Jimmy Clifton & Bethany Divinity College/Seminary ???

[Jabbezzz]

Hi Jimmy:

I notice you hold ThM and PhD degrees from the unaccredited Bethany Divinity College/Seminary. What has been your personal experience with the unaccredited doctorate? Has it been accepted in most situations not requiring a regionally accredited doctorate? Have you had any difficulties with acceptance?

Thanks,
Jabbezzz

[Jimmy Clifton]

Hi Jimmy:

I notice you hold ThM and PhD degrees from the unaccredited Bethany Divinity College/Seminary. What has been your personal experience with the unaccredited doctorate? Has it been accepted in most situations not requiring a regionally accredited doctorate? Have you had any difficulties with acceptance?

Thanks,
Jabbezzz

Hi Jabbezz,

I will be repeating a number of things I have posted on Degree Info, but here goes.

The Ph.D. from Bethany enabled me to obtain state licenses as a clinical social worker, marriage and family therapists, mental health counselor, all in Indiana; social worker (registration, not license) in Michigan; and clinical professional counselor in Illinois.

The Ph.D. enabled me to sit for and pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor's Exam (NCMHCE) that, in turn, qualified me for the LCPC in Illinois. I have also passed other national certification exams.

At the time I was licensed in Indiana the Social Worker, Marriage and Family, and Family Therapist Boards were new entities and the state was just beginning to issue licenses in these fields. I was "grandfathered" in. All states must have a grandfathering clause whenever a new professional license is offered. I qualified for the social worker and marriage and family therapist license because my Ph.D. in pastoral counseling was considered an "allied health field." Additionally, I had many years of working in the field and had completed a one-year counseling internship which my Ph.D. program required.

The LCPC was obtained by passing the NCMHCE and having experience.

The Michigan social worker's registration was obtained by degree and experience. Michigan didn't have licensure only registration when I obtained the social work registration. They offered registrations for certified social worker, social worker, and social worker technician. I qualified for the middle title. I think today they have licensure instead of registration.

I have worked in a number of mental health and addictions agencies and have always recieved outstanding performance evaluations and have been called by several former employees numerous times in attempts to rehire me. One place actually offered me employment on a contractual basis. I would conduct IOP two night's a week and do some individual counseling. I accepted and worked there for an additional two years.

I hope I have not rambled on.

[Jabbezzz]

Thank you, Jimmy. I know that within ecclesiastical circles (pastors, staff, parachurch, etc...), many choose the unaccredited (unaccredited but genuine academic coursework) route for financial/specific program/DL reasons.
Again, thanks for sharing your personal experience.

[Jimmy Clifton]

Thank you, Jimmy. I know that within ecclesiastical circles (pastors, staff, parachurch, etc...), many choose the unaccredited (unaccredited but genuine academic coursework) route for financial/specific program/DL reasons.
Again, thanks for sharing your personal experience.

You're welcome, Jabbezz. Yes, there is a place for the legitimate unaccredited degree.

[adamsmith]

Obviously the education route that you chose has enabled you to obtain some very useful professional qualifications and service opportunities. Did you deliberately plan to go the Bethany route knowing it would enable you to get your licencings and approvals, or did it just pan out that way?

[Jimmy Clifton]

Obviously the education route that you chose has enabled you to obtain some very useful professional qualifications and service opportunities. Did you deliberately plan to go the Bethany route knowing it would enable you to get your licencings and approvals, or did it just pan out that way?

I choose Bethany in 1982 and 1989 deliberately. I was already in pastoral ministry both times so I didn't have to be concerned about finding a pastorate with the Bethany degrees.

I obtained my first pastorate while attending the accredited Earlham School of Religion. I encountered a number of crisis situation in my first pastorate and felt unqualified as a counselor. Therefore, I changed my program of study to Biblical counseling (Th. M.) and sought and earned the Ph.D. in pastoral counseling many year's later.

Finding myself weak in theology I recently enrolled in Universidad FLET (Master of Arts in Religious Studies).