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As PCC is not accredited, PCC graduates may have difficulty pursuing a graduate degree or getting employment where an accredited degree is required.<ref>[http://www.bakersguide.com/kb/Are_All_Unaccredited_Schools_Bad?/ Are All Unaccredited Schools Bad?] ''Baker's Guide to Christian Distance Education''</ref> This is not due to a lack of accreditation bodies, as there are at least three bodies recognized by the United States Department of Education that accredit religious colleges. All students at PCC are required to sign a statement that they understand that "Pensacola Christian College has never made application for regional accreditation because the College believes it could jeopardize the College's philosophical distinctive. It is the practice of Pensacola Christian College, and other colleges and universities, to accept or reject credits based on their own institutional criteria regardless of whether or not that particular school transferring credit is accredited."{{fact}}
''The Chronicle of Higher Education'' found that many Christian colleges and some secular institutions accept Pensacola's credits.<ref name="bartlett" /> Several former students told the ''Chronicle'' that they had had no difficulty transferring credits or applying for jobs. However, some former PCC students interviewed by ''The Chronicle of Higher Education'' on their experiences with using their PCC degrees and transferring PCC credits to other institutions reported serious problems:<ref name="bartlett" /> {{cquote|<nowiki>[Abel Harding]</nowiki> applied to the University of Florida and was told that none of his credits would transfer. "I had to start over," he says. So, after three years at Pensacola, he enrolled as a freshman at nearby Santa Fe Community College}}{{cquote|<nowiki>[Amy Brown]</nowiki> graduated from Pensacola in 2003 with a degree in early-childhood education. But because the college is not accredited, she cannot teach in public schools.}} PCC Education majors are informed their freshman year that the degree which they will earn is geared toward teaching in Christian schools, in particular Christian schools that use the [[A Beka Book]] curriculum.{{fact}} Education majors are also informed that because most states require their teachers to be state certified in order to teach, they would not be able to teach in a public school in their home state following graduation simply with a PCC Education degree.{{fact}} It is generally accepted that it is difficult to become state certified if the applicant's undergraduate degree is unaccredited. In the summer 2007 issue of the PCC Update, a quarterly magazine published by PCC containing PCC announcements and reviews, PCC President Dr. Arlin Horton stated in a column:<ref>Summer 2007 issue, PCC Update</ref> <blockquote>"...the success of our graduates demonstrates PCC's excellent quality of education. Their credits have been accepted by over 700 colleges and universities, including over 375 accredited graduate schools, 72 medical schools and 66 law schools. This reputation for excellence is also based on each student's academic achievement as he [or she] seeks to transfer to other institutions or admission to graduate schools. PCC graduates further demonstrate academic excellence by being accepted to and successfully studying at some of he most prestigious accredited Graduate schools in America."</blockquote> Although PCC lacks institutional accreditation, its Its nursing program is certified by the Florida State Board of Nursing.<ref>[http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/nursing/lst_trainingprograms.pdf ''Florida Board of Nursing'' Nursing Programs June 2006]</ref>
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{{wikipedia}}
'''Pensacola Christian College''' (PCC) is an unaccreditedaccredited, fundamentalist, Independent Baptist<ref>[http://www.soulforce.org/article/989 Soulforce Information on PCC]</ref><ref> [http://www.pcci.edu/GeneralInfospirituallife/ArticlesofFaitharticlesoffaith.html PCC's Articles of Faith]</ref> college in Pensacola, founded in [[1974]] by [[Arlin Horton]]. It is known as one of the strictest colleges in the U.S. and some claim that it is radically legalistic.{{fact}}
== History ==
===Undergraduate programs===
PCC offers over sixty undergraduate programs of study. These programs fall under the oversight of eight academic divisions including the Division of Bible, the Division of Business, the Division of Education, the Division of Communicative Arts, the Division of Music, the Division of Arts and Sciences, the Division of Basic Sciences and Engineering, and the Division of Nursing.<ref>[http://www.pcci.edu/Academics/MajorsDivisions/Default.html PCC: Majors Index]</ref>
===Graduate and postgraduate programs===
=== Accreditation ===
Pensacola Christian College is not accredited by any received accreditation body recognized status as of October 29, 2013 by its country. According to the US Department Transnational Association of Education, unaccredited degrees and credits might not be acceptable to employers or other institutions, Christian Colleges and use of degree titles may be restricted or illegal in some jurisdictionsSchools.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edpcci.govedu/studentsnewsevents/prep2011/college/diplomamills/accreditationtracsannouncement.html|title=Educational accreditation|publisher=US Department of Education}}</ref> ''The Chronicle of Higher Education'' reported:<ref name="bartlett">[http://chronicle.com/free/v52/i29/29a04001.htm Bartlett, Thomas (2006). "A College That's Strictly Different,]" ''The Chronicle of Higher Education''.</ref>{{cquote|Pensacola [Christian College] ... has shown no interest in outside approval of any kind. Nor does it advertise its unaccredited status. A search of the Web site turns up no mention of accreditation. It is not mentioned in the college's viewbook either, which dedicates four pages to sports activities and two to campus facilities. It is mentioned, in small print, on the inside flap of the course catalog: "Pensacola Christian College has never made application for regional accreditation as the College believes it would jeopardize the College's philosophical distinctives." The catalog goes on to say that getting other colleges to accept Pensacola's credits "has seldom been an insurmountable problem."}}
=== Philosophical position ===
==Articles of faith==
Below are listed PCC's articles of faith as found on the PCC website:<ref>[http://www.pcci.edu/GeneralInfospirituallife/ArticlesofFaitharticlesoffaith.html PCC: Articles of Faith]</ref>
<blockquote>"We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired and infallible, authoritative Word of God and that God gave the words of Scripture by inspiration without error in the original autographs. God promises that He will preserve His Word; Jesus said, “but my words shall not pass away”–Matt. 24:35. We believe God has kept that promise by preserving His infallible Word in the traditional Hebrew and Greek manuscripts and that the Authorized Version (KJV) is an accurate English translation of the preserved Word of God.</blockquote>
=== Free time recreation ===
The campus of PCC offers opportunities for non-organized individual or group recreation during free time. On the lower level of the [[PCC Sports Center|Sports Center]], students can ice-skate, bowl at PCC's 12-lane bowling alley, play racquetball in one of 6 courts, play miniature golf, play table tennis, or work out in one of the weight rooms. There is now an extension to the Sports Center which includes: rock climbing, a water park, a volleyball court, several badminton courts and also a inline skate rink. Also available on campus is the [[PCC Field House|Field House]] in which students can play basketball, swim in the Swim Center and play tennis in the tennis courts. On east field students can utilize out door basketball courts, a soccer field, an eight lane running track, softball fields, and additional tennis courts. There is also an indoor running track in the upper level of the Sports Center. Although it is some distance from campus, students willing to make the 30 minute drive can enjoy [[PCC West Campus|West Campus]], where students can sail in catamarans or go kayaking.<ref>{{cite web
| title = PCC: West Campus
| publisher = Pensacola Christian College
| url = http://www.pcci.edu/StudentLifecampus/Facilitiesfacilities/WestCampuswestcampus.html
| accessdate = 2007-08-08 }}</ref>
Regulations govern many aspects of the residence hall students lives, including dress, hairstyles, cleanliness of residence hall rooms, styles of music (PCC only permits its students to listen to classical music, traditional Christian music or Sacred music), borrowing, off-campus employment, and internet access.
PCC also has strict policies regarding mixed-gender interaction. Physical contact between members of the opposite sex (including shaking hands) is not permitted under any circumstance. Written permission of the dean’s office must be procured for all off-campus meetings between members of the opposite sex. In addition, all mixed-gender meetings (on and off-campus), must have a PCC chaperone present(''unless you are over 23 AND have a fastpass'').<ref name="bartlett" /> All stairwells and elevators on campus are segregated by gender(as of 2010 the Library stairs are not segregated [but that does not matter anyway because guys and girls are to never look at or talk to each other in the college library] ). In the absence of being able to have physical contact, a fad has developed among dating students on campus where couples stare deeply into each other’s eyes. This practice by students is variously called "eye kissing", or "optical intercourse" and is jokingly called "making eye babies."<ref name="bartlett" /> This activity however is discouraged by the administration.
Other violations of PCC policy include the use of language considered profane or foul by the college administration, visiting movie theaters, patronizing unauthorized area businesses, being off campus after hours and being in another residence hall room after hours. Additionally, being in a residence hall belonging to a member of the opposite sex, the use of alcohol, or tobacco products, gambling, possession or use of pornography, engaging in any form of pre-marital sexual activity or any other actions considered by the college to be immoral, and engaging in social activities with members of the opposite sex as a group while off campus can result in immediate dismissal. The administration of PCC also reviews any reports brought to their attention of students behaving in a manner unbecoming of PCC ideals who are at home or away on school breaks while enrolled at the college.<ref>[http://www.pensacolachristiancollege.com/rules.htm Student Voice Rule List]</ref>
Pensacola Christian College, hosts a "local church" in the main auditorium on campus, the [[Crowne Centre]], called the [[Campus Church]]. Most PCC students are required to attend the Campus Church, which PCC feels is an integral part of each student's spiritual growth.
On December 10, 2006, Dr. Arlin Horton announced that Dr. [[Neal Jackson]] would be the pastor of the Campus Church.<ref>[http://www.pcci.edu/CampusChurch/Welcome.html#Jackson Campus Church welcomes new Pastors]</ref> Dr. Jackson received his Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Arts degree from PCC. He also has a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Luther Rice Seminary.<ref> Dr. Jackson previously served along side his father as co-pastor of Belmont Baptist Church in Conyers, Georgia.[http://www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/staff/co-pastor.asp Bio of Pastor Jackson]</ref> In addition, [[Lloyd Streeter]], formerly the pastor of the First Baptist Church of LaSalle, Illinois, has accepted the position of co-Pastor.<ref>[http://www.pcci.edu/CampusChurch/default.html PCC: Campus Church]</ref> The position of Pastor of the Campus Church had previously been held by [[Jim Schettler]] who resigned that position in May, 2006.('''as of sept 2009 Dr. Joel Mullenix is now the Interim Pastor and Joe ShakourAssistant Pastor.<ref>[http://www.campuschurch.com/Staff.html]</ref> )'''
Since the inception of PCC and of the Campus Church, critics have pointed out that college's Campus Church may not be a true local church. One example of how the Campus Church operates differently is the recent selection its current pastors. Traditionally local churches of the Independent Baptist persuasion (as the Campus Church claims to be) form a pulpit committee which presents pastoral candidates to the congregation for a yes or no vote. Upon a majority yes vote of the congregation a call is extend to the candidate to become the church's pastor. In the case of Dr. Neal Jackson and Dr. Lloyd Streeter becoming the Campus Church co-pastor in January of 2007, Arlin Horton personally selected them without either a pulpit committee or congregational vote. <ref>[http://www.sharperiron.org/showpost.php?p=65662&postcount=21 Sharper Iron Forums - View Single Post - UPDATE: Neal Jackson Pastor, Lloyd Streeter Co-Pastor of Campus Church<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> PCC however holds that as an independent church they have the right to operate the Campus Church according to their interpretation of what is scriptural.
*[http://www.ctlibrary.com/821 Christianity Today: College Pays Millions in Taxes]
[[Category:Pensacola Christian College| ]][[Category:Religious education]][[Category:Post-secondary education]][[Category:Private schools]]
