I recently met a teacher who had a doctoral degree in Psychology from the Foundation who indicated that it was legal for title purposes because it was a theological credential that was not under the auspices of his state's department of education. However, the Foundation's website indicates that they operate under a "Charter" from the state of Indiana and was not accredited. So it seems that any credentials issued by this Foundation are not academic degrees but some sort of certification acknowledgement of completion of Pastoral, theological and Psychology related subject matter.
https://www.gtfeducation.org/admissions/tuition-and-fees.cfm For the cost, there must be value in the degrees.
FWIW, I identified the Graduate Theological Foundation as a degree mill well over 25 years ago. I have not changed my mind. What makes GTF unusual among degree mills is that they appeal to a main line church crowd rather than to the usual degree mill constituencies of evangelicals, Fundies, and Pentecostals. Make no mistake, however, they're still a mill. Bullshit. A degree is a degree is a degree. As usual, Jan misinterprets everything for her own convenience, and is once again submitting an esoteric alleged school that no one gives a crap about, likely to get our response as she attempt to justify the institution as a potential way of getting her own doctorate (since Jan crapped out of her doctoral program many years ago). Can a psych graduate of GTF legally use the title doctor? Of course. That's what a doctoral degree does, whether the degree is legit or not. (The issue of legit versus legal has been oft dicussed here over many years.) The teacher Jan allegedly met can use the title doctor, but can not use the title psychologist unless licensed to practice as one. So welcome back, Jan, for yet another of your forays into the world of bullshit. Our readers are best advised to take everything you say - everything - with a grain of salt, and to write off every institution you hype into the world of milldom.
But do the credentials awarded actually meet the criteria of being "degrees"? And if so, does it provide the possessor with the legal right to refer to themselves as "Doctor" in their respective states keeping in mind that the Foundation is not a university but a chartered theological institution?
That's like saying that if a degree mill charges $495 for a doctorate, it's obviously phony. If they charge $19,000 for the same deree, they must have value. There is no correlation between cost and value, or between cost and legitimacy. When you bring in titles like masters and doctorates, they're degrees, regardless of how you sugar coat them. They may be bullshit degrees, but they're still degrees. GTF has always been a degree-granting mill. Do the smart thing for once, Jan - write these guys off now.
Levicoff: Bullshit. A degree is a degree is a degree. As usual, Jan misinterprets everything for her own convenience, and is once again submitting an esoteric alleged school that no one gives a crap about, likely to get our response as she attempt to justify the institution as a potential way of getting her own doctorate (since Jan crapped out of her doctoral program many years ago). Response: I am not convinced that a degree is a degree if the institution awarding the credential is a "foundation". FWIW, contrary to our forum's elite Ivy League graduate Levicoff's misrepresentation of my motives, I am not seeking a doctorate. Of course we have observed how well Levicoff has utilized his elite degree in the trucking industry. Nothing to be ashamed about but nothing to brag about either. Levicoff: Can a psych graduate of GTF legally use the title doctor? Of course. That's what a doctoral degree does, whether the degree is legit or not. (The issue of legit versus legal has been oft dicussed here over many years.) The teacher Jan allegedly met can use the title doctor, but can not use the title psychologist unless licensed to practice as one. Response: Wrong! As usual, our forum pedantic "professor" is making gross generalizations because in a number of states one cannot legally use the title doctor UNLESS it is accredited by a recognized accrediting agency. Our "elite" spokesperson then states the obvious, that one cannot use the title Psychologist unless licensed. What a brilliant revelation! Levicoff: So welcome back, Jan, for yet another of your forays into the world of bullshit. Our readers are best advised to take everything you say - everything - with a grain of salt, and to write off every institution you hype into the world of bs. Response: Once again, you are talking about yourself. Now be careful driving home fantasying about your academic achievements and career accomplishments resulting in your believing that you have the right to make outlandish statements with no substantive facts to support them.
They are degrees. GTF has been discussed many times before on this forum. As Levicoff mentions, they are unique in their appeal to mainline theological types. Their alumni are often high performing and well placed BEFORE their GTF doctorate. So, this should not necessarily been seen as utility. If you Google you will find many people with their doctorates who are in academia, counseling and so on. Again, they did not become Licensed because of their GTF degree (at least that I am aware of). They attract Muslims and Jewish theological types as well as mainline Protestants and Catholics.
Your intent was obvious- at least to us mortals but apparently not to this forum's Ivy League Scholar in Truckology.
Yes, they may be termed degrees but based on the Foundation's description of their unaccredited degree programs, they "...are designed for advanced learning that is self-improving and motivational in nature for fully credentialed professionals...". In short, this implies that these credentials do not have professional utility as an advanced doctoral degree or possess legal recognition but are offered for personal enhancement and purposes. Imo, this does not meet the definition of a "degree".
Jan, bubaleh, GTF's degrees are called degrees by GTF itself. To wit: You say that this does not meet the definition of a "degree." I say that your head, as usual, is up your butt. But perhaps it's a good time to remind you, as we continue to trash each other in a spirit of lively discourse, that I have a non-profit RA Ph.D. And you don't. And as you apparently admit in this thread, you never will. In the end run, you are merely an anonymous troll. And, although you provide good entertainment, it's getting time for a new act. And time, after all these years, that you learn to format quotations properly. BTW, Jan, as you revert to tacky trucker jokes, I should update you: I retired well over a year ago at this point. And quite frankly, I miss trucking - more than I ever missed the higher education racket.
I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds like he or she was trying to be forthright. (Maybe it was because it was a psychology degree and psychology is a licensed profession in whatever state it was.) Generally speaking, every private university in the United States operates under a "charter", with a "license", or with the "approval" of its state's education authorities. Otherwise they wouldn't be operating legally. (State universities typically are organized under different provisions of state law.) They look like academic degrees to me. Unaccredited academic degrees but academic degrees nevertheless. The GTF has been discussed a lot in the past and there are a number of threads about it. My own opinion is that while I don't like some of the misleading things that I recall being said about it in the past, it does seem to be one of the more credible unaccredited schools. (I think that I'm going to add it to Bruce's thread.) I'm not entirely sure what to make of it, but I don't consider it a mill. Other universities seem comfortable with its degrees. I see where a Dean at Berkeley's Graduate Theological Union has a DMin from the GTF along with a PhD from the GTU. The Associate Provost for Undergraduate Affairs at Notre Dame has a DMin from GTF (and a PhD in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard). An assistant professor at Temple. A professor at Hartford Seminary, one at U. of Holy Cross, a lecturer at Old Dominion, a lecturer at Notre Dame de Namur, one at Xavier and many more.
People earn degrees for personal enrichment. If they wanted to offer certificates, then they would call them certificates.
