Validation Educational Credentials

[FreeChile]

Greetings.

Someone asked me this morning how they could validate their university degree obtained in Cuba so he can use it here in the United States. Can someone help me with this one by offering a link or some information?

Thanks in advance.

[drkitten]

Greetings.

Someone asked me this morning how they could validate their university degree obtained in Cuba so he can use it here in the United States. Can someone help me with this one by offering a link or some information?

I don't even know what he means by this. There's no such thing as a "validated" or "unvalidated" degree in the United States. If he wants to apply to graduate school (or for a professional licensure), each organization typically does its own legwork. If he simply wants to apply for a job, again each organization does its own legwork.

[FreeChile]

Could it be as simple as needing his credentials translated?

[drkitten]

Could it be as simple as needing his credentials translated?

It could be. It could also be that he needs to know whether a "Diplomate" corresponds to a bachelors or a master's so he knows whether he's qualified for a job, or he may need to have a note of explanation written so that people understand that an "80" in this system corresponds to a 3.7 in ours or something.

Or he may just be looking for some sort of official statement that his university does in fact exist and is accredited by the Cuban government.

Or he may be looking for some sort of official statement confirming that he did graduate.

You're asking me what he wants?

We have an entire office at my school who are responsible for figuring out the mess that is/are foreign credentials, so when someone comes in from the University of Ruritania with a "Degree (Diplomate) of Respect," we can figure out what this corresponds to. But by the same token, they only work for my university and don't issue random To Whom It May Concern translations or certifications....

[Dancing David]

Yeah that is a really tough question, it depends what the school or job wants and then what translates from one place to another. For most jobs a degree or the transcipts or both is what they want. For schools it is much more complex.

ETA:What Dr. Kitten said.

[FreeChile]

I'll ask him some of these questions.

[FreeChile]

I asked the person this morning about the reason. He said he is trying to find a job in his field of physical education. That means possibly as a coach or assistant coach or trainer.

I told him a useful thing he could do is to have translations and references ready and to prepare a resume and submit applications for the various jobs. But I don't know if schools require certifications or acrediations depending on the different jobs being applied for.

In addition, a wanted ad or posting would in most cases specify the needs of the position. That way he would know if he is qualified. But I didn't tell him that yet.

[drkitten]

I asked the person this morning about the reason. He said he is trying to find a job in his field of physical education. That means possibly as a coach or assistant coach or trainer.

I told him a useful thing he could do is to have translations and references ready and to prepare a resume and submit applications for the various jobs. But I don't know if schools require certifications or acrediations depending on the different jobs being applied for.

Most if not all states require people who work as coaches in public schools to have state-issued certificates, and the requirements vary from state to state. But there's a state-run office that will issue those certificates and they can tell him what he needs to submit. My bet is that a photocopy of his diploma or an official transcript will suffice, and they'll find someone who can figure out what it means in US education terms.

If all he wants to be is a trainer, the state board of health/medicine may or may not have requirements. A lot of states will allow any schnuck to claim to be a trainer or athletic instructor. Again, there's a state office to answer these questions that will also know the specific details.

[FreeChile]

Thank you for all your responses.

[Dancing David]

I asked the person this morning about the reason. He said he is trying to find a job in his field of physical education. That means possibly as a coach or assistant coach or trainer.

I told him a useful thing he could do is to have translations and references ready and to prepare a resume and submit applications for the various jobs. But I don't know if schools require certifications or acrediations depending on the different jobs being applied for.

In addition, a wanted ad or posting would in most cases specify the needs of the position. That way he would know if he is qualified. But I didn't tell him that yet.

In Illinois you will need the 'education degree' and to be in the correct grade level to teach physical ed., to be a coach you just apply. Most coachs have a 'part time differential' they get paid a sum to be the coach, no benefits.

[Roma]

Doesn't each university have a database of all their alumnae ?

[lionking]

If you are asking if the qualification's equivalence can be assessed, there must be a government agency which does that. We have one, and, for example, it has assessed certain university qualifications from India as being equivalent to high school certificates. International qualifications (particularly from the second- and third-world) should always be treated cautiously.

[drkitten]

If you are asking if the qualification's equivalence can be assessed, there must be a government agency which does that.

I don't believe there is (in the United States). (If there is, then it's only binding on the relevant government; if it's a federal agency, then the states are not obliged to respect it, and vice versa. And the private sector can do whatever it likes.)

Certainly my university does that assessment in-house; I walk past that office on a regular basis as it's across the hall from the faculty canteen.

[drkitten]

Doesn't each university have a database of all their alumnae ?

Only women's colleges maintain databases of all their alumnae.

[Architect]

International qualifications (particularly from the second- and third-world) should always be treated cautiously.

And don't forget to mention these damned antipodean ones.....

;)