California Pacific University

I'd forgotten that piece of legislation. I never realized that higher education in Oregon needed to be propped up. Are post-secondary degrees from institutions of higher learning in Oregon so indistinguishable from Columbia Pacific (now Columbia Commonwealth) University degrees? ;-)

Dave Wagner
[email protected]

 

My understanding is that the Oregon list is just a sampling, for consumer protection (Oregon consumers, that is) of some of the schools that do not meet Oregon's regulations. In other words, the list is not the definitive item,the regulation is.

I've wondered, at times, if it really just a coincidence that two unaccredited schools started in southern California in 1976 were both founded by a Dr. Dalton . . . and not only are they different people (I've met them both in person) but apparently unrelated as well.

Furthermore, the original Dalton Gang was from Coffeyville, Kansas, and James Coffey also started a school in 1976, but his was fake. It's Sunday. It's late. I'll stop now.

 

There are over 200 accredited DL MBA programs in the world (157 in the US) in a wide range of prices and specialties: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Haven/2386/distance.html

Without resorting to generalities such as "it was best for me," please tell the concrete reasons for which you selected an unaccredited degree? I'm not asking why you don't care if it is unaccredited. There is no disadvantage to accreditation, right? So there had to be some concrete reasons to pick an unaccredited degree over the 200 accredited degrees. What were they?

 

Alas, California Pacific University is now included on Oregon's
list (ie, sampling) of unapproved private post-secondary
institutions, since it lacks recognized accreditation.

 

So what I gather is...

Is Cal Pacific a good alternative to the much higher priced
Capella DBA? I'd have to get loans for Capella but I could fund
California Pacific myself. I'm looking to enhance my MSM's depth of course work.

 

Re: So what I gather is...

California Pacific University has a good doctor of business administration (DBA) program. It is rigorous and informative. The only thing it lacks is regional-accreditation. If you are certain that you only want doctoral level training in business for consulting or other non-university settings, then it will probably meet your needs.

However, if you want to publish in peer-reviewed journals and have full-time teaching opportunities at RA universities, then you definitely should consider some of the many DBA or Ph.D. programs in business. Touro, Nova, Capella, Argosy, University of Phoenix (doctor of management now with doctor of business administration coming) and others have highly accessible programs that can be financed with student loans.

Best wishes,

Dave

 

Published writings

Would my MSM from BU/BGU suffice as credentials to be published in peer magazines and journals?

 

Re: Published writings

Normally yes, but the competition in business research is quite high. A DBA from CPU won't impress the snobby guys of some of the prestigous journals as "Harvard Business Review".

My guess is that if CPU are lowering their prices is because their degrees are considered pretty much worthless in the business.

5K? that is the cost of a semester at state university.

 

Worthless for getting published or for finding a job or doing consultant work?

What did you mean by the degree being worthless? As credentials, to get published, find a job, doing consultancy?

 

Re: Re: Published writings

A couple of quick thoughts while taking a break from my inbox...

Most good peer-reviewed journals have a double-blind submission process, so the quality of the research may be more important than the identity of the author.

HBR publishes a lot of "descriptive essays"...

The California Pacific University DBA may not provide training to do academically-oriented research.

California Pacific University is a small, lean operation that provides a solid business curriculum at the BBA, MBA and DBA levels, but it is also California State Approved, not RA, so the University's tuition may reflect that positioning.

Cheers,

Dave

 

Re: Re: So what I gather is...

Does anybody know more about the UOP DBA program?

 

Re: Re: Re: So what I gather is...

Trying to find out the latest from my sources... Don't know if there is any official news available.

Dave

 

DBA?

I must have missed the news earlier along the line. UoP is upgrading their DM to a DBA?

 

Re: Worthless for getting published or for finding a job or doing consultant work?

Put it this way, a DBA from CPU won't allow you teach at RA university at least when the Doctorate is required. For Industry, an MBA is more than enough and a DBA won't add too much to your pay check. For consultancy, it might harm you if you have a good MBA and then a poor DBA, a customer might feel that you are not competent if he finds out that you paid 5k and did it in one year and half part time correspondence. I checked the course work and it is more like an MBA since it doens't have any research component. So what is the point to do it?.

For the other hand, I agree that for research publishing it is more important who you know and who are you working with than the source of the degree. But the CPU DBA doesn't give you any paper writting skills either.

In my opinion, it is not really the money it is the time invested in a credential with a very little use other than call your self Dr.. But people know that there are plenty "Mill" Drs these days since we all get the same hotmail emails with the wonderful degrees offers.

In my opinion, CPU is starving and trying to stay in business with these kind of degree offers. But to be fair, it is the same thing that many universities do when they offer the standard MBA in two years and the executive MBA in one year for three times the price. So it is a common practice in the education business to get funding.

But If you have a MSM from BU, I don't see the point to go for a CPU DBA. Unless you want to use it just to put Dr in your Business cards.

 

Re: DBA?

Hi Dave,

A recruiter for UOP told me something about a possible plan to add the DBA at some point. The DM program is considered to be highly successful, so the DBA would be in addition to the DM.

Dave

 

Re: Re: Worthless for getting published or for finding a job or doing consultant work?

Actually, your points could use some refinement. Perhaps this will help:

1) California Pacific University's DBA does require a research in the form of a doctoral project. Have a look at the handbook.

2) It would be difficult to complete all the requirements in a year and one half. Ask anyone who has completed the degree.

3) You seem to declare by fiat that the degree is not valuable but others who have done the program and used degree professionally seem to disagree -- who holds the informed opinion?

4) Everyone knows that California Pacific's DBA is not RA and does not prepare one for teaching -- the University itself makes that disclaimer, so you are not providing any new information.

5) You state that for industry work an MBA is enough -- are you citing studies by others or your own research?

Hope it helps.

Dave

 

Re: Re: Re: Worthless for getting published or for finding a job or doing consultant work?

 

California Pacific University DBA Applications-Oriented

I would agree that the California Pacific DBA is not a research degree. It is applications-oriented like many other DBA programs. However, it does contain one research course and the requirement of doing at least a substantive descriptive research project.

Like many, not all, but many, DBA programs the California Pacific is designed for practitioners who want an application-oriented focus. Many argue that DBA and Ph.D. Business programs are equivalent but this is not always the case. The Ph.D. programs tend to require a series of research courses and an emphasis on getting published. The California Pacific DBA matches the breadth and difficulty of most of the DL DBA programs from RA schools -- it is additive to the MBA.

In terms of program value, outside of the obvious shortcoming of not being regionally-accredited, my view is that the California Pacific DBA has considerable career value to those who wish to extend their abilities beyond the MBA level but want/need to study at their own pace (i.e., there are no fixed semesters or quarters). However, there are now several regionally-accredited (or foreign equivalent) DL doctoral programs in business that have come on the scene in the last few years that should also be considered in any program search.

In sum, I believe that the general philosophy of "do a regionally-accredited doctoral program or do nothing" is incorrect and even harmful to many of those seeking to better themselves and their careers beyond the masters level -- it depends on the goals, motivations and resources, etc. of the student.

My opinion,

Dave

 

Re: California Pacific University DBA Applications-Oriented

I agree with your comment, a DBA from CPU can be a good option for someone looking for more course work in the general area of business. But the original question is if the DBA from CPU can be a good option for somone looking to publish or teaching, and you would agree that is not.

Also I'd like to add that DBA of CPU is in general business since they don't provide high specialized level course work.

 

Re: Re: California Pacific University DBA Applications-Oriented

Hi. There is no disagreement from where I sit. In fact, I'll even quote myself from earlier in this thread:

"California Pacific University has a good doctor of business administration (DBA) program. It is rigorous and informative. The only thing it lacks is regional-accreditation. If you are certain that you only want doctoral level training in business for consulting or other non-university settings, then it will probably meet your needs.

However, if you want to publish in peer-reviewed journals and have full-time teaching opportunities at RA universities, then you definitely should consider some of the many DBA or Ph.D. programs in business."

Best,

Dave