Bircham International University and IACET

Bircham International University is recognized by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). IACET is acknowledged as the body that provides Continuing Education Units (CEU). CEUs are widely recognized in education as credits that “may” receive college exemption but they do not necessarily guarantee exemption. IACET is also listed on the U.S. Department of Education’s website:

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-other-org.html

My question is as follows:

Does the IACET “Provider” status establish an accreditation or is this a hollow endorsement, recognition, or acknowledgement?

The Oregon Department of Education listed Bircham International University as a degree mill.

See Website:
http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.html

Is this a fair assessment of the Bircham University program or is it justified?

 

look at the other accreditors

Look here: http://www.bircham.edu/nuevabircham/english/reputation.html .

The first accreditor voluntarily placed by Bircham in the list of its accreditors is EQAC: "Educational Quality Accrediting Commission." See the EQAC site's page http://www.eqac.org/about_eqac.htm#staff for a list of its staff. You will find that the list includes 3Dr. Richard J. Hoyer.

The third accreditor is "National Academy of Higher Education." See their list of "accredited members" at http://www.nahighered.org/ADLPAffiliations.htm. That list includes an interesting set of organizations: "Advancedu Peer Evaluation Programs" (which is a link to advancedu.org); International University of Fundamental Studies; Saint Regis University; The International University; American Academy High School (the high school branch of American Coastline University).

Next comes the "Accrediting Governing Commission-USA" featuring "Dr. Richard Hoyer, Chief Accrediting Commissioner."

So it seems that Bircham is an institution whose own administration chooses to class it with places like SRU and American Coastline.

G

 

Please note that the Oregon Site does not specifically label a school as Degree Mill. There list is mainly for unaccredited by their standards. There may be schools that are considered reasonable but is not accredited by their standards.

In respect to this Richard Hoyer stuff, it seem people claim this person to be a criminal or something. Any school associated with this name is seen as very bad

 

to be precise, it's illegal in Oregon and North Dakota

Oregon and North Dakota may not say "Bircham is a diploma mill" but they do say that anyone attempting to use a Bircham degree is guilty of a crime.

With respect to enterprises run by Mr. Hoyer, there is an opinion of at least one state enforcement agency to include in the picture. The State of New York ordered Mr. Hoyer's International College of Homeland Security out of the state since its operation with a NY address was, apparently, a violation of state law.

One assumes due process was followed in the New York proceedings, so the finding should have merit. To be fair, the action by NY may have been on the basis of the operation of an unlicensed school, rather than the result of an investigation of the ICHS curriculum.

G

 

I wonder if the state of New York was ever aware of Hoyer's previous educational enterprise - The Environment & Safety Institute, Canisteo, NY. Offering "Academic programs in Public Health; Environmental Engineering; Safet and Health; Safety and Health Management." it would seem to have been something that would have fallen under the purview of USNY.

 

again my point is that Oregon law requires that a school is USDOE approved for legal use. I am sure common sense says that a school could be legally operating elsewhere and not be seen as illegal or Diploma Mill.

If someone break the state law then its their problem.

The other important point is that you cannot apply the Oregon rule to other states. It seem they are outnumbered 48:2 or so. Should that be saying something?

 

you're back, I see.

You said:

again my point is that Oregon law requires that a school is USDOE approved for legal use. I am sure common sense says that a school could be legally operating elsewhere and not be seen as illegal or Diploma Mill.

The central idea behind accreditation is for a school's program to be evaluated in an honest fashion by a competent, independent, and honest reviewing organization.

If the "accrediting organization" is run by senior members of a "university's" administration, then its review is meaningless. Further, the willingness of a "university" to present its evaluation by such a review panel as a testament to the quality of the "university" should be taken as a sign of the administration's poor judgement and/or lack of integrity. There are a number of examples of this sort of behavior.

How does a state prevent (for example) applicants to its state university's medical school, who know absolutely no basic science at all but have purchased a degree from a diploma mill, from being admitted based on their fraudulent credentials? One way is to regulate the sort of undergraduate degree can be used in the state. A number of states (Oregon, North Dakota, Illinois,...) use CHEA-recognized accreditors as their first line of defense from inflicting incompetent medical students on their populations whose medical needs are serviced by teaching hospitals. The phrase "not knowing his ass from his elbow" has a certain clinical significance in this context.

Oh, and your "48" is less than "48" and your "2" is greater than "2."

G

 

Before you go off assuming again that I somehow support substandard schools let me get this straight.

The point I am making is that we should not assume automatically that a school is fraudulent if they are not CHEA accredited. You always seem to use the most extreme and unprovable cases to make your point.

I personally would prefer the mainstream schools to offer the programs that help adults or to widen those options. I am not pushing for new schools while if a person decide to start something give them a chance to prove themselves. They are not going to get USDOE approval immediately anyway.

While I am traditionally educated, I do not hold the view that nontraditional education is not valid and should not be promoted as an alternative to the traditional class room. In fact it will have to be traditionally educated people who will aid in the development of these concepts.

I have always stress strict verification of knowledge so if your examples were directed at me then its no use.

 

what unprovable cases?

You said: You always seem to use the most extreme and unprovable cases to make your point.

What "unprovable cases" might you be referring to?

G

 

As I said, I am not defending degrees without proper verification so your examples are irrelevant.

I am sure there is a lot of mills that sell duplicates from traditional schools. Thats more dangerous. At least the no name schools may not be recognized and treated with less value. A person with a degree from Stanford could easily become a CEO just because of school name.

So my point in general is to focus on standard which does not mean it has to be CHEA approved, just good standard.

The MProf degree offered by some UK schools is a good example of where I am sitting.

 

you said...

But still, please answer my question. What "unprovable cases" might you have been referring to?

G

 

again the example of someone not knowing science and applying to a state school is unprovable in this forum. The most we could do is take your word for it.

If someone tries to that then they need mental treatment. It would be too obvious to get a degree in a area that you have no knowledge. As I said thats an extreme case anyway.

It does not make sense to argue this point because I am not defending degrees without proper process

Okay

 

Re: look at the other accreditors

EQAC is actually a creation of Bircham itself. It created this many moons ago, and I have the domain registration details to prove it!

Cheers,

George

 

Bircham International Europe sent me a christmas card today!

LOL

 

Mairzy doats and doazy doats and little lambzy divy...

Bircham has no legitimate accreditation.
Bircham has no authentic academic standing.
Bircham degrees are usually not accepted, and, if accepted, accepted in ignorance
(time bomb).

Quibbling about the Oregon list alters none of the less-than-wonderfulness pertaining to Bircham.

Laser100, that's the deal. Do not let one poster's idle casuistry befool you. Consider the caliber of the other posters (not including me) and rest you, merry gentleman.

...a kiddly divy too, wouldn't you?

 

Please!

Well, Uncle Janko,

You are not a musician are you.

Mare's eat oats and doe's eat oats but little lambs eat ivy.

Herb

 

It seem there is an obsession with schools that are not RA accredited. Even when they seem to get some acceptance by other agencies there still seem to be this focus on them.

My position on this whole thing is that some of the concepts advanced by these schools are valid. I think we should focus on encouraging the mainstream schools to provide pratical curriculums for adults instead of writing nonsense about these schools. If these schools have good intention and desires they may become RA accredited one day too.

I just think the discussions should be focus on solutions than bashing these upstart schools.

 

all those pigeons

When I think of all those Oregon pigeons not even knowing they're criminals! Poor little birdies, it just doesn't seem fair, what with them flying around with their little Branford AA diplomas clenched in their little pigeon feet, and clearly it's not the primary problem. I mean, so what if...

I mean, it's just the PROCESS that matters, right? Shouldn't we just TRUST their good intentions? You can't really imagine that some wacko who bought a degree in CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY really intends to cut open somebody's chest, do you? He/She probably just bought the diploma to show to [not-nice term] in bars to impress them in hopes of getting [another impolite term]. Consenting adults, man, it ought to be fine. The patient signed a consent form, right? Pigeons can fly, they ought to get that Aerospace Engineering Degree, based on life experience, right?

There are ways for non-RA startup schools to get licensed and accredited. They can't just give it a shot in a half-hearted way. It has to be a serious, carefully planned effort and it needs to be watched carefully by an independent observing agency. Otherwise they put their students at risk.

G

 

More degree Mill spin from Morley. It is illegal to use their degree, but it is not a degree mill. Give me a break!