SMC University - Free Associate Degree

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by TCord1964, Oct 29, 2014.

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  1. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member

    I was doing some research on SMC University in Switzerland and came across this offer for a free (or cheap) Associate Degree:

    smcu.university

    To qualify for one of the limited number of free programs:


    Students must first complete a free online course (MOOC) to demonstrate that they are comfortable with and committed to online learning. (The MOOC is the Business 101 course at Saylor.org)

    The first 300 qualified students to satisfactorily complete the MOOC will receive a scholarship to cover 100% of the tuition for the whole degree program.

    Students not qualifying for the scholarship program are able to transfer to the standard completion track. (total of $990, or there are monthly payment options available).

    I know this school does not have Swiss accreditation, but the graduate programs have ACBSP accreditation. An FAQ on the site makes no bones about the fact the Associate program is not accredited, and that there are no transferable credits earned in the Associate program, so earning the degree through SMC is an all-or-nothing endeavor. I also did some checking on LinkedIn and found several graduates of SMC who seem to have put their degrees to good use.

    This could be an option for someone looking to knock out a cheap Associate degree. I'm tempted to do the program and see what kind of evaluation I would get from WES.
     
    TCord1964, Oct 29, 2014
    #1
  2. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    SteveFoerster, Oct 29, 2014
    #2
  3. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    I seen their advertisement

    So the question is ?
    They are claiming that A BA degree is accredited. How is that?
    Isn't SMC University unaccredited? Only MBA and posy graduate programs are accredited.

    So how come they state A BA is accredited?
     
    Lerner, Oct 29, 2014
    #3
  4. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member

    I'm not sure, but I did notice this paragraph in their press release:

    SMCU is currently applying for accreditation of the new Associate's Degree program. SMCU President Michael Schmelczer says: "Our graduate and doctorate degrees in business have been fully accredited since 2007 and we are confident that our experience and reputation for excellence have translated well into this Associate's degree program." Students completing the A.BA program are guaranteed admission into SMCU's combine B.BA / MBA program.
     
    TCord1964, Oct 29, 2014
    #4
  5. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    SMC is not accredited by any US-recognized institutional accreditor, and does not appear to have Swiss federal recognition either. However, SMC does claim to be accredited by the educational authorities in the nation of Ghana:

     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 30, 2014
    CalDog, Oct 30, 2014
    #5
  6. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    This is somewhat persnickety, but SMC University doesn't actually claim to be accredited by NAB Ghana, just to be registered with them as a foreign institution. That's not quite the same thing as accreditation from a global perspective, although for recognition purposes within Ghana it's essentially equivalent. On the plus side, it's not merely a claim on their part, as this status is verifiable on the NAB Ghana web site.

    By comparison, Webster University also operates in Ghana, but their campus there is actually accredited by NAB Ghana.
     
    SteveFoerster, Oct 30, 2014
    #6
  7. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    I am in no way an authority on Ghanaian accreditation, and you may well be right -- "registration with the accreditation board" may not be technically the same as "accreditation".

    But if not, then this brings us back to the question: are SMC undergraduate degrees unaccredited?

    It's true that SMC is accredited by ACBSP, but according to SMC itself, their ACBSP accreditation only applies to specific master's and doctoral programs:

    So does anyone -- other than the Canton of Zug -- authorize or accredit their undergraduate programs?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 30, 2014
    CalDog, Oct 30, 2014
    #7
  8. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member

    No, the undergraduate degrees are not accredited. SMC makes it clear in their FAQ:

    Q: Is the Associate’s Degree in Business Administration accredited?
    A: At the time of launching the program the Degree is not accredited. SMC University currently offers fully accredited business degrees at a Master’s and Doctorate level and does not envision any undue challenges in gaining accreditation for the Associate’s program following the normal approval protocols.

    Q: Will I earn transferable credit?
    A: The program is designed to be completed as a whole and SMC University does not grant credit for individual courses that are completed.

    Q: Can I use the degree to enter a Bachelor’s degree program?
    A: A.BA graduates are guaranteed acceptance into SMC University’s Bachelor’s Degree programs: Online Business Education - Online Management PhD - Distance MBA - SMC University – Bachelors Given the accelerated nature of the program the degree is unlikely to be accepted for transfer by third party institutions that do not have an articulation agreement with SMC University.
     
    TCord1964, Oct 31, 2014
    #8
  9. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member

    TCord1964, Nov 2, 2014
    #9

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