Did you receive a non-accredited degree / degree mill degree? (Interview Opportunity)

[mitchell1857]

Hello all, I am doctoral student at The Ohio State University currently completing dissertation research on non-accredited colleges and universities (also known as diploma or degree mills) and I am recruiting adults who have obtained a degree from a non-accredited college or university and would be willing to participate in a 60-90 minute interview via Zoom or telephone to talk about their experiences. I am interested in talking to both individuals who intentionally sought out a degree from a non-accredited institution, or individuals who were unaware that their college was non-accredited at the time of earning a degree.
 
Your participation will help increase knowledge on these institutions, why adults might seek credentials from non-traditional colleges, and higher education more broadly. Please note that all interview data will be anonymized to protect the privacy and anonymity of participants. 

If you are interested in participating in this study, you can follow this link to complete a short Google Form, or email me at mitchell.1857@osu.edu. Thanks! 

Link to Google Form Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQ...sp=sf_link

[Kal Di]

non-accredited colleges and universities (also known as diploma or degree mills)

Some non-accredited colleges and universities are diploma or degree mills, but it's unfair to categorize them all as diploma or degree mills. It may not be your personal classification as a doctoral student since you're just tasked with doing university research. However, it is best that accredited universities (i.e. Ohio State University) understand the nuances before publishing potential misinformation about non-accredited colleges and universities.

[Duneranger]

non-accredited colleges and universities (also known as diploma or degree mills)

Some non-accredited colleges and universities are diploma or degree mills, but it's unfair to categorize them all as diploma or degree mills. It may not be your personal classification as a doctoral student since you're just tasked with doing university research. However, it is best that accredited universities (i.e. Ohio State University) understand the nuances before publishing potential misinformation about non-accredited colleges and universities.

Examples?

[sanantone]

non-accredited colleges and universities (also known as diploma or degree mills)

Some non-accredited colleges and universities are diploma or degree mills, but it's unfair to categorize them all as diploma or degree mills. It may not be your personal classification as a doctoral student since you're just tasked with doing university research. However, it is best that accredited universities (i.e. Ohio State University) understand the nuances before publishing potential misinformation about non-accredited colleges and universities.

Examples?

1. There are unaccredited colleges and universities that are in the process of becoming accredited. Nations University became accredited not too long ago. Some members of this forum attended before they gained DEAC accreditation. 

2. There are religious colleges that have applied for a religious exemption because they want to keep the government out of their affairs and/or because accreditation is expensive. Forge Theological Seminary is an example. 

3. There are unaccredited colleges that won't apply for accreditation because they're Libertarian. They just can't get a religious exemption, so they'll be operating illegally. 

4. There are unaccredited colleges that are diploma mills, which means an educational institution that awards academic credentials for little or no work.

[HogwartsSchool]

I think its important to define the usage of non-accredited colleges and universities when doing research and not lump everyone in the same group. Is everything except RA (US) non-accredited, or what about international colleges, where is the line?

[sanantone]

I think its important to define the usage of non-accredited colleges and universities when doing research and not lump everyone in the same group. Is everything except RA (US) non-accredited, or what about international colleges, where is the line?

I'm pretty sure this is about American schools, and I don't know why someone would assume that accredited would mean RA only. Any school that is not accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education is unaccredited. A school that is accredited by an organization recognized by the Department of Education, by definition, cannot be a diploma mill. The minimum standards set by accreditors prevent a school from being a diploma mill. 

In regard to foreign schools, they still need degree-granting status from the government or a recognized institution that has been given that authority by the government.

[MichaelGates]

There is a need to get the definitions right regarding this subject. I could play games and state The Ohio State University was established in 1870, but has only been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA) since 1913. I could state that for 43 years The Ohio State University must have been a diploma mill. Best to do the proper research and not play games. By the way, one non-accredited college I attended had harder classes than any accredited college I have attended. I learned more with that non-accredited college degree than I did with my accredited college degree.

[Jonathan Whatley]

The OP should also keep in mind that some of the hoped-for audience who obtained a degree from a diploma or degree mill believe they obtained an accredited degree.

Diploma or degree mills often claim accreditation. Each claim is either false or worthless (because the accrediting body involved is an accreditation mill). But a client of the diploma or degree mill may believe the claim to be true.

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The non-overlap between "non-accredited college" and "diploma or degree mill" is so large that the OP should rewrite their interview requirements.

[Vle045]

Saylor academy is launching an MBA program. If/when it launches, it would be unaccredited. Anyone can take the courses right now, they just can’t enroll just yet. It’s still in Beta testing or whatever they call it

[sanantone]

The OP should also keep in mind that some of the hoped-for audience who obtained a degree from a diploma or degree mill believe they obtained an accredited degree.

Diploma or degree mills often claim accreditation. Each claim is either false or worthless (because the accrediting body involved is an accreditation mill). But a client of the diploma or degree mill may believe the claim to be true.

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The non-overlap between "non-accredited college" and "diploma or degree mill" is so large that the OP should rewrite their interview requirements.

Diploma mill also needs to be clearly defined because so many people think that all online colleges or all for-profit colleges are diploma mills. Many also believe that those types of schools are unaccredited. Since the survey is asking for the name of the school, the researcher should verify that the person actually attended a diploma mill.

Something else I just thought of...some people believe that, because their degree didn't meet licensing requirements, that their university was unaccredited. In actuality, the program just lacked programmatic accreditation, which is voluntary.