hypothetical question....please comment....

Hi everyone,

I'm a newbie to the list but have been reading anonymously for more than a month now. Anyway, i'd like to throw a hypothetical question to everyone on the list...if you folks have the time, it would be nice if you can give your two cents worth...

Okay here's the scenario.

I have a friend who has a problem, actually more like a dilemma, let's just call him Jack.

Jack is a full-time professional working in an Asian country. He heads his own company engaged in internet technology services. Jack has received a Bachelors degree in Computer Science from a local university in his country. He has received more than 10 years of experience in computers, about 6 of which was partly involved in broadcast media and also in the Internet. He has received various certificates in computing technology including a legitimate certificate in electronic commerce approved by Univ. of California schools (Irvine, Berkley, etc.). He is at the top of his profession being a member and officer of prestigious internet and computer organizations in his country. He does numerous charity work and has recently established a foundation sending kids to school.

Here's his dilemma, Jack wants to have an MBA from some foreign unknown university simply for bragging rights. He does not intend to use it for employment purposes since he basically owns the company but would like it to be verifiable just in case someone does ask.

Now, hypothetically speaking, would Jack be eligible for some kind of honorary degree from any real (but not necessarily accreditted) college or university? Or is his only recourse are those degree-mill timebombs?


I hope you folks can reply and thanks for your time!


- Mehor Caster

 

Nobody is going to give him a degree just because he thinks he deserves one for life experience. He might have a chance at an honorary degree if he gives a university the funds to construct a new building or something, but it still wouldn't be an earned degree.

I think that if your friend thinks he already deserves an MBA, then perhaps he should enroll in Heriot-Watt's examination based program. If he can pass the exams, he will get a degree. If he can't pass the exams, then he would have to return to the beginning and start studying like the rest of us.

 

1. I've never heard of the MBA used as an honorary degree title. Most honorary titles are quasi-academic-sounding things like "humane letters."

2. Just because Jack "basically owns the company" doesn't make him immune from 'time bombs.' Consider (among many others) the case of billionaire Richard Li, often referred to as 'the Bill Gates of Asia,' who suffered major financial and public relations setbacks when news of his falsely-claimed degree became big news in Asia and North America a year or so ago.

3. I've assembled all the best advice I could learn, over the past two decades, on securing an honorary degree, in the "Honorary Doctorates" chapter of Bears' Guide. Equally applicable to honorary Master's. Basically the four categories are give lots of money, do good work for the school (fund raising, for instance), be enough of a celebrity so that your presence at the award ceremony will attract good publicity, or simply ask (preferably through well-connected intermediaries).

 

You said he wanted verifiable, that would leave out degree mills because even if they claim to provide a service to verify inquires it is something that can't be counted on. They may close up shop any time.

If he wants to be a fraud then he might as well not line the pockets of other frauds and instead just claim the bogus degree from either a made up name or a real college. The difference in timebomb explosions will probably not be significant and he will at least be more honest with himself as to what he is really doing rather than trying to shift the blame for his fraud off on others.

 

Despite being the owner of a successful company he is insecure. He wants others to think better of him (please reference his need to brag) yet he doesn't want to do the work necessary to obtain that end (please reference his disinterest in enrolling in a legitimate degree program and actually earning the MBA. He sees only two alternatives, the "honorary" or the degree mill.) He has secret hopes that others admire his accomplishments (his fantasy of an "Honorary" degree) but he also is afraid that others will see through his facade of competency and ask for "verification." How will our hero solve this dilemma? Stay tuned!
(another)Jack