The first universities were founded on Europe in centuries XII and XIII. Education carried out it, like in other professions, people properly described. Of the same form in which a carpenter obtained the condition of masterful carpenter when its league saw it described, a professor became teacher when its league gave the license him of its profession.

The candidates who completed three or four years of study of texts prescribed in the Trivium (grammatical, rhetorical and logical), and that passed the examinations lead by their teachers, they received the bachelor rank. A degree was then a passage in the way to become a described teacher – of “the graduated” word there, based on Latin gradus (“step”).

Nowadays the terms masterful, doctor and professor mean levels different from academic profit, but initially they were equivalent. The University of Boloña in Italy, considered oldest of Europe, was the first institution in in the last granting the title of Doctor in Civil Law years of century XII; also it granted similar degrees in other matters, including the medicine. Nótese that nowadays in medicine is only applied the term of doctor for the students who have completed their first level of academic formation.

The University of Paris used the term masters for graduated his, practical that it was adopted by the English universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

The names of the degrees possibly tied with the studied matters. The students of the faculties of arts or grammar were known like teachers, but those in philosophy, medicine and laws were known like doctors. The doctor degree assumed a position greater than the one of the teacher degree, since the study of the arts or the grammatical one was a prerequirement necessary to study philosophy, medicine and laws. This lead to the modern hierarchy in which more the title of Doctor in Philosophy (Ph.D) is an advanced degree than the one of Teacher in Artes (M.A.). The practice to use the term doctor for all the advanced degrees was developed in the German universities and it extended everywhere.

The French terminology is related close by to the meaning original of the terms. Baccalauréat (cf. loquacious) confers the French students who have completed successful their secondary education and serves to enter the university. When the students graduate as the university, a license is granted to them, which is very similar to which a professional league had done, and it qualifies them to teach in institutions of secondary education or to continue its studies.

In Germany, the doctorate still is the greater granted degree; additions to the title that specify the study area, like Dr.rer.nat can be included. (Doktor rerum naturalium) in natural sciences and Dr.Ing. (Doktor-Ingenieur) in engineering.

In Europe the degrees through the Process of Bolona are being harmonized, that is based on the hierarchy of three levels (Loquacious, Máster, Doctor) that is used at the moment in the United Kingdom and the United States. This system is gradually replacing the system of two levels that is used in some countries.

Types of academic degrees:

These are some examples of specific degrees. More information to see the article on the general term.

Associated degree of (the United States): AA, AS
Degree of foundation (United Kingdom): FdA, FdEd, FdEng, FdMus, FdSc, FdTech
Degree of bachelor: BA, BS, BSc, BFA, BCL, LLB, MB, BChir
Degree of Masters: MA, MSc, MS, MPhil, MRes, MFA, MTh, M.Div., MBA, MESci, MGeol, MTCM, MPA, MPAff, MPM, MPP, LLM, MEng, MSci, MChem, MPhys, MMath
Degree of specialty: EdS, B.Acc.
Degree of doctorate: PhD, EdD, EngD, DNursSci, JD, DBA, DD, DSc, DLitt, GIVE, DMA, DMus, DCL, ThD, PharmD, DPhil, SUNDAY, OMD, PsyD, DO, Md

I’ve found a cool apartment! Okay, okay…so it’s not perfect. Just a few bugs. I mean literally! First expense? An exterminator! Is it worth the cash? Well, I can’t afford a more expensive place, so a one-time (please!) cash outlay should be okay. Maybe just a can of “Raid?”

I need a way to move my stuff. Daddy, can I borrow your truck? You don’t have one? Why not? Do you want one? I’ll help you pick it out! Well, it was just a suggestion. No need to get all bent out of shape! I guess I’d better call the truck rental places. What do you mean…$200…PLUS mileage? AND Gas? Good grief!

While I’m on the phone I’ll call the utility and phone companies. Yes, I know I haven’t used your services before. No, I don’t have a credit card; this is my first place. You want what? A $100 deposit? For EACH? Holy cow…do you people have a license to steal?

Daddy, I need $500 for moving expenses! I used all my money for the first and last months rent AND the damage deposit. Well, how was I to know this was going to be so expensive? Sell something? Daaaaad…I NEED my TV!

Boy, this place is pretty empty. Maybe I should buy a couch and a chair. Nah…I have my bed. That’ll be good enough. I don’t need a table; I’ll just use this box.

Renters Insurance? I don’t think so! What do I have to insure?

Just got my first phone call! I’d love to come to your party! Daddy, I need a car. Because it’s too far to walk to work, that’s why. Umm, Daddy…there’s car insurance too! Thanks, Dad…you’re the best! And gas? I didn’t think so…

Time for dinner. Let’s look in these boxes. Oh, No! No dishes or pans. No FOOD!

Uhhh, Mom?

‘No Bully’ Policy at Philadelphia Schools

Philadelphia Schools has a “just say no” policy, when it comes to school bullies and other related negative student behavior.

Approximately, two thirds of all deaths among children and adolescents in the United States are the result of injury-related causes. These include motor vehicle crashes, unintentional injuries, homicide and suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 126 students committed a school-associated homicide or suicide between 1994 and 1999. Of these students, 28 committed suicide, of which eight intentionally injured others immediately before killing themselves. None of these students were involved in gangs.

The suicides, now referred to as “bullycide”, were attributed to school-associated violence, including bullying and other such social stressors. Though the 126 students may seem small for a national statistic, this is only the tip of the iceberg. It does not address the number of students who develop substance abuse and psychological problems due to being bullied and harassed at school — some for many years from elementary through high school by the same individual(s).

“Pediatrics”, Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, reported in its May 5, 2004, issue that the rise of obesity and overweight in school-aged children is associated with “many negative social and psychological ramifications.” Peer aggression is at the top of the list.

To work toward eliminating this rising national problem in their schools, Philadelphia schools developed a policy that prohibits anyone from bullying or seriously threatening any member of the school community during school hours and coming to and from school.  This includes:

•    Repeated threats;
•    Threats of bodily injury;
•    Physical or psychological intimidation;
•    Extortion of any type;
•    Fighting or other acts/threats of violence;
•    Repeatedly posting information about another individual without his/her consent on the Internet, bulletin boards, school walls, individual’s personal belongings, or any other location — whether it is during school hours or not; and
•    Harassment for any reason, but especially due to race, gender, disability, language or physical characteristic.

Besides school personnel, Philadelphia schools have enlisted the help of the students and their parents.  They have set up a Bully Hotline that is staffed 24 hours a day for students or parents to report school-related abuse.  The hotline serves over 175 languages through a telephonic interpretation service. Philadelphia schools promise to act on a reported problem within 24 hours of receiving the hotline complaint. For some issues, callers may receive a follow-up telephone call to ensure the situations were satisfactorily resolved.

Philadelphia schools created flyers in nine different languages that describe the school policy against these negative behaviors, the Bully Hotline, and instructions for non-English language individuals to access the hotline. The eight non-English languages are the most frequently encountered in Philadelphia schools and represent over 85 percent of their “English as a Second Language” students.

The flyers were sent to the parents of students enrolled in their schools. Additionally, they asked parents and community groups to further distribute the flyers throughout the city.

Philadelphia schools are truly concerned about the safety and well-being of its students. They believe that all students have a right not to be bullied or harassed. With their “no bully” policy and the hotline, they are well on their way to prevent, address and eliminate intimidation and harassment of any student for any reason.