I was able to locate a gentleman that purchased the complete package, and he described how much time he spent on his вЂњstudiesвЂќ: about a week. There were five courses that included certifications in Cryptozoology, UFO Investigator, EVP-ITC Specialist, Paranormal Investigator, and Parapsychologist. Given the popular hobby of ghost hunting and the dozens of paranormal shows on TV, I wasnвЂ™t surprised to find diploma mills, such as the now-defunct Flamel college, which had offered several courses in вЂњparanormal studiesвЂќ at $45 each.

In many cases, the people offering the courses are not qualified to instruct on the subject matter, lacking the proper credentials that would make them competent instructors. There are countless websites and individuals that sell certifications (diplomas and degrees) that are not accredited by any recognized accrediting agencies or backed by legitimate institutions. Unfortunately, these вЂњcoursesвЂќ are generally worthless often the materials are sent to the consumer along with the completion certificates, so the consumer can fill in their certificate themselves when they themselves decide theyвЂ™ve passed the course. Enter the online diploma mills that offer certifications, diplomas, and degrees at much lower prices that appeal to the general public. However, not everyone is willing to put in the time and money to achieve these honors. It takes between two and nine years as a full-time student to achieve the desired degree, depending on whether youвЂ™re going for an undergraduate (associateвЂ™s or bachelorвЂ™s) or an advanced degree (masterвЂ™s or doctoral). The average tuition (and fees) for the 2018вЂ“2019 academic year ranged from $3,660 per year (public, two-year associateвЂ™s) to $44,020 per year (private, doctoral), according to the Annual Survey of Colleges (College Board 2019).

Certification can come from manufacturers and businesses, as well as institutions of higher learning.Д®arning an academic degree requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and of course a lot of money. Back in my auto mechanic days, for example, I was an ASE certified technician meaning that I demonstrated a level of expertise that met the standards of the National Institute for Automotive Excellence, a recognized independent non-profit organization that has been certifying automotive technicians since 1972 (ASE 2018). However, they do not take as long, because general education courses are not required ( 2019).Д¬ertifications are achieved by being independently verified of a certain level of expertise and demonstrating one is worthy to receive a particular designation (GoCertify 2018). After high school, academic diplomas and certificate programs taken by themselves are like an associateвЂ™s degree program. This is typically completed over a period of four years (Lee 2014). IвЂ™ve been wanting to take a closer look at this topic, and an encounter at a recent paranormal conference kicked this article into gear.Д®arning a real diploma, such as from a high school, signifies one has completed several required classes and demonstrated basic proficiency in topics such as math, English, Social Studies, science, etc. One such gimmick I often encounter comes in the form of diploma mill вЂњdegreesвЂќ for various paranormal studies. IвЂ™ve come across many gimmicks that attempted to place one person (or group) above the rest, singling them out as вЂњexperts,вЂќ вЂњelite,вЂќ or вЂњmore seriousвЂќ (or qualified) than the average paranormal investigator. Over the past twenty-plus years, I have been involved in the вЂњparanormal community,вЂќ a large group of enthusiasts with varying levels of belief and disbelief, all looking into claims of ghosts, UFOs, monsters, and more.

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