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The Price of Accreditations |
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By Gian Paolo Girardi, MS, MA, UHA/BOI founder When it comes to selecting a University, the immature student unwittingly chooses credibility over content. In this case, credibility is another word for prestige. But this is the interesting thing... Nowadays, schools can, and often do, build credibility through The student pays an enormous price for this lack of authenticity. Interestingly, this was exactly my mistake when I was 17 years old. I chose to study engineering at the most prestigious University I could find. Although that engineering school was highly regarded, there was significant abuse and disrespect for the student. Years later, in my early thirties, I signed up for a Masters program at a famous University in LA. This was the situation: I had to sit on my brief case, because the class was full. The material presented was completely theoretical, irrelevant and boring. Homework was excessive and irrelevant. The teacher was inaccessible. Fortunately, this time around, I had the good common sense to leave for good after a few classes. At 37 -- already a more mature individual -- I looked for a University that offered quality content instead of glamorous prestige. I completed my Masters in Psychology in a private University that was not that well known, but delivered good content. It was the best experience I ever had as a student. Unfortunately, although the school was committed to content, that program was controlled by the Board of Behavioral Sciences. This forced all of us to study some boring, useless subjects anyway. At UHA and BOI we are doing the best we can to increase credibility too; however, above all, we are committed to deliver quality content. Quality content is what determines the value of a program; it is also what sparks the student's passion for their chosen career. Accreditations and licensing are "supposed" to help the student in their future efforts to market their skills; but there are powerful strings attached also for the student. Such accreditations and licensing systems are a part of the traditional, victim model, which reinforces dependence on external authority. In other words, those who become part of those systems, are likely to become victims of the system sooner than later. For example: Additionally, after getting his/her license the licensee must continue studying, often boring mandated courses, in order to keep their license active. Some of these courses are no more than further indoctrination, often presented by lawyers, into the absolute necessity of obeying the board's regulations in every detail. At UHA, because of our commitment to content, we do not pursue accreditations from either private institutions or state boards. This institutions would feel entitled to control our programs. We stand on our own two feet as a school, committed to deliver the best content, without manipulation from external institutions. We support our student's effort to make a living with their chosen career in a different way -- a way that encourages independence from the traps and regulations of the mainstream. Twice a year, we present an Intensive, One Day Workshop on How to Create a Private Practice in the Healing Arts, and we offer private counseling at a very affordable price on this important subject. The administration and marketing approach taught at UHA can be applied by anyone interested in making a living through the practice of a healing art -- counselors, life coaches, energy healers, massage therapists, yoga teachers etc; regardless of their access to financial resources. Most significantly, the model supports an authentic, independent, healthy and harmonious lifestyle, and free from the nine to five job rut. Consider this: (from our student Nathan Ellis): "As far as accreditation is concerned, I do believe that a good teacher is far more important than an accreditation. And, I would like to share the following: Sidartha was not accredited. How UHA and BOI are pursuing credibility Our credibility as a school benefits our student, so we are interested in pursuing credibility -- but not at the expense of content. To this goal we have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars during the last six years, and we will continue doing so. Credibility is closely connected to visibility in the market, so we have advertised for six years in three different magazines distributed throughout Southern California. Our adds have always been half a page or whole page adds. We also advertise now and then in a magazine with country wide distribution. We are constantly improving our web-site and optimizing it for the search engines. We have attracted a faculty group with professionals and teachers of first level. Aside from the internet classes we offer in-person certifications and courses -- as well as our free program on Non-Duality -- from the upscale Shore Towers in Santa Monica. Our classrooms are extraordinarily beautiful and luminous, better than most classrooms from mainstream universities. Additionally, we are presently in conversation with investors, that should soon contribute with the necessary monies to complete UHA's ambitious business plan for the next three years. This will bring our school to the next level. Gian Paolo Girardi, MS, MA, UHA/BOI founder Internet School vs. Traditional, in Person School. Nowadays, many traditional schools with mostly in-person classes, offer an e-program on the side. Our school is the opposite: we are mainly an internet school which offers, to those living in Los Angeles, the option of participating in in-person classes or programs. Marketing wise, perhaps we should follow the crowd and present ourselves as a traditional in person school offering an e-program on the side. Although in the short term, from a marketing perspective, this might be better, in the long term our type of school will be the norm and the traditional, big, and often cold classrooms will disappear. When it comes to education internet is the future. Why? An internet school can function with a significantly lower overhead. A traditional school has to own a big property which requires paying real estate taxes and expensive maintenance, and likely monthly payments to a bank. Alternatively the school may have to pay an expensive monthly rent. These savings we pass them to our student. Is this a cliché? Let us see: We offer a 15 month Masters program in Spiritual Psychology, where the student has individual sessions with his/her instructor throughout the whole program, at a total cost of This coming month, our highly regarded 5-Month Certification in Life Coaching with Emphasis in the Mystical Path to Success will be available again in-person, in a group format, for those living in Los Angeles. This time we are providing a recession discount of $1,000 on a $3,000 tuition! Because our Masters programs can be earned by completing three 5-month certifications, plus a one day workshop on "How to Create a Private Practice," the total cost of the masters is being lowered -- in a group format -- to $6,700 (this include the cost of the supervision and evaluation of the final dissertation) No traditional school can do this. Gian Paolo Girardi, MS, MA, UHA/BOI founder ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The University of Healing Arts and the Brain Optimization™ Institute offer information, counseling, courses with certifications and masters degrees on drug free solutions to ADD, ADHD, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, substance abuse and other forms of brain / mental suffering, UHA highly regarded Five Month Certifications include Nutrition with Emphasis in Brain Nutrition , Life Coaching with Emphasis in the Mystical Path to Success, Spiritual Psychology with Emphasis in Non-Duality. UHA's anti-aging program includes a five-month certification as a Physical Immortality Coach. UHA and BOI also offer masters degrees in several of these specialties. Additionally, every month the school presents a One Day Workshop Intensive with Certification on a variety of valuable topics for health practitioners or for anyone interested in personal and transpersonal growth. Subjects presented include Physical Immortality and Reversal of the Aging Process, Natural Healing, The Mystical Path to Success, Soul Psychology, Vocational Coach, Awareness Coach, Meditation Facilitator, How to Create a Private Practice in the Healing Arts, Brain Nutrition Counseling™, Hypnosis, Cognitive Psychology, and more. |
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