Virginia University of Lynchburg Accreditation on Warning

[sanantone]

With that said, VUL's program technically isn't a 1-year or 18-month doctorate; it is a bizarre doctorate that expects people to have the equivalent of two master's degrees. If you don't have those excess credits, then the DHA is not one year.

Huh. It's disappointing that VUL's main DHA page describes the program as "12 months-beginning to completion" without stating there that the 12 months assumes all this extra prior graduate credit.

That's how the program was for the first couple of years; I haven't been paying close attention to this thread, so I don't know if they still require the excess credits to avoid the externships.

[michaeladsmith2]

I appreciate the feedback from everyone, and I want to highlight that the DHA program at VUL includes an Externship component of up to 24 credits. While it's true that many professional doctoral programs don't have a traditional thesis/dissertation requirement, the US Department of Education and the State of Virginia mandate that doctoral graduates must complete 90 credits beyond the bachelor's level. This is accomplished through practical experience and real-world leadership through a practicum/externship format where 1 credit equals 40 hours.

Furthermore, the argument that countries like the UK would disapprove of a one-year doctoral degree is a two-way street. In the US, we frown upon the three-year bachelor's degree offered by most UK institutions.

In the end, individuals have the right to choose their educational path. Some may attend prestigious schools like Harvard, while others opt for state schools. Some prefer traditional campus-based education, while others thrive in online learning environments. The true measure of a person's success lies in their work ethic and character, not solely in the academic route they choose.

For instance, in law school, there are various paths such as part-time programs, night school, online learning, or even reading the law. The ultimate test is passing the bar exam, and the quality of a lawyer is determined by their performance in practice, not by the educational path they took. Harvard-trained attorneys may not always excel, while those who attended night school can become exceptional advocates for justice. 

[Airamb]

I appreciate the feedback from everyone, and I want to highlight that the DHA program at VUL includes an Externship component of up to 24 credits. While it's true that many professional doctoral programs don't have a traditional thesis/dissertation requirement, the US Department of Education and the State of Virginia mandate that doctoral graduates must complete 90 credits beyond the bachelor's level. This is accomplished through practical experience and real-world leadership through a practicum/externship format where 1 credit equals 40 hours.

Furthermore, the argument that countries like the UK would disapprove of a one-year doctoral degree is a two-way street. In the US, we frown upon the three-year bachelor's degree offered by most UK institutions.

In the end, individuals have the right to choose their educational path. Some may attend prestigious schools like Harvard, while others opt for state schools. Some prefer traditional campus-based education, while others thrive in online learning environments. The true measure of a person's success lies in their work ethic and character, not solely in the academic route they choose.

For instance, in law school, there are various paths such as part-time programs, night school, online learning, or even reading the law. The ultimate test is passing the bar exam, and the quality of a lawyer is determined by their performance in practice, not by the educational path they took. Harvard-trained attorneys may not always excel, while those who attended night school can become exceptional advocates for justice. 

I'm glad to see you actively posting again. Did your ENEB master's degrees get evaluated as US equivalent and meet the State of Virginia requirement, or did you use your master's credit from Regent University in Divinity to meet the requirements?

I agree that with the 24 credits of externship and the 90 graduate credits, it isn't a "one-year" doctorate. There appear to be a lot of 1-year doctorates offered today. The ones that come to mind are the Doctor of Nursing Practice, varying from 29 plus credits. The Doctor of Medical Science for Physician Assistant 30 or more credits. However, this is a business degree without a dissertation. The final research project appears on par with these two previously mentioned one-year doctorates.

[sanantone]

So, they do still require the externships. Might as well go to OSU, but I understand why people chose VUL before OSU started offering its online DHA.

Are their externships like the practicum courses in which you aren't really observing real-world organizations or shadowing professionals?

[michaeladsmith2]

I appreciate the feedback from everyone, and I want to highlight that the DHA program at VUL includes an Externship component of up to 24 credits. While it's true that many professional doctoral programs don't have a traditional thesis/dissertation requirement, the US Department of Education and the State of Virginia mandate that doctoral graduates must complete 90 credits beyond the bachelor's level. This is accomplished through practical experience and real-world leadership through a practicum/externship format where 1 credit equals 40 hours.

Furthermore, the argument that countries like the UK would disapprove of a one-year doctoral degree is a two-way street. In the US, we frown upon the three-year bachelor's degree offered by most UK institutions.

In the end, individuals have the right to choose their educational path. Some may attend prestigious schools like Harvard, while others opt for state schools. Some prefer traditional campus-based education, while others thrive in online learning environments. The true measure of a person's success lies in their work ethic and character, not solely in the academic route they choose.

For instance, in law school, there are various paths such as part-time programs, night school, online learning, or even reading the law. The ultimate test is passing the bar exam, and the quality of a lawyer is determined by their performance in practice, not by the educational path they took. Harvard-trained attorneys may not always excel, while those who attended night school can become exceptional advocates for justice. 

I'm glad I see you actively posting again. Did your ENEB master's degrees get evaluated as US equivalent and meeting the State of Virginia requirement?

yes. ECE says the ENEB masters is equivalent to a US RA Bachelor's degree. that report got me in a Regent University Masters.

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Like I said, everyone has an opinion about VUL, but look, OSU has a very similar 12 - 18 month program, depending on the number of masters credits you transfer into their 62-credit DHA.

[Airamb]

yes. ECE says the ENEB masters is equivalent to a US RA Bachelor's degree. that report got me in a Regent University Masters.

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If ECE said ENEB masters credits are "equivalent to a US RA Bachelor's degree" , then the bachelor credit will not count towards the 90 graduate credits required by VUL/State of Virginia. It needs to be master's or doctoral coursework! How did you pull that off? I have a high opinion of VUL as it is an established US accredited HBCU school for over one hundred years. I hesitate with schools like ENEB in Spain that flip out master's degrees like pancakes.

[eLearner]

The DHA at VUL is the EASY way out. The degree is taking advantage of minority students or those students who want a quick fix vs a standard doctoral degree. There are plenty of options to receive a DHA, You can apply to the top school, the medical university of South Carolina; or you can go to Morehouse School of Medicine, Central Michigan University, Oklahoma State University, or even the online schools Capella, Phoenix, and Walden..

VUL degrees aren’t respected in the healthcare space and the school has a degree mill reputation from other academic institutions. A doctorate that can be earned in one year is not up to the standard of those that take 3 years to achieve.

Now, you have a bias and need for the school to maintain credibility, but I’m sorry you waisted your money.

For others, GO TO A REGIONALLY ACCREDITED institution.

This is just going overboard. I'm not the biggest fan of VUL for a number of reasons, but your post just doesn't do it.

There are 1-year Doctorates out there at regionally accredited schools, like University of the Pacific for instance, and that has less credits than the VUL program. The VUL program isn't taking advantage of anybody, not at that low price. Applying to a top school also means a possible lifetime of debt given the prices, and considering what a DHA is, I don't think that would be a wise choice. You also dull your point by bringing up Capella, University of Phoenix and Walden. I'm not sure if you know the reputations of those schools, but they aren't sparkling at all.

VUL degrees aren’t respected in the healthcare space

I doubt that's true. What is most likely true is that they are virtually unknown in the healthcare space, and experience has taught these forums that being unknown is often an advantage versus being known for being bad. A DHA is more of a topper degree, a degree you get to further your already built career in healthcare administration. So when it comes to that type of degree, name brands aren't as important.

and the school has a degree mill reputation from other academic institutions.

Can you name those schools?

A doctorate that can be earned in one year is not up to the standard of those that take 3 years to achieve.

That is a blanket statement. Let's for a moment consider Eastern Virginia Medical School's Doctor of Health Science program. While it's broken up into 3 years, it's really just a 1-year degree when you compare credits. At least the schools that make them 1-year are not trying to BS that fact.

Now, you have a bias and need for the school to maintain credibility, but I’m sorry you waisted your money.

That was uncalled for. It's also untrue on the wasted part. He got what he wanted from an accredited school at an affordable price, and he learned something of value. That's never a waste. The object of the game is finding education that fits you as an individual, not label whoring.

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I would also be careful with calling VUL a degree mill unless you have proof of that. If you want to say that it has ‘lower academic standards than usual’, I think that’s better way of communicating your disapproval of this sort of degree.

Agreed. And there is no proof. I find that people who misuse the term "degree mill" or "diploma mill" are generally part of the masses who don't know much about the higher education system and are just your typical overreacting/hotheaded posters. A degree mill or diploma mill is a school that sells degrees and requires little or no actual coursework. That's the literal definition. VUL clearly doesn't fit that description at all.

[Jonathan Whatley]

What is most likely true is that they are virtually unknown in the healthcare space, and experience has taught these forums that being unknown is often an advantage versus being known for being bad.

Security through obscurity!

[michaeladsmith2]

yes. ECE says the ENEB masters is equivalent to a US RA Bachelor's degree. that report got me in a Regent University Masters.

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If ECE said ENEB masters credits are "equivalent to a US RA Bachelor's degree" , then the bachelor credit will not count towards the 90 graduate credits. It needs to be master's or doctoral coursework! How did you pull that off? I have a high opinion of VUL as it is an established US accredited HBCU school in existence for over one hundred years. I hesitate with schools like ENEB in Spain that flip out master's degrees like pancakes.

I mentioned on this forum many times that the ENEB Masters can be used for any number of academic, workplace, and personal goals one may have. Universities, employers and country & state jurisdictions make up their own policies and rules on accepting or not accepting ENEB. VUL now has approximately 7-15 students that have gone to ENEB, received their singular or Dual Masters, and been accepted to their DHA program. My FCE (Foreign Credential Evaluation) was not only by ECE, but also Validential. Validentail evaluated ENEB as a US RA Masters degree. Not every FCE has to be from a NACES approved provider. And not every school rejects Validential. 

As I said before, every person has to choose for themselves how they will leverage their ENEB degrees. In one school (Regent U), I got into a Masters with my ENEB ECE Report. In another school (VUL), I got into a Doctoral program. And this forum has already addressed other schools across the US and abroad that accepts ENEB Masters into Doctoral Programs. 

I don't agree with the "ENEB Pancakes" analogy. I did the work. I read the PDFs, watched several of the supporting resources, and wrote 19 APA formatted Master's-level papers. And still enrolled in other ENEB masters degrees - doing the work!. While some my not agree with ENEB's LMS (Learning Management System), there are many schools that do the same thing. Login, read the material, follow the syllabus, and write a term paper or two, all while never really meeting the professor. Yes, there are discussion boards and maybe a ZOOM class, but ENEB is just as Asynchronous as other schools. 

And to achieve 7 As and 2Bs with a 3.82 GPA in my DHA, VUL is very impressed with ENEB graduates.

[Airamb]

yes. ECE says the ENEB masters is equivalent to a US RA Bachelor's degree. that report got me in a Regent University Masters.

---

If ECE said ENEB masters credits are "equivalent to a US RA Bachelor's degree" , then the bachelor credit will not count towards the 90 graduate credits. It needs to be master's or doctoral coursework! How did you pull that off? I have a high opinion of VUL as it is an established US accredited HBCU school in existence for over one hundred years. I hesitate with schools like ENEB in Spain that flip out master's degrees like pancakes.

I mentioned on this forum many times that the ENEB Masters can be used for any number of academic, workplace, and personal goals one may have. Universities, employers and country & state jurisdictions make up their own policies and rules on accepting or not accepting ENEB. VUL now has approximately 7-15 students that have gone to ENEB, received their singular or Dual Masters, and been accepted to their DHA program. My FCE (Foreign Credential Evaluation) was not only by ECE, but also Validential. Validentail evaluated ENEB as a US RA Masters degree. Not every FCE has to be from a NACES approved provider. And not every school rejects Validentail. 

As I said before, every person has to choose for themselves how they will leverage their ENEB degrees. In one school (Regent U), I got into a Masters with my ENEB ECE Report. In another school (VUL), I got into a Doctoral program. And this forum has already addressed other schools across the US and abroad that accepts ENEB Masters into Doctoral Programs. 

I don't agree with the "ENEB Pancakes" analogy. I did the work. I read the PDFs, watched several of the supporting resources, and wrote 19 APA formatted Master's-level papers. And still enrolled in other ENEB masters degrees - doing the work!. While some my not agree with ENEB's LMS (Learning Management System), there are many schools that do the same thing. Login, read the material, follow the syllabus, and write a term paper or two, all while never really meeting the professor. Yes, there are discussion boards and maybe a ZOOM class, but ENEB is just as Asynchronous as other schools. 

And to achieve 7 As and 2Bs with a 3.82 GPA in my DHA, VUL is very impressed with ENEB graduates.

The problem is that you said that ECE evaluated the ENEB master's degree at the "bachelor level" on this forum. Hence, VUL should not have accepted you or those credits based on that statement alone regardless of my opinion about ENEB.  Sadly, VUL has some oversight issues in admissions, which can lead to University accreditation issues if your ENEB credits are "bachelor's" level. Validential is not found on the NACES website:
https://www.naces.org/members

I cite page 167 of the VUL catalog: https://wp.vul.edu/wp-content/uploads/20...1-2025.pdf
"Admissions Requirements
• A master’s or doctoral degree in a related discipline awarded by an institution accredited
by an agency recognized by US Department of Education.

o World Education Services (WES) or equivalent evaluation for any foreign
coursework "

ECE is equivalent to WES because it is NACES. Is Validential equivalent to a NACES/WES evaluation? Perhaps that is up for debate?