Mircea Eliade, Nontraditional Learner

"October, 1925. I was eighteen, a university student--and free. The only thing I had to do was go to the administrative offices of the university with my baccalaureate diploma and enroll in the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy. I had in mind to take a number of courses, but sinc eattendance was not required I was content to go regularly only to the first few sessions. Then, almost without realizing it, I found myself coming to the university less and less frequently. Not all the professors disappointed me, but I had the impression that I could learn better at home, in my attic." -- from Mircea Eliade, Autobiography Volume I (1907-1937): Journey East, Journey West (Harper & Row, 1981), page 99.


Peace,

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Tom Head
www.tomhead.net

 

It's interesting to note that the term "baccalaureate" almost certainly refers to a high school diploma, not a university degree. This is a common source of confusion. In Mexico, this credential is issued to high school graduates who finish grades 11 and 12. The first (4-year) university degree is the license.

Ricardo Douglas

 

Terminology is certainly interesting. I know that I am about to mis spell these spanish credentials but a "Secondaria" from Mexico is equivalent to midlle school not High School. The "Prepatoria" is the equivalent of High School.

Indeed the Bachelors degree called the "Licenciado" (???) is also used in the title of someone in Mexico (ie Lic... Quintana). My friends from Mexico tell me that it is used as people are more formal in terms of rank and title than we are in the USA.

I tried telling my wife to call me Master when I got my M.A. but she began laughing hysterically and then stomped on my foot.

North

 

This is a bit off-topic, but for some reason I was reminded of how Anne Frank wrote about the family taking correspondence courses while holed up in the attic.

 

Dear Ricardo,

This is fairly common in many Latin American countries. However, there are some "Bachilleratos Universitarios" ("University Bachelors") like those from Costa Rica. This degree is less than a "Licenciatura" but more than a "Diplomado". In terms of US equivalencies, this degree is like an Associate's plus like a half of a Bachelor's.

Warmest regards,


Charles Albert "The Gentleman" Lackey
[email protected]

 

This is rather in line with that great American philosopher, Theodor Geisel* who said:

"You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room."

He was actually writing about writing, but it certainly fits distance learning.


Tom Nixon

*AKA Dr. Seuss