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Avoid run of the mill distance learning
Open your email account and in your junk folder there will likely be numerous emails offering you online certificates, undergraduate degrees and PhD programs from a million different institutions. But how do you tell the ones that are recognized and deserve the blood, sweat and tears put in to achieve them, from the ones that aren't worth the paper that you printed them on? QS Top Universities takes a look.
The simple answer is that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. University degrees and qualifications achieved through distance learning courses and on-line study take time, dedication and hard work. What’s more, they require masses of self motivation over a pro-longed period of time and any degree, certificate or diploma that can be bought which does not reflect this effort is more than likely a fake.
While there is no single definition of a diploma mill, these are generally illegal institutions that grant degrees in exchange for money, often without requiring students to show proof of course mastery or complete substantive coursework or testing. With the rapid spread of the Internet, diploma mills have been appearing more frequently and are increasingly difficult to track. At first glance, many diploma mills are difficult to distinguish from legitimate institutions of higher education, so it is important to check accreditation when choosing a program. Equally, watch out for accreditation mills that seek to legitimize the degrees offered by the equally false diploma mills.
The US Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) produced the following guide for spotting diploma and accreditation mills:
DIPLOMA MILLS
If the answers to many of these questions are ‘yes,’ the operation under consideration may be a ‘mill.’
• Can degrees be purchased?
• Is there a claim of accreditation when there is no evidence of this status?
• Is there a claim of accreditation from a questionable accrediting organization?
• Does the operation lack state or federal licensure or authority to operate?
• Is little if any attendance required of students?
• Are few assignments required for students to earn credits?
• Is a very short period of time required to earn a degree?
• Are degrees available based solely on experience or resume review?
• Are there few requirements for graduation?
• Does the operation charge very high fees as compared with average fees charged by higher education institutions?
• Alternatively, is the fee so low that it does not appear to be related to the cost of providing legitimate education?
• Does the operation fail to provide any information about a campus or business location or address and relies, e.g., only on a post office box?
• Does the operation fail to provide a list of its faculty and their qualifications?
• Does the operation have a name similar to other well-known colleges and universities?
• Does the operation make claims in its publications for which there is no evidence?
ACCREDITATION MILLS
If the answers to many of these questions are ‘yes,’ the operation under consideration may be a ‘mill’.
• Does the operation allow accredited status to be purchased?
• Does the operation publish lists of institutions or programs they claim to have accredited without institutions and programs knowing that they are listed or have been accredited?
• Are high fees for accreditation required as compared to average fees from accrediting organizations?
• Does the operation claim that it is recognized (by, e.g., USDE or CHEA) when it is not?
• Are few if any standards for quality published by the operation?
• Is a very short period of time required to achieve accredited status?
• Are accreditation reviews routinely confined to submitting documents and do not include site visits or interviews of key personnel by the accrediting organization?
• Is ‘permanent’ accreditation granted without any requirement for subsequent periodic review?
• Does the operation use organizational names similar to recognized accrediting organizations?
• Does the operation make claims in its publications for which there is no evidence?
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