Why would anybody wants to buy a degree? Some wants it for status, especially a Masters or a PhD, without having to go through the normal route which takes a much longer time. Most do not have the basic qualifications to gain entry into accredited universities for a degree course, let alone a post-graduate one. If you are rich enough to start a university yourself, you can easily get a honorary Doctorate or even a Professorship from your own.
Preston University (United States) seem a popular choice for those who want to take a short route to a Masters or even a PhD.
According to Wikipedia:
"Preston University is a private for-profit unaccredited institution that offers a variety of academic degree programs by distance learning. Preston was originally based in Wyoming and in 2007 was based in Alabama. As of 2012, Preston identified Los Angeles, California as its base of operations.[1][2][3]
Preston University is owned by Dr. Abdul Basit.[4]
About 30 affiliated campuses throughout the world were listed by Preston.[5] A number of degree programs ranging from associate to Ph.D. in a variety of disciplines were offered.[6] As of August 2012, the Oregon Office of Degree Authorization reported that the university was operated from Pakistan, had formerly operated in Wyoming and Alabama in the United States, had been active in Nepal in 2009, also had a presence in Dubai, and used several different institutional names in several world regions.[7]"
For more on its history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_University_(United_States)
According to a Straits Times report, 'Preston Uni a degree mill? Judge for yourself' on September 8, 2008:
"THE Straits Times yesterday made it clear that it was not about to apologise to Preston University for telling its readers the truth about its credentials - or rather, its lack thereof.
Said editor Han Fook Kwang: 'We stand by our story. I am satisfied that our journalist was accurate in her reporting of Preston University.'
In newspaper advertisements it took out yesterday, Preston University Chancellor Dr Jerry Haenisch confirmed that the university had no accreditation from any US Department of Education body - 'but, a degree mill, absolutely not'.
It did not apply for accreditation, he said, as 'the restrictive nature of the US accreditation system precludes widespread international operations'.
The term - degree or diploma mill - has been used by United States government bodies and newspapers round the world to refer to 'substandard or fraudulent colleges that offer potential students degrees with little or no serious work'. They range from those which are simple frauds: a mailbox to which people send money in exchange for paper that purports to be a college degree to those that require some nominal work from the student but do not require college-level course work that is normally required for a degree.
Preston was taking issue with an ST article on Aug 29 by journalist Sandra Davie, headlined 'At least 218 here have off-the-shelf degrees'. She reported that Preston University was an unaccredited institution and dubbed a degree mill in the US.
Two Singaporeans who graduated from the university were also named, including an options trading expert who said he submitted a thesis and was granted a doctorate within 16 months. He paid $18,000 in fees.
On average, it takes four to six years to earn a doctorate degree from an accredited university."
More: http://news.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20080906-86167.html
From a forum discussion:
"Just because a school is State-licensed in Alabama doesn't mean its degrees are generally acceptable for employment there. I think the prevailing attitude is something like "heck, we let 'em SELL these degrees - they bought a license! They're legal all right - we made 'em legal - but we sure don't want to give any jobs or promotions to folks that are dumb enough to BUY 'em!"
I knew we'd discussed Preston before. This place is "trolling" for students overseas. Preston wants them to think they're being offered legit, proper American degrees - while these are totally unaccredited and have a poor reputation abroad. Preston is known to be active in Southeast Asia, South Asia (Pakistan) and Arab countries. I'd read somewhere they are on the Pakistani Higher Education Commission's "fraud list" of schools whose degrees are unacceptable there.
Here's a thread from an unhappy camper in Cambodia. There are others. One thing that got Preston slammed pretty badly, at one point, was the discovery they were pretending that certain professors (who never worked for them) were on the faculty. "
Source: http://online.degree.net/accredited-unaccredited-state-approved-diploma-mill/t-any-body-know-about-preston-university-2148.html
After all that, it is best to judge for yourself whether someone who has qualifications from Preston University is worthy of them. But if the employer happens to be political leaders appointing their strong supporters to head GLCs, then such 'qualifications' might at least look good on paper to impress people of their so-called credentials. All they are interested in is to fool some people some of the time.
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Preston University (United States) seem a popular choice for those who want to take a short route to a Masters or even a PhD.
According to Wikipedia:
"Preston University is a private for-profit unaccredited institution that offers a variety of academic degree programs by distance learning. Preston was originally based in Wyoming and in 2007 was based in Alabama. As of 2012, Preston identified Los Angeles, California as its base of operations.[1][2][3]
Preston University is owned by Dr. Abdul Basit.[4]
About 30 affiliated campuses throughout the world were listed by Preston.[5] A number of degree programs ranging from associate to Ph.D. in a variety of disciplines were offered.[6] As of August 2012, the Oregon Office of Degree Authorization reported that the university was operated from Pakistan, had formerly operated in Wyoming and Alabama in the United States, had been active in Nepal in 2009, also had a presence in Dubai, and used several different institutional names in several world regions.[7]"
For more on its history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_University_(United_States)
According to a Straits Times report, 'Preston Uni a degree mill? Judge for yourself' on September 8, 2008:
"THE Straits Times yesterday made it clear that it was not about to apologise to Preston University for telling its readers the truth about its credentials - or rather, its lack thereof.
Said editor Han Fook Kwang: 'We stand by our story. I am satisfied that our journalist was accurate in her reporting of Preston University.'
In newspaper advertisements it took out yesterday, Preston University Chancellor Dr Jerry Haenisch confirmed that the university had no accreditation from any US Department of Education body - 'but, a degree mill, absolutely not'.
It did not apply for accreditation, he said, as 'the restrictive nature of the US accreditation system precludes widespread international operations'.
The term - degree or diploma mill - has been used by United States government bodies and newspapers round the world to refer to 'substandard or fraudulent colleges that offer potential students degrees with little or no serious work'. They range from those which are simple frauds: a mailbox to which people send money in exchange for paper that purports to be a college degree to those that require some nominal work from the student but do not require college-level course work that is normally required for a degree.
Preston was taking issue with an ST article on Aug 29 by journalist Sandra Davie, headlined 'At least 218 here have off-the-shelf degrees'. She reported that Preston University was an unaccredited institution and dubbed a degree mill in the US.
Two Singaporeans who graduated from the university were also named, including an options trading expert who said he submitted a thesis and was granted a doctorate within 16 months. He paid $18,000 in fees.
On average, it takes four to six years to earn a doctorate degree from an accredited university."
More: http://news.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20080906-86167.html
From a forum discussion:
"Just because a school is State-licensed in Alabama doesn't mean its degrees are generally acceptable for employment there. I think the prevailing attitude is something like "heck, we let 'em SELL these degrees - they bought a license! They're legal all right - we made 'em legal - but we sure don't want to give any jobs or promotions to folks that are dumb enough to BUY 'em!"
I knew we'd discussed Preston before. This place is "trolling" for students overseas. Preston wants them to think they're being offered legit, proper American degrees - while these are totally unaccredited and have a poor reputation abroad. Preston is known to be active in Southeast Asia, South Asia (Pakistan) and Arab countries. I'd read somewhere they are on the Pakistani Higher Education Commission's "fraud list" of schools whose degrees are unacceptable there.
Here's a thread from an unhappy camper in Cambodia. There are others. One thing that got Preston slammed pretty badly, at one point, was the discovery they were pretending that certain professors (who never worked for them) were on the faculty. "
Source: http://online.degree.net/accredited-unaccredited-state-approved-diploma-mill/t-any-body-know-about-preston-university-2148.html
After all that, it is best to judge for yourself whether someone who has qualifications from Preston University is worthy of them. But if the employer happens to be political leaders appointing their strong supporters to head GLCs, then such 'qualifications' might at least look good on paper to impress people of their so-called credentials. All they are interested in is to fool some people some of the time.
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