Bill T:  So a Masters in Chemistry is nothing more than a level of knowledge but not of proficiency while a Master in a trade signifies that the person has mastered the trade.



Not so.  A Master's in Chemistry or Biology at Cornell means that the person has not only achieved proficiency, they have successfully undertaken a small research project.  That means they have "mastered the academic discipline" of chemistry.  However, this requirement varies among colleges, thus the general level of confusion.  Some places apparently hand out degrees without much requirement, but if the school, college, or university participates in DOE certification then the candidate must demonstrate measurable accomplishment, and to maintain certification, many of those schools are scrutinized regularly.  Here in New York we answer to the "Middle States" branch of the DOE.  Certainly the student must "do their homework" and choose a reputable college or university before investing their tens of thousands.  Those in the professions know which programs are worthy and which ones are "degree mills".  Qualified students who matriculate at good schools will earn degrees they can market and get good jobs with.


My mother is a Master of Tailoring.  Tailoring is a trade, not an academic discipline.  She completed her degree in the guild system of Germany after WWII.  It took years and she slowly climbed the ranks until her work and knowledge was judged to merit the "Master" degree.  Trades are not as well trained in the formal sense in this country as academic disciplines, unfortunately.  I would say beekeeping falls into the "trade" category.  Perhaps others disagree?


To achieve a disciplinary Ph.D. at University, the student must undertake a research project of some weight, and it must be published (at least that is true today, maybe not in the past).  A Ph.D., (Doctor of Philosophy) is the highest level of achievement in academia, after that, one's continuing accomplishment is recognized by their peers through various organizations or clubs with special awards or memberships (for instance, the National Academy of Sciences).   I have taught with people who never did another publishable piece of work after they earned their Ph.D.s, they just went into teaching and were happy with that.  Such people are not the academic equals of those who continue to engage in original work.  They may be great teachers but they are not as skilled as the ones who continue to publish, since, as several on this list have pointed out, they fail to progress in their skills and in their thinking as they no longer work at the "cutting edge" of their field.  This is the difference (usually) between faculty at a research university and faculty at a PUI (primarily undergraduate institution).  Pros and cons to both, but both should be assessed before matriculating so that you know you get your money's worth in quality of instruction.


Thanks to all who have participated in this discussion so far, it is most interesting!  I completed a "Master Beekeeper's" program three years ago (it shall remain nameless) which was, IMO, nearly worthless.  We sat through a day of powerpoint slides, then did a multiple choice test WHICH WE HAD TO GRADE OURSELVES (!!) then we were told we'd be "certified".  I didn't bother to do the exam as it was clearly unchallenging, and meaningless to me.  Obviously this experience does not compare in the remotest sense to some of the excellent programs that have been posted here.


I too believe that there is merit to completing a GOOD program because it helps guide you through the different topics that you might not think of (or engage in) studying by yourself.  A thoughtfully put together curriculum and a professional staff who interact with you and evaluate your work is what you "pay for" and it can be worth every penny, if you choose the right program of study.  Hats off to Jerry and crew for their new efforts.  I've also always admired the British system and I am of the general opinion that British hobby beekeepers spend more time thinking about the biology of their bees than the average American hobby beekeeper does.  Bee Craft does a good job making the study of bee biology available to Joe/Jane Beekeeper.  I will look into the other USA programs mentioned in previous posts.  Thanks again to all for posting.


Christina




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