Gourt > Society > Issues > Education > Diploma Mills
A diploma mill (also known as a degree mill) is an organization which awards academic degrees and diplomas with very little or no academic study and without recognition by official accrediting bodies. Webster’s Third New International Dictionary defines a diploma mill as "An institution of higher education operating without supervision of a state or professional agency and granting diplomas which are either fraudulent or because of the lack of proper standards worthless."* Such organizations are unaccredited, but they often claim accreditation by non-recognized/unapproved organizations set up for the purposes of providing a veneer of authenticity.
Common attributes of diploma mills
Diploma mills often have names that are deliberately chosen to sound confusingly similar to prestigious accredited institutions (preventing such confusion is the purpose of trademark law, but the mills strive to avoid barely this legal recourse). They often claim to be accredited, even when they are not. Some even go to the lengths of inventing their own accreditation organizations to endorse them, complete with superficially convincing websites modeled on those of real accreditation organizations. The more elaborate operations come complete with services such as transcripts with online and telephone verification for potential employers investigating an individual's credentials.
Moreover, some diploma mills are "licensed" as businesses and this term is then misused by the institution to imply government "approval" or accreditation. However, just because a college is licensed this does not make it legitimate.*
More on [ Diploma mill ]
Computer Ethics
Distance Learning :: Education
Plagiarism :: Academic Dishonesty
Stop diploma mills- have people earn educations: http://www.hep.uiuc.edu/home/g-gollin/higher_education.html
FormandFuncFest (FormandFunctionFest) Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:37:49 -0000
Stop diploma mills- have people earn educations: http://www.hep.uiuc.edu/home/g-gollin/higher_education.html
From Wired mag: Every year, diploma mills sell as many doctoral degrees as are awarded by real universities.
haplologist (haplologist) Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:48:53 -0000
From Wired mag: Every year, diploma mills sell as many doctoral degrees as are awarded by real universities.
The Atlantic's Megan McArdle on government service and diploma mills http://bit.ly/8hTmYi
annaivey (annaivey) Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:51:02 -0000
The Atlantic's Megan McArdle on government service and diploma mills http://bit.ly/8hTmYi
RT @walterolson: How govt regs encourage diploma mills [Megan McArdle] http://is.gd/5pl1w
timothy_watson (Timothy Watson) Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:41:20 -0000
RT @walterolson: How govt regs encourage diploma mills [Megan McArdle] http://is.gd/5pl1w
How govt regs encourage diploma mills [Megan McArdle] http://is.gd/5pl1w
walterolson (Walter Olson) Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:02:36 -0000
How govt regs encourage diploma mills [Megan McArdle] http://is.gd/5pl1w
@ricksanchezcnn regulation is so politicized, gov't doesn't act when watchdogs send warning flags, ie Fannie, Madoff, college diploma mills
RIGHTone (L) Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:12:13 -0000
@ricksanchezcnn regulation is so politicized, gov't doesn't act when watchdogs send warning flags, ie Fannie, Madoff, college diploma mills
Associated Press: Online University that Gave Cat Diploma Sued for Fraud - An online university that supposedly granted a graduate degree in business to a pet cat was sued Monday for consumer fraud by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.
Meta Description: [ HARRISBURG, Pa. - An online university that supposedly granted a graduate degree in business to a pet cat was sued Monday for consumer fraud by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office. ]
Avoid Fake-Degree Burns By Researching Academic Credentials - US Federal Trade Commission advice on identifying legitimate schools and assessing a job applicant's claimed academic credentials.
Meta Description: [ A publication for hiring managers and human resources professionals with information on the Department of Education's database of legitimate schools and other tools to help assess academic credentials. The publication also identifies 'red flags' that indicate a job applicants' claimed academic cr... ]
Degree.net - Diploma Mills - Gives information on how diploma mills operate. Includes a list of the ways that consumers and employers are victimized.
Meta Description: [ Learn about - Fake university Degree | Fake Degree | Degree Mill | Feature: Diploma Mills and find out more about accredited online college and university degree by distant learning for bachelor master and doctorate ]
Diploma Mills - Information on diploma mills from the Oregon Office of Degree Authorization. Includes a list of institutions which are known to be diploma mills.
Meta Description: [ Oregon Office of Degree Authorization ]
Diploma Mills: Fraud in Higher Education - Gives information on the history and operating methods of diploma mills. It also defines terms and offers related links.
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Fortune's Ask Annie - How to Spot a Fake Diploma - A few tips on detecting phony sheepskins.
Meta Description: [ Business and financial news delivered throughout the day along with investing, financial, CEO, technology, and company information and trends, including FORTUNE lists and corporate snapshots. ]
General Delivery University - This is a parody site which shows how easy it is to set up a diploma mill. Includes course catalog and the ability to download a diploma.
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How to Recognize Bogus Diploma Mill Schools - Offers advice to military personnel on recognizing the providers of fake degrees.
Is the Internet Becoming a Haven for Diploma Mills? - Alert from the Better Business Bureau on the problems that diploma mills pose to consumers.
Ivory Tower Ripoffs - Information about Diploma Mills - Provides information about the history of diploma mills, what to look out for, as well as links to additional information.
Meta Description: [ Diploma mills (or degree mills) sell degrees without requiring any academic work. Learn about how diploma mills work, and how to protect yourself. ]
Position Paper on Diploma Mills - The National Council Against Health Fraud provides this summary of diploma mills and why they are bad for the nutrition industry.
Meta Description: [ NCAHF - Position Paper on Diploma Mills in California ]
The Chronicle of Higher Education: Is the Internet Becoming a Bonanza for Diploma Mills? - Article which examines how the Web has made it easy for diploma mills to operate.
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Top 10 Signs: Online Diploma Mills and Degree Mills - Lists tips for recognizing whether an institution is a legitimate degree provider.
USATODAY.com - Diploma Mills Insert Degree of Fraud into Job Market - Article which examines the problems caused by diploma mills. It also shows how hard it is to combat the bogus degree providers.
Meta Description: [ Employees armed with academic credentials from diploma mills have held jobs as sex-abuse counselors, college vice presidents, child psychologists, athletic coaches and engineers. These bogus colleges and universities make it easier to pull off the... ]
Wired News: Down by the Diploma Mills Stream - Anyone can purchase a bachelor's or master's degree for the bargain price of several thousand dollars.
Meta Description: [ Get in-depth tech news coverage from Wired and read about how it is shaping culture, education, entertainment, communications and technology. ]
Wired News: Phony Degrees a Hot Net Scam - Diploma mills are proliferating.
Meta Description: [ Get Wired's take on technology business news and the Silicon Valley scene including IT, media, mobility, broadband, video, design, security, software, networking and internet startups on Wired.com ]
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