Degree in martial arts studies?!

[DWx]

It is probably more reasonable to earn a degree from a recognized accredited university in something that will be useful in a martial arts related field instead of martial arts.

There are so many other subjects to study that would yield much much more rewards than just martial arts. Before making a choice, one would do well to answer this: what do I want this degree for? personal interest or marketable qualification? A degree in martial arts may be interesting, but it will never be as useful as one in physical education or something similar.

That is a great point. The degree you choose can have quite a major impact on what you do with your life. It's a lot of time and money to invest in something so whatever you choose you have to choose it for the right reasons.

[DWx]

Thanks for all the posts. This IS an accredited university. The degree is real. Stuck on whether I should take business or phys Ed with it though.

I know this is quite a new course, but has the university published any stats about those who graduate? Most will release figures on percentage of graduates who got a job in their chosen field within 12 months and those who did something else. They should also give you stats on the percentage of students who completed the course and the types of employment they went into afterwards. That should at least give you an idea of whether this is a viable career path or something you should just study for interest.

Barring that, are there any alumni they could put you in contact with?

[sensei8]

Thanks for all the posts. This IS an accredited university. The degree is real. Stuck on whether I should take business or phys Ed with it though.

Both, if possible! However, I'd select taking business over PhysEd, but only if you're wanting to run a school. If not, then PhysEd would compliment the major quite well.

Imho!

[IcemanSK]

Colleges in Korea are famous for degrees in martial arts. Yong In University, for example is well known for their graduates in not just TKD, but Hapkido & Judo, as well. In the last 20 years, where one went to college for one's degree in martial arts has basically become (essentially) a new Kwan affiliation, as a fraternity, of sorts.

[Spartacus Maximus]

There are also two similar institutions in Japan, but these are supposedly fully accredited and recognized school with regular academic degree programmes. Students have the option of training full time in one or two martial arts in parallel to whatever academic field they choose. Basically it is like other college/universities except all the clubs, teams and other non-academics are martial arts related.

[sensei8]

So...the College IS the governing body of the degree?? And is the degree turned into some type of rank??

In lineage terms...

COLLEGE as the governing body----->

College Professor------>Student

Hhhhmmmmm...

The College Professor is the "Sensei"? After all, anyone who teaches, per the name, is a "Sensei"!?!

Once someone earns said MA degree, who provides the new "Sensei" with certificates? And who administers the testing cycle??

Dumb questions...I know...but...

In addition...

http://www.bridgeport.edu/academics/undergraduate/martial-arts-studies-b/faculty/

From reading their bios, it appears that they're more than qualified to teach their MA discipline!! Check out the video(s)!

So, it takes about 4 years to earn a BA, I think...so, will the graduate be earning a 1st Degree Black Belt...or god forbid...more...or just a diploma from the University?? I can only assume that any MA rank would be given separate and away from the University. After all, the Co-Director is a 7th Dan in TKD!!

Surf around the links provided throughout this thread...interesting...but of interest, check out the "Learning Outcomes" provided by the University. I'm still surfing the info provided, and it appears that there's a lot of reading...maybe...there's 10 pages of information!!

[Spartacus Maximus]

Well the way the school in Japan is structured is that the martial arts teaching is done by instructors who are recognized by their own governing body for the ryuha or system they teach. They may or may not also be qualified to teach an academic subject.

In other words, the martial arts are everywhere and many but not all professors are involved in martial arts. Students graduate with a degree plus a grade in whatever martial art they have trained in for the duration of their programme. In the case of a basic 4 year undergraduate level it is X major plus a minimum of shodan in a martial art taught at the school. Bearing in mind that a student has scheduled training daily as well as in their free time as much as allowed.

That's the best explanation without going into fine detail.

[IcemanSK]

So...the College IS the governing body of the degree?? And is the degree turned into some type of rank??

In lineage terms...

COLLEGE as the governing body----->

College Professor------>Student

Hhhhmmmmm...

The College Professor is the "Sensei"? After all, anyone who teaches, per the name, is a "Sensei"!?!

Once someone earns said MA degree, who provides the new "Sensei" with certificates? And who administers the testing cycle??

Dumb questions...I know...but...

In addition...

http://www.bridgeport.edu/academics/undergraduate/martial-arts-studies-b/faculty/

From reading their bios, it appears that they're more than qualified to teach their MA discipline!! Check out the video(s)!

So, it takes about 4 years to earn a BA, I think...so, will the graduate be earning a 1st Degree Black Belt...or god forbid...more...or just a diploma from the University?? I can only assume that any MA rank would be given separate and away from the University. After all, the Co-Director is a 7th Dan in TKD!!

Surf around the links provided throughout this thread...interesting...but of interest, check out the "Learning Outcomes" provided by the University. I'm still surfing the info provided, and it appears that there's a lot of reading...maybe...there's 10 pages of information!!

Here's what I've understood from what I've gleaned from the Kukkiwon website & from a friend who was an American 7th Dan KKW who studied MA at an American college studying for a masters in MA, but did not finish (for reasons that had nothing to do with the college or MA).

In Korea, continuing to train TKD past grade school is rare. Parents feel that, unless their child shows a lot of talent for TKD, there's no reason to continue. If a child continues training post elementary school, they intend to make TKD the way to get into college.

Kukkiwon regulations say "Those who have majored in Taekwondo in their undergraduate studies (Taekwondo Department - Taekwondo Bachelor Degree), for two or three-years of college shall be given the 3rd Dan application eligibility. And graduates of a four-year university shall be given the 4th Dan application eligibility. However, Jump-up Dan will not be allowed for them." Training in college programs in Korea is more like a job than classes in subjects in college here in the US. One's day is regimented & training is all day 6 days a week. Starting from Poom rank in one's youth, it's completely logical that one could attain 2nd Dan by the time they began college. They do not have jobs other than to train & learn MA. They not only learn TKD, but Hapkido, Judo, & other Arts as well. These schools are highly competitive & the students are very talented athletes. The professors are among the finest Taekwondoin on the planet. In order to teach TKD in Korea, one would still need to take & pass the KKW instructor's course once attaining 4th Dan. For a Korean young person to sit for the instructor's course & not hve a TKD BA would be very rare.

My friend who study MA in an American college (not Bridgeport) had already attained high Dan rank, so that was not his focus, & nothing else was promised to him.

I hope that helps explain at least a bit of the intent of these programs.

[Martial Matt]

Just from the observers standpoint my vocational degree in machining has proven far more beneficial in getting the kind of job I want and for advancement than some of my co-workers that have various Bachelor's Degrees in fields that have nothing to do with their current job title.

Don't get me wrong, a college degree is better than none, our QA supervisor was chosen because he obtained a Bachelor's Degree, over another candidate with far more experience and seniority.

My oldest daughter was told by her counselor at MSU that it would be a mistake not to pursue a degree in something more practical as it would more likely produce results after graduation.

[sensei8]

My understanding is that many fortune 500 and 100 companies prefer job candidates that have a degree over those who don't possess a degree. Why? Those with a degree are teachable, while those without a degree aren't.

So, I don't possess a degree, I guess I'm stupid?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I feel so good about myself, as well as my possibilities.