Originally Posted by
atpwannabe
I hear ya Ewfflyer.
But you know, I can kinda understand why some would pursue this degree. The world of higher education and academia has a culture of its own; especially those at the Ph D level. I've been exposed to that culture most of my life and can kinda indentify with the reasons as to why one would pursue the degree. Personally I wouldn't; however, my Dad and my oldest sister have Ph D's in both Mathematics and Cirriculum & Instruction from Michigan State and Howard University respectively.
I'm not as well acquainted with the academic culture as you are, but my limited knowledge of it tells me that in serious circles WHERE you got that Masters and/or PhD. from matters a great deal. I don't think that a thesis-less masters will be taken seriously by many institutions if teaching and/or research at the university level is your goal.
The real doctorate in aviation is an ATP with several type ratings, and a number of years flying the line - preferably with some time as a check airman (or the corporate equivalent thereof). But, since that's not the language of academia, they'll invent their own system (regardless of how irrelevant it is).