Entitlements

Welcome to the Universal Ministries School of Theology. Anyone that has bestowed upon them the Degree of Doctorate whether it is accredited, or honorary, has the right to use the title of Doctor before their name. They have the right to be addressed as such. They have the right to place the title on letterheads, cards, and any form of written correspondence. They have the privilege of meritorious acknowledgment of the community for their honors. Through the School we are able to issue degree titles of a Religious nature.

  * Associate of Divinity Degree *
  * Life Experience Degrees *
  * Earned Degrees *
  * Specialized Title Certification *

Universal Ministries provides you with professional quality certification. Choose from Associates, Bachelor, Master or Doctorate Degrees in the field of your choice. Each and every one of our Certifications carry the full authority of the Universal Ministries School of Theology Honorariums Committee. All our degrees are legal Certifications of higher education.

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Through the School we are able to issue degree titles of a Religious nature. We do not at this time offer titles of the physical science variety. Please read below to understand why we say this. As a Religious School all titles are Philosophical by United States law, yet carry the same rights as physical science titles in the usage of honorifics and field authority.

Whether a minister or laity, you may at this time receive the religious degrees befitting your talents, or abilities in the fields of your choosing. Through the Earned Degree courses you may expand your knowledge and excel through sharing that you did indeed earn your knowledge.

As the School opens new courses of studies, they will be offered to everyone of all financial or social standing throughout the world. As each section of the course is completed the student will receive a School Diploma specifically in their field. These fields will not be offered simply for Life Experience Degrees. Earned Degrees require comprehensive study by the serious student to receive a diploma.

The purpose of the School of Theology is to help develop the skills needed by the clergy in sharing their faith in a concise manner. These same courses will help the laity in coming closer to advancement within their faith also.

As the student enters a field of study they will find new ways to share their earned knowledge with each step along the way. As the student completes a study course they will find helping others much simpler than previous knowledge allowed. As a School of Religious Theology, we are not considered accredited by any government agency. In the United States, the Constitution separates the Church from the State. No School or University that offers studies of religious philosophy can really claim to be more correct than any other School of religion since they are established by man, and not the God you or I seek. Legal accreditation in law is only offered within the fields of physical science and does not apply to religious studies. The U.S. Dept. of Education does not accredit any religious studies. Schools that claim accreditation with private agency have no real value above any other legal degree. It only means they Accredited themselves, without any legal reality of law. The Universal Ministries already offers legal degrees so does not pretend like so many Schools online. Please read on to know more.

What does this mean to you? A Doctorate issued by the University of Illinois to a person within a specific field allows that person to be addressed as Doctor. A Doctorate of a religious nature allows its recipient to also be addressed as Doctor. In the average person's mind they are one and the same. They hold the same rights of acknowledgment in law as the Earned portion is again, only for the Physical Science of that School.

The difference between an Earned Honorary Degree, and Life Experience Honorary Degree is fairly clear. The earned degree is one a person has studied for to receive. An honorary degree is granted for Life's Experience within a specific field. Just because a person has not learned to mime a professors teachings does not mean that someone may not receive recognition for their abilities. The Doctorate was from the start, a title of the church long before the academic world chose to claim it as the pinnacle of learning.

Let’s start by discussing Degrees and their legal issuance, shall we? The first Doctor of Divinity, DD, Ph.D.D was issued not by a University as the internet pretends, but the Church of England as early as 1360. By 1815 Thomas Jefferson complained you couldn’t swing a cat without hitting a Clergyman with a Doctorate of Divinity as the old joke goes. The Degree was not intended to be part of anything, except religious training as were various Degrees after the DD.

Oxford is accredited as the first University to issue a Doctor of Divinity degree in the late 1470s. The Universal Ministries by Local and Federal Law as an established 508 Church has the legal right to issue Legal Religious Degrees. A Universal Ministries Degree meets all requirements of Denominational issuance by a legal Church and does not issue Degrees of any Physical Science as we do not have the Faculties or staff to provide them properly. The Universal Ministries formed our School of Theology like the Church proper, in the belief, do it right to begin with so all are legal in the Laws of man.

In the United States by law All Religious Degrees issued by established churches are legal Honorary Degrees and titles of religious learning. However no Church or auxiliary may issue degrees of Physical Sciences without establishing curriculum approved by the State of Domicile and Federal Law in accordance with minimum Standards. An interesting sideline is NASA to provide Degrees to Scientists working in the Space Program acquired Religious Degrees for various staff that they could remain in the program as Doctors. Ergo a Government Agency intermingled Church and State Degrees giving more substance to Religious issuance.

The USA did not begin issuing Doctorates until 1851 when Yale, with Government approval began a Domestic Doctorate program of Physical and Philosophical Sciences. By Law All religious Degree are both Legal and Proper in Law and have the same authority as all Philosophical Degrees. Schools that claim Accreditation simply are ones offering Physical Sciences to comply with Student loans. (Title lV 34 CFR 74.44, Executive Order 13198, dated January 29, 2001, Executive Order 13279, dated December 12, 2002, and 34CFR 668.) All additional Curriculum accreditation is performed primarily at State levels and does not negate Religious Degree issuance in Law.

Over the years many off shore Schools formed pretending to issue Physical Science and Theology Degrees that have been determined to not be Valid in the USA. As you Look around the internet you will find places, even some reseller church sites claiming to offer Degrees not allowed in law. Many will offer Transcripts of Honorary degrees that are basically invalid and fraudulent for additional cost or donation. Please click quickly away from them as they do not have your best interest in mind. A Life Experience Honorary Degree is issued based on your Experiences and not class studies, ergo false Transcripts could cost you a career and more. We do not issue them as it is not in doing it right.

The Universal Ministries does indeed provide legal Degrees in both Life’s Experience Degrees as well as the Earned Honorary Degrees of Religious, Spiritual, and Metaphysical natures.