Euclid University

I might be off-base here but I think most universities require something similar? It might depend on the specific wording of the contract. For example, Eastern's policy states that the university can assert shared ownership of any copyrighted works prepared with university resources, as part of a school assignment, or those created while under grant/sponsorship of the university.

They define a copyrightable work very broadly to include "...written works, such as books, journal articles, study guides, manuals, syllabi, lecture notes, programmed instructional materials, proposals, musical and dramatic compositions; pantomimes and choreographic works; pictorial, graphic and sculptural works, such as fine, graphic and applied art, photographs, prints, art reproductions, maps, globes, charts, technical drawings, diagrams, and models; films, filmstrips, and other audiovisual works; sound recordings; and computer programs."

 

I've never seen it before. I've signed agreements with two schools that granted them permission to publish my work in a repository, but never co-ownership such that I'd need their permission to utilize my work.

 

After reviewing the admissions Q&A, some highlights:

• There is an appeal option if you elect to have an oral interview, payable upon a fee (it was noted that with standard admissions fee, this helps reduce the burden on the voluntary staff)
• Students are expected to begin their studies within 60 days of enrollment
• Target duration for the PhD program is 3 years, with a maximum of 7 years
• Supervisors are assigned by the university, you are not responsible for finding your own
• Length for each course in the taught portion is 7 weeks, with the LMS being Learndash
• The initial admission fee is $850 USD plus $169 USD per credit (x 55) = $10,145

 

Oops, typo. In my previous post that should have said "with no standard admissions fee" they are not doing the standard interview, but if you need one to overcome a denial there is a fee for that process.

 

I thought so too. I attempted to seek a way around it but there wasn't one. I did apply to the PhD programs at several US schools over the last few weeks. I am still waiting to hear back from MBTS, which is my first choice for a US school. But I would've liked something outside the US.

 

You see the evaluations? Are you concerned about the dual ownership of your scholarship?

 

I haven't seen any NACES evaluations of Euclid. If you have any links I'll review, but part of the reason I decided to apply was the lack of information on the school, including evaluations (positive or negative.) I also don't know what ownership means in this context, since I haven't seen the full enrollment contract.

Many (most?) B&M PhD students require their supervisor's permission to publish papers or book chapters based on their dissertation, and their supervisor is listed as a co-author. If I need to get my supervisor's permission to author papers based on my dissertation or collected data, that would be annoying but not out of the academic norm.

Outside of that, I'm not seeing the danger in the university co-owning my scholarship. Whatever I do, it's not going to be groundbreaking or patentable. It might lead to a book or book chapter but I've already written a book and that contract required me to grant the publisher a non-exclusive license to the material.

 

I've seen this before in the natural sciences, engineering, and technology. They want to co-own patents and similar IP because they are providing considerable resources--fully equipped labs, reagents, access to microorganisms or chemicals not available to the general public, computer software to help analyze data, IRBs, etc. added to the student's brainpower to produce a result. Those things are generally not necessary in humanities, social sciences (except IRBs and statistical programs), mathematics, communications, business, journalism, etc. which are largely dependent on the brainpower of the student.

 

I've received conditional admission and a copy of the enrollment agreement. Here is the exact text covering intellectual property.

 

So what it says it that the university owns all your academic work including your thesis. However, I suspect any student who would choose Euclid over 50,000 colleges, wouldn't care about that.

 

I don't think Euclid is engaging in any subterfuge, CAR accrediation would be a deal breaker for 99.999% of the population, that leaves the select .0001% who would clearly not be deterred by signing over their academic work product.