kcfile

It looks great to have some accredited degree courses now for Chinese martial arts. See http://www.icledu.org/WCU/ADtoMD.html.

Hope Chinese martial arts will be one of international common accredited degree programs in future.

Thai Bri

Thats about as valid as a degree in McDonald's Studies.

Tom Yum

I teach that during my off time

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IPON

Actually I would give somebody at McDonald more respect!!! An academc degree for a fighting art....damn everything is going to hell

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A person who is said to be proficient in the arts is like a fool. Because of his foolishness in concerning himself with just one thing, he thinks of nothing else and thus becomes proficient. - Hagarkure

Oraenor

Jim fung also host accredited certificates in australia. these certificates are as good as a belt in jap and korean arts and are virtually useless when you dont train after you get it. In chinese gung fu, my master tells me that one must be humble and secretive about their skills, this is against all his beliefs.

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Tom Yum

That's just good all around advice.

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TiamPiu

Well, I would investigate who would accept such degree. Police, security or military could accept it as a qualification for trainer - I have seen some college police training classes, what a JOKE it was .

Oraenor: Just because many traditional Asian masters believe in keeping their arts secret - they had to keep them secret to protect their family and community hundreds of years ago - it doesn't mean openly thought martial art can't be as effective as the secretive arts.

I have a story on this: I studied under a Chinese master who kept his art as a very very strick secret, you had to study with him for at least three years before he would personally show you any of his secret skills. After my three years of dedicated training he slowly started to reveal his secret skills. To my surprise the more he thaught me, the more I was learning what I have already known from other schools! I had to realize that he believed his art is so perfect that wouldn't even look at others, had no idea that what he was keeping as secret has been openly thaught at any school for decades. What a sad case - and good learning experience for me - it was .

These 'secret this, secret that' arts are not any better than any styles thaught in any open schools. Many secretive masters only teach those that are worth teaching, neither the student nor the master realizing it is not the art but the dedication of the two of them that raises the quality of the art. Keep an open mind, be dedicated and you will be good in ANY art.

TP

Oraenor

but being secretive about your art can be misinterpreted.My master tells me not to boast about the fact that I do martial arts, not the fact that there is a secret style or anything like that.Most CMA will know what other TCMA forms contain and the essence behind it.Being secretive just means to keep out of trouble and dont let any unecessary fights to occur.

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America's solution to birth control- "Lets start a war!"

kcfile

I agreed your above point of unnecessary fights. I asked further about the details of the martial arts degree from the institute and received such reply: "The mission of degree in martial arts is to focus on training martial artists to be knowledgable, not training for a combat champion. It will be totally wrong concept for a degree in martial arts to train fighting dummies. That is why the course program included such other subjects as law, psychology ...etc." The institute explained further to me why Bruce Lee was agreed in general as the great martial artist, but not Jacky Chan ... etc. It was because Bruce Lee was well educated in university level to develop his thinking and philosophy independently. Most of good fighters, but not real knowledgable martial artists, did not receive academic degrees without coursework provided, but only honorary by life experience.

If a student can complete the degree course, I do think he/she really manage himself/herself well to know the importance of unnecessary fights and its troouble outcomes derived.

For me, I am applying the PhD degree by research. There will be the first assignment I need to submit. That is to criticize the topic of " a double higher law standard being required for measuring the behaviour of a martial artist in a dispute of fighting offense case". I need to find out legal/court cases to discuss both for and against the views. The rationale behind such research, as explained by the professor, was to demonstrate my competent knowledge in legal concept/consequence of a professional martial artist. So can anyone here help me where I can find out such legal cases in both USA and UK legal systems for comparison?

TiamPiu

Oraenor, sorry I misinterpreted your 'secrecy' about your martial arts. Yes I agree, one must not brag with his skills, I've been in MA for over two decades but most of my friends don't even know it; I don't like to brag about it. I totally agree, one should never brag about his skills for it would only cause problems and unnecessary fights.

Kcfile, that's interesting, I myself currently just looking into police and security training where one has to know the local laws and regulations in order to apply your MA skills. I am also planning to look into that University program and may sign up for it, can you post more as you progress, what else do they require and what their program is about? I'm both interested in their philosophical as well as their physical training.

TP

kcfile

The institute is also represents some famous universities to offer online/distance learning programs. You may go to its website of http://www.icledu.org/Degree.html for more detail. Its email is info@icledu.org.

It is an accredited course centre of West Coast University. The admission requirements for PhD in martial arts may not necessary have a master degree as the institute understood many sifus did not have formal training at university level before. However, the admission procedures are very formal. All my documentary copies MUST be certified in government offices, notaries or appropriate authorities. I must provide two referral letters from my sifus/sihings for verification.

For the course requirements, as I did not have master degree in martial arts, it requires me to do research papers on the topics of law relating to martial artists as I've quoted before. I know there more will be coming in areas of psychology, management ... etc. that are the subjects in master level. In other words, I need to demonstrate my knowledge competent in master level before I submit my last project for graduation in PhD. I think such training program can explore and stimulate my new idea how to be a professional martial artist other than fighting skills.

TiamPiu

That's cool, hope I can enroll sometimes this or early next year. It just seem like something worth to have added to your 'MA resume'.

Thanks again for the posting.

TP

Broadsword2004

A degree in martial arts I think is fine, if it is really serious. I mean, there is a LOT to learn about martial arts, from weapons, to tactics, to history, etc....and then there's the actual training in them.

Like how there is actual military training, but there are lots of courses taught about the military too at the academies.

The only thing to remember is, WHAT can you do with a degree in martial arts??? It's like a degree in history or psychology, unless you get a graduate degree, you can't really do anything, and even with them, the fields can be limited.

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kcfile

After I applied as a candidate of the martial arts degree and it is serious in content and structure, I learned more about its mission. It has its own practical use. When I start to have my school and students, my students and I should work as a team. I think psychology can help me to learn how to control both my and my students' emotional states, to motivate myself and them ... etc. Management may be techniques I need to learn to manage well my school. If I am a leader of a bodyguard team, I think management skills are very important. Therefore, I think they have their practical applications even in the field of martial arts.

I wish I can learn from there how to think independently and logically. I think fighting skills can be learned from many martial schools over the world but to train a knowledgable martial artist should not have many.