You can now get a B.A. Degree in MA in the USA?

[cathal]

That kind of thing is quite common in Japan. There are some universities which mandate all students to get a minor in martial arts. The fact that this university in the USA provides it, means that the west is respecting martial arts more in general. But as I recall it isn't the first US university to offer such a degree.

[bushido_man96]

That kind of thing is quite common in Japan. There are some universities which mandate all students to get a minor in martial arts. The fact that this university in the USA provides it, means that the west is respecting martial arts more in general. But as I recall it isn't the first US university to offer such a degree.

There are other universities in the States that offer courses in the martial arts as part of a Physical Science Degree, but this one claims to be the first that actually offers a Bachelor's in MA.

[cathal]

OK cool. I hope that it works out.

[lordtariel]

That could be interesting. I wonder what quality of MA instruction they offer. I don't think it's too bad of an idea. You could learn MA and possibly learn things like how to keep a business open, marketing, sports medicine, and all of the other options you have at a college. Wonder how much of a muck organization politics would make of it though.

[bushido_man96]

That could be interesting. I wonder what quality of MA instruction they offer. I don't think it's too bad of an idea. You could learn MA and possibly learn things like how to keep a business open, marketing, sports medicine, and all of the other options you have at a college. Wonder how much of a muck organization politics would make of it though.

Those are interesting questions.

I also wonder if it is conducive to someone with no prior MA experience? We all think about it, but in a sense that we have some idea of what to expect. What if you are a freshman who has never studied martial arts, see this major, and then decide to get into it? I wonder what that experience would be like? I haven't seen anything that states that prior experience is required.

[obiwansbane]

Im sure they would have more than one instructor and would break it down into experience levels, allowing fresh people to start, with that much time spent training one should become fairly proficient in defence... although id say you go into the program as a side class, and get the degree along with a black belt (take it for multiple years) cause this way someone at a say green or blue belt level could claim to have a "martial arts" degree

[Rateh]

If you read the classes, you get your first degree after 2 year, 2nd after four years. If you start out with a black belt in that style, you can test to start in higher classes, thus getting up to 4th degree i think it was, through the course of the program.

[ps1]

I think it's a terrible idea. It's like the ultimate McDojo that covers it's tracks by giving the student's a piece of paper. 2nd degree black belt after 4 years of training? That's quite the fast track. It serves to do nothing more than perpetuate martial arts as a business venture rather than a life style.

[bushido_man96]

I think it's a terrible idea. It's like the ultimate McDojo that covers it's tracks by giving the student's a piece of paper. 2nd degree black belt after 4 years of training? That's quite the fast track. It serves to do nothing more than perpetuate martial arts as a business venture rather than a life style.

I can understand what you are saying here, but these kinds of degrees are available through colleges in the East already. And after this many years in the states, this the first college to offer it like this. It may appear McDojoish at first, but I would love to take a look at it, to see what it would be like. You never know.

[username8517]

I've been holding off on posting in this thread as I honestly don't know how to feel about it.

I think it's great that MA is starting to get serious recognition both as a lifesytle and as a teaching method. Simply by having a MA degree not only will students learn the moves and such, but it would definately be beneficial to them to learn parts of the human body and how it works through courses such as Anatomy and Bio-Physics.

However I do have some concerns. One would obviously be the McDojo angle already brought up. My second would be of the styles selected, why were they choosen. For example, in their karate syllabus, if Shotokan was selected for karate, why was a Japanese style selected and why specifically Shotokan? What about those that might enjoy Okinawa Shorin-Ryu more because of the differences in stances and the way moves are executed? Same thing with TKD--why choose ITF over WTF or vice versa? Definately the potential for big time politics. Or what about other styles not represented like BJJ, Akido, Wing Chun, etc--why were those not selected?

I don't know, just thought running through my head.