University in CT offeres Bachelor's Degree in Martial Arts

[Ronin Moose]

I was curious about their accreditation, so I emailed them to inquire. This is the response I received:

The university is accredited by the New England Association of Schools
and Colleges, and by the Board of Governors of the Connecticut Department of Higher Education. The latter also approves all our programs, so the department investigated and reviewed our plans for the bachelor's in martial arts and approved them.
If you are inquiring about the martial arts program, the contact is
Professor Mark K. Setton, (203) 576-4965 or [email protected]. He
can help you further.

Just thought I'd pass this on as part of the discussion.

-Garry

 

[wade]

Thanks, that does help me make a decision on where I want to go from here.

 

[Carol]

Hmmmmm, OK, go with me cause this is going to be really slow. All these people talking about having college degrees in the MA's in order to teach makes me think maybe I should rethink my career. See, I only have a 10th grade education. I went to Viet Nam when I was 17, it's OK though, I was the only one at my senior prom recovering from wounds and it turned out pretty well. Anyway, if you need a college degree to teach where does that leave people like me? Should I be thinking about a different career, maybe in the fast food industry? Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

The logic isn't sound, Wade.

The degree program, based on what has been posted, does not indicate that one will be qualified to teach.

There is also no indication that because one school out of a gazillion offers a Martial Arts major that such a thing will result in a *need* for a Martial Arts degree in order to teach.

 

[charyuop]

Heeheeemmmm....Wade, between you and a school where the teacher came out of that college, no doubt I would pick you 100 times out of 100!!!
I got the feeling what they would offer it would just be another Mc Dojo.
And as per your fear, I don't think it is meant as a sole way to teach Martial Arts. Many Traditional schools would never accept to have to undergo that bachelor to teach what they have been teaching for centuries.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Surprisingly I think it is a good idea as a supplement to someone’s training but not a replacement for it. But I do not think it is necessary to have in order to teach. And if you are going here to make MA your career I still maintain that this should be offered with a minor in business.

However 4 years of Taiji does not a master make and I do not think after 4 years in this program you are qualified to teach any MA. It takes longer than that. If you have been training for a few years before and you plan on training for a few years after then sure you can teach and if you plan on taking that training to a different level after graduation, say going to China, Korea or Japan to continue it is a good thing to have an understanding of the language and culture. It makes it one whole heck of a lot easier to be able to speak the language of your Sifu and understand the culture from which he comes.

Hell if I where younger I would consider going and then move to Beijing to train for a few years.

 

[Steel Tiger]

Hmmmmm, OK, go with me cause this is going to be really slow. All these people talking about having college degrees in the MA's in order to teach makes me think maybe I should rethink my career. See, I only have a 10th grade education. I went to Viet Nam when I was 17, it's OK though, I was the only one at my senior prom recovering from wounds and it turned out pretty well. Anyway, if you need a college degree to teach where does that leave people like me? Should I be thinking about a different career, maybe in the fast food industry? Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

If it aint broke don't fix it.

 

[Ronin Moose]

If I was of a mind to just pick up and go to a college that offered a martial arts major or emphasis, I'd sure take a hard look at Radford University in Virginia. Their MA program is run by Dr. Jerry Beasley, who is pretty well known in his own rights, besides being partnered up with Joe Lewis and Bill Wallace. How could you beat that kind of training? They offer a one week camp in the summer for anyone who can pay and get there. The regular school year seems pretty status quo for a small college. Check them out at:

http://www.runet.edu/

Good Luck!

-Garry

 

[CuongNhuka]

hu, intresting. univeristy of bloomington offers martial arts classes for people in their biomechanics program. intresting....

 

[TraditionalTKD]

In this country, martial arts are considered by most practitioners and potential students as recreational activity or sport. The question becomes: Now that you've spent all this money for a martial arts degree, what exactly do you do with it? Do you really think most people in this country will appreciate it? If you are a legitimate Instructor who has taken the time to learn the finer points of your style, its history, philosophy, manners, etiquette etc., the fact that you have a MA degree is inconsequential. To most people anyway. Nice to have, but not really worth the cost-benefit analysis.
Kind of like a liberal arts degree. Nice to have, but impractical.

 

[TraditionalTKD]

And I'm curious to know about the people teaching this course. I've met several college-level TKD instructors who's credibility is, shall we say, questionable.
The article mentioned earning belts in kung fu. I was unaware that kung fu used belts. if they can't get that right, what makes you think anything else they teach is right?

 

[Cryozombie]

Overall, I don't see the point of it. If one wants a career in martial arts, this wouldn't be necessary. Classes in sports medicine, nutrition, and small business would seem to be the main things you would focus on in college/tech school

That would be my thoughts as well

The article mentioned earning belts in kung fu. I was unaware that kung fu used belts. if they can't get that right, what makes you think anything else they teach is right?

Some of the westernized Kung fu does. But its Kung fu in the sense that Karate is... well, ya know, kararte.

 

[Xue Sheng]

The article mentioned earning belts in kung fu. I was unaware that kung fu used belts. if they can't get that right, what makes you think anything else they teach is right?

Actually some legitimate Southern styles do offer rank by a belt AKA sash. However I have not seen a traditional Northern style that does.

But if they are offering a black belt in “kung fu” which is an incredibly generic term, much like saying I have a black belt in Japanese martial arts, you tell me if you think it is the real deal.

But then again it could also be Wushu which also has a ranking system.

 

[charyuop]

But if they are offering a black belt in “kung fu” which is an incredibly generic term, much like saying I have a black belt in Japanese martial arts, you tell me if you think it is the real deal.

Excellent point there.

 

[HKphooey]

This article appeared in the Hartford Courant this weeekend (our local paper in CT)...

http://www.courant.com/features/lif...r18,0,3091012.story?coll=hc-headlines-custom2

 

[Kacey]

That's very interesting... the one thing I can't figure out is the rainbow of tape stripes on the black belt - I mean, we use tape for intermediate gup ranks, but only one color at a time, and never in multiple colors on black belts. Overall, however, it looks like an interesting program, and I like what they said about the potential careers and being able to mix a major or minor in martial arts with other fields.