Bob Jones University

Other than the obvious lack of regional accrediation issue, what does everyone here think of Bob Jones University? Once I did entertain the idea of doing a PhD in Church History through Bob Jones. However the lack of accrediation would have made the degree almost useless in my academic career. There was also the fundamentalist issue. I am a conservative, Bible believing Christian, but I don't know that I fit in real well around the fundamentalist types. I also wondered how good their church history courses would be. Would they be "bent" towards their fundamental view point or would they be solid, academic courses? I could not answer that question. Therefore I have chose not to do a PhD through Bob Jones. That is my view, any others?

Martin wrote:

Other than the obvious lack of regional accrediation issue, what does everyone here think of Bob Jones University? Once I did entertain the idea of doing a PhD in Church History through Bob Jones. However the lack of accrediation would have made the degree almost useless in my academic career. There was also the fundamentalist issue. I am a conservative, Bible believing Christian, but I don't know that I fit in real well around the fundamentalist types. I also wondered how good their church history courses would be. Would they be "bent" towards their fundamental view point or would they be solid, academic courses? I could not answer that question. Therefore I have chose not to do a PhD through Bob Jones. That is my view, any others?

Martin, doesn't TRACS count?

At any rate, it depends on what you're going to do with the degree.

Robert Reymond, prof of systematic theology at Knox Theological Seminary, did his PhD at BJU. Knox is ATS accredited. Martin you know more about that.

tc wrote:

doesn't TRACS count?

==Yes, TRACS counts. However it is not widely recognized by secular colleges and universities. There are also seminaries, such as The Southern Baptist Seminary, that don't recognize TRACS. So for those going into secular teaching fields a regionally accredited degree is much more useful than TRACS or ATS.

can someone fill me in on what TRACS is?

rogermugs wrote:

can someone fill me in on what TRACS is?

TRACS, or the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, is a recognized national accredited body. As far as accrediting agencies go, it is fairly new. Therefore it does not receive the level of acceptance as other national accrediting bodies such as ATS (Association of Theological Schools). TRACS also accredits a number of schools that offer degrees online (Luther Rice, Southern Evangelical, Temple, etc).

if you get a tracs accredited degree is there anyway you can get into princeton school of theology? if there's a yes... then in my opinion its as acceptable as ATS...


if not... i dont really see the point of creating another accreditation program

rogermugs wrote:

if you get a tracs accredited degree is there anyway you can get into princeton school of theology? if there's a yes... then in my opinion its as acceptable as ATS...


if not... i dont really see the point of creating another accreditation program

Roger, RA (Regional) and NA (National) are under the same governing body, CHEA (council for higher education accreditation).

I know of a gentleman who graduated from an ABHE (Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Educationa) accredited school and went on to Princeton.

rogermugs wrote:

if you get a tracs accredited degree is there anyway you can get into princeton school of theology? if there's a yes... then in my opinion its as acceptable as ATS...


if not... i dont really see the point of creating another accreditation program

You would have to talk to Princeton to find out. In my experience, and I have done extensive research on the acceptance of TRACS, it depends upon the accepting school's towards the school being transfered from. For example, while Southeastern Seminary will honor degrees from Luther Rice and Southern Evangelical, Southern Seminary will not. Each case is different and there are always exceptions. Sadly there are no uniform standards and it is very confusing to the average person.