DETC alternative for doctorates?

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by thomas_jefferson, Sep 7, 2010.

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  1. Is the DETC the only NA organization approved by CHEA and the Department of Education to accredit doctorate programs/institutions?
     
  2. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    TRACS does also.

    -=Steve=-
     
  3. Ah, thanks. Are there any secular alternatives?
     
  4. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Hi

    There were no secular institutional accreditors (other than Regionals and DETC) I could find that include schools awarding Doctorates.

    There are CHEA-recognized program-accreditors like AACSB that accredit doctoral programs - but this is not institutional accreditation.

    See for yourself - here's the CHEA database:

    CHEA: Directory of Accrediting Organizations (2009-2010)

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 9, 2010
  5. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    The "New York State Board of Regents & the Commissioner of Education" is secular, and has official recognition from USDoE as an NA agency. However, NYSBRCE is not recognized by CHEA, because CHEA only recognizes private (not public) agencies.

    Several of the schools accredited by NYSBRCE offer doctoral degrees in scientific or medical fields; these include highly-regarded institutions like Rockefeller University, the American Museum of Natural History, and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. These schools have no institutional accreditation apart from NA from NYSBRCE (as the USDoE database will confirm).

    Current list of NYSBRCE-accredited institutions is here.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 9, 2010
  6. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    ACICS has standards for non-PhD doctoral programs in its accreditation manual, so it may accredit doctoral programs; however, its USDOE & CHEA recognition only applies up to to the masters level.
     
  7. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    Several ACICS-accredited schools, e.g. Pacific States University or Northwestern Polytechnic University, actually do offer the DBA or other non-PhD doctorates. But as stated previously, the USDoE and CHEA recognition of ACICS only appears to extend to the master's degree level.
     
  8. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    And why is that?
     
  9. emmzee

    emmzee New Member

    So those ACICS schools are offering unaccredited doctorate degrees? :eek:

    I did a quick check of Northwestern Polytechnic University, here is the listing on the ACICS site:
    https://personify.acics.org/Default.aspx?TabId=204
    It lists their two doctorate degrees, implying that they are accredited? Their doctorate programs don't require a master's degree for entry:
    Doctoral Degree Programs
     
  10. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    The doctoral degrees are accredited by ACICS.

    Berkeley recruits doctoral students right out of bachelors programs too. I'm not suggesting that NWPolytechnic is comparable with Berkeley, but I am saying that this isn't really an unusual practice.

    Everyone still ends up completing the same number of required units in the doctoral program. NWPolytechnic says:

    Individuals arriving with masters degrees no doubt can transfer in some of their masters units, under advisement.
     
  11. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    Presumably because the career-oriented schools that ACICS typically accredits were not historically associated with doctoral-level education. This may be changing, as ACICS introduces "pilot" doctoral programs.

    Until a few years ago, DETC did not have USDOE or CHEA recognition for degrees beyond the master's level either.
     
  12. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    From ACICS website (Scope of Accreditation)

    Scope of Accreditation
    The Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) is a national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

    The scope of ACICS recognition by the Secretary of Education is defined as accreditation of private postsecondary institutions offering certificates or diplomas, and postsecondary institutions offering associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degrees in programs designed to educate students for professional, technical, or occupational careers, including those that offer those programs via distance education.

    From CHEA website:
    (CHEA: Directory of National Career-Related Accrediting Organizations (2009-2010))

    Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
    Dr. Albert Gray, Executive Director and CEO
    750 First Street NE, Suite 980
    Washington, DC 20002
    Phone: 202-336-6780
    Fax: 202-842-2593
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web: ACICS Home
    Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, May 2001

    CHEA Recognized Scope of Accreditation
    Accreditation of private postsecondary institutions offering certificates or diplomas, and post secondary institutions offering associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in programs designed to educate students for professional, technical, or occupational careers including those that offer those programs via distance education or internationally. (2006)

    From U.S. Dept. of Ed. Website
    (College Accreditation in the United States-- Pg 6)

    Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
    1956/2006/S2011
    Scope of recognition: the accreditation of private postsecondary institutions offering certificates or diplomas, and postsecondary institutions offering associate, bachelor's, or master's degrees in programs designed to educate students for professional, technical, or occupational careers, including those that offer those programs via distance education.

    Albert C. Gray
    Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
    750 First Street, NE, Suite 980
    Washington, DC 20002-4242
    Tel. (202) 336-6780, Fax (202) 842-2593
    E-mail address: [email protected]
    Web address: ACICS Home

    So, ACICS may indeed accredit doctoral programs, but their recognition from USDOE and CHEA extends ONLY up to the masters (at least at the present time). Any ACICS program awarding the doctorate should make it clear to proposective applicants that those degrees are not recognized by USDOE or CHEA.
     
  13. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    Interestingly, CHEA's listing for DETC is pretty out of date (see below), since, according the the USDOE's site, DETC is authorized to accredit non-PhD doctoral programs.

    Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)
    Accreditation Commission
    Michael P. Lambert, Executive Director
    1601 Eighteenth Street NW, Suite 2
    Washington, DC 20009
    Phone: 202-234-5100
    Fax: 202-332-1386
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web: Distance Education and Training Council: The Global Leader in Distance Learning Accreditation
    Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, January 2001

    CHEA Recognized Scope of Accreditation
    The accreditation of higher learning institutions that offer programs of study that are delivered primarily by distance (51 percent or more) and award credentials through the master’s and first professional degrees. The DETC Accrediting Commission will not accept applications from institutions that award a degree beyond the master’s level, e.g., a doctor’s degree, including academic doctorates (e.g., PhD) or doctorates in professional fields (e.g., EdD). (2003)
     
  14. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    I'm sure that Cal Dog has it right. ACICS has been emboldened by DETC's recognition to accredited doctoral programs and it intends to follow suit.
     
  15. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    My apologies...

    Hi

    My apologies for only checking CHEA, thereby missing NYSBRCE. Thanks also to Caldog for knowing (as I did not) that ACICS was accrediting doctoral programs - even though its accreditation of these programs is not yet recognized by CHEA or USdoE.

    One thing - I looked through all of the ACICS doctoral programs at the half-dozen or so schools listed. Unless I am misreading things (again, :) ) they differ from DETC offerings in one important respect; the ACICS schools appear to have no DISTANCE doctoral programs. Then again, that's the "D" in DETC, right?

    Finally - one of the URLS's (Am. U. of Health Sciences) is wrongly listed on the ACICS site as www.aihs.edu . I think it should be www.auhs.edu and the site does not yet seem to offer the Doctorate in Pharmacy that ACICS shows it has accredited.

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 10, 2010
  16. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    So, you seem to be suggesting that for the public good (i.e., public trust), schools should disclose the limitations of their institutions and degree programs. Is that correct?
     
  17. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    I am suggesting that if a school claims institutional accreditation but offers degree programs that are not covered under that accreditation, they should make that fact explicit in the descriptions of those specific degree programs.
     
  18. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    A simple yes would suffice... :)
     
  19. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    Perhaps, but I was not sure what you meant by "limitations of their institutions." I wasn't particularly interested in starting yet another discussion of the merits vs. limitations of NA degrees, so I opted for specificity :)
     
  20. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    OK. By the way, I'm not sure what the limitations are of NA bachelors and masters degrees, because those institutions hold recognized accreditation...
     

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