Degree Requirement Discussions

[Karen_Linsley]

I have 19 service merits and 9 speaker merits. Do I qualify to apply for a Craftsman degree?

[Keith_A_Howe]

Karen, To get the Craftsman degree at least 13 must be speaking merits, so you need 4 more speaking merits to qualify. But then all the leftover service merits can start adding up to your Master's.

[jilllove]

Do you earn merits attending classes at Imaging USA?

[Michael_Gan]

You will receive one service merit for attending IUSA.

[Mark_Levesque]

Additional merits are possible if you take the pre-convention classes (you pay extra for those.)

[Jeff_Dachowski]

Or..you could volunteer and I believe you can earn a service merit for that as well.
Jeff

[Linda_Gregory]

Yes, the year I attended I had scheduled to help put up the print display. While there, I offered to take down, also. I did not expect a second merit but got one so....got three for that week.

[MarcHathaway]

I've had a hard time finding information about the degrees on the website. How are the degrees awarded? Do you apply after meeting some requirements or is it automatic after you complete the requirements?

I'm interested in the Master of Photography degree but I don't know what it entails entirely. Where can I find more detailed information about the degrees, their requirements, how merits are awarded and for what?

[Michael_Gan]

Marc, when you have received all the proper merits for your degree, PPA will notify you that you qualify and will send you the proper papers to fill out to receive your degree. You need, for the Masters, 13 Exhibition merits and 12 additional merits, such as attending Imaging USA, attending Super Mondays, speaking, attending affiliate schools, and volunteering for PPA events, just to name a very few. Once you reach the 25 merits, Cristel's office will contact you.

Then, once you accept/confirm your degree, your name will show up for voting at the council meeting during IUSA and you're in!

For more information, go to the top of this web page, click on Benefits and select Merits and Degrees.

[Keith_A_Howe]

Marc,

Once you have met the requirments and are eligible for the degree, you will recieve a letter from PPA. It's been awhile since I got my last degree so I don't remember exactly but I do believe there is a sort of application - but it's more just a registration that you are attending the ceremony or not - how your name should be written on the certificate, who your sponsor is etc. The PPA council does vote on the list of degree recipients each year. The actual degree is presented at an awards ceremony at IUSA. Your sponsor accompanies you on stage and actually hangs the ribbon around your neck. The sponsor is traditionally someone you feel has been instrumental in your reaching your degree. It does NOT have to be a PPA member but it is required to be an adult - no children.

To be eligible, you must have 13 print merits and 12 other merits. It used to be a challenge to earn those 12 other merits but now they practically give them away for attending certain seminars etc. I think you also have to have been a member for 2 or 3 years. You can earn those extra 12 merits by service, speaking, education or additional print merits. Print merits are received from having prints accepted for the exhibition at IUSA. Judging for that takes place in June or July every year. Each accepted print earns one merit. A print selected for Loan collection gets 2 merits.

Hope this helps. If you have more questions just ask.

Keith