# Does someone out there have an actual degree in Baloney? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 2, 2014, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-someone-out-there-have-an-actual-degree-in-baloney/697245 "2014-09-02T12:12:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-someone-out-there-have-an-actual-degree-in-baloney/697245/21 "2014-09-05T19:06:32Z")
I wouldn’t really think a program that qualifies you for being a: > [@](#): > > Butcher > Culinarian > In-store meat cutter > Consultant > Owner/operator > Meat inspector > Marketer/salesperson > Merchandiser counts as a degree. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-someone-out-there-have-an-actual-degree-in-baloney/697245/22 "2014-09-05T22:03:33Z")
Still, I think a seminar, course, certificate or degree in charcuterie or salumi is the closest you’re going to get. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-someone-out-there-have-an-actual-degree-in-baloney/697245/23 "2014-09-05T23:02:48Z")
FYI, here is a two-year-old article from the Washington Post on the lack of formal training in the US in butchery and charcuterie. It also mentions that in France there is an established system of apprenticeships for those interested in the subject. (So apparently even in Europe it would be difficult to get a degree in baloney.) ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-someone-out-there-have-an-actual-degree-in-baloney/697245/24 "2014-09-06T00:48:50Z")
My undergraduate degree is in agriculture from Kansas State University. One of the classes I took was Elements of Meat and Meat Science in which we broke up into teams of three and butchered a cow or steer, a pig, and a sheep in KSU’s slaughter house. Ultimately we cut them up into retail cuts, and made hams, sausage, bologna, etc. It was an oddly fascinating class. So yes, to some extent I have a degree baloney. ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-someone-out-there-have-an-actual-degree-in-baloney/697245/25 "2014-09-06T00:55:43Z")
> [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](#): > > My undergraduate degree is in agriculture from Kansas State University. One of the classes I took was Elements of Meat and Meat Science in which we broke up into teams of three and butchered a cow or steer, a pig, and a sheep in KSU’s slaughter house. Ultimately we cut them up into retail cuts, and made hams, sausage, bologna, etc. It was an oddly fascinating class. > > So yes, to some extent I have a degree baloney. “degree in baloney” (The edit window does not like me.) ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-someone-out-there-have-an-actual-degree-in-baloney/697245/26 "2014-09-06T07:11:09Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Still, I think a seminar, course, certificate or degree in charcuterie or salumi is the closest you’re going to get. I think there’d be someone studying in one of these programs that fit the “degree” part better: [http://www.university-directory.eu/degrees-programs-courses/Doctorate-PhD-in-Food-Science.html#.VAqy2vub3uQ](http://www.university-directory.eu/degrees-programs-courses/Doctorate-PhD-in-Food-Science.html#.VAqy2vub3uQ) It was just a moment of curiosity though, so I’m not going to check the lists of graduates for each program to see what their theses were actually on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-someone-out-there-have-an-actual-degree-in-baloney/697245.md?page=1)