Colo. AG settles with university over doctorate program

DENVER (Legal Newsline) -- Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced Thursday a stipulated consent judgment with Argosy University, Denver, and its parent company to resolve allegations of deceiving students who sought doctorates.

Argosy and Education Management Corporation allegedly deceived, misled and financially damaged students seeking doctorate of education in counseling psychology degrees in violation of the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.

Argosy allegedly deceptively marketed its EdD-CP program by saying it was seeking to have the program accredited by the American Psychological Association, which was not the case.

Students of the program alleged the deficiencies in the EdD-CP program made it unlikely for them to become licensed psychologists in the state of Colorado.

Jan Zavislan, the deputy attorney general, alleged that many students who withdrew from the program did so with debt and without the ability to become licensed as psychologists.

Zavislan also alleged that no student from the Argosy program became licensed as a psychologist in any state.

Under the terms of the settlement, Argosy must reimburse 66 students for their tuition costs, stop advertising its Denver EdD-CP program as a psychology licensure-track program and stop enrolling students in the program.

Argosy also must ensure that any degree program it offers satisfies state requirements and programmatic accrediting standards so that students are eligible for licensure or certification and employment in Colorado.