Universities or Colleges

[Big Cats]

Hi All

Does anyone know if there are any Universities or colleges in Australia who cover any Cryptozoology subjects in their courses?

Big Cats

[Mary Use]

Hi All

Does anyone know if there are any Universities or colleges in Australia who cover any Cryptozoology subjects in their courses?

Big Cats

I would suggest that they do not. You might try Zoology.
Universities are places of learning. Crypto is conjecture, guesswork, anecdote and fantasy. I suggest you study the Arts, wherein you can actually get a degree for making stuff up.

[Shazzoir]

Mary, forgive me for interjecting here, but I am finding it rather confrontational when you direct your responses at the original poster in what I have interpreted as such a condescending way.

I might have rephrased your words as follows, to remove the "personal" aspect of your reply:

[quote="Big Cats"]Does anyone know if there are any Universities or colleges in Australia who cover any Cryptozoology subjects in their courses?

"I would imagine that they do not, but I am not sure. Anyone interested in this field might try Zoology. Universities are places of learning. In my opinion, Crypto is conjecture, guesswork, anecdote and fantasy. " These changes made are all mine, added to your original wording.

The last part of your post seems nothing short of a thinly-veiled insult, and frankly, I don't care much for the tone of it, considering where you are posting it.

Please also note, that how their post is likely to be taken in this imperfect medium (i.e. the written word) should be in every poster's thoughts before they hit the 'SUBMIT' button to ensure that certain remarks cannot be interpreted as 'having a go' at someone else's post.

If we aren't careful of how our words are interpreted, tempers can flare and disruption to the thread/forums is inevitable. I'd not like to see that happen again.

Respectfully yours,
Shazz

[Big Cats]

Hi Mary Use

I actually do have a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland.

I find what you have said to be quite insulting and defamatory.

Be careful what you are saying in a public forum.

I do not know why you seem to be attacking me personally, but back off.

As I have said to you earlier, either be positive and constructive, or go and play in some other sand pit.

This is a public warning to you from a forum moderator. Tone it down.

If anyone else is finding Mary Use's comments to be offensive, please let me know.

Big Cats

[Shazzoir]

There are just some people who have nothing better to do than to stir up trouble, and make drama for others.

Mary Use should be calling her/himself Mary Abuse, if the PM message I received in response to my post above is any indication. For someone who likes to upbraid others, she/he sure has a dirty mouth.

Anyway, trolls come and go, those of us who are genuinely interested in exploring the unexplained and cryptic will still be here.

Getting back to your question, Big Cats, there seem to be some places in the USA that have some kind of Paranormal study, but these seem to be done as a minor as part of a Parapsychology Degree or something similar.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 612AAY7iRL

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... EUL5LD.DTL

This one seems genuine, however the article warns "As of mid-2006, no accredited American college or university offers a formal parapsychology degree. That's not for lack of funding, but because they want to distance themselves from wild and extravagant claims made by a small (but vocal) fringe element within the New Age movement and paranormal fields."

http://www.hollowhill.com/ghost-hunting ... degree.htm

I've not heard of anything that I would call bona fide in Australia, after all - how do you teach people about something that is not even officially recognized as even existing? It might be hard to claim you are the world's expert on the Thylacine or Yowie or whatever and remain credible in the scientific community, who place such store on degrees and such from Universities.

I bet though, that once one cryptid is found and officially recognized, that all that will change, but I'm not holding my breath.

Kind regards

Shazzoir

EDIT: Great question, by the way.

[Big Cats]

Hi Shazzoir

Thanks for that.

When I get a chance I will give Gary Opit a call and see if he knows of any even part subjects in a Science degree anywhere.

Big Cats

[Foil_Hat_Guy(1)]

Hi Big Cats,

I am not aware of any University in Australia that teaches 'Cryptozoology' as a course or a subject.

The Uni I went to as a student back in 1991 had a subject 'Parapsychology' as an elective in a Psychology course, however, the subject was cancelled and the (popular among students) lecturer who taught the subject was dismissed, apparently due to the lack of scientific founding of the nature of the subject matter.

I see no reason however, why there couldn't be a place for 'Cryptozoology' or 'Parapsychology' as a humanities subject. It is certainly no less scientifically founded than, for instance, Ancient Greek Mythology. There are many people who genuinely believe in these subjects, as such, in my opinion, they form a valid area of study of the modern human condition. Maybe it could be touted as "Modern Mythology" or "Contemporary Mythology".

I don't believe that it would be offered as part of a 'hard science' degree. However, I suspect that many of the lab based techniques that would be used to investigate cryptids (such as DNA testing, comparison of recordings of animal sounds, study of hominid dermal ridges, etc) could be learned as part of a mainstream science degree. The techniques that help identify animals 'known to science' can also be used to identify those which don't quite fit. In which case, it would not be the knowledge that is learned so much as how it is applied that defines the user.

[Big Cats]

Very Interesting Foil_Hat_Guy(1)

Or perhaps it could be a part of an Anthropology, History or even a Religion subject. That would work too. I mean after all, it is part of our historical anthropology as we speak. Is it not?

It could also be included within Religion too. Certain animals are worshiped.

I am not talking of it being a core subject but just as a part of a subject. It could be the thin edge of the wedge.

Big Cats