Cheapest Master of Divinity

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Michael, Jun 15, 2009.

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  1. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    ..........
     
  2. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    Slow day today Ted? :slaphappy:
     
  3. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    No, that is capitalism.
     
  4. RAM PhD

    RAM PhD Member

    Ted, could you expand that thought just a bit?
     
  5. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    .......... Well, I came across this old thread while wading through 1,587 pages worth of thread titles looking for threads that could be moved to the new Nursing & Medical-Related Degrees sub-forum. I've been vaguely thinking about creating one of my infamous "From the Great State of ..." threads for MDivs and DMins. I tried to start such a thread but I got side-tracked and haven't yet resumed the attempt. So that is why I necromanced this old thread.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 3, 2013
  6. Messdiener

    Messdiener Active Member

    Ted, if you do indeed start that new thread, perhaps you could also add in posts such as "From the Glorious Nation of _________". Just a thought!
     
  7. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

  8. LGFlood

    LGFlood New Member

    Michael,

    I realize this is a very old post and I've probably missed the boat. However, in the chance you are still looking, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary has a great block rate of only $2350.00 for 9-15 credit hours per semester. However, while it is regionally accredited, it is not ATS accredited. So, you'll want to keep that in mind if you are looking for an ATS program.
     
  9. mikeguest

    mikeguest New Member

  10. Mathetes

    Mathetes New Member

    I know this is an old thread but wanted to ask: Does anybody have plan for the least expensive seminary masters degree that is mostly DL while also being RA/ATS accredited? That is, finding RA/ATS seminary w/ a DL (or mostly DL) masters program that accepts A LOT of transfer credits, and then taking individual classes at other cheaper RA/ATS seminaries to transfer over. For example, let's say I want to graduate from Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), and DTS accepts a max of 12 transfer credits for their M-BTS degree. Then going to Baptist Missionary Assoc. Seminary or Regent School of Div for individual classes for later transfer. Anybody have or know of a plan for that? Thank you.
     
  11. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

  12. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Indeed. Eight or nine years ago, when this thread started, Nations was pretty much free -and 100% unaccredited. Then came several years of striving toward eventual DEAC accreditation. Alas - "free" and "accredited" rarely coexist. You might have to go to U. of the People to get both ... or maybe Williamson School of Trades. Neither will likely qualify you to preach - but you will know what you are doing, on graduation from either!

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 8, 2017
  13. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    MDivs are tricky because it depends a lot on the denomination where you want to serve as a minister. Small denominations that normally do not offer paid positions only require most of the time two years of bible college that does not have to be accredited. More recognized denominations that offer paid positions normally ask for MDivs from accredited schools with ATS or RA accreditation.

    Nations U. would score well for denominations that do not offer paid positions but require a credible qualification.

    Paid minister positions are very competitive, many reverends nowadays have DMins or ThDs from top seminars so I am not too sure if a cheap MDiv from an online school is the way to go if someone wants to become a reverend as a paid profession.
     
  14. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Good point - but a cheap MDiv might serve well if the Rev. is sharp and business-minded enough to start his own church. And those are NOT rare qualities among clerics. Must be money in it, from the looks of things. Especially if TV and books are included in the marketing mix. :smile:

    J.
     
  15. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    The cheapest way to get an MDIv is just to buy an affiliate independent church charter from an established church. Then you can legally grant an MDiv to your self and even to others if you want to start your own business.

    There are quite few people that do this, they open their own church and just grant PhDs and MDivs to themselves, TV is full of this type of Doctors.
     
  16. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Legally? Surely, only in the 22 (?) states that have religious exemption?

    In the rest, wouldn't schools (and recipients) be governed by whatever State laws applied to unaccredited degrees - sometimes legal to confer, sometimes not. Legal to use? Well, some states allow usage in some circumstances, others forbid them entirely. It's a minefield/crapshoot at best.

    I just can't see them being "legal" beyond the extent of any other unaccredited degree: possibly legal or possibly not, depending on place and usage. And in Canada, I can't see these self-inflicted or church-issued degrees being legal at all. Here, a church can issue all the diplomas and certs it wants. But to award academic degrees - it needs to be a Provincially-qualified institution - the same as any other legit university or college.

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 9, 2017
  17. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Then there's the ULC, of course. Good entertainment value at least. I believe some have performed marriages etc. with these. Maybe I'm missing something.

    J.
     
  18. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    Canadian churches cannot grant degrees if not approved by charter but one can legally use a foreign degree that is granted legally in the place of origin. The law in Ontario states that it is up to the employer to accept the foreign degree or not but it is not illegal to use a legal foreign degree in a resume as long it has been granted legally in the place of origin. This is a reason why few schools in Ontario were working with foreign schools like Open International U.
    Things might change in the future as we might regulate the use of doctorates like in Germany but for now, one can legally open a church in the US and then grant a PhD to yourself and then use it in Canada with no legal consequence.
    The perfect example below of this scam below, Don Meridith was able to use his unaccredited degree with no legal consequence other than embarrassment
    Tory Senator Don Meredith Touts Degrees From Unaccredited Schools
     
  19. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Yes - I'm familiar with Meredith. He resigned from the Senate under a cloud, after some very ugly accusations having nothing to do with his "degrees," IIRC.

    But I fail to see how his "degrees" could be considered legit in any sense. His doctorate was "honorary," not from a university, but from a counselling org. that had no standing whatsoever as a degree-granting institution. His bachelor's and Master's were from a school that had No California State permission to award Graduate degrees. So - two out of three appear (to me) to be outside of legal bounds.

    Full story on Meredith here. Not an uplifting story, as I see it. "Degrees" are far from the worst of it. He has no shortage of cause to be embarrassed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Meredith_(politician)

    And as to Open International University of Complementary Medicine (Sri Lanka) which you mentioned. THOSE degrees are legal? Holy cow! Where? What about the "Knighthoods" and "Albert Schweitzer Awards" they also sell? Are they "legal" too? :shock:

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 10, 2017
  20. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    Hi,

    The main problem is that PhD is not a regulated title in Canada. You cannot call yourself "Dr" but you can call yourself PhD with a degree from a foreign school.

    Open international U. has the equivalent of unaccredited but legal in Sri Lanka, they operate under a law that allows foreign entities to operate in Srik Lanka. Their degrees are not granted under the Sri Lanka law authority but under the Kazasthan authority. They are considered a natural medicine entity that in Sri Lanka is not a regulated profession so their degrees technically do not conflict with others that are legally protected in Sri Lanka.

    Don Meredith is an example of the lack of regulation when it comes to use of credentials in Canada. He was a senator and was using the title PhD from a non existing school but nobody was able to prosecute because of this.

    Bottom line is that it is up to the employer to accept the foreign credential. If I disclose a foreign credential from an unaccredited school in my resume, there is nothing illegal about it as it is up to the employer to verify the credential.
    Another example is the professor below that managed to get jobs at many Universities with a masters degree from Almeida University. He might not get a job again after article below was published but there is nothing illegal there as he disclosed his credential that was not verified by his employers

    '1,000% unacceptable': Marketplace confronts college professor about his fake degree - Business - CBC News
     

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