Hindu University of America

Hindu University of America (HUA, also known as International Vedic Hindu University) is an unaccredited pseudoscience-promoting organization and diploma mill based in Orlando, Florida.

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The organization was established on October 24, 1993. According to its website, it was established "as an institution institute of higher education under the authorization granted by the State of Florida Commission for Independent Education".[1]

HUA was operating from temporary offices in Orlando and Tarpon Springs. In 2000, it acquired a 9.7 acre land with two buildings in Orlando. This address became the permanent address of this organization. Edith and Robert Grimm, described as "freindly neighbours" by the organization's website, donated 2.5 acres of land.[1]

It lists American College of Vedic Astrology and California College of Ayurveda as "collaborating institutions in the special areas of Hindu studies".[1]

In 2009, Mahesh Mehta, president of the HUA, claimed that his organization had more than 8000 students learning in its campus and online courses. According to him, more than 90% of the students were non-Indians. He said his organization was offering Masters and PhD courses in Hindu philosophy, Sanskrit, yoga, meditation, ayurveda, medicinal chemistry and jyotish (astrology).[2]

HUA has links with Hindutva organizations in the United States and in India.[3]

Degrees offered

It offers master's degrees on the following topics:[4]

  • Yoga Education
  • Yoga Philosophy & Meditation
  • Ayurveda
  • Hinduism
  • Hindu Philosophies
  • Vedic Astrology
  • Sri Aurobindo Studies
  • Master of Divinity (Hindu Priest Training)

Accreditation

Up until 2016, HUA stated that it "has been awarded full accreditation by the National Private Schools Accreditation Alliance (NPSAA)."[5] The NPSAA is also known as the National Private Schools Accreditation Group (NPSAG) and is an accreditation mill, a bogus organization created for the sole purpose of pretending to be a recognized accreditor. [6][7]

As of 2017, their website says that "HUA currently does not have accreditation status."[8]

gollark: HAX.
gollark: ?!?!?!
gollark: Is this some MATHS THING where you TRICK us with NON-INTEGER factorials!
gollark: This is unlegal. My factorial formula is the best one.
gollark: Use the desmos scientific calculator, heavpoot.

References
  1. About Us, Hindu University of America
  2. Prez of US vedic univ visits BHU Times of India
  3. Hindu Nationalism in the United States p.23
  4. http://wp.hua.edu/academics/degrees
  5. Accreditations Hindu University of America (archived from May 12, 2016).
  6. National Private Schools Accreditation Group: "NPSAG accreditation is a voluntary peer-review process which allows schools and colleges to demonstrate the integrity and quality of their education programs."
  7. NPSAG's Application for accreditation contains a Word document behind a link for Application for "Fast Track" Accreditation which states outright that NPSAG has"[...] no pre-conceived notions which would limit your formula for success, nor do we expect you to meet any pre-conceived rigid set of standards."
  8. Source: http://wp.hua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Catalog-2016.pdf
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