USAF PME with overseas degree

[NovemberWhiskey]

Has anyone got any experience of applying for USAF PME courses (e.g. SOS/ACSC/AWC) on the basis of a bachelor's degree awarded overseas? I'm about 2.5 months into trying to get enrolled at this point, with NHQ repeatedly submitting materials to AU.

[Mitchell 1969]

Has anyone got any experience of applying for USAF PME courses (e.g. SOS/ACSC/AWC) on the basis of a bachelor's degree awarded overseas? I'm about 2.5 months into trying to get enrolled at this point, with NHQ repeatedly submitting materials to AU.

A non US degree probably probably trips up the system. They are undoubtedly looking for it to be accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the US Department of Education. Could be one of the six regional accrediting agencies or one of the national agencies, such as Distance Education & Training Council (which may have changed to Distance Education Accrediting Commission),
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), etc.

(I will pause briefly to point out that this is usually where people chime in with "regionally accredited good, nationally accredited rubbish." That only matters when it comes to transferring credits or seeking advanced degrees. The US government, for good reason, recognizes degrees which are accredited by accrediting bodies which are...recognized by the US government...).

The problem is, that foreign degrees,
even doctorates from Oxford, aren't usually accredited by accrediting bodies recognized by the US government. (Last I heard, neither Oxford nor Cambridge were accredited by ANYBODY. The UK accreditation is usually in the form of a "crown charter." Neither school has been granted one, because neither has applied - they have been granting degrees longer before the crown charter existed. But, I digress).

What might help you - a "credential evaluation service."  These are used all the time by US universities to evaluate foreign degrees, diplomas and certificates. They essentially maintain databases of course requirements and conduct research into foreign degrees, then issue a certificate attesting to the equivalency of the foreign degree. Something like "We have determined that the First Class Gold Honors Award Diploma With Blue Ribbon of the University of Bigcityfaraway is the equivalent of a United States Bachelor of Science."

There are lots of services out there and, unfortunately, many scams. If you decide to do this, either contact a local school and ask them what service they use, or, at a minimum, use a service that belongs to this association: https://www.naces.org

One thing that might help - see if you can cut out the middleman. It's really difficult having somebody from CAP trying to talk to somebody from AU about the peculiarities of YOUR degree. See if you can go direct with AU, or at least get on a Zoom call with the two of them so you aren't hearing translations and mistranslations. I've got a feeling that this is not the first time AU has had to deal with this and there's probably a procedure in place already.

Good luck!


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