As it turns out, a few people seem to think their is some kind of controversy regarding a few specific credentials I have earned. A couple of them seem to believe that I have been intentionally deceptive with regards to my education. Rather than asking me about it though, they have chosen to secretly and anonymously slander me among themselves and toward my colleagues, which is a serious lack of professionalism. I doubt they are prepared to hear an explanation anyway. I'm not even sure why this remains an issue for these people. It has been literally years since I identified the credentials in question and even then, it was a very brief period of time in which I did. It's nonsense as far as I'm concerned but I'm preparing this page for anyone who feels they have some kind of interest in the matter. It's a shame we live in such a witch-hunt society!
Here's the facts:
The fact is that I did work through and complete B.S., M.A. and Ph.D. programs. As it turns out, some people perceive the credibility of these schools to be low. That would be fine in fact if anyone chooses to view them as not particularly prestigious, but some people incorrectly claim that they are fake, something that is simply untrue. The degrees are perfectly legal but some people believe that without accreditation from an agency that is approved by the U.S. Department of Education, the school is necessarily "fake" or of low quality/credibility and that identifying the earning of such degrees constitutes a misrepresentation. They are conflating lack of accreditation from an agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education with a "diploma mill degree," but this is a mistaken conflation.
For anyone who cares, here's how I chose the schools and programs of study I did. I was looking to further my education with a school that would meet the following necessary criteria:
- Distance format;
- Allows me to work at my own pace (I work best at a fast pace and momentum helps keep me motivated);
- Did not sell "fake" degrees;
- Did not allow harmful experimentation on animals.
I looked at a number of schools and finally choose the ones I did. These were American schools and I am Canadian. Here in Canada (as in many other countries, Australia for example), there is no such thing as a university without government approved accreditation and even our least prestigious universities are excellent. Here (and many other places), if a university exists, then it is fully accredited and there is only one accreditation, the one required by the Canadian government. I was not aware that this was different in the United States but I did my research and heard of such things as "diploma mills" but these are "schools" that sell the degrees or award them for so-called "life-experience," wherein there is no actual coursework. I rejected any such school from consideration in my search for more formal education.
I read the information on the school web sites and on the department of education web site. They explained that accreditation is completely voluntary in the United States. The schools I was considering did have some form of accreditation, just not this voluntary U.S. Department of Education approved agency accreditation. Since I took this from the Department of Education web site, I had no reason to believe anyone would have such a vitriolic attitude toward them. I also contacted the relevant State Departments of Education on the matter. I was assured of the following:
1. that the schools were licensed as required,
2. that accreditation is completely voluntary,
3. that the degrees were perfectly legal and
4. that the government, while making a (positive) claim about the credibility of schools with this accreditation, they make no claim regarding whether a "non-accredited" (or "alternatively accredited") school is credible or not.
I was warned on the other hand to avoid the so called "diploma mills" that sold fake degrees. Given this, I ensured that any school I considered was not one of these "diploma mills" that I was warned about.
That's the information I proceeded with in deciding whether to enroll. I'm not making excuses because, as I understand it, I was not incorrect in my research on the issue. Those who would claim the degrees are fake would seem to be incorrect and perhaps seeking some other agenda I am unaware of.
Here is information on the programs:
The B.S. in "Psychology" program I completed was through Canyon College and the specific courses I took can be seen in my bio page. The program web page is at: http://www.canyoncollege.edu/b~psychology.htm. 100% coursework; no so called life experience credit.
CS-475 Crisis Intervention
PY-330 Educational Psychology
PY-340 General Psychology
SW-360 Professional Ethics
PY-460 Diagnostic Techniques
PY-465 Biological Psychology
PY-478 Statistics and Research Methods
CS-490 Introduction to Psychotherapy and Counseling
PY-439 Comparative Psychology
PY-435 Abnormal Psychology
The M.A. in "Counseling Psychology" program that I completed was through Canyon College also and the specific courses I took can be seen on my bio page. The program web page can be found at: http://www.canyoncollege.edu/m~psychology.htm. 100% coursework; no so called life experience credit.
PY-538 Learning Theories
CS-587 Death and Dying
PY-530 Cognitive Psychology
PY-590 Psychopathology
PY-535 Theories of Personality
PY-545 Tests and Measurements
CS-520 Ethics for Counselors
PY-528 Research and Evaluation
PY-523 Human Development
CS-530 Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy
PY-520 Ethics for Psychologists
CS-532 Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy
The Ph.D. in "Comparative Psychology" program I completed was through Breyer State University. It was the Doctoral "Degree Completion Program" that looks a little different now than it did then, but it can be seen at: http://www.breyerstate.com/degree-completion-doctoral.htm. 100% coursework; no so-called life experience credit.
PSY-993 Philosophy of Self
SD-840 Animal Behavior
SD-880 Learning Theory and Behavior Modification
SD-900 Separation Anxiety in Companion Dogs
SD-930 (Specialty Symposium) Aggression in Companion Dogs
Dissertation proposal
Dissertation program
I did not utilize any so called "life experience," or "prior learning," ensuring that I participated in each and every required course. I did in fact meet all of my learning objectives. I studied hard and learned the course topics (which you can see above) well. This contributed to my existing expertise and I built on this to continue to learn about the field in which I work. These were standard university level courses. I read all the textbooks and the course lecture notes and I wrote all the essays and did all the research and exams. In taking highly credible and fully standard accredited university courses since then, I can say that the courses were pretty much the same. The depth and workload were very similar and I learned just as much from these courses as I have been from my courses through the more prestigious school I am now attending. Some of these critics have asked what credentials I have in order to do what I do, implying I need some, but nothing I do professionally requires these or any other credentials. I have also heard it said that it is said that I did not complete the Ph.D. program. I did indeed complete the program and I have the transcripts and diplomas to prove it and the school would obviously confirm it.
It was not until a little while after I completed the final program that I was approached with concerns about the credibility of schools with alternative accreditation. They referred to schools without accreditation from an agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education as "nonaccredited," fraudulent, illegal or fake. It is a vocal, vitriolic and hostile minority opinion. This highly aversive attack motivated escape behaviors, as aversive stimulation always does. I immediately discontinued "using" the degrees. I removed them from every source I could and adjusted my bio etc. It was a brief period of time that I "used" the degree letters after my name and included them in my bio. I dropped all reference to the "degrees," and made every effort to remove reference to them from every source I could. And again, I did not have to do this. I did so in order to escape the hostile aversive attacks and because I simply have no interest in anyone feeling deceived. Nor should that action be interpreted as admitting there is anything illegitimate about them; there is not, but who needs hate mail right?
Maybe this minority of outspoken critics is misinformed and unjustifiably elitist or maybe I was gullible in some way (although I cannot see how). It's hard to say which at this point and I'm sick and tired of wasting my time trying to figure it out.
Before I conclude, I will reiterate the facts:
Accreditation by an agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education is completely voluntary.
The Department of Education makes no claims regarding the credibility of schools that do not possess this form of accreditation; they simply make a claim regarding the credibility of schools with it.
The schools and the degrees are completely legal.
None of that has anything to do with me; that is the American education system. If you believe this policy in some way deteriorates the meaning of accredited degrees or whatever, this is a case to take up with the U.S. government. Let me be absolutely clear. The courses and programs I took, more so with Canyon College than Breyer State, were standard university courses with credible professors and involved all coursework and no life experience at all. I did complete these courses and programs as they are described and I achieved the requisite learning objectives. So, as for the claim that it is illegal or fake, this is simply not the case. That they are necessarily of low quality or credibility is not even established. If you feel they are not evidence of a high degree of competence, fine.
James O'Heare
P.S. I appreciate the support of friends and colleagues who know me and my dedication to ethical conduct and who appreciate the predicament I found myself in. For those who would carry on an aversive campaign to harm me over this, please, I am a real person and I never tried to hurt anyone. In fact, I have dedicated my life to minimizing harm through my advocacy for animal rights and non-aversive methods in training. I have real feelings and it hurts to have my character called into question. I'm begging you, can we just please drop this. ~ James