Statement of Accreditation

THE WESTERN ORTHODOX UNIVERSITY IS NOT ACCREDITED BY AN ACCREDITING AGENCY RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF EDUCATION.

As a religious institution, the Western Orthodox University is not required to obtain accreditation in order to award degrees, diplomas and certificates. Accreditation is a purely voluntary process for religious institutions such as the University. The University believes that its religious and academic standards are best preserved through maintaining its independence from political control and in upholding the constitutional separation of Church and State.

In the United States, many licensing authorities require accredited degrees as the basis for eligibility for licensing. In some cases, accredited colleges may not accept for transfer courses and degrees completed at unaccredited colleges, and some employers may require an accredited degree as a basis for eligibility for employment.

Receipt of information/GDPR
By submitting the Application Form, you agree to receive information from the University in connection with your application. Your data is processed in accordance with US standards for the processing of personal data and the European GDPR regulation.

Nature of degree awards
The University awards religious degrees on the basis of the statutory authority and religious exemption from licensing contained in Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 305J-3(7) and Hawaii Administrative Rules, Title 16, Chapter 255-3. It is owned, controlled, operated, and maintained by The Apostolic Episcopal Church through its religious nonprofit Hawaii corporation The Primate and Presiding Bishop of the Apostolic Episcopal Church, A Corporation Sole. The registered address of the corporation is as follows:

The Primate and Presiding Bishop of the Apostolic Episcopal Church, A Corporation Sole,
1001 Bishop St, Suite 2685A,
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

All degrees, diplomas and certificates are purely religious in nature and are designed to prepare students for religious vocations. The University does not award secular degrees. No formal system of majors or minors is used by the University although a degree can be awarded with a particular concentration (for example Pastoral Ministry or Apologetics).

Transcripts
For most programs, the University issues a UNESCO/European Union-style Diploma Supplement which accompanies the degree diploma (degree certificate). The Supplement places the degree in its academic and legal context and follows a standard pattern.

Traditional transcripts with grades and a grade point average are issued for some taught programs where coursework is the basis of the degree award. However, please note that in the majority of other programs a Diploma Supplement rather than a transcript will be issued and neither grades nor a grade point average will be awarded. For programs where APEL forms the principal or entire basis of award there are neither grades nor courses since the degree is based entirely on the holistic assessment of the candidate.

For APEL applicants: The process and fees
1. When submitting the application form, please also send copies of your educational documents and resume by electronic mail for preliminary review (precognition) without fee or obligation. Further evidence of ministerial or related religious achievement, not limited to: sermons, Biblical exegesis, book or journal publications, and online religious materials, can all be submitted for consideration. At this stage the amount of APEL credit will be assessed and if it is not sufficient to meet all of the degree program requirements you will need to complete additional work such as a dissertation or professional project as part of a top-up program.
2. If the results of the review indicate that you would be suitable for the program you will be invited to move forward to formal matriculation. If you accept this offer, you will be required to pay the Credential Assessment Fee of US$250 to matriculate on the program.
3. After this is done your portfolio will go forward to the jury stage. If the jury recommends you for the award of your degree, you will then be required to pay the Credit Conversion and Graduation Fee of US$1,950. Once this is received,  your degree documentation will be issued and couriered to you.
4. Please note that all program fees are non-refundable, with the sole exception that if the jury were to find that you were not eligible for the award of any degree the Credential Assessment Fee would be refunded to you.

Available degree fields for APEL, exclusions, eligibility
Degrees in all the program fields offered by the University are offered through APEL credit. To be eligible the candidate must have a minimum of three years of relevant experience for assessment. The APEL program is intended only for experienced candidates and is not suitable for persons at the beginning of their careers, who should consider our taught or dissertation programs instead.

Acceptance and response is at the discretion of the University; statement of non-discrimination
As an independent university, the University has full control of its admissions processes. The University reserves the right to refuse any application or not to respond to an enquiry, and is not required to provide reasons for its decisions. Notwithstanding this, the University stands firmly against any discriminatory factor in its admissions processes. The University admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the University. The University does not discriminate based on race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies. The University does not discriminate in admission or employment practices in its programs and activities with respect to those with impaired vision, hearing or physical mobility.

Deadlines for APEL candidates to submit the final payment
Where an APEL candidate has been notified by email that the jury has decided to recommend them for the award of their degree and that they will graduate on payment of the final (Credit Conversion and Graduation) APEL fee, the final APEL fee must be remitted to the University within fifteen calendar days after the email notification has been sent.

If the payment has not been received by the University within fifteen calendar days, and the University has not granted any extension of time (on application by the candidate for cause), the candidate’s application will be cancelled.

To reactivate the application after it has been cancelled will be at the University’s sole discretion and will incur a penalty fee of US$250.

Affirmations by the applicant (all programmes)
By making application, you affirm that you have read and understood the information on the Western Orthodox University website and that you are familiar with the University’s information on legal status and accreditation. You further affirm that you have made any relevant enquiries of the University and/or third parties who you may wish to accept your University degree or other qualification, and are satisfied that the University’s degree or other qualification will be suitable for your specific needs. You also confirm that you have read the University’s full Regulations, which you are deemed to have accepted as a condition of your application.

Affirmation of truth; penalties for false statements and misrepresentation of facts
You affirm that the facts represented by you on the application form and any correspondence and/or documentation you may submit are true, and you understand that any person who is found to have deliberately misrepresented their credentials and/or experience, or committed plagiarism or impersonation in the course of their candidature may be deprived of their degree and subjected to legal action; such matters may also be reported to law enforcement authorities.

Recognition of degrees in different countries
As an international institution, the University is sometimes asked about the use of its degrees in different countries. In all such matters, the most important rule is that before enrolling with the University, the applicant should make enquiries of any third party who they may wish to accept their degree in order to ensure that it will meet their present and anticipated future needs. The University cannot undertake this process on behalf of the applicant. The University offers no guarantee of acceptance of its degrees by any third party or religious organization except those with which it has entered into specific agreements of recognition. In addition, the University’s degrees are intended for an international student body and are not designed to meet the professional licensing requirements of any specific country. Licensing requirements in the United States vary from state to state, and it is the applicant’s responsibility to check before enrolling that the University’s religious degree will be accepted. Many licensing boards in the United States limit their acceptance to accredited degrees.

In most countries, the recognition of foreign degrees is the responsibility of state or delegated professional authorities. In some cases, such as professional licensing, this recognition is mandatory, but in religious ministry, religious or general employment or personal use it is rarely so, and it is towards these latter purposes in fulfilling religious vocations that the University primarily directs its offerings.