Online DHA - 12 months - $15k

Virginia University of Lynchburg, a TRACS accredited, HBCU, is offering a 12-month, online DHA for $15k.

https://www.vul.edu/dha/

 

I thought faith-based accreditors like TRACS only accredited schools conferring solely religious degrees. I think that's all a faith-based accreditor should be doing. Maybe I'm wrong about that. Am I? I did see a California unaccredited school teaching business courses quickly add four religious programs and apply to TRACS - but it didn't work out for them. Victims of the "accredit or die law."


Still, I don't want to see any faith-based accreditor accrediting a "School of Engineering and Creation Science " any time soon.

 

Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (“Candidate” status) of Christian postsecondary institutions in the United States that offer certificates, diplomas, and associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees, including institutions that offer distance education.

It doesn't seem as if the degrees themselves have to be religious but the school itself has to be Christian. That's how I understand it. In addition to religious degrees, VUL offers degrees in business, organizational management, arts and sciences, and sociology (including a criminal justice concentration).

 

Thanks, Chris. Guess I was wrong. TRACS accreditation makes them NA, I guess. And this program is a NA Professional Doctorate, right?

 

More importantly, they have a football team! That's good enough for me!
https://vul.prestosports.com/sports/fball/index

 

It falls under "Programmatic Accrediting Agencies" on the Department of Education's website. ED no longer distinguishes between national and regional. Instead, both NAs and RAs, as we know them, are listed under "Institutional Accrediting Agencies."

 

I think the 12 month, 36 credit Online DHA is for the core portion of the curriculum. It says in the application, "and a description of your potential dissertation topic." This leads one to believe after the 12 months there is a dissertation?? https://www.vul.edu/dha/

The 3 practicums in one semester doesn't make sense either!

 

I take it ED will no longer distinguish - and I like it. But many will distinguish, or won't they? Does this mean employers who were formerly RA or no way are no longer allowed to distinguish - or may they continue? And will universities still distinguish - both in enrollment and hiring? Or is that another silly question?

I see a beginning of something new here - but I doubt it's the end of the old, for a long time - if ever.

 

Verbiage such as "12 months-beginning to completion" and "Total Program Duration: Three Semesters," suggest otherwise. The three practicum courses seem to provide students with the knowledge and skills to become teachers, researchers, and leaders in health care administration. Based on the wording of the research practicum course, it seems it is only intended to equip students with the skills required to conduct research. However, it does not appear that a dissertation or any other form of research is required for the DHA program.

 

I could not believe it until I saw it, one year for a non medical type of Doctorate. I have seen DNP and DPT degrees that are exactly one year in nature, but never a DHA. I think the trend we will see is a race to the bottom for doctorate degrees as these are easily cash cows for universities. Even where I work, there was talk of starting a 2 to 3 year online doctorate program, which nerved some of the faculty.

 

Wow kinda of bummed this wasn't around last year because I might have jumped at a chance to do this for $15K (plus at a HBCU). I'm also a bit confused by three practicums but if that's the alternative to doing a doctoral project or dissertation then I guess it makes some sense. Also for a DHA program it seems like the course requirement is kinda of light on areas like finance and health systems management.

 

Verbiage such as "12 months-beginning to completion" and "Total Program Duration: Three Semesters," suggests otherwise. The three practicum courses seem to prepare students to become teachers, researchers, and leaders in healthcare administration. The research practicum seems to only prepare students to do research, which they won't actually apply as part of the DHA. That's my understanding.

 

Perhaps universities/colleges haven't caught up with the times but I still see job listings for faculty, adjunct or otherwise, requiring a degree from an RA institution to be considered. Currently, no such classification exists. Perhaps they can advertise, "accreditation recognized by the USDOE?" Sounds like a potential lawsuit to me.

 

Wow, that's pretty good pricing for degree from a faith based degree provider, especially at a doctorate level.
Just makes me wonder, are there any other degree offerings from similarly recognized providers?
Has anyone dug into inexpensive doctorates at the following 4 faith-based accreditors?

Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools (AARTS)
Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) Commission on Accrediting
Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) Commission on Accreditation
Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) Accreditation Commission

Update and how about the following nationally accredited providers? I am frugal and just wondering...
Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) (recognized by USDE)
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) (recognized by USDE)
Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) (recognized by USDE)
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) (recognized by USDE)
Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) (recognized by USDE and CHEA)
Council on Occupational Education (COE) (recognized by USDE)

 

So the CHEA differentiates between accreditation and the USDE does not and this all has to do with federal student aid? https://www.chea.org/chea-usde-recognized-accrediting-organizations

The website says it cautions to "not make judgements about the quality of the accrediting organization or its institutions based on CHEA or USDE status." Sounds like these organizations want a semblance of quality control but no real accountability!

 

I don't think I want to look through the ACICS list. It was up to 900 schools - less, now. Some of their schools have vanished in debacles (Corinthian etc). And ACICS was once relieved of its duties by order - and then got CPR from the current Government. And I've seen articles that suggest it may grind to a halt again - and I think if that happens, it might be permanent. We have numerous threads on ACICS. A couple of ACICS schools I looked at for distance degree info had some programs - but they cost as much as any other NA (e.g. DEAC) schools.

The others that don't deal with religious schools -ACCET and ACCST - don't have as many schools and not much distance ed. Those schools usually teach vo-tech degrees on their premises. Mostly associates, some bachelor's, a few master's and I don't believe they are allowed to accredit doctoral programs - professional or otherwise. Maybe that's changed - but I haven't heard.

I never realized till yesterday, that faith-based accreditors served schools that awarded degrees other than those of a religious nature. How wrong I was! Happy hunting.

 

"Or, maybe it just sounds like the people at CHEA think that the "RA > NA" pecking order doesn't hold water. But I suppose that begets the question why they make the distinction at all."

I think it is also important to clarify that the CHEA is a .org with an address in Washington, D.C. and is not a government organization like the USDE.