degree mills
Fake university operations
Degree mills are institutions that sell academic credentials with little or no genuine education required.
They typically grant degrees based on payment and perhaps a token assignment, rather than rigorous coursework.
The term is derogatory, distinguishing these operations from legitimate universities: His PhD came from a degree mill.
Also called diploma mills.
Academic completion document
- unaccreditedLacking official authorization
- fraudulentInvolving intentional dishonesty
- credentialsEvidence of qualification or identity
- fakeNot the real thing
phony · bogus · illegitimate · counterfeit · sham · forgery · deceptive · misleading
Accelerate a process
- instantBriefest unit of time
- quickMoving with speed
- easyRequiring minimal effort
- onlineNetwork-connected state
unearned · purchased · buy · pay-to-play · life experience · portfolio · resume padding · career advancement
Exploiting the vulnerable
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- immigrantsThose settling abroad
- international studentsPupils studying outside homeland
- job seekersPeople looking for employment
tuition · fees · debt · targeting · recruitment · advertising · spam · promises
diploma
Academic completion document
- unaccreditedLacking official authorization
- fraudulentInvolving intentional dishonesty
- credentialsEvidence of qualification or identity
fake · phony · bogus · illegitimate · counterfeit · sham · forgery · deceptive · misleading · scam
fast-track
Accelerate a process
online · unearned · purchased · buy · pay-to-play · life experience · portfolio · resume padding · career advancement · promotion
predatory
Exploiting the vulnerable
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- immigrantsThose settling abroad
- international studentsPupils studying outside homeland
job seekers · tuition · fees · debt · targeting · recruitment · advertising · spam · promises · guarantees
- academic fraudplagiarism, academic dishonesty, exam cheating, cheat sheets, fake diplomas
- Asian educationConfucian academies, civil service exams, private academies, Peking University, examination halls
- Online Educationremote learning, e-learning platform, virtual classroom, online enrollment, self-paced learning
- School Debatesschool choice, school funding, school reform, curriculum reform, standardized testing