Author Topic: University of Sedona  (Read 39835 times)

Offline educatedindian

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University of Sedona
« on: September 29, 2014, 03:37:04 am »
It's a degree mill, long overdue to be written and researched on. Their claimed version of the BA can be gotten in six months, a "PhD" in six more months. All for the low low price of $990. Completely without legit accreditation and useless except to impress the gullible.

It's address is a single suite in one bldg. Basically a mailing address, everything is online. The modules for a supposed BA number 48. A lot of it is repetitive, with prosperity, ESP, and positive thinking being taught at least half a dozen times each.
https://universityofsedona.com/metaphysical-curriculum/

The sample modules online take only a few minutes to read. For example, this one has you do an exercise where you pat yourself on the back. Seriously...
https://universityofsedona.com/excerpts-of-sample-modules/

Ten minutes of a lecture at an actual university is more intensive. Six months is being generous. Someone could complete a "degree" there in a month easily.

Their graduation ceremony is revealing. Even being extremely easy and cheap, they graduate only a few dozen people a year. The "PhDs" outnumber the bachelor's about two to one.
https://universityofsedona.com/gallery/

But they claim over 5,000 active students. It's clear a lot of them have given up or are taking a long time to complete the modules.

They offer a "scholarship" which is actually a payment plan with @30% interest.
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https://universityofsedona.com/scholarships/
Prepay Full Amount
$990 total
...Pay in Thirds Plan
$990 total, if paid within 3 months...Will revert to $1,290 if not paid within 3 months.




Epiphany

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Re: University of Sedona
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2014, 05:34:34 pm »
The organization has two trade names: University of Sedona, Sedona University.

The owner is INTERNATIONAL METAPHYSICAL MINISTRY, INC. , non profit incorporated in 1989

File ID   478265
Description   Trade Name
Status   Active
Name   UNIVERSITY OF SEDONA
Address 1   2675 W SR 89A #465
City   SEDONA
State   AZ
ZIP   86336-
Phone   928-282-1483
Business Type   RELIGIOUS PURPOES PER 501 (C)(3) INTERNAL REVENUE CODE
Domestic Begin Date   9/16/2003
Registered Date   12/24/2009

965445   Owner   INTERNATIONAL METAPHYSICAL MINISTRY, INC.   2675 W SR 89A #465    SEDONA   AZ   86336-   928-282-1483
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File ID   478263
Description   Trade Name
Status   Active
Name   SEDONA UNIVERSITY
Address 1   2675 W SR 89A #465
City   SEDONA
State   AZ
ZIP   86336-
Phone   928-282-1483
Business Type   RELIGIOUS PURPOSES PER 501 (C)(3) INTERNAL REVENUE CODE
Domestic Begin Date   9/16/2003
Registered Date   12/24/2009

965445   Owner   INTERNATIONAL METAPHYSICAL MINISTRY, INC.   2675 W SR 89A #465    SEDONA   AZ   86336-   928-282-1483
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This is the same group, also registered in California

Entity Name:   INTERNATIONAL METAPHYSICAL MINISTRY
Entity Number:   C1473980
Date Filed:   12/22/1989
Status:   ACTIVE
Jurisdiction:   CALIFORNIA
Entity Address:   4920 LANKERSHIM BLVD
Entity City, State, Zip:   NORTH HOLLYWOOD CA 91601
Agent for Service of Process:   PAUL L MASTERS
Agent Address:   4920 LANKERSHIM BLVD
Agent City, State, Zip:   NORTH HOLLYWOOD CA 91601

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Quote
Dr. Paul Leon Masters founded the University of Metaphysics and the University of Sedona, as well as the original parent body corporation in 1959. He currently presides over the largest worldwide student body in Metaphysical Doctoral Level Education. Dr. Masters has deservedly earned recognition as the world's foremost teacher of Metaphysical Doctors, Teachers, and Ministers. He has vast expertise in researching the spiritual heights and potentials of mind and spirit - gained from over half a century of full time work in the field of Holistic, New Thought Metaphysics and Ministry.

http://www.metaphysics.com/prospectus-metaphysical-spiritual/history-founder-online-classes-courses-spiritual-study.htm

Paul Leon Masters has been at this since 1959.

http://universityofmetaphysics.com/history/

Looks like there have been several name changes and possible bankruptcies too. My guess is this info is only the tip of the iceberg too.

Arizona documents can be found here, including annual reports http://starpas.azcc.gov/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=wsbroker1/names-detail.p?name-id=10863874&type=CORPORATION

Epiphany

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Re: University of Sedona
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2014, 05:45:45 pm »
Uploaded here a dissertation for a University of Sedona degree

http://springshaven.com/articles/vcarey-dissertation.pdf

Epiphany

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Re: University of Sedona
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2014, 06:16:31 pm »
In 1968, Paul Leon Masters ran the Astrological Metaphysics Institute in Hollywood, a small office providing astrology, advice, and classes. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JzsgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8GUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5119%2C6312535

Offline educatedindian

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Re: University of Sedona
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2014, 07:13:44 pm »
A 42 pg dissertation, including lots of padding with big blank spaces. Mostly her rambling about liking to meditate. Only a dozen sources, three of them dictionaries. This wouldn't pass muster in a freshman class in any real university.

The docs do show a bankruptcy, 17 years prior. How could they go bankrupt with almost no expenses? Esp since they claim 5,000 students a year. 5,000 X $990 = $4,950,000 a year. Obviously someone is not being truthful. I'd say it's more likely 5,000 is made up mostly of students who are still on the books but never finished. The real number of students signing up per year, judging by their graduation ceremony, is under 100, maybe even under 50.

Epiphany

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Re: University of Sedona
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2014, 08:22:54 pm »
Q and A with Dr. Masters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLzRfbhmsJ4&list=UUDwc0aQkz7K-V6VHyqMMMdA I watched most of this. My impression is that he's an old fraud, he's been in the Nuage game for decades and now he can easily talk Nuage babble on and on at length. He's got some dramatic abilities, decent voice, but now he comes across as a cranky con artist.

On this old album he claimed that he reached Nirvana in 1963.

Offline Jetwoman

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Re: University of Sedona
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2016, 07:45:58 pm »
I can see how you have come to the conclusion that University of Sedona is a diploma mill, especially using the criteria that you are using. But having researched it myself, I humbly disagree that it is a diploma mill. If you try to compare it to a standard college curriculum, you will miss the point. Standard college curriculums require learning a great deal of information, really cramming mass quantities into the brain with little time for reflection. Metaphysical information and practice requires applying internal thought process over time to what is learned. In each lesson, that is required of the student. So you cannot measure what is being taught by the # of pages in each lesson. At the heart of these studies, is internal transformation, growth, and hopefully wisdom. In my opinion, that is sorely lacking in today's world, and conventional educational institutions do not teach that. Where is it taught? That is very different. Now if you think Metaphysical studies have no validity, then that is a different issue entirely. As far as the dissertation you selected to provide a link to, there are several others as well as masters theses on the site that are written at a high quality level with over thirty citations. I have a masters degree from an accredited university and am qualified to evaluate these forms of scholarship. You seemed to be trying to make a case against the school.  But why? I have reviewed Dr. Master's teachings and he has produced a solid body of written material as well as recorded over the years he devoted himself to this discipline. I find him totally sincere. You seem to have a problem with the subject matter itself. Just because the administration is in one office...they are able to deliver their product in a very efficient manner. One could make a case against colleges and universities costing students anywhere from over $30,000 a year. Really it is like comparing apples and oranges. I think your skepticism is good to a point, but it seems you are blinded by what you want to prove. Anyway I am posting this so that there is an alternative point of view for other potential students.

Offline educatedindian

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Re: University of Sedona
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2017, 01:28:23 am »
...Standard college curriculums require learning a great deal of information, really cramming mass quantities into the brain with little time for reflection.

...As far as the dissertation you selected to provide a link to, there are several others as well as masters theses on the site that are written at a high quality level with over thirty citations.

...I have a masters degree from an accredited university and am qualified to evaluate these forms of scholarship. You seemed to be trying to make a case against the school.  But why? I have reviewed Dr. Master's teachings and he has produced a solid body of written material as well as recorded over the years he devoted himself to this discipline.

...One could make a case against colleges and universities costing students anywhere from over $30,000 a year.

We thank you for your first hand account, which is always valuable. Could you tell us more about your experience? How you were recruited, how long studied, classes, and how the "degree" prepared you?

Colleges have not had rote teaching for two generations.  http://www.pitt.edu/~writecen/BankingConcept.pdf

30 citations for a supposed dissertation? Most dissertation chapters have more than that. Most dissertations have <10X that many. I can't think of any field that weak. Senior undergrad papers typically have more academic rigor than that. It remains pretty obvious, this is a degree mill with overpriced useless courses that no one accepts.

Please tell us more about your training and his work.

You've never heard of public universities? Though this is worth bringing up. http://www.salon.com/2014/11/02/7_countries_where_college_is_free_partner/

Piff

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Re: University of Sedona
« Reply #8 on: January 03, 2017, 04:48:53 am »
Paul Leon Masters died 10 Jan 2016 https://metaphysics.com/dr-masters-in-memoriam/

CEO of the parent company is now Michelle Angela Behr.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-angela-behr

Offline educatedindian

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Re: University of Sedona
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2017, 09:32:18 pm »
Neither Masters nor Behr have impressive histories.

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http://www.womenofgrace.com/blog/?p=50541
Bogus Degrees from “Metaphysical” Schools
Posted on June 3, 2016 by SBrinkmann
We recently had an inquiry about the University of Metaphysics from a concerned husband whose wife became involved with the University and is now calling herself a “doctor” after receiving a Ph.D. in just six months. Is this school legit?

Absolutely not. The University of Metaphysics, operating under the auspices of the International Metaphysical Ministry, is the epitome of the New Age which thrives on their own version of metaphysics. (Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that deals with first principles of things as well as abstract concepts such as being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, time and space. Of course, Catholics rely on revealed truth about first things, being, knowing, etc. New Agers make up their version as they go along.)

The University is the brainchild of “Dr.” Paul Leon Masters (1935-2016) who was a Rosicrucian (a worldwide brotherhood that claims to possess a secret esoteric wisdom handed down from ancient times).

Masters received his degrees from non credentialed schools (which the university politely refers to as “nontraditional”). He earned two doctorates, the second one from a metaphysical college  which focused on New Thought teachings (the New Thought movement is the predecessor to today’s New Age movement).

Being unable to do anything with this degree outside of New Age circles, he founded the University of Metaphysics in 1976, the International Metaphysical Ministry in 1989 and the University of Sedona in 2003.

“He deservedly earned recognition as the world’s foremost teacher of metaphysical doctors, teachers, and ministers, offering self-paced, distance learning degree programs in Holistic, New Thought, Theocentric, Transcendent, and Transpersonal Metaphysics,” the site boasts. “But the most important achievements of all Dr. Paul Masters’ efforts were the support and advancement of higher consciousness research, education, and advanced New Thought Metaphysics.”

Unfortunately, his “recognition” was never enough recognition to earn accreditation, which the university claims is because U.S. law is prohibited from crediting or discrediting “a non-secular institution of Higher Consciousness/Spiritual Education.”

Instead, they encourage students to look for other qualities in these “schools” such as how long the school has been in existence, the experience of the founder, its reputation, etc.

A look at its principal officers is also enlightening. For instance, Rev. Michelle-Angela Behr serves as CEO and Chairperson of the Board of Directors and was handpicked by Masters to succeed him. Her personal interests include scared geometry, Reiki, astrology, and quantum physics.

Lydia L. Reineck, Ph.D. is the president of the University’s Educational Systems. She has studied Hinduism, Buddhism, Carl Jung’s writings on dreams and archetypes, Reiki, and astrology. Reineck also traveled to India five times where she meditated in “mystically charged sites,” each of which housed advanced teachers such as the Buddha over the centuries.

Even the office manager has a story to tell: Mary E. Gladieux claims to have had an out of body experience during childbirth.

The university offers Bachelor’s, Masters and Doctoral programs (these cannot be substituted for authentic degrees, however). Tuition options range anywhere from $1,300 to $4,500. Because the courses are all distance-learning, the time needed to complete the requirements is up to the student.

What can be done with this degree? Nothing outside of the New Age....

Listen to how some of the school’s graduates are using their spiritual gifts.

Dr. Donna Fink DD who has a Doctor of Divinity specializing in Spiritual Healing, is a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner, Certified Natural Health Practitioner, Reiki Master and High Priestess of a program known as Daughters of the Moon.

Dr. Daniel E. Bartlett Dsc.D gives readings from the Akashic Records (a collection of mystical knowledge believed to be contained on a non-physical plane of existence).

Before coming to the International Metaphysical Ministry, the Rev. Molly C. Cook relied upon her spirit guides to teach her and has studied past life regression, chakras, dream interpretation, reincarnation, meditation, colors, and crystals. She earned her Minister’s degree and is now hosting weekly meditation classes.

Needless to say, this “University” is a New Age construct that has no legitimacy outside of its own select circles...