DETC Schools with pending RA status

CalDog thank you.

It makes sense now.

 

As for the military question, yuppers they do.

 

I have both RA and NA (almost have an MS with CSU) degrees and don't agree with this statement at all. Truth be told your "upgrading" statement about NA v RA degree programs is ridiculous. However, speaking for "many DETC students" is not something you should be doing - because you don't.

Your upgrade statement is an attempt to cheapen NA accreditation. As far as RA and NA being better than on another is wrong. They are just different forms of accreditation, period.

As I have written here before, I too was an RA snob chipping away at NA credibility and utility when given the chance. That is until I actually learned about it and started taking classes with NA accreditation. Do you want to know what I discovered? The classes and material are the exact same as my RA coursework were, no different. The classes were taught that same as well. With NA I just took less bloat classes. :banghead: is there something wrong with that, no? I took plenty of those "extra well rounding" classes during my undergrad years and I was very glad that was not part of the NA program.

In MY opinion If one wants to focus strictly on a major/subject NA is the way to go.

Rant over.

 

I think you're attributing a difference between your master's degree and your bachelor's degree to accreditation type, when it's really a difference between master's and bachelor's programs regardless of accreditation.

Every NA program and every NA accreditation standard I've seen, at the undergraduate level, require a large block of general education courses just like RA programs and accreditation standards do. For instance, the DETC requires that at least 25% of the credit in any DETC associate's or bachelor's program – for a bachelor's program, the equivalent of one academic year, ten 3 semester hour courses – be in general education courses. "General education courses include those that address English, human communications (including, but not limited to, foreign languages and speech), mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, and the arts and humanities." I think this represents roughly what you were calling "bloat classes." General education requirements are a difference between U.S. undergraduate and graduate degrees in general, not between accreditation types.

 

In terms of utility it's fine to look at it that way, but from an educational standpoint sometimes a person can actually be taking a step (or more) backward. A few RA's I've taken courses with were laughable in terms of quality compared to some of the NA's I took classes with. It really is a case-by-case basis situation.

 

Before I ever took an NA course I was led to believe that it was all low-quality garbage with pamphlet-size texts, professors with milled degrees, and easy A's with no work. I didn't go with an NA hoping to get those things; I did it because I wanted to know the truth. Once in, I immediately noticed the same materials and course designs that I'd witnessed from RA's, and instructors who were adequately qualified to teach. In a few instances I received much better contact with faculty than any of the RA's I took classes with.

 

This has been demonstrated to be false. There are many RA schools that will not accept credits and degrees from NA schools. The reverse is not true. There are many employers who will not accept degrees from NA schools. No one has ever shown a standing policy against degrees from RA schools.

National accreditation is a second-tier concept. The only questions still open are "to what magnitude?" and "what about my situation?" The first is a moving target, and may have improved since John Bear and I measured it with schools and employers, respectively. The second one is filled with anecdotes about successes with NA degrees, which is nice. But it isn't the whole story, and saying otherwise is not just inaccurate, it is irresponsible.

Again, as I've written previously, there is an exchange of capital when taking a degree. The student gives the school money and effort. The school gives the student an education and a degree. Education and degree--these are separate concepts. Don't conflate them. The acceptability of the degree can be utterly disconnected with the level of effort or academic rigor contained in the program. This isn't about snobbery; it's about reality.

In my opinion, one should enter into any degree program with a great deal of caution about one's present and future requirements. This is exacerbated by the diminished value of degrees issued by NA schools--students should be even more diligent and more aware of their personal circumstances.

This isn't an "either/or" matter. It's isn't "RA vs. NA." It's about knowing what you're doing--and what you're talking about.

 

How about we let Columbia Southern, and its students, speak for themselves ?

*****

(1) CSU posts a list of RA schools (both 2-year and 4-year) that "have indicated they accept CSU credit for potential transfer", under the heading "Transfer Opportunities from CSU".

OK, so why does CSU post this list?
Is it because some CSU students eventually decide to switch to RA?

*****

(2) CSU has its own MBA program. Yet CSU also promotes the University of North Alabama's MBA program: "As an academic partner, CSU promotes the University of North Alabama (UNA) online master of business administration (MBA) program. The CSU Admissions Department responds to prospective student questions concerning the online MBA program, admissions process, and enrollment procedures."

OK, so why does CSU promote someone else's MBA program, in addition to their own?
Is it because some CSU grads prefer an RA/ACBSP MBA to CSU's DETC MBA?

*****

(3) In post #14 in this thread, a current CSU student posted the following:

OK, so if CSU's DETC accreditation is perceived as equivalent to RA, then why is this student prepared to delay graduation from CSU in hopes of getting an RA bachelor's degree?

 

I wonder how many RA schools list the NA schools that accept their credits and degrees? I'm guessing....zero.

 

Several schools are willing to consider NA schools and there credits. All one has to do is see the HETA list on the CHEA website. While it is no guarantee that they will accept those credits or degrees, some will. RA accreditation is no guarantee either. Is it harder to get an NA undergrad degree accepted by an RA school, yes but not impossible. If initially rejected, ask about an appeal. Granted, I doubt that one can get admitted to Havard's MBA program with an NA BSBA, but that is true with many RA degrees.

It comes simply down to this, can you use your NA degree in your career? In the government, yes. In the private sector, more than likely. Yes. Many people pursuing NA degrees are already in their field and need a degree for a check in the box and the additional skill set, many NA degrees can do this at a fraction of the cost, with good quality.

 

In the federal government, yes, In state and local governments, maybe.

 

Even more glaring, there are NA schools that require their faculty to have RA degrees. They will not accept faculty members based on NA degrees.

 

I'm wondering if California Southern's PsyD will qualify for licensure in other states if they do achieve regional accreditation. Hopefully they would offer financial aid at that point too.

 

Columbia Southern University and regional accreditation

I can say that I have had several Professor's and other members of staff to quietly tell me and email me that CSU is secretly pursuing regional accreditation. I believe they are pursuing this accreditation, however they are probably not going to publicly admit it.

SACS is the among the hardest regional accreditors to gain accreditation from (so I hear). They have never accredited a 100% online school. If CSU had a brick and mortar segment, this probably would have been accomplished a long time ago. I'm sure there is some reason for the owner's to have acquired the regionally-accredited Waldorf College, even if the school's have not merged and are maintaining separate accreditations.

Only time will tell. Will CSU get regional accreditation? Who knows? I believe they will eventually. For the time being, the school is accredited by the DETC, which is fully recognized as legitimate accreditation by the Department of Education and CHEA. If you graduate under the present accreditation, you have a real, genuine, and legitimate degree.

I am not going to sweat over it anymore, as I am about to graduate with a bachelor's degree. Regardless of how it works out, I will probably already be pursuing or finished with a regionally-accredited master's degree before the answer to this riddle is presented. I would say that if you attend this school, be realistic and ready to acquire a DETC accredited degree. A regionally-accredited degree in the future would be a great bonus, but for now, it is what it is.

 

Doesn't sound very "quiet" nor "secret."

I can think of one or two edge cases from SACS. Although Amridge University has B&M facilities,

Amridge University FAQ

Amridge, formerly Southern Christian University and Regions University, was B&M and held RA on that basis before moving so throughly online.

I'll also ask aloud whether the Community College of the Air Force offers or has ever offered resident courses under its own authority. Its primary MO seems to be assessing training from other units in the Air Force and other sources towards associate's degrees. CCAF is accredited by SACS; it was accredited on its own until 2004, since then as part of The Air University.

 

Covert operation?

 

SACS publishes a regularly-updated "Member, Candidate, and Applicant List".
The current list, dated December 2013, makes no mention of Columbia Southern University.

So if CSU is secretly pursuing regional accreditation, their security must be quite effective.
Even their regional accreditor doesn't know about it.

 

:haha: That's a good one!

 

Columbia Southern

Columbia Southern has a strong following in several disciplines. I think the earlier post regarding the acquisition of Walforf College, (Iowa and RA) probably reflects a key piece in the evolution of what will be going on in Orange Beach over the next few years. We all know that SACS has a far more traditional view of what colleges/universities have represented and their requirements for candidacy are challenging to say the least, for a relatively new and evolving school. So, if I were going to make a guess, I'd say the future of this school and the RA status will probably have a lot to do with Iowa.