"formal doctoral equivalency"

I was reading the bio of Hank Nuwar , a renown expert on hazing and noticed he received a a" formal doctoral equivalency "in 1988. It says this was awarded so he could teach classes.

https://www.hanknuwer.com/

I realize this was 1988 but I had never heard of this. Would this be an honorary degree /actual doctorate degree or a title? I looked for examples of this today and couldn't find much. I did find that Marywood University has a doctoral degree equivalency program-don't know if a degree is awarded or if this is used for employment.

https://www.marywood.edu/policy/doc/Doctoral-Equivalency.pdf?language_id=1

Any thoughts on this?

 

That's interesting....... Seems to be no different than the California University FCE which issues equivalency degrees. I guess this is an indicator that some accredited schools will allow for unofficial or unaccredited degrees or schools to count as part of an equivalency recognition for teaching or administrative work.

 

"No different to CUFCE?" I don't think that's so. Marywood is a legitimate, accredited institution and the equivalency is rigorously constructed, for a specific purpose, by people eminently qualified to do so. It is well-defined as to its requirements, purpose. application, scope and extent.

Can you say all this of a CUFCE equivalency? Particularly after reading the Marywood document? Have you read any CUFCE equivalencies? I have.

 

Ok that makes sense... I meant the meaning of the document, not the school that issued it.

 

I see nothing in the Marywood document that mentions recognition of ANY DEGREES from unaccredited schools. I'm sure that if they did, their own Accreditors would have something to say about it.

 

Nuwer's degree equivalency was from Ball State University, a respected university where he worked.

 

True. I saw your post. Carlton mentioned it and then brought up the idea of Marywood's equivalency being "no different" from CUFCE's, so that was the one I commented on. I strongly suspect Ball State's "formal equivalency" process is 'way different from CUFCE's recognition, as well. Do you happen to have a link to it? If not, I'll try to track it down. That could be tough, if it was a one-off for Mr. (Dr.?) Nowar.

"Render unto Ball State that which is Ball State's. Render unto CUFCE that which is CUFCE's."

 

I don't think there is a link as this was in 1988 when Ball State awarded this. I know in some countries (India comes to mind) a person can get a faculty position for a doctorate degree or equivalency. The university would have to decide if the person applying for the job's resume was equal to a doctoral degree holder. perhaps Ball State did this back in 1988.

 

Well considering the timeframe of this, it was probably more common to have equivalency reports done by employers or educational institutions rather than external credential evaluators. WES did not come out until 1987 although there were evaluators before them. This was also several years before the internet became mainstream.

 

It would certainly look like it. These assessments (e.g. Marywood) seem to lean heavily on prior - and experiential - learning and acquired skills. Different to the credit-counting and minutiae of accreditation that preoccupy the usual Credential Evaluators. That's to be expected. It's a different kind of evaluation - a single-purpose one. I just get my fright-wig on when someone compares the processes of a school like Ball State or Marywood to --- um, those of a completely different entity.

 

I served on a Union committee once where the learner had as one of his adjuncts a person with a geshe. Union accepted it as being equivalent to a PhD.

(Committee adjuncts were the subject-matter experts evaluating your work. John Bear was one of mine--which is how I met him. My other was Dick Crews, co-founder of Columbia Pacific University and, later, Mary Hawkins of Bellevue University.)

 

Been thinking about this...how about a J.D. with an extensive publication history? Might that be treated as a doctorate equivalent?

 

Don't law schools give professor rank to JDs who teach there?

 

Sure. Extensive publication record? Sounds like an expert, probably "up there" in the hierarchy of lawyers. Give them the equivalency. Then they could take a f/t teaching job and a BIG reduction in income....

 

Full disclosure: Bellevue University is a consulting client of mine. I'm also taking a position there (again, as a consultant) as the Executive Director of the Human Capital Lab. I've taught for the university here and there for two decades or so, but I'm not currently on the adjunct staff.

 

The J.D. is the sole degree necessary to teach in a law school. But OUTSIDE the law school the degree receives somewhat muted acclaim among academics. Enthusiasm is definitely restrained.

Even law professors refrain from using the title "Doctor", having no desire to attract (yet more) scorn and derision.

 

University of Toronto gives equivalency certificates to foreign degree holders. These are real equivalencies given by a top University.

https://learn.utoronto.ca/comparative-education-service

CUFCE grants these degrees based on a high school license. I am not so sure how they can get away with it but a lot unaccredited schools sell this degree as legit.

 

Nuwer had a Master's degree when he was awarded a doctoral degree. but had an extenseive research and publication record on a newly identified issue-hazing deaths.

From :
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/j/juris-doctor.asp#:~:text=A J.D. degree, the American,is considered a professional doctorate.

What Is a JD Degree Equivalent to?
A J.D. degree, the American law degree, is a three-year professional degree. A J.D. is the minimum educational level for lawyers. The J.D. is considered a professional doctorate.
Is Someone With a JD a Doctor?
It is not customary in the U.S. to address individuals that hold a J.D. as a "Doctor." In the late 1960s, the Canons of Professional Ethics issued a full ethics opinion regarding whether lawyers could ethically use the title "Doctor." The organization came down against this usage, with some exceptions. It is permissible for lawyers to use the title "Doctor" when dealing with countries where the use of "Doctor" by lawyers is standard practice. In addition, lawyers are allowed the use of the title in academia as long as the school of graduation considers the J.D. degree a doctorate degree.

CUNY considers admission to the bar as doctoral degree equivalency for teaching for lawyers. They accept some Master's degrees with experience for some equivalencies

https://www.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/academics/academic-programs/academic-program-resources/faculty-appointments/Degree-Equivalencies-2021-22.pdf

Spanish universities will issue a certificate of doctoral degree equivalency degree by a person submitting their credentials, some other documents and a fee. the rector will examine it and determine if it is equal to a doctorate given by the Spanish university. If the resolution is favorable, you can request the issuance of the corresponding equivalency credential. It sounds more like a foreign degree evaluation company in the USA as WES. Rather than saying your degree is equal to a regionally accredited doctoral degree in the USA , they say your doctoral degree is equal to one issued by the University of Barcelona or whichever Spanish university you apply to.

https://www.ub.edu/escoladoctorat/en/doctoral-degree/equivalence-doctoral-degrees-obtained-outside-spain

 

Unfortunately the ABA backed down from its prohibition against using the title "Doctor". 9f course, the ABA doesn't actually make the rules. One must look at a given state's law.