Sadly, not a Master of THE Arts

Filling in some employment forms. I had to go look at my resume to find out when I got my M.A.

Sadly, it's a ''Master of Arts'' -- not a ''Master of the Arts'' or a ''Master of Martial Arts''. 'Cause that would be really cool.

(photo is of O-Sensei, the founder of Aikido)


Speaking of martial arts and certification: check out this guy's credentials. (Look halfway down, under "Position and Rank". He says he holds:

(1) A Ph.D. in the martial arts; (2) a Ph.D. in the Self-Defense Studies; and (3) a Doctor of Budo.

As someone pursuing a Ph.D. myself, and who's also dabbled a bit (more reading than taking classes, I'm afraid), I question this. Strange that he doesn't list the university he got the Ph.D. and doctorate from. More to the point: I wasn't aware of any accredited universities -- at least in the States -- that have departments of martial arts, self-defense studies, or Budo. Plus, as Ph.D. suggests that he wrote a Dissertation (or at least, published four or five peer-reviewed articles, and then got a doctorate through publication). Did he **really** write **two** Ph.D. Dissertations???

I'm a bit skeptical.


--GG


(Addendum: A brief Google search shows that, at The World College of Martial Science -- which isn't an institution of higher learning, but rather a martial arts organization -- under the section headed "Doctorate & Professorships":

"The World College of Martial Science Doctorate Program (DP) allows you to earn a (Ph.D/MS) degree, Doctor of Philosophy, specializing in Martial Science. This special degree is not to be confused with the traditional university (Ph.D) degree. The Ph.D/MS degree is unique and exclusively presented to martial artist only for life long study (30 years minimum or more) in the martial arts. [...]

"[...] The Doctor or Professor does not have to have a school or learning facility and may be engaged in instruction either academically or vocationally in any institutional or corporate environment."

So, in other words: It's an honorary title -- which is misleading, as folks with honorary degrees (e.g. Bill Cosby) are supposed to be "Doctor"; "Ph.D." is **supposed** to be reserved for folks who actually went to graduate school.

It's like someone going around with "M.D." after their name. They're not a medical doctor; their fraternal lodge just awards people a "M.D." if they're in charge of first aid.

BETTER EXAMPLE: Someone who puts "Olympic gold medalist" on their resume. Then it turns out it was their summer camp olympics, and he won his gold medal in tug-o'-war. Not only is this misleading, it's insulting to **real** Olympic gold medalists.

As someone who's grinding away, trying to finish his Dissertation, I resent these folks calling themselves "Ph.D." It cheapens it -- and it shows they have no clue about what it's all about.

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