Value of UNISA degrees in US?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by CadeTheNascarStar, Jul 29, 2004.

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  1. TheResidentAlien

    TheResidentAlien New Member

    Getting back to the question at hand. If someone went with a PhD in UNISA, would they be able to lecture and teach within the American academy?
     
  2. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Yes. Or no. It's not that simple.

    The degree and the school aren't the problem; they'll be recognized as comparable to accredited schools in the U.S. But the doctorate isn't an automatic ticket to enter the "American academy." It's not just the degree (or the school); it's also how you earned it. Because you will not have done many of the traditional things that prepare your entry into the university teaching/research profession, you will have trouble getting schools to pay attention.

    It's probably comparable to earning a degree in the U.S. via distance learning, but with an additional complication--that of having earned it from a foreign school.
     
  3. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    I don't know what you mean by lecture but the degree would be acceptable to teach at the University level. I know at Devry, there were few adjuncts with UNISA PhDs. The issue is not that is not acceptable to teach at the University level but that it my not be competitive enough for situations where local PhDs are available from American traditional schools. I believe it might be acceptable for someone with a proven teaching and research record that just needs a check mark on a resume or for someone interested in an adjunct (non permanent and paid by the course) career but you cannot expect to do one and then be offered dozens of tenure track positions and someone from this thread mentioned.

    It is not a secret that there are plenty of PhDs in Canada that have degrees from developing nations that work in odd jobs such as taxi drivers. There is documented evidence that those with foreign PhDs from developed nations (UK, US, Australia) normally are able to find work in their fields (See article from Global mail below). The situation should be similar in the US. In few words, I would expect bias against a South African degree and on top of that you have to add the fact that is distance that also adds to the bias, I am not undermining the school but just putting it into perspective.

    Overqualified immigrants really are driving taxis in Canada - The Globe and Mail
     

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