Degree Mills ... dog earns MBA

One of my concerns about online learning relates to the idea that anyone with a computer and a dishonest nature can set up a 'university' and there will always be some unsuspecting student who will buy-in. Now I know Melanie's cat has been checking out the cost of DE courses - but that was all in the spirit of market research! This was posted on GetEducated.com ... dog earns online MBA


GetEducated's mascot, pug Chester Ludlow, is the proud recipient of an online MBA, "earned" from Rochville University for the sum of $499.

Rochville advertises that it will award degrees based on "life and career experience." Rochville apparently did not investigate Chester's career claims (such as running the "Wolf it Down Diner") very carefully. Instead, one week after Chester submitted his application (and payment), a package arrived from Dubai with Chester's diploma, grade transcripts, and even a window decal for his car. (Don't worry - Chester is forbidden from driving.)

"Degree mills represent a billion dollar industry worldwide," says GetEducated CEO Vicky Phillips. "If you define a degree mill as any agency willing to award educational credentials without concern as to whether or not learning actually occurred, then it appears Chester the pug has been the victim of a degree mill."

Chester is starring in a short film about his educational adventures: "Dog Earns Online MBA: A Cautionary Tail." In this video, Chester and his sidekick Bixby, a rescue puggle, dramatize the canine quest for credible online education.

To help combat credential fraud, GetEducated.com operates a free service, The Diploma Mill Police. This service allows consumers to verify the accreditation status of any online college. It also helps employers screen resumes for fraudulent college credentials.