In Praise of SoBaT

[DeanLewis]

Reading about the online “School of Business and Trade (SoBaT) on this forum had me curious, and over the past couple weeks I completed their MA in Social Sciences program. 

I have nothing but good things to say. While it’s possible to accelerate through the program for a seasoned learner, it’s not a quick process. The 12 exams required across different domains of human knowledge really do require substantial engagement with the texts, to the point that despite their open-book nature, they do not lend themselves to quick search engine answers.

After completing, I was invested and impressed enough to even pay the modest graduation fee for a diploma to support the institution (who issues then both a PDF diploma and transcript, with a verification code to authenticate those documents on their website). For self-directed learners, one could actually get a lot out of this program. 

YMMV on the utility of the application of the credential in the private sector in a North American context, but from an integrity standpoint, this program is every bit as legitimate as other similarly formatted accredited programs, from Ashworth to Capella. 

If these folks added proctoring to their exams, this could be a real interruption in higher ed. The exams were thought provoking and challenging, and included international relations, human geography, communications, climate change, public health ethics, writing, social work research, human psychology, political science, advanced sociology, statistics, and world history.

[DoctorHAK]

I did the London Institute of Business Studies (LIBS) Level 7 Diploma in Social Sciences.
LIBS is a sister institution to SoBaT and the modules can be shared between both programs. I am really impressed by the quality of the study materials and the difficulty of the exams.
Not sure if I can use the credits from the diploma to transfere to a UMPI MAOL or any other degree, any where in the world. But I agree that they are very promising.

Thanks,

[DoctorHAK]

Update: 

I just got the FCE evaluation report of my Level 7 Diploma in Social Sciences from Validential, they assessed it as the equivalent of a “Graduate Program from a Regionally Accredited Institution” of 30 US equivalent credits. (Graduate Certificate in Social Science Methods)

do you think UMPI will accept the credits for the MAOL program?

[openair]

Validential? Sorry, but that's not a trustworthy credential evaluation agency. If they compared SOBAT to U.S. regionally accredited universities, they have only proven their utter incompetence.

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LIBS and SOBAT aren't accredited institutions in any sense of the term, not even programmatically accredited. Nothing. Giving them equivalency is tantamount to lying. Here is their accreditation section: https://libs.org.uk/accreditation

[DoctorHAK]

I totally don’t understand the US accreditation or FCE system, but I will finish couple of SOBAT/LIBS programs for the purpose of getting the knowledge.

[openair]

I have no issue with indviduals taking SOBAT/LIBS coursework. But misrepresentation of one's credentials (presenting clearly unaccredited credentials as accredited) should be frowned upon. Validential is enabling this kind of nonsense. You don't need to know much about the U.S. accreditation system to recognize misrepresentation. The LIBS website gives no indication of any kind of accreditation. A credential evaluation agency cannot overwrite that. That's the important thing.

[DoctorHAK]

Agree with you.

[NotJoeBiden]

Validential? Sorry, but that's not a trustworthy credential evaluation agency. If they compared SOBAT to U.S. regionally accredited universities, they have only proven their utter incompetence.

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LIBS and SOBAT aren't accredited institutions in any sense of the term, not even programmatically accredited. Nothing. Giving them equivalency is tantamount to lying. Here is their accreditation section: https://libs.org.uk/accreditation

Some Level 7 programs are approved by the UK Government as being masters degree level via the OfQual system. I have heard people got those evaluated in the US as grad credits without much issue, but it will need to be done by a UMPI approved validator.

Edit: corrected. This level 7 diploma is not OfQual.

[bjcheung77]

The Level 7 program mentioned is approved by the UK Government as being masters degree level via the OfQual system. I have heard people got those evaluated in the US as grad credits without much issue, but it will need to be done by a UMPI approved validator.

OfQual does have regulated branches of providers such as CMI, OTHM, Qualifi, etc that have approved centers that offer level 7, 8 or lower ones. The problem with LIBS and Sobat is, LIBS doesn't have the provider approval, and Sobat doesn't have it either. Having Validential evaluate these can be beneficial only for institutions that accept Validential as an FCE, otherwise, having the LIBS/Sobat plus Validential FCE might be a waste of cashflow.

[NotJoeBiden]

The Level 7 program mentioned is approved by the UK Government as being masters degree level via the OfQual system. I have heard people got those evaluated in the US as grad credits without much issue, but it will need to be done by a UMPI approved validator.

OfQual does have regulated branches of providers such as CMI, OTHM, Qualifi, etc that have approved centers that offer level 7, 8 or lower ones. The problem with LIBS and Sobat is, LIBS doesn't have the provider approval, and Sobat doesn't have it either. Having Validential evaluate these can be beneficial only for institutions that accept Validential as an FCE, otherwise, having the LIBS/Sobat plus Validential FCE might be a waste of cashflow.

Ooh. I confused it with LSIB. I see what they did there…