Academic degrees and hierarchy

Academia incorporates two vertical orders of competence: the scholarly and the pedagogic. The first is represented variously in different countries by such degree achievements as the baccalaureate, the bachelor, the candidate, the master, the habilitation, and the doctor in secular schools. In the world's religious seminaries or training programs there are a number of other degrees for scholarly achievement, and this is really what is represented by the conferral of such titles as rabbi, priest, pastor (or minister), pandit (Hinduism), geshe (Tibetan buddhism), etc. The hierarchial system of ranks in secular educational institutions or programs to a large extent corresponds to level of academic degree achievement. In approximate descending rank there are: dean, department head, full professor, associate professor, docent, lecturer, research worker, reader and others which reflect, for example, at the dean, department head and full professor levels the attainment by their incumbents of one or more of the highest academic degrees. Exceptions exist, and many productive and creative practioners, scholars, and scientists may be full professors without being doctors. Another way of recognizing exceptional achievement by academics is by their election to national Academies of Science and similar bodies (Royal Geographical Society, etc), where they may be entitled 'Fellows'. A commonplace among academic directories or author's lines in books and catalogues, is such a listing as Prof Dr 'X', F.R.S. -, Ll.D. (Oxon), Ph. D. (Heidel), etc. Such listings appear as through there were competitions for points for the length of achieved or honorary degrees, ranks and recognitions. In modern practice especially among peers it is becoming less usual for all qualifications to be cited. The lack of international comparability of degrees and ranks is an unresolved problem.