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Pacific International University was an unaccredited, conservative, Christian university and seminary located in Springfield, Missouri. 1989 alumnus of Pacific International University Carl Baugh was the university president. The school has been referred to as a diploma mill. Pacific International University is not accredited by any accreditation body recognized by its country. As such, its degrees and credits might not be acceptable to employers or other institutions, and use of degree titles may be restricted or illegal in some jurisdictions.

Background

The school was founded in 1980 as Pacific College of Graduate Studies by Clifford Wilson, PhD, and incorporated in 1987 as Pacific International University. It is also sometimes known as Pacific College Incorporated.

The school offered only correspondence education, so had no campus. It offered distance learning courses in biblical theology, ministry, cults, and many related subjects. It is unknown what credentials the professors had in these fields. The school offered B.D., B.Th., M.Div., M.Th., and doctoral degrees in Divinity and Theology; as an unaccredited school these have no official academic standing.

Criticism and controversy

The university had no accreditation and offered doctorates for a lump sum payment. The fees ranged up to 2,500-3,000 USD for a Doctor of Theological Studies degree. The school has an "administrative office," but no campus, so no classes are held on site. There are no minimum educational requirements to apply other than two references, one academic and one church related. Nonetheless, the university noted it "is in good standing with the American Accrediting Association of Theological Institutions, Inc. (North Carolina) and is also a member of the Association of Christian Colleges and Theological Schools (Louisiana)," but for legal reasons makes it known "these memberships do NOT constitute accreditation by the U.S. Office of Education." In the United States without recognition from the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to approve the accreditation agency such accreditations are "bogus" to the academic community.

While the school does not offer physical classes, only correspondence education, the web site lists faculty, but does not mention where the staff received their doctorates, what subjects they specialize in, and whether they are associate professors or have full professorships. Moreover, Baugh received a Ph.D. from Pacific International University in the Fall of 1989.

Alumni

• Carl Baugh(1989) - Current school president.
• Jack Van Impe - Televangelist
• Don Patton - associated with Carl Baugh.

See also

• California Pacific School of Theology
• List of unaccredited institutions of higher learning
• List of unrecognized accreditation associations of higher learning
• School accreditation

Footnotes

1. "Distance learning". Pacific International University. January 2006. Retrieved 2007-05-17.
2. George Brown. Protecting Australia's Higher Education System from Australian Universities Quality Agency
3. ^ A Matter of Degree-Carl Baugh's Alleged Credentials from TalkOrigins Archive (Originally published in NCSE Reports Vol 9, No. 6, Nov-Dec. 1989.)
4. http://www.ed.gov/students/prep/college/diplomamills/accreditation.html
5. "Fees". Pacific International University. May 2006. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
6. "Contact Information". Pacific International University. January 2006. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
7. "Application". Pacific International University. March 2006. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
8. "Credentials and recognition". Pacific International University. January 2006. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
9. Fact Sheet for Diploma Mills from Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

External links

• Pacific International University Official site (Archive.org)
• A Matter of Degree An article about the school and its president.

Education resources

• Credential Watch Lists ACCTS as suspect agency.
• State of Michigan Cites ACCTS as unapproved.
• State of Oregon Cites ACCTS as unapproved.

• Unaccredited Christian universities and colleges
• Baptist universities and colleges in the United States
• Education in Springfield, Missouri
• Educational institutions established in 1980
• Unaccredited institutions of higher learning
• Universities and colleges in Missouri