Hypnotists that are also PhDs

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Leshem Yosef on November 21, 2009 at 9:10pm

HI
There are 3 kinds of PhDs and non of them is M.D. so any way they don’t give you the power to treat and heal as a doctor it's only bring you more respect and clients as they trust you more as knowledgeable person
1. The academic 7-9 years not easy to get.
2. Legit PhDs from any registered university in the world that have government accreditation from any country –you can carry the name doctor but only to promote your biz but no government institution will take you to work with them because of your doctorate.
You can get doctorate like this in the natural healing department[ Hypnotherapy could full on this category ] . You will need to learn and have your hours and knowledge but you can do it accelerated.
3. Fake PhDs and then you risk your neck to get a low suit and its better to skip this one.
yosef


Conrad Cook said:

John R. Brochu said:

It seems that our industry is not immune to the fabulous fakes that are misrepresenting themselves to their clients and the world.

So it should be a good business, if you can break into it.

In truth, I'm pretty ambivalent about *legitimate* degrees -- having known a few Ph.D.s who didn't have all that good judgement, and so on.

But you can't make assumptions either way. There was a guy online whose Ph.D. I assumed was fake, but it turned out to be legit. In psychology, no less. Still kind of a jerk, though.

Conrad.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Henxy on November 24, 2009 at 7:13am

STANDING OVATION!

James Hazlerig said:

I'm glad that others have commented on the phenomenon of fake Ph.D.s in the hypnosis field, as it's a pet peeve of mine, and I was holding back from going on a tirade.

A real university Ph.D. takes a lot of work. My parents were professors, and I was raised around Ph.D.s. (which is slightly better than being raised by wolves, I think. *grin*) Although having a Ph.D. is not an absolute guarantee of competence, intelligence, common sense, or moral character, it does indicate a certain level of achievement that I prefer to respect. Culturally, it implies credibility.

That's just one of several reason why fake Ph.D.s in our field are offensive. Here are some of the others:

1. While a fake Ph.D. may impress some clients, those with even a little wherewithal will spot it as fake, thus damaging your credibility and your ability to help potential clients.

2. Claiming fake degrees damages the reputation of entire profession.

3. Claiming fake degrees perpetuates the faulty notion of credentialism--the idea that someone with a degree is inherently more competent, intelligent, or ethical that someone without.

4. Claiming fake degrees can get you arrested in some states.

Here are some ways to spot a fake Ph.D. or doctorate:

1. The individual in question claims to have a doctorate in hypnosis or hypnotherapy. There are no legally accredited institutions that grant such a degree. (There have in the past been unaccredited schools that put students through a program of hypnosis education and then granted a degree. While such degrees are imho more meaningful than the buy-it-online variety, they are legally the same.)

2. The individual in question lists his/her name as "Dr. Whoever, Ph.D" or even worse, "Dr. Whoever, RN, CHt, BCH, DCH, Ph.D." Real academics list only the highest or most applicable degree, and they realize that listing the title and the degree is redundant.

3. The individual in question claims to have multiple doctorates--I've seen one member of this site who claims to have seven.

4. The institution granting the degree is not listed anywhere in the individual's bio information.

5. The institution is listed, but it's a notorious diploma mill. If you have doubt, google the name of the institution.

BTW, my hat's off to members of the site who have earned real degrees, and especially to those with the good sense to use the titles only in the settings where they apply. You are a credit to our profession.

James

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by John Maclean on November 24, 2009 at 7:59am

This is from Wikipedia : Paul McKenna (UK Celebrity Hypnotist)

In 1996, after two years of study on a 70,000-word thesis, McKenna was granted the doctoral degree PhD degree from LaSalle University (Louisiana). LaSalle University was properly licenced by the state of Louisiana, but falsely claimed to be an accredited university. After the principal of LaSalle pleaded guilty to fraud, along with thousands of other students, McKenna was awarded compensation from the U.S. government.

In 2004, McKenna completed an APEL and subsequently gained a UK accredited doctoral degree DPhil from the business school International Management Centres Association (IMCA),[9] which is accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC).[10] The title of his thesis was "The Effects of Fixed Action Patterns and Neuro-Linguistic Programming in Determining Outcomes in Human Behaviour".

In 2006 McKenna successfully sued the Daily Mirror for libel, over claims made by journalist Victor Lewis-Smith that McKenna obtained a "bogus degree" merely for money to deliberately defraud the public (the degree was from LaSalle University (Louisiana)). McKenna won the case and substantial damages. The court stated, "Mr McKenna was not, in my judgment, dishonest and, for that matter, whatever one may think of the academic quality of his work, or of the La Salle degree, it would not be accurate to describe it as 'bogus'." "Desmond Browne, QC, for McKenna, said that 'any perceived lack of academic rigour at La Salle' did not prove that his client was dishonest.

We have also had a recent case in UK where a TV nutritionist who called herself ‘Dr’ Gillian McKeith and has made millions out of her whacky ideas about nutrition, was revealed to be nothing of the sort but rather had bought her "doctorate" from some American diploma mill. Instead of facing prosecution she agreed to stop using the title "Dr." Hasn't stopped her spouting mad theories though!

Henxy said:

STANDING OVATION!

James Hazlerig said:

I'm glad that others have commented on the phenomenon of fake Ph.D.s in the hypnosis field, as it's a pet peeve of mine, and I was holding back from going on a tirade.

A real university Ph.D. takes a lot of work. My parents were professors, and I was raised around Ph.D.s. (which is slightly better than being raised by wolves, I think. *grin*) Although having a Ph.D. is not an absolute guarantee of competence, intelligence, common sense, or moral character, it does indicate a certain level of achievement that I prefer to respect. Culturally, it implies credibility.

That's just one of several reason why fake Ph.D.s in our field are offensive. Here are some of the others:

1. While a fake Ph.D. may impress some clients, those with even a little wherewithal will spot it as fake, thus damaging your credibility and your ability to help potential clients.

2. Claiming fake degrees damages the reputation of entire profession.

3. Claiming fake degrees perpetuates the faulty notion of credentialism--the idea that someone with a degree is inherently more competent, intelligent, or ethical that someone without.

4. Claiming fake degrees can get you arrested in some states.

Here are some ways to spot a fake Ph.D. or doctorate:

1. The individual in question claims to have a doctorate in hypnosis or hypnotherapy. There are no legally accredited institutions that grant such a degree. (There have in the past been unaccredited schools that put students through a program of hypnosis education and then granted a degree. While such degrees are imho more meaningful than the buy-it-online variety, they are legally the same.)

2. The individual in question lists his/her name as "Dr. Whoever, Ph.D" or even worse, "Dr. Whoever, RN, CHt, BCH, DCH, Ph.D." Real academics list only the highest or most applicable degree, and they realize that listing the title and the degree is redundant.

3. The individual in question claims to have multiple doctorates--I've seen one member of this site who claims to have seven.

4. The institution granting the degree is not listed anywhere in the individual's bio information.

5. The institution is listed, but it's a notorious diploma mill. If you have doubt, google the name of the institution.

BTW, my hat's off to members of the site who have earned real degrees, and especially to those with the good sense to use the titles only in the settings where they apply. You are a credit to our profession.

James

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Don Gibbons, Ph.D. on November 24, 2009 at 8:37am

I became fascinated by hypnosis when I hypnotized my first subject in the tenth grade, and went into psychology in order to understand what I had done. Couldn't do anything in hypnosis as an undergraduate psychology major, so I went to graduate school. Studied all the theories of learning and theories of personality that I could, and couldn't do anything on hypnosis in the Master's program in experimental psychology in which I was enrolled because my professors didn't understna it either. I submitted a research proposal to conduct a doctoral dissertation in hypnosis, and my advisor, who was very idealistic, was ready to allow it to be considered. But, knowing the fanatical behavioristic orientation of the department, I told my advisor that I was not going to pursue a hypnosis dissertation because it didn't happen to fit the Gestalt of the Deparment. He giggled at my pun, but made no other reply.

At my first teaching job at the University of Portland, I used to get kidded by one of my colleagues about having all these good-looking girls lining up outside my door for research projects in hypnosis. (He didn't say anything about the males, of course.) He wondered what ulterior motives I must have.

Poor guy -- he left himself open for that one. His research specialty was doing research on the effects of conditioned punishment in pigeons! And as soon as I facetiously referred to him as "Pigeon Punisher," I had made a mortal enemy.
(Again, my reserach did not fit the "Gestalt" of that department!)

The organisms upon which research is conducted most often are the laboratory rat and the college sophomore, because those are the two organisms most available to researchers. I transferred to the humanistic psychology program at West Georgia College, where I taught for ten years, and where I was able to conduct research and even teach graduate courses in hypnosis, where the bulk of my academic research was conducted.

+Now, as a licensed clinical psychologist in New Jersey, I can use hypnosis whenever I want to. But I had to pay a "pound of flesh" in order to get there! If you are planning to enter the field of hypnosis -- in teaching, reserach, or practice -- by getting a legitimate Ph.D., my advice is to test the waters first and see where you can go where you will find a congenial welcome.

Don

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by John R. Brochu on November 24, 2009 at 8:41am

Where were you awarded a PhD?

Don Gibbons, Ph.D. said:

I became fascinated by hypnosis when I hypnotized my first subject in the tenth grade, and went into psychology in order to understand what I had done. Couldn't do anything in hypnosis as an undergraduate psychology major, so I went to graduate school. Studied all the theories of learning and theories of personality that I could, and couldn't do anything on hypnosis in the Master's program in experimental psychology in which I was enrolled because my professors didn't understna it either. I submitted a research proposal to conduct a doctoral dissertation in hypnosis, and my advisor, who was very idealistic, was ready to allow it to be considered. But, knowing the fanatical behavioristic orientation of the department, I told my advisor that I was not going to pursue a hypnosis dissertation because it didn't happen to fit the Gestalt of the Deparment. He giggled at my pun, but made no other reply.

At my first teaching job at the University of Portland, I used to get kidded by one of my colleagues about having all these good-looking girls lining up outside my door for research projects in hypnosis. (He didn't say anything about the males, of course.) He wondered what ulterior motives I must have.

Poor guy -- he left himself open for that one. His research specialty was doing research on the effects of conditioned punishment in pigeons! And as soon as I facetiously referred to him as "Pigeon Punisher," I had made a mortal enemy.
(Again, my reserach did not fit the "Gestalt" of that department!)

The organisms upon which research is conducted most often are the laboratory rat and the college sophomore, because those are the two organisms most available to researchers. I transferred to the humanistic psychology program at West Georgia College, where I taught for ten years, and where I was able to conduct research and even teach graduate courses in hypnosis, where the bulk of my academic research was conducted.

+Now, as a licensed clinical psychologist in New Jersey, I can use hypnosis whenever I want to. But I had to pay a "pound of flesh" in order to get there! If you are planning to enter the field of hypnosis -- in teaching, reserach, or practice -- by getting a legitimate Ph.D., my advice is to test the waters first and see where you can go where you will find a congenial welcome.

Don

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by GIL BOYNE on November 25, 2009 at 6:14am

Hello Hugh, Congratulations are in order! You have the courage to tell it like it really is. I bought a Doctor of Clinical Hypnotherapy Degree for $ 8 USD (using a ficticious name) from an ad on Ebay. I show it to those in my classes to point out the facts of life. I know many who paid $8,000 USD for a list of books to read and received tests to be taken and since they were dazzled by the footwork of the school promoters and their own insecurity, they want to baffle the rest of us with bullshit as in "I really had to work hard to earn this degree" . They never mention that their were awarded up to five years of "College Credit" for their "Life Experiences". I can accept; "I really had to work hard to earn the money I pissed away on this degree"but nothing beyond that.
BTW--La Salle University in Metairie, Louisiana has been closed down.. .

Hugh Cole said:

A PhD is a certification that you know how to learn and how to study .. and ,,, that you have the discipline to do so. A PhD degree is awarded by a concensus of your peer scholars in an academically certified and recognized University that has a specialization in your field of study so that your peers are competant to review and comment on your work. A PhD thesis is a directed research study of an independant and significantly important aspect of your field of study. It is not always the thesis topic that is important, but your ability to do original research that is both accurate and independantly verified;
All that said.. it is quite possible to get an advanced degree with a specialization in Bullshit, You can attend any one of a number of internet distance learning universitys (with a Bullshit certification of course). Your peer reviewers must also be certified Bullshiters with a verifiable history of exceptional bullshiting ability (Plagarism helps, moneygrubbing is a plus, but not genuine evidence of Bullshiting capacity, it has to be something really exceptional like "These bullshit PhD's are worth something") One of the real "tell-tale" signitures of a Bullshit PhD degree is that the recipient thought so little of the degree that they let the University mail it to them or better still, downloaded it from the Internet,

Ok So you wanted to know about my degree.... I have a PhD in Organic Chemistry, I earned it from Rutgurs, the State University of New Jersey over years of hard and dedicated work. My family and friends flew in for the commencement. My thesis was reviewed by a someone who eventually went on to receive a Noble prize in Chemistry.
Parts of it were published in peer reviewed journals and compendiums..

Hugh Cole
The Pretty Goodest Hypnotist on the Planet
(who does know how to study and do research)

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by GIL BOYNE on November 25, 2009 at 6:48am

Like Dodge City in the old West, online education represents wide-open, wild country. In continuing education, career training or in any area where no professional standards exist, anyone can establish their own certification standards and open a spurious educational institution. Nobody can do much about it. Even the term university itself is not well defined or governed by any regulation in the United States, or around the world.
It's not much different on the Internet. There are few to no regulations controlling who can post what on the Web. Anyone who has the $20 fee can register and use an .edu domain name. Fraudulent organizations have established legitimate looking Web sites and polished brochures that show pictures of beautiful campuses with stately buildings.
It's no wonder that diploma mills, educational institutions that sell degrees with no or very little quality control, are proliferating. The advent of inexpensive laser printers, faxes, overnight delivery services, 800, 888, 877, and 500 telephone numbers, and the growth of the Internet, has made diploma mills a growth industry. The latest edition of "Bear's Guide to Earning Nontraditional Degrees," unavoidably includes 481 phony schools.
There are two kinds of diploma mills, those which offer low quality, specious programs or courses, and those that merely sell you a copy of a degree with your name on it.
A recent edition of "U.S. News & World Report" described the problems Margaret Chester encountered while getting her doctorate in health and human services at Columbia Pacific University. Based in San Rafael, California, the distance learning institution offered a self-paced curriculum that would allow Chester to earn her Ph.D. while working, raising a family, and tending a farm in rural Hawaii. Each student prepared a "learning contract" that defined his or her own path of independent study. There would be no classes or exams. Everything went smoothly at first. The 25 or so papers Chester wrote garnered good grades. But once she began preparing her dissertation, Chester began to worry. She said her faculty adviser rejected three proposals without providing meaningful advice. Upon finding that the school had operated without state approval to grant degrees, after much hard work and having already spent $8,600 in tuition alone, she withdrew.

In 1999, Louisiana shut down Columbia State University, a notorious degree mill that advertised in prestigious publications such as "The Economist" that students could earn "legal, accredited" degrees in 27 days. It also had a professional looking Web site and brochure, which showed pictures of a beautiful campus and stately buildings. The "official seal" shown on Page 5 of the brochure was never an accrediting agency. Columbia State's real "administrative office" was mailbox No.231 at Mailboxes Etc. in Metairie, Louisiana.

When the three thousand dollar "tuition" fees was received, orders were forwarded to a California office where "admissions officers" fielded calls and mailed out thousands of Columbia State Diplomas. Buyers of these bogus degrees included people from the highest levels. As reported on the Good Morning America show, the FBI found two staffers from the Clinton White House had purchased Columbia State degrees.
By the time of the shutdown, Louisiana officials estimated the school was taking in as much as $1 million a month from "students."
Columbia State's owner, Ronald Pellar, also know as Dr. Dante ( a hypnotist) and the seventh ex-husband of film star Lana Turner, was convicted under federal fair trade laws of running a fake cosmetology school in California in the early 1990's. He fled before being sentenced and is believed to be in Mexico.

Part 2: How Do These Bogus Campuses Survive?

Fraudulent educational institutions continue to proliferate. These diploma mills survive by operating in states with lax law governing schools, such as California, Utah, Hawaii and Louisiana. They assume identities of well-known schools or as "religious" organizations. Because of constitutional safeguards in the United States guarantee separation of church and state, most states have been reluctant to pass any laws restricting the activities of churches, including their right to grant degrees. John Bear has asked, "What about a school that requires a five page dissertation before awarding the Doctorate. Nobody seems to want the government stepping in to evaluate doctoral dissertations before permitting schools to grant degrees."

To further protect themselves and to take advantage of less rigorous laws, diploma mills often operate out of multiple political jurisdictions. Or they sell their products only in other states or other countries. Many degree mills operate from England selling their product only to people in other countries, primarily the United States, Africa, and Asia.

It is difficult to prove fraud. These operations immunize themselves from prosecution is by constantly acknowledging that they are diploma mills. These organizations do not obtain money under false pretenses by misleading "students" about what they are getting. The buyer knows they had done no real work. Often they know they had purchased a fraudulent product. The school usually admits up front that they are unaccredited. They give you everything promised.

The people buying these degrees are buying them for a purpose, either to get a promotion, change jobs, or to change careers. In many cases, they knowingly purchased the product, even though it was bogus.

It is very risky to buy a fake degree or to claim to have a degree that you have not earned. Eventually, the truth comes out resulting in dire consequences. Consumers with bogus degrees are liable to find themselves embarrassed professionally or even out of a job or, at worst, facing criminal charges. In Oregon, using a degree from a college the state doesn't recognize to land a job or gain a promotion is illegal.

Part 3: How To Protect Yourself

If you have any doubts about an online program:

Don't limit your research to classified ads or survey the Web in search of the right course or program.
See if the online school is accredited and by whom. Check to see if the accrediting agency is officially sanctioned. Lists are available from several accrediting organizations.
Check with licensing boards and professional associations to see if the program delivers an acceptable level of training.
Call or write the Better Business Bureau and the attorney general's office to make sure the school is operating legally in a state and to see if anyone has filed a complaint.
Find out if the school is connected to an established, reputable parent company.
If you intend to transfer any online credits earned to another college or university, early on check with that institution to see if they accept those credits.
Ask about the faculty? Who teaches the courses? What degrees do they have? What is their area of expertise?
Refer to the published guides of online, correspondence and other distance delivered courses.

Margaret Mannix. "Buyers, Be wary. Choosing Reputable Distance Learning Programs." U.S News & World Report, October 15, 2001, p68.
~ David W. Butler

Reprinted by permission of About.com Distance Learning (http://www.distancelearn.about.com).


What's the Pitch? How They Sell Their Fake Degrees
Have you ever wondered why people buy bogus degrees? Online diploma mills have to be slick. And they are. They often have professional-looking Web sites and brochures, which show pictures of a beautiful campus and stately buildings. Many send out over 1 million e-mails a day. Others degree mills advertise in prestigious magazines and newspapers. All of their promotions not only appear to be distinguished and established, but amazing claims help lure customers. When you talk to diploma mill "registrars' over the phone, they will deliver some or all of these twelve sales pitches:

Do you want a diploma without the dreary classes, droning profs and annoying exams?
You will obtain a prosperous future, money earning power, and the admiration of all
You can receive a diploma from our university based on your present knowledge and life experience.
There will be no required tests, classes, books or interviews.
Bachelor's, master's, MBA, and doctorate (Ph.D.) diplomas are available in the field of your choice.
"No one is ever turned down."
"$425 will certify you for a bachelor's degree from John Doe University."
You will receive your diploma within days.
With an additional payment of $75 in tuition, you will earn summa cum laude.
If you enroll today, we will send you your diploma, a laminated, wallet-sized replica of your diploma, honors of your choice, transcripts and letters of recommendation
You will receive unlimited support from us, including verification of your credentials to prospective employers.
What I can do for you is get you a full scholarship for your Master's Degree as long as you register this week. You will receive both a Bachelor's Degree AND a Master's degree, both for $1,200.
~ David W. Butler

Reprinted by permission of About.com Distance Learning (http://www.distancelearn.about.com).



How Fast Can I Get a Degree?

Undoubtedly, you’ve seen the flashy banner ads shouting, "Get ahead - earn your online degree FAST!", and emails bombarding your inbox proclaiming “a university diploma awaits - shipped in 2 weeks!" ...

Related Accreditation Resources

Research Accredited Online Degrees

About our Accredited Listings

Informational Article about Distance Learning Accreditation

Accrediting Agencies Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education



diploma mill

n. Informal
An unaccredited institution of higher education that grants degrees without ensuring that students are properly qualified.

Characteristics of a diploma mill:

They often have names similar to well-known colleges or universities.
The organization frequently changes address or has administrative offices housed in rented mailboxes. Numerical signs, like "No. 231," or "Suite 500," can be a giveaway.

Written material may have spelling errors, sometimes on the diploma itself.

Brochures and documents use pretentious language.

Overemphasis on affordability and the impact a degree will have on job prospects and self-esteem.

They usually show little or no selectivity in admissions (open door).

Faculty often have numerous degrees listed behind their names.

Little or no interaction with professors.

Degree requirements are few and often unspecified.

Degrees can be earned in far less time than normal (27 days to 12 months).

Tuition and fees are typically on a per-degree basis.

A student may be offered a discount for enrolling in several degree programs at once.

Arrangements can be made for the institution to deduct monthly payments from an individual's bank account.


Links to Info about Diploma Mills

Office of Degree Authorization: Official State of Oregon Website

Dr. John Bear's History of Degree Mills

Bill Huffman's Research on Diploma Mills

Universities To Watch Out For: The A-Z Lists

Accrediting Agencies Not Recognized Under GAAP

Factsheet: Important Questions about "Diploma Mills" and "Accreditation Mills" (PDF file)

















Everything that is ever achieved begins with HOPE!

GIL BOYNE said:

Hello Hugh, Congratulations are in order! You have the courage to tell it like it really is. I bought a Doctor of Clinical Hypnotherapy Degree for $ 8 USD (using a ficticious name) from an ad on Ebay. I show it to those in my classes to point out the facts of life. I know many who paid $8,000 USD for a list of books to read and received tests to be taken and since they were dazzled by the footwork of the school promoters and their own insecurity, they want to baffle the rest of us with bullshit as in "I really had to work hard to earn this degree" . They never mention that their were awarded up to five years of "College Credit" for their "Life Experiences". I can accept; "I really had to work hard to earn the money I pissed away on this degree"but nothing beyond that.
BTW--La Salle University in Metairie, Louisiana has been closed down.. . Hugh Cole said:

A PhD is a certification that you know how to learn and how to study .. and ,,, that you have the discipline to do so. A PhD degree is awarded by a concensus of your peer scholars in an academically certified and recognized University that has a specialization in your field of study so that your peers are competant to review and comment on your work. A PhD thesis is a directed research study of an independant and significantly important aspect of your field of study. It is not always the thesis topic that is important, but your ability to do original research that is both accurate and independantly verified;
All that said.. it is quite possible to get an advanced degree with a specialization in Bullshit, You can attend any one of a number of internet distance learning universitys (with a Bullshit certification of course). Your peer reviewers must also be certified Bullshiters with a verifiable history of exceptional bullshiting ability (Plagarism helps, moneygrubbing is a plus, but not genuine evidence of Bullshiting capacity, it has to be something really exceptional like "These bullshit PhD's are worth something") One of the real "tell-tale" signitures of a Bullshit PhD degree is that the recipient thought so little of the degree that they let the University mail it to them or better still, downloaded it from the Internet,

Ok So you wanted to know about my degree.... I have a PhD in Organic Chemistry, I earned it from Rutgurs, the State University of New Jersey over years of hard and dedicated work. My family and friends flew in for the commencement. My thesis was reviewed by a someone who eventually went on to receive a Noble prize in Chemistry.
Parts of it were published in peer reviewed journals and compendiums..

Hugh Cole
The Pretty Goodest Hypnotist on the Planet
(who does know how to study and do research)

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by John Maclean on November 25, 2009 at 7:14am

I always told my sons, "If you want to see the world from the top of the mountain, it is preferable to climb it first!"


GIL BOYNE said:

Like Dodge City in the old West, online education represents wide-open, wild country. In continuing education, career training or in any area where no professional standards exist, anyone can establish their own certification standards and open a spurious educational institution. Nobody can do much about it. Even the term university itself is not well defined or governed by any regulation in the United States, or around the world.
It's not much different on the Internet. There are few to no regulations controlling who can post what on the Web. Anyone who has the $20 fee can register and use an .edu domain name. Fraudulent organizations have established legitimate looking Web sites and polished brochures that show pictures of beautiful campuses with stately buildings.
It's no wonder that diploma mills, educational institutions that sell degrees with no or very little quality control, are proliferating. The advent of inexpensive laser printers, faxes, overnight delivery services, 800, 888, 877, and 500 telephone numbers, and the growth of the Internet, has made diploma mills a growth industry. The latest edition of "Bear's Guide to Earning Nontraditional Degrees," unavoidably includes 481 phony schools.
There are two kinds of diploma mills, those which offer low quality, specious programs or courses, and those that merely sell you a copy of a degree with your name on it.
A recent edition of "U.S. News & World Report" described the problems Margaret Chester encountered while getting her doctorate in health and human services at Columbia Pacific University. Based in San Rafael, California, the distance learning institution offered a self-paced curriculum that would allow Chester to earn her Ph.D. while working, raising a family, and tending a farm in rural Hawaii. Each student prepared a "learning contract" that defined his or her own path of independent study. There would be no classes or exams. Everything went smoothly at first. The 25 or so papers Chester wrote garnered good grades. But once she began preparing her dissertation, Chester began to worry. She said her faculty adviser rejected three proposals without providing meaningful advice. Upon finding that the school had operated without state approval to grant degrees, after much hard work and having already spent $8,600 in tuition alone, she withdrew.

In 1999, Louisiana shut down Columbia State University, a notorious degree mill that advertised in prestigious publications such as "The Economist" that students could earn "legal, accredited" degrees in 27 days. It also had a professional looking Web site and brochure, which showed pictures of a beautiful campus and stately buildings. The "official seal" shown on Page 5 of the brochure was never an accrediting agency. Columbia State's real "administrative office" was mailbox No.231 at Mailboxes Etc. in Metairie, Louisiana.

When the three thousand dollar "tuition" fees was received, orders were forwarded to a California office where "admissions officers" fielded calls and mailed out thousands of Columbia State Diplomas. Buyers of these bogus degrees included people from the highest levels. As reported on the Good Morning America show, the FBI found two staffers from the Clinton White House had purchased Columbia State degrees.
By the time of the shutdown, Louisiana officials estimated the school was taking in as much as $1 million a month from "students."
Columbia State's owner, Ronald Pellar, also know as Dr. Dante ( a hypnotist) and the seventh ex-husband of film star Lana Turner, was convicted under federal fair trade laws of running a fake cosmetology school in California in the early 1990's. He fled before being sentenced and is believed to be in Mexico.

Part 2: How Do These Bogus Campuses Survive?

Fraudulent educational institutions continue to proliferate. These diploma mills survive by operating in states with lax law governing schools, such as California, Utah, Hawaii and Louisiana. They assume identities of well-known schools or as "religious" organizations. Because of constitutional safeguards in the United States guarantee separation of church and state, most states have been reluctant to pass any laws restricting the activities of churches, including their right to grant degrees. John Bear has asked, "What about a school that requires a five page dissertation before awarding the Doctorate. Nobody seems to want the government stepping in to evaluate doctoral dissertations before permitting schools to grant degrees."

To further protect themselves and to take advantage of less rigorous laws, diploma mills often operate out of multiple political jurisdictions. Or they sell their products only in other states or other countries. Many degree mills operate from England selling their product only to people in other countries, primarily the United States, Africa, and Asia.

It is difficult to prove fraud. These operations immunize themselves from prosecution is by constantly acknowledging that they are diploma mills. These organizations do not obtain money under false pretenses by misleading "students" about what they are getting. The buyer knows they had done no real work. Often they know they had purchased a fraudulent product. The school usually admits up front that they are unaccredited. They give you everything promised.

The people buying these degrees are buying them for a purpose, either to get a promotion, change jobs, or to change careers. In many cases, they knowingly purchased the product, even though it was bogus.

It is very risky to buy a fake degree or to claim to have a degree that you have not earned. Eventually, the truth comes out resulting in dire consequences. Consumers with bogus degrees are liable to find themselves embarrassed professionally or even out of a job or, at worst, facing criminal charges. In Oregon, using a degree from a college the state doesn't recognize to land a job or gain a promotion is illegal.

Part 3: How To Protect Yourself

If you have any doubts about an online program:

Don't limit your research to classified ads or survey the Web in search of the right course or program.
See if the online school is accredited and by whom. Check to see if the accrediting agency is officially sanctioned. Lists are available from several accrediting organizations.
Check with licensing boards and professional associations to see if the program delivers an acceptable level of training.
Call or write the Better Business Bureau and the attorney general's office to make sure the school is operating legally in a state and to see if anyone has filed a complaint.
Find out if the school is connected to an established, reputable parent company.
If you intend to transfer any online credits earned to another college or university, early on check with that institution to see if they accept those credits.
Ask about the faculty? Who teaches the courses? What degrees do they have? What is their area of expertise?
Refer to the published guides of online, correspondence and other distance delivered courses.

Margaret Mannix. "Buyers, Be wary. Choosing Reputable Distance Learning Programs." U.S News & World Report, October 15, 2001, p68.
~ David W. Butler

Reprinted by permission of About.com Distance Learning (http://www.distancelearn.about.com).


What's the Pitch? How They Sell Their Fake Degrees
Have you ever wondered why people buy bogus degrees? Online diploma mills have to be slick. And they are. They often have professional-looking Web sites and brochures, which show pictures of a beautiful campus and stately buildings. Many send out over 1 million e-mails a day. Others degree mills advertise in prestigious magazines and newspapers. All of their promotions not only appear to be distinguished and established, but amazing claims help lure customers. When you talk to diploma mill "registrars' over the phone, they will deliver some or all of these twelve sales pitches:

Do you want a diploma without the dreary classes, droning profs and annoying exams?
You will obtain a prosperous future, money earning power, and the admiration of all
You can receive a diploma from our university based on your present knowledge and life experience.
There will be no required tests, classes, books or interviews.
Bachelor's, master's, MBA, and doctorate (Ph.D.) diplomas are available in the field of your choice.
"No one is ever turned down."
"$425 will certify you for a bachelor's degree from John Doe University."
You will receive your diploma within days.
With an additional payment of $75 in tuition, you will earn summa cum laude.
If you enroll today, we will send you your diploma, a laminated, wallet-sized replica of your diploma, honors of your choice, transcripts and letters of recommendation
You will receive unlimited support from us, including verification of your credentials to prospective employers.
What I can do for you is get you a full scholarship for your Master's Degree as long as you register this week. You will receive both a Bachelor's Degree AND a Master's degree, both for $1,200.
~ David W. Butler

Reprinted by permission of About.com Distance Learning (http://www.distancelearn.about.com).



How Fast Can I Get a Degree?

Undoubtedly, you’ve seen the flashy banner ads shouting, "Get ahead - earn your online degree FAST!", and emails bombarding your inbox proclaiming “a university diploma awaits - shipped in 2 weeks!" ...

Related Accreditation Resources

Research Accredited Online Degrees

About our Accredited Listings

Informational Article about Distance Learning Accreditation

Accrediting Agencies Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education



diploma mill

n. Informal
An unaccredited institution of higher education that grants degrees without ensuring that students are properly qualified.

Characteristics of a diploma mill:

They often have names similar to well-known colleges or universities.
The organization frequently changes address or has administrative offices housed in rented mailboxes. Numerical signs, like "No. 231," or "Suite 500," can be a giveaway.

Written material may have spelling errors, sometimes on the diploma itself.

Brochures and documents use pretentious language.

Overemphasis on affordability and the impact a degree will have on job prospects and self-esteem.

They usually show little or no selectivity in admissions (open door).

Faculty often have numerous degrees listed behind their names.

Little or no interaction with professors.

Degree requirements are few and often unspecified.

Degrees can be earned in far less time than normal (27 days to 12 months).

Tuition and fees are typically on a per-degree basis.

A student may be offered a discount for enrolling in several degree programs at once.

Arrangements can be made for the institution to deduct monthly payments from an individual's bank account.


Links to Info about Diploma Mills

Office of Degree Authorization: Official State of Oregon Website

Dr. John Bear's History of Degree Mills

Bill Huffman's Research on Diploma Mills

Universities To Watch Out For: The A-Z Lists

Accrediting Agencies Not Recognized Under GAAP

Factsheet: Important Questions about "Diploma Mills" and "Accreditation Mills" (PDF file)

















Everything that is ever achieved begins with HOPE!

GIL BOYNE said:

Hello Hugh, Congratulations are in order! You have the courage to tell it like it really is. I bought a Doctor of Clinical Hypnotherapy Degree for $ 8 USD (using a ficticious name) from an ad on Ebay. I show it to those in my classes to point out the facts of life. I know many who paid $8,000 USD for a list of books to read and received tests to be taken and since they were dazzled by the footwork of the school promoters and their own insecurity, they want to baffle the rest of us with bullshit as in "I really had to work hard to earn this degree" . They never mention that their were awarded up to five years of "College Credit" for their "Life Experiences". I can accept; "I really had to work hard to earn the money I pissed away on this degree"but nothing beyond that.
BTW--La Salle University in Metairie, Louisiana has been closed down.. . Hugh Cole said:

A PhD is a certification that you know how to learn and how to study .. and ,,, that you have the discipline to do so. A PhD degree is awarded by a concensus of your peer scholars in an academically certified and recognized University that has a specialization in your field of study so that your peers are competant to review and comment on your work. A PhD thesis is a directed research study of an independant and significantly important aspect of your field of study. It is not always the thesis topic that is important, but your ability to do original research that is both accurate and independantly verified;
All that said.. it is quite possible to get an advanced degree with a specialization in Bullshit, You can attend any one of a number of internet distance learning universitys (with a Bullshit certification of course). Your peer reviewers must also be certified Bullshiters with a verifiable history of exceptional bullshiting ability (Plagarism helps, moneygrubbing is a plus, but not genuine evidence of Bullshiting capacity, it has to be something really exceptional like "These bullshit PhD's are worth something") One of the real "tell-tale" signitures of a Bullshit PhD degree is that the recipient thought so little of the degree that they let the University mail it to them or better still, downloaded it from the Internet,

Ok So you wanted to know about my degree.... I have a PhD in Organic Chemistry, I earned it from Rutgurs, the State University of New Jersey over years of hard and dedicated work. My family and friends flew in for the commencement. My thesis was reviewed by a someone who eventually went on to receive a Noble prize in Chemistry.
Parts of it were published in peer reviewed journals and compendiums..

Hugh Cole
The Pretty Goodest Hypnotist on the Planet
(who does know how to study and do research)

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Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig on November 25, 2009 at 8:14am

Just as an historical point, Leshem--

Physicians began calling themselves doctors and invented the "medical doctor" degree in order to improve their image and demonstrate the same level of education that university scholars had attained. The "Doctor of Philosophy" degree preceded the MD.

James

Leshem Yosef said:

HI
There are 3 kinds of PhDs and non of them is M.D. so any way they don’t give you the power to treat and heal as a doctor it's only bring you more respect and clients as they trust you more as knowledgeable person
1. The academic 7-9 years not easy to get.
2. Legit PhDs from any registered university in the world that have government accreditation from any country –you can carry the name doctor but only to promote your biz but no government institution will take you to work with them because of your doctorate.
You can get doctorate like this in the natural healing department[ Hypnotherapy could full on this category ] . You will need to learn and have your hours and knowledge but you can do it accelerated.
3. Fake PhDs and then you risk your neck to get a low suit and its better to skip this one.
yosef


Conrad Cook said:

John R. Brochu said:

It seems that our industry is not immune to the fabulous fakes that are misrepresenting themselves to their clients and the world.

So it should be a good business, if you can break into it.

In truth, I'm pretty ambivalent about *legitimate* degrees -- having known a few Ph.D.s who didn't have all that good judgement, and so on.

But you can't make assumptions either way. There was a guy online whose Ph.D. I assumed was fake, but it turned out to be legit. In psychology, no less. Still kind of a jerk, though.

Conrad.

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Permalink Reply by Don Gibbons, Ph.D. on November 25, 2009 at 8:24am

Got the M.A. and Ph.D. at Claremont Graduate School (now Claremont Graduate University), 1964 and 1968 respectively. But it's changed so much since then that I wouldn't want to characterize the Department now. (Don't even recognize the names in the alumni Newsletter that they send me with ever-increasing regularity as I get older, hoping that I will remember them in my will.) Don.

John R. Brochu said:

Where were you awarded a PhD?

Don Gibbons, Ph.D. said:

I became fascinated by hypnosis when I hypnotized my first subject in the tenth grade, and went into psychology in order to understand what I had done. Couldn't do anything in hypnosis as an undergraduate psychology major, so I went to graduate school. Studied all the theories of learning and theories of personality that I could, and couldn't do anything on hypnosis in the Master's program in experimental psychology in which I was enrolled because my professors didn't understna it either. I submitted a research proposal to conduct a doctoral dissertation in hypnosis, and my advisor, who was very idealistic, was ready to allow it to be considered. But, knowing the fanatical behavioristic orientation of the department, I told my advisor that I was not going to pursue a hypnosis dissertation because it didn't happen to fit the Gestalt of the Deparment. He giggled at my pun, but made no other reply.

At my first teaching job at the University of Portland, I used to get kidded by one of my colleagues about having all these good-looking girls lining up outside my door for research projects in hypnosis. (He didn't say anything about the males, of course.) He wondered what ulterior motives I must have.

Poor guy -- he left himself open for that one. His research specialty was doing research on the effects of conditioned punishment in pigeons! And as soon as I facetiously referred to him as "Pigeon Punisher," I had made a mortal enemy.
(Again, my reserach did not fit the "Gestalt" of that department!)

The organisms upon which research is conducted most often are the laboratory rat and the college sophomore, because those are the two organisms most available to researchers. I transferred to the humanistic psychology program at West Georgia College, where I taught for ten years, and where I was able to conduct research and even teach graduate courses in hypnosis, where the bulk of my academic research was conducted.

+Now, as a licensed clinical psychologist in New Jersey, I can use hypnosis whenever I want to. But I had to pay a "pound of flesh" in order to get there! If you are planning to enter the field of hypnosis -- in teaching, reserach, or practice -- by getting a legitimate Ph.D., my advice is to test the waters first and see where you can go where you will find a congenial welcome.

Don

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Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig on November 25, 2009 at 8:43am

Don,

Can you comment on how a psychology student interested in hypnosis would be received in the current day?

Thanks,

James

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Permalink Reply by Roy Hunter on November 25, 2009 at 9:55am

I received an honorary PhD for lifetime achievement in hypnotherapy, but I still use only the "M.S." that I earned (and Fellow of APHP, or FAPHP).

Roy Hunter, M.S., FAPHP
www.royhunter.com

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