======= Date Modified 04 Jul 2009 10:04:35 =======
Not sure what all the babble is on this thread, but I'll take the various posts as someone wishing more information on SMC University.

I am a recent graduate in the Doctor of Political Economy track. The program was very interesting and challenging. I had both Professor Leube and Professor Bouillon within the program. Both being very challenging courses. I started in the Fall of 2005 and finished in June 2009. In the fall of 2008 I shifted to full time studies to finish the dissertation and also began teaching at the Grenoble Graduate Business School (GGBSB), www.grenoble-em.com, in the spring of 2009 where I am returning this fall teaching 4 courses.

As mentioned SMC is accredited by ACBSP in the US and also ECBE in Europe. GGSB which is a triple accredited school (AMBA, AACSB, Equis) had no problem with the SMC degree from a teaching standpoint. So you can take that for what it is worth.

I think if you are looking for a flexible program that is reasonably priced and seems to be accepted by the top universities than SMC fits the bill. Of course there are other schools out there but in my opinion, when I started back in 2005 and still today, there are not too many that give you the flexibility that SMC does.

Naturally, with any program you get out of it what you put into it and this is even more true for doctoral studies. So my biggest piece of advice would be for you to find a program and school with which you feel comfortable and then commit yourself. Otherwise said, even if you go somewhere that you feel is highly accredited beyond all others, if you are not fully comfortable there for whatever reason you most likely will not be a success at your studies. Doctoral studies are a long haul and you have to be prepared for that. And that means you have to be at a place where you feel you fit into its culture and mode of operation, and only you can make that determination.

Good Luck,
Dr. Henderson

======= Date Modified 13 May 2009 09:19:05 =======
Guilio,

My name is Jeffrey Henderson and I recently graduated the Doctor of Political Economy program at SMC University, http://www.swissmc.ch/ The program took me 3.5 years and is a serious program. After all is said and done I think what you want to look for is a program that matches your personality. Often the accreditations the various school indicate are at the master's level, for instance the MBA level so make sure you are comparing apples to apples.

Given the nature of Doctoral work I personally do not believe in accreditations. It is a very individual pursuit and is more based on finding a program that fits with your schedule, your particular focus and budget. SMC is an accredited instituion by ACBSP in the US.

Also, important is whether you want to do it primarily on campus or distance. In so far as SMC University is concerned you have the option of taking courses both 100% distance or through residencies, or a mix of both - very flexible. During the residencies, one just finished early May 2009, there are students from a variety of countries. The student body comes form over 70 countries and during the residencies there are students present from probably half of those.

Good luck on your search and I hope you find a program that suits you well.

Best,
Jeffrey