Letters After Your Name - Quality Not Quantity Options

[Malone]

I have 'The Hon. Miss' before my name as my parents are Lord and Lady. But I never use it. I would worry that people might treat me differently or think I was snob or something. But I'm not! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) After my name I just have DipLCM which I'm quite proud of. It did take alot of hard work but having the piece of paper to confirm that I'm actually an alright flautist means more I think. Come June I hope to have ALCM (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

[Roseau]

Another hoop? Crumbs, what else to they want on top of a PhD??!

An HDR (Habilitation à diriger la recherche). This is another sort of thesis (fortunately short, only (?) about 100 pages) in which you reflect on your published research since your PhD thesis. After the examiners have read the thesis (and theoretically all your research) there is a Viva with a jury of five people.

A number of things put me off:
- It's in French (both the thesis and the viva). OK so my PhD thesis and viva were in French too so I know I can do it, it's just harder and more time consuming than in English.
- I find the French marathon oral exams very stressful (my PhD viva lasted from 2.00 to 6.00 with a 15 minute break in the middle).
- You more or less select your own jury members (with a view to your future career) and I am not good at working out who is likely to get on with who and what sort of influence people have.
- I would rather spend the time playing the oboe and making reeds.

[sarah-flute]

- I find the French marathon oral exams very stressful (my PhD viva lasted from 2.00 to 6.00 with a 15 minute break in the middle).

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

- I would rather spend the time playing the oboe and making reeds.

Wise choice IMO (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[flutecake]

A four hour viva (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) I thought mine was bad!

My PhD is the qualification that means the most to me. It represents a lot of hard work and many mistakes just to get to the point of being able to start one. Then I ended up doing the research in a foreign country, so there was the language barrier, homesickness, setting fire to my lab (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) as well as the work itself which I didn't enjoy as much as I thought I would.
Here in Germany, it seems to be the usual thing to use your title when dealing with banks and other formalities but I think it's a bit silly when people use the title for events that are completely unrelated to their qualification, such as when the rowers I cox use their titles when entering a race (unless they want to use the fact that they have a PhD as an excuse for coming last, but if so, it's a poor excuse, they should just pull harder).

[Roseau]

A four hour viva (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) I thought mine was bad!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/offTopic.gif) (apologies)
The French seem to like this sort of marathon exam. When I took the Agregation (competitive exam) I had two four hour and two seven hour written papers. During the seven hours I just had to write one essay.

I am equally proud of my Agregation result (20th in the whole of France) and my PhD.

[sarah-flute]

SEVEN HOURS??????????????????????????????????????????????? That's insane. I thought 3 hour exams for uni were plenty bad enough..........

[sonataform]

I think it's a bit silly when people use the title for events that are completely unrelated to their qualification, such as when the rowers I cox use their titles when entering a race (unless they want to use the fact that they have a PhD as an excuse for coming last, but if so, it's a poor excuse, they should just pull harder).

PhD = Pull harder, dam*it!

Sorry (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

[Keith the 'wannabe organist']

SEVEN HOURS??????????????????????????????????????????????? That's insane. I thought 3 hour exams for uni were plenty bad enough..........

I feel very special, I didn't have any exams!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I don't use the letters after my name usually. I did come to the decision a couple of months ago that I have never used the letters, and after spending £18,000 on getting them over 4 years, decided it was time.
So, a few days later, sat at work, and finally, a package arrived for 'Keith Smith BA' haha the poshest thing I have ever recieved from Amazon.co.uk (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I want to study a BMus though, but dunno how or where to do it as I work full time now and can't afford to stop working. Everywhere that does BMus courses only do them full time and are in cities far away from where I am prepared to go. I'm hoping that the Open University will do it one day.

Keet (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bob.gif)
x

[jod]

I asked this question to Revd Dr D, who has various professional Post Nominals (physics/engineering( and we both agreed the qualification that meant the most toe either of us was out first degree. Having been Miss for 27 years being Mrs is great, I don't hanker for any more letters in front of my name, although a couple of good quality diplomas would be nice.

I don't want post-nominal letters for their own sake, but I would like them to demonstrate I have moved on profesionally over the last few years.

[SaxFan]

my preferred 'letters after my name' are ones I gained a while ago, but I have let lapse (actually I don't suppose one puts them as qualifications but I was quite pleased with them (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

HGV and IAM

[Maizie]

I study for pleasure, but I do like to have objective measures, i.e. exams. So the OU is a natural choice fo me. The 'problem' is then picking up random qualifications. I don't go around slapping them after my name, but as and when I next have to create a CV, it'll be interesting. Obviously the relevant qualification/experience is the main thing, but I don't want to miss off of my CV that I have actually acheived stuff through studying for fun. But it would probably be better if I did, as picking up a BA(Hons) and a BSc (with or without Hons, as yet undecided) for fun doubtless looks a bit weird...

[sonataform]

HGV

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap.gif)

[ianporsche]

Well I'm Dr Ian Garnett BSc(Hons) PhD
I have been CCHEM MRSC too but that's lapsed

[jod]

Well I'm Dr Ian Garnett BSc(Hons) PhD
I have been CCHEM MRSC too but that's lapsed

Ian, now which one meant more the BSc or the PhD?

[John Willett]

ps. if anyone knows the difference between bought and brought without looking at google than do let me know (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

Of course:-

Bought is the past tense of "to buy", meaning "to purchase"

Brought is the past tense of "to bring", meaning "to carry with you"

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

John