Liberty's Ph.D. in History + more!

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by chrisjm18, Apr 29, 2019.

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  1. Nemo

    Nemo Member

    It's rather disappointing they continue to add new programs and concentrations rather than fixing the myriad of problems we are suffering through in their current ones.
     
  2. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    Agreed. I wonder if the other if the students in the other programs voice their concerns as much as we do. I see students in the educational doctoral programs joking about the grammar errors in their syllabi and rubrics. The education programs, especially the Ed.D., are among the longest-running doctorates at the school. So, if people are talking about those issues still, it tells me that they haven't been complaining enough or their concerns weren't addressed.
     
  3. Steve Levicoff

    Steve Levicoff Well-Known Member

    Sounds like it’s time for a reality check, guys . . .

    First, if you haven’t yet read the article cited by Kizmet at the bottom of page 1, do so now – it’s a must read:

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/07/24/inside-liberty-universitys-culture-fear-how-jerry-falwell-jr-silences-students-professors-who-reject-his-pro-trump-politics/?noredirect=on

    If you can’t pull up the WaPo version because you’re out of free articles, it was reprinted at this site:

    https://www.greensboro.com/opinion/columns/will-e-young-inside-liberty-university-s-culture-of-fear/article_e8023f11-213e-5b09-88a7-db855951269c.html

    Side note to the article: the author of it, Will E. Young, is an editorial assistant at Sojourners Magazine. Sojourners is prominent within the evangelical left (as opposed to the right wing), and if he had held this position while he was a Liberty student, Liberty would have been unlikely to keep him in an editorial position at the school.

    Now, for the reality check . . .

    When I left the Simon Greenleaf School of Law in California and decided to do my M.A. at then-Vermont College of Norwich University instead, one of my favorite Greenleaf professors gave me some very sound advice since he knew that I tended to be somewhat of an activist. “Remember,” he said, “that you have one and only one goal for the next two years: to get your master’s degree. Don’t try to change the world now – there will be plenty of time to do that after you graduate.”

    It was probably the best advice I have ever received in the wacky world of academe. Incidentally, I would run into that same professor a few years later at the Christian Booksellers Association national meeting in Dallas, TX, where I was part of the Moody Press contingent (I had just earned my Ph.D. from Union, and they had just released my book Christian Counseling and the Law). I felt a tap on my shoulder, and heard someone say, “We had a feeling we would run into you here.” When I turned around, I faced two of my Greenleaf profs, including the one that gave me the great advice.

    Anyway, the same advice I received years ago, I now pass along to you guys.

    In other words, don’t rock the boat. Don’t “voice your concerns” about how you’re suffering through things at Liberty. You’re both well enough into the process that if Liberty feels you’re giving them bad press somewhere (like, say, at DegreeInfo), they could make things tough for you at the very least. At this juncture, just play the game, get through the process, and get the magic piece of paper that says you’re a Ph.D. Liberty will traditionally tolerate more from distance students than they will from on-campus students, but why push the edges of the envelope to find out how much they will or will not tolerate?

    Am I saying that Liberty monitors the goings-on at DegreeInfo? I have no idea, but nothing would surprise me. I would tend to think that they would recognize DI as being influential in the world of distance ed, but if they’re realistic they would know that our influence is not that significant in the big picture.

    I find Will Young’s piece about his life at Liberty to be quite accurate. One thing I concluded long ago is that Jerry Falwell, Jr. has neither the style, wisdom, nor even business acumen that his old man had. You can bet that in a university the size of Liberty he is largely a figurehead, but he is still a figurehead that can cause a lot of damage. For as much as they are not doing things well, they’ve still pulled off some amazing feats for a university as young as they still are, and their overall reputation is (at least within their constituency) quite solid.

    For what you guys are seeking to accomplish – earning a credible Ph.D. in CJ – you’ll find that when you balance both sides of the scale, Liberty is probably the best place you can pull it off. But don’t try to change the world until you’ve got those letters behind your names.
     
    Nemo likes this.
  4. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I generally agree with Steve's advice. If you were going to worry about the school and their workings you should have done it before you enrolled. Now that you're in it's probably best just to finish up and get out. As for Liberty being the best . . . . ? I'm no fan of ranking systems but Liberty does not even appear on this list. There are plenty of other good schools around.

    https://www.online-phd-programs.org/best-online-criminal-justice-security-doctorates/
     
  5. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    Good point, Steve! I have completed 21 credits already so I have no plans of leaving Liberty. I have a thread on here which speaks specifically to my experience at Liberty. I have been more satisfied with my experience than dissatisfied. Most of the issues we've experienced can be considered minor (inconsistencies between syllabi, course instructions, and rubrics). We've pointed out several issues to the doctoral chair and he's been very responsive. He recently held a webinar to address our issues. However, as he said, many of the programs were developed and rolled out quickly. So, of course, there will work in progress as we go along. I'm sure every program has its issues. As far as the article, it was shared in our Ph.D. in CJ Facebook group among other articles.

    I was well aware of Liberty's political and conservative positions and I still chose the school because I saw more positives than negatives. As far as the issues we've highlighted, they have to do with instructions, which for me, I have never been a student at Liberty before so there's no way I could have known I'd experience these issues. Like I said above, these are minor issues. Most of the instructors have been supportive and most of the coursework has been rigorous and relevant. I am no fan of rankings because I think they are all b.s. There are only two non-profit universities offering a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice online (Liberty and Nova). Most, if not all of us, are full-time professionals who cannot stop our lives to pursue a Ph.D. in CJ full-time. I didn't take the decision to attend Liberty lightly and I am still happy with my decision as I was one year ago when I started.
     
  6. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    Liberty is adding three new concentrations to its Ph.D. in Psychology. Currently students are limited to a concentration in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

    Come Spring 2020, students can choose one of the following:

    1. General Psychology
    2. Development Psychology
    3. Social Psychology

    I'm surprised Liberty hasn't added a Ph.D. in I.T as yet.
     
  7. GregWatts

    GregWatts Active Member

    Kizmet,

    To your point, I would expect that history at Liberty begins circa 4K BCE... that is when God created the earth in 7 days.
     
  8. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  9. Steve Levicoff

    Steve Levicoff Well-Known Member

    And now, kids, let's have some grammar practice.

    Here is an example of an analogy . . .

    "Jerry Falwell, Jr. is to Liberty University what Donald Trump is to the United States."

    End of lesson.
     
  10. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    A disgrace? Haha!
     
  11. Nemo

    Nemo Member

  12. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Be careful Steve, you've almost crossed the line into talking politics.

    [​IMG]
     
  13. sanantone

    sanantone Well-Known Member

    It sounds like Jerry has a lot more power at Liberty than some would like to believe.
     
  14. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    Never thought I'd be saying this, but welcome back Sanatone :)
     
  15. GregWatts

    GregWatts Active Member

    As I recall, Canada has something of a "dual track" system which puts "faith based" schools on a different track. I like the idea in principle.
     
  16. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  17. sanantone

    sanantone Well-Known Member

  18. Steve Levicoff

    Steve Levicoff Well-Known Member

    Meanwhile, according to a report on CNN today: "Tropical Storm Jerry has formed in the Atlantic and could become a hurricane later this week."

    Wouldn't it be a hoot if potential "Hurricane Jerry" passes through, say, Lynchburg, VA?* :D
    _______
    * For news novices, Lynchburg is the home of Liberty University.
     
  19. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    Hahaha! Well, wouldn't that be interesting?! I think the majority really wants a new president at LU. Well, finally a few people got the heat started... let's just see if how this plays out.
     
  20. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

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