Honorary doctorate

[roemer]

I know someone who recieved an honorary, unearned doctorate ( not a PhD). But she uses this ceremonial title in her professional life. Outside of being vain , how dishonest is it ?

 

[Almeria]

So she doesn’t make the distinction that it is an honorary degree? She makes it appear that it is an earned degree?

In my opinion, trying to pass an honorary degree off as an earned degree is dishonest and immoral. If she’s putting it down on her CV or an application, I would think it would be considered fraudlent behavior and be grounds for dismissal. If she’s trying to pass it off in her social life as an ego-boost, that’s even more disturbing.

Say for instance she got an honorary medical degree, when really all the training she has is rudimentary first aid. If she’s someplace with friends and someone has a medical emergency, she’s going to be in a dilemma. Does she admin to her friends that she was lying all along? Or in attempting to hide the lie from her friends, she attempts medical care of the individual, and the person dies. She would then, most likely, be liable for the person’s death–she was impersonating a doctor. A very extreme example, but an example nonetheless. Whatever the degree field is in, passing herself off as a legitimate earner of the doctorate is pretending to be something she is not, and disrespects those individuals who spent years to earn the degree. She’s making herself appear as having advanced education, and she does not have it. She might be an expert in her field, but doesn’t have the broad knowledge a legitimate degree has. Ozzy Osbourne may be a talented guitar player, but just because he has an honorary doctorate in music doesn’t mean he can play the viola or the flute.

 

[Brendan]

I got this from a business etiquette site

Many universities (and now colleges) grant a degree called an honorary doctorate to persons they want to honor or recognize (usually a dignitary, benefactor, or notable alumni). However, neither the university nor the honoree are naive enough to believe the honor actually conferred a full doctorate, thus most people with honorary degrees are discouraged from using them in public, though certainly many do. In the end, of course, it’s the job-seeker’s decision.

Technically speaking, they can refer to themselves a ‘Dr.’ but it is very much frowned upon. And if they list it among ‘qualifications’ it should be made perfectly clear that the degree is honorary.

I personally consider it’s use to be incredibly pretentious.

 

[mercygate]

Usually, the degree is indicated by a designation different from an earned degree. DHL, for example, Doctor of Humane Letters, is not a degree that can ever be earned. D.D. (Doctor of Divinity) is another. It is considered tacky to refer to oneself as “Doctor” if one does not hold the academic degree.

 

[Ray_Marshall]

mercygate:

Usually, the degree is indicated by a designation different from an earned degree. DHL, for example, Doctor of Humane Letters, is not a degree that can ever be earned. D.D. (Doctor of Divinity) is another. It is considered tacky to refer to oneself as “Doctor” if one does not hold the academic degree.

I do believe that all the Bishops of Ireland are referred to as “Doctor”, probably from their D.D. degrees, in most cases one would presume.

Maybe somebody can verify this.

 

[mercygate]

Ray Marshall:

I do believe that all the Bishops of Ireland are referred to as “Doctor”, probably from their D.D. degrees, in most cases one would presume.

Maybe somebody can verify this.

Yes. They’re called “doctor.”

 

[Brendan]

mercygate:

Yes. They’re called “doctor.”

That has to do with their teaching function, not their degree level (though most do have SSD’s or STD’s) . Doctor is Latin for ‘teacher’.

A fine example is St. Terese of Liseux, she is a Doctor of the Church, but had a 5th grade education. She is a Doctor in the Latin sense, she teaches the whole Church Spirituality.

 

[roemer]

Now for the rest of the story …
The person in question is none other than Colleen Kelly Mast, co-host of The Doctor is In.
Now watch the tone of the replies change from unfavorable to favorable.

 

[Ray_Marshall]

Brendan:

That has to do with their teaching function, not their degree level (though most do have SSD’s or STD’s) . Doctor is Latin for ‘teacher’.

According to my Cassell’s paperback Latin - English dictionary, “medicus” is Latin for “doctor.”

“Magister” is Latin for “teacher!” Ooooooooops! I see that “doctor” also is Latin for teacher. I need a bigger Latin dictionary.

Anybody know what the difference is, in Latin, between “magister” and “doctor?”

 

[roemer]

Check the word derivation of “doctor” in any good English dictionary and you won’t need the Latin one.

 

[DaveBj]

roemer:

Now for the rest of the story …
The person in question is none other than Colleen Kelly Mast, co-host of The Doctor is In.
Now watch the tone of the replies change from unfavorable to favorable.

Well, I still think it’s pretentious. I saw this kind of thing all the time in the bling-bling theology movement.

:tsktsk:

DaveBj

 

[John_Higgins]

I made that comment here on this board to Jerry Usher. My wife has an earned PhD, and I hate to see any honoraries acting like they’re doctors. If she is, how 'bout Dr. Bill Clinton and Dr. Ted Kennedy. They’ve both received several honorary doctorates.

What’s good for one…

John

 

[Robert_Simmons]

At least an honorary doctorate was given to someone by a real institution as recognition for achievement or service. Some people have the temerity to get bogus diplomas from internet institutions that are parodies of real schools and then go about signing letters with “PhD” after their name.

 

[Almeria]

I would think that it’s even worse for someone in the field of theology to use Ph.D. in their name if what they have is an honorary doctorate. I’m not familiar with her name, and I don’t listen to Catholic radio, so it’s nothing personal against her. I just don’t agree with it.

 

[chicago]

Ray Marshall:

According to my Cassell’s paperback Latin - English dictionary, “medicus” is Latin for “doctor.”

“Magister” is Latin for “teacher!” Ooooooooops! I see that “doctor” also is Latin for teacher. I need a bigger Latin dictionary.

Anybody know what the difference is, in Latin, between “magister” and “doctor?”

To avoid just this sort of confusion, the longstanding tradition at the University of Chicago is only to refer to physicians as “doctor” with other teahers who have doctorates by their more common formal title (such as “Mister”).

 

[chicago]

I do have a problem with the way “The Doctors” show is titled (seeing as how the nature of the “doctorates” of Dr. Ray and Dr. Colleen Kelley Mast are very distinct in nature - not by the fact that one is “honorary” and another “earned”, but in type of recognized expertise). I find it a bit misleading and confusing in promotion.

That said, I do not necessarily have a problem with someone using an “honorary” doctorate as a credential. I suppose that it’s real value needs to be critically evaluated, anyway, just like any other “earned” degree. It all depends upon the worth and respectability of the institution which granted it, including the reasons for which it was granted.

In any case, I personally think that the title “doctor” is too freely granted. I take the word more seriously in it’s historical and root word meaning than merely as a professional accreditation which the big business of eductation is trying to sell in the hope that paying customers will attempt to “earn” it. (I think that those university accredidations ought to be renamed.)

Therefore, I tend to beleive that a designation of “doctor” should be given only more prudentially to those who have proven by a signifigant (and perhaps unique) degree of actual life experience and ability to teach that they are worthy. In fact, it isn’t so much a proof of worthiness on one’s own part (as if one could actually pridefully do that) as a humble recognition by others of how this person has some signifigant insight (and ability to relate it well) such that we must pay heed to him for s/he is a true “teacher”.

In this sense, I believe that an honorary degree, granted not merely to just anybody as a friendly parting gift for giving a commencement speech (as they commonly are nowadays), but because of such a serious and thoughtful discernment process on the part of the college, is actually the higher and more worthy recognition.

Basically, this is actually what the Church does in rasing up certain Saints to the title of “doctor”.

 

[Minerva]

I’m in a PhD program, and I’ve always been told that even those who earn PhD’s shouldn’t go by “doctor” - only medical doctors should use the title. I’ve never had a professor that went by “doctor” and I won’t use it myself when I finish my PhD. I’d feel really pretentious if I did.

 

[arso347]

Minerva:

I’m in a PhD program, and I’ve always been told that even those who earn PhD’s shouldn’t go by “doctor” - only medical doctors should use the title. I’ve never had a professor that went by “doctor” and I won’t use it myself when I finish my PhD. I’d feel really pretentious if I did.

I am currently in a masters program, and have always been directed to address my professor as Dr. Whoever. I feel this is appropriate within the field the doctorate was earned. I am a student in structural engineering, and my professors have earned their PhD, and therefore deserve the title of doctor in this setting. In fact, I prefer it, as it allows the student a way to distinguish between the true research faculty and the “hired guns” teaching from industry.

I do believe it to be inappropriate and misleading when someone attempts to use the title of doctor in an environment or field where they have not earned it, no matter what degrees they hold in other fields. A Ph.D in Biology has no more right to use the title Dr. then the janitor does when discussing Art History, and the aforementioned professor with a PhD. in structural engineering has no place referring to himself as such in a hospital.

 

[GaryScott]

Here in Poland, individuals who finish their Master’s degree get to add letters to their name.

“mgr Gary Scott,” for example

So be glad that at least is an honorary doctorate

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