees" from mills and flood the market with phony credentials, thus proving that no credential proves anything. He had a "degree" from Bridgewater along with IIRC an RA doctorate. He was angry, so he said, that he could not find a college-level teaching job, and was reduced to teaching at a sectarian prep school. I cannot say that I follow the logic, but it's a sample of a Bridgewater motivation. A pay hike because of a higher academic degree might be another. Mr Newman's gimmick is pretty opaque to me, too.
RECIPE To a hefty dose of low self-esteem add: a large measure of sense of entitlement an abundant amount of lack of ethics a dash of opportunistic self-interest Stir gently (shaking vigorously may adversely result in coming to its senses) and bake (for precisely half the time necessary). Serve with copious quantities of adamant self-righteousness. Garnish with willy-nilly allegations of persecution, jealously, racism, bigotry, and ignorance.
i said i would eventually buy a milled degree, should that serve some immediate, limited-in-scope need of mine. I stand by that. HOWEVER i wouldn't list a fake degree on a public CV. because i'd be aware i cannot list my fake "photographer ID" ( used to lay women or at least try to ) or my "marine ID" ( self-esteem badge ), either. I would also be aware such "titles" are void & easy to spot, hence of no career value whatsoever.
So I did already. BTW, your previous PM merits more thoughtful brainpower in reply than I have been able to muster the last couple of days (never very much anyway). Janko l'implacable
Better than forged but less than cast. i said i do consider them as novelty badges. for some immediate reason/need very limited in scope & not long lasting, they're as fine ( & as equally able to sort a positive effect ) than fake marine, black belt, photographer, press IDs & who knows what else. They're novelties, however. I cannot apply for GI bills or veterans's benefits with my fake "marine ID". Neither can i have a career on that premise. What bothers me about degree mills is when they claim to be what they aren't, typically an accredited outfit.
Well, this has opened a can of worms. So maybe even a fake HW degree as well?? Ohmigosh!!! Cheers, George
George Brown: "So maybe even a fake HW degree as well?? Ohmigosh!!!" John: During our seven years as serving as marketing agents for the HW degrees for the US and Canada (1991-98), we uncovered three, count 'em, three officially-appointed agents in other countries that were behaving quite improperly: two in Asia, one in Europe. Two were "just" bait and switch operations: when people showed interest in HW, they were offered a much faster and cheaper alternative from an unrecognized school; the third was worse. Two were dismissed at once; one took a good deal longer but finally moved on. As Professor Kennedy would hasten to point out, agents were, at that time at least, appointed by and worked for not the university, but for a division of Pearson, which had the master contract with Heriot-Watt.
Hi John Bear Just so we keep the record straight. 1 Only Heriot-Watt University has ever awarded its degrees. I suspect some people might purchase a course and later confuse their purchase with the award of a degree. If their names i not listed as a graduate then they are not graduates. No agent could have 'awarded' a MBA degree from HWU. 2 You are quite right. We are much more careful with working with 'agents' (since 2000) and all who become so have to be approved directly by the Quality Assurance team at Heriot-Watt and pass a similar rigorous assessment from our regional partners. This process is presently underway in the Middle East and Central and South America. 3 We have not had any criminal incidents of the kind that you mention from some years, and those we had earlier were dealt with swiftly. We are not complacent, however, and maintain a watchful eye on places, especially as we have examination centres in 140 countries, and 8-9000 DL students who also report what they see if it appears untoward. PS I do not know what happened to the two attempts to post above!
