What a PhD Really Means in the US National Security Community
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Re: What a PhD Really Means in the US National Security Community
#2To summarize: contractors can bill the federal government at higher rates for PhDs, without respect to the origin or meaning of that degree, and pass on some of it to the employee, so these employees are getting PhDs in the most expedient way. The main difference between now and the 20th Century is the explosion of on-line schools and the expansion of the "national security community."
Re: What a PhD Really Means in the US National Security Community
#3To summarize: contractors can bill the federal government at higher rates for PhDs, without respect to the origin or meaning of that degree, and pass on some of it to the employee, so these employees are getting PhDs in the most expedient way. The main difference between now and the 20th Century is the explosion of on-line schools and the expansion of the "national security community."
So (and I'm guessing here because I really can't stand to click on a Vice link) that a lot of those PhDs are in bullshit fields like "national security studies" or similar?
Re: What a PhD Really Means in the US National Security Community
#4To summarize: contractors can bill the federal government at higher rates for PhDs, without respect to the origin or meaning of that degree, and pass on some of it to the employee, so these employees are getting PhDs in the most expedient way. The main difference between now and the 20th Century is the explosion of on-line schools and the expansion of the "national security community."
So (and I'm guessing here because I really can't stand to click on a Vice link) that a lot of those PhDs are in bullshit fields like "national security studies" or similar?
It seems worse than that from the article. A lot of PhDs are from non-accredited schools. Some of the PhDs are from a series of online "schools" that seem to be ran by the same man.
Re: What a PhD Really Means in the US National Security Community
#5Earlier quoted context omitted.
So (and I'm guessing here because I really can't stand to click on a Vice link) that a lot of those PhDs are in bullshit fields like "national security studies" or similar?
It seems worse than that from the article. A lot of PhDs are from non-accredited schools. Some of the PhDs are from a series of online "schools" that seem to be ran by the same man.
Reminds me of a lot of mid-00s Army officers that I remember- a lot of the OCS crowd especially had bullshit online degrees from degree mills.
Re: What a PhD Really Means in the US National Security Community
#6I'm bothered by the lack of labels on the y-axis of that graph. I don't hate Vice, but in my mind their credibility just went down a peg or two.
Re: What a PhD Really Means in the US National Security Community
#7Skimmed article, not really getting the outrage. Since when do you need a "real" PhD to do the work described there?
If the issue is that the govt is obliged to pay the contractors higher for people with PhDs then, by all menas, let's complain. Otherwise this is just some pointless rending of clothes
Re: What a PhD Really Means in the US National Security Community
#8I'm also intrigued, and seemingly let down, by folks with degrees in "Cyber {defense|analysis|warfare}". These degrees are always laid out on a resume with other super-sexy sounding credentials and accolades. Unfortunately, the interviews always seem to reveal a lot of (sometimes serious) technical gaps. The only reliable indicators I've come to find for technical and engineering acumen are curiosity and experience. These sexy sounding degrees are starting to become indicators of candidates that don't meet requirements.
Re: What a PhD Really Means in the US National Security Community
#9"He adds that no one counseled him not to attend, and nobody has questioned his right to call himself a doctor."
This is the second or third article I've read (from Vice) on this subject, and there's never any discussion of the process of getting a PhD. You don't get one for taking classes, or for taking tests. If I can't find a copy of your dissertation and at least one published article, I'm very much going to question your doctorhood.
Re: What a PhD Really Means in the US National Security Community
#10This sounds like a problem with how contracts are written. They should be requiring that any degrees cited to fill contract qualification requirements come from an accredited university. That would at least take care of the worst cases. Some accredited schools with well known and prestigious names also operate diploma mills because they know large companies will pay for students to get advanced degrees.
In the wider sense I don't think this is a problem just in government though. Dubious and outright false credentials are a problem in industry too (ie: An HP CEO had to resign after it was found his advanced degree was fabricated.)
The bigger question maybe that if the person can perform at a certain level does it really matter what degree they have? At the same time dishonesty shouldn't be allowed just because the current system isn't ideal.