PhD; etiquette, protocol

In My Humble Opinion
1

At the organization where I work, there is a staff person who insists that PhD be listed after her name in documents. I figure; okay on the business card, the resume, after her byline when she writes an article, in the agenda if she’s speaking publically, no problem. But she requested that I go through all my work plans that include her name and add this credential. Apparently there have been times that she perceived the men being given this distinction when she was not, so she’s very sensitive about it.

Here are my questions:

  1. If her PhD is listed, should I also be sure that other academic degrees and certifications (licensed social workers, etc.) be listed for other staff named in my work plans?

  2. Should I have to do this if the document is completely internal; meant for colleagues and coworkers inside the organization?

  3. How will I be sure not to offend those outside my organization when I list their names without degrees, because I don’t know them?

  4. Several highly degreed (MD/PhD) people I work with specifically don’t want their degrees to be listed because they feel it will be perceived as elitist. How will it look if I put the initials after this one person’s name but not under theirs in the same document?

  5. Is this the biggest potload of bullshit you ever heard and should I just go work on a farm instead?

2

My Dad has a PhD. I have a BSc. Both of us insist that these three letters never follow our names.

There is no legal need for them to do so. The only reason to add PhD or BSc to your name is vanity.

3

I don’t even know what a BSc is, but I’m impressed anyway!

I was telling this co-worker about a SCUBA diving trip I took in Mexico once and she interrupted to say that she is a “certified SCUBA diver” too. I’m tempted to go back into the work plan and add “NAUI Certified” after her name.

4

A BSc is a “Bachelor of Science”. It means I have a degree in a scientific subject. The subject in question is Software Engineering.

I think the meaning of ‘Degree’ differs between the US and the UK. What it means in the UK is that I have passed a course in higher education. People with degrees can (apparently) walk into officer jobs in the army and police force (though I suspect the ability to ‘walk’ into those jobs has more to do with class status than education)

5

Here’s another question. If somebody is in a specialized, technical field qnd they have a PhD in a completely different, unrelated field (say - English Literature), is it dishonest for them to include “PhD” after their name on their cards and correspondence?
JillGat, MS

6

At my university, you can bet a BSc in anything so long as you take calculus.

I laugh at your hard work. Ho ho ho.

7

And Lobsang, have you watched the TT race on the Isle of Man?

8

No, just pretentious.

msmith537, MBA, BSc

9

When did people start using BSc in place of a simple BS? Or is that just done by a couple posters here? Certainly at my university and everywhere I’ve been it’s BS, not “BSc.”

10

apparently they use BSc in Europe. We just have BS here in the US.

Hahahhahaha

11

I assume that’s a British vs. American English difference, considering Lobsang’s location.

12

Count yourself lucky - at least she’s not asking to be referred to as *Dr.*Pretentious Wankypants PhD anywhere her name appears.

  • Mahna Mahna, BA, Lifesaving Society Bronze Cross Certified, Girl Guide Sewing Badge Recipient
13

True story. I am a manager/analyst in large scale business software that represents many clients all over the U.S. I had a bizarre blow-up with one of the groups that I represent a few months ago. Most of the things they were firing off were flat out lies and they came in fast and furious to me and everyone they could think of over the course of days.

I had to tediously go through hundreds of e-mail to prove my case which was almost air-tight. I presented it to upper level management and some of this was in printouts. One high level manager took a look at the major complaints coming from one person.

The e-mail signature read Kim ***** M.B.A

He said, “There is most of your problem right there. It looks like she is fresh out of grad school and just wants to assert her authority on someone. It doesn’t seem to be working so well. Nobody puts that in unless they are fresh out of school.”

I never heard another word.

Shagnasty - Grade School 1979 - 1986 (3 time science fair winner). High School 1988 - 1991. College - 1991 - 1995 (cum laude). Ivy League Grad School. Good with small children. Dog whisperer DWR

14

Well obviously if the men are being the distiction she should as well, but if they aren’t then she’s just being pretentious.

15

No, not unless they request it.

If it’s in an email or memo, no. If it’s something more formal, perhaps.

Hmm. That’s a tough one. My feeling (and I’m no Emily Post) is that if you list one Ph.D, you gotta do it for everyone else. But it would be a pain to have to hunt down that information. So I don’t know.

She will most likely be perceived as an elitist by the non-elitists. If she cares about such things, she’ll probably tell you to leave out the Ph.D the next time. If she doesn’t, then it’s not your problem. And if the others feel resentment, well, that’s their problem.

As someone who possesses a PhD, I don’t really think it’s bullshit necessarily. If there are a lot of PhDs/MDs in your organization and she’s not working in any big leadership role, then I agree someone needs to take her down a peg. However, if her having a PhD carries some prestige and she is indeed the “boss”, then I don’t think it’s inappropriate for her to trump her own horn.

I do have “PhD” on my work email signature. I don’t use my signature for internal emails (usually), but I feel it helps to introduce me when I’m communicating to folks outside of the agency. For instance, if I’m emailing a professor at one of the universities we have a contract with, I want that person to know that I’m on their level–that I’m a scientist before I’m a government worker. I know how academics view government folks–they tend to discount our intelligence (sometimes with justification ;)). I admit it’s a way of flashing my bona fides, but unfortunately you have to do that sometimes.

I have seen some documents with monstro,PhD on them, but they are usually written by someone else. I would never insist that I be referred to in that way or with “Doctor”. Hell, I freaked out when my nameplate had PhD engraved on it. I’m always quick to tell people that it was the secretary’s doing when they remark about it, but I’m sure no one believes me.

16

At the Maritime Academy we had a engineering teacher with a Dr in ecconomics. We all refered to him as Mr T or Howie.

Now the captian of the training ship would correct anyone awho called him Mr. B. The is except howie. He would only refeer to as Mr. B. He was waiting for the captian to correct him. If he did he was going to correct the captian that it was Dr. T not Mr. T.

Oh the games that went on. There was always bad blood between the engineers and the deckies.

17

Monstro:[[ I want that person to know that I’m on their level–that I’m a scientist before I’m a government worker. I know how academics view government folks–they tend to discount our intelligence (sometimes with justification ).]]

Well, then Monstro, you’re not gonna know what a lot of government workers think of those who feel the need to set themselve above the rest by touting their accomplishments in academia
:wink:

18

Well, luckily for you, there are two general etiquette rules that cover this:

  1. Call people what they want to be called.

  2. It’s better to err on the side of being a little too formal.

So, use it, use it, use it!!! You can be totally proper and make her look like even more of an ass than she already does.

Nope. If nobody else’s is listed, and she wants it, then do it for her only (see rule#1) Nobobdy will feel slighted if she is the only person with it there, because it’ll be obvious that she’s the exception. And she clearly feels she’s exceptional.

I don’t know if you have to, but you certainly should. Again, see rule#1. An example:

Memo:
I’m pleased to announce the lucky winners of this year’s Thanksgiving raffle and fundraiser!
Grand prize: Dinner for two at Chez Snoot–Joe Plummer
Second prize: Bottle of Champagne–Joe Sikspak
Third prize: A Pumpkin Pie–Jane Smith, PhD

What better way to make her feel like an asshole?

It’s very unlikely that they will be offended. If someone does notice the discrepancy, you can always say something like “I didn’t include titles because it is customary not to list them on this type of document. Frau Doktor Professor Smith, PhD prefers to have her degree listed, however, so I accomodated her wishes.” Subtext: She’s a pretentious jerk.

Same answer as question 1 and 3.

No no. Stay! Think of how much fun you could have with this!!!

Besides, if you went to work on a farm, who’s to say you wouldn’t end up working with Farmer Bob, PhD?
Well, the above is obviously partially in jest, but rules #1 and #2 are real. So list her dumb little degree if she wants it so bad, and don’t worry about the rest.

–Green Bean, B.A., B.A., WFR(exp.), KKG, IANAJD

19

Personally, I’d tell her that you’ll of course list it on the types of documents you mention, e.g. business cards, agendas, papers, etc. but not any other more informal documents, since you don’t list anyone’s titles or degrees there and it would be weird to single her out.

I have a PhD and think people who insist on being called Dr. or Joe Blow, PhD are insecure and/or pretentious douchebags. List it only when it’s necessary information, i.e. when you need to give your professional credentials. Ordinary work correspondence most certainly does not count, IMO.

20

In my field, the PhD is taken for granted unless otherwise specified. I once got an e-mail headed “Dear Dr. Mylastname” when I was still in undergrad. The thinking seems to be that, first, the person probably is a doctor anyway, second, few non-doctors will actually be offended at being called “Dr.”, and third, by using “Dr.”, you avoid having to figure out “Mr.” or “Ms.” for unfamiliar names.

It probably depends on the context. Again, this won’t help much, but at my undergraduate school, the department secretary actually had a PhD in an unrelated field (though she still managed to coauthor a couple of interdisciplinary papers with one of the faculty members). She refused to be addressed as Dr. Lastname, but Dr. Firstname was acceptable.