Dark Side Degrees are a method of rewarding those who put forth time and effort at the Shadow Academy. This article provides an overview of the new system. Supporting articles will be linked from here as they are created.
Degree Levels and Types
The four levels of Dark Side degrees, as originally created by HM Kaiann, will be adopted to fit the proposed new system. The degrees, with real life equivalents where applicable, are as follows:
- Dark Maven (Bachelors)
- The basic level, these degrees typically require only passing certain exams with certain scores. Some practical portions may be included.
- A minimum of 3-4 courses will be required for a Dark Maven Degree to be created. If only 3 courses are used, then some type of practical portion to the exam must be implemented.
- Dark Savant (Masters)
- Somewhat harder, these degrees require two Dark Maven degrees (specific to each subject area), plus a certain number of electives, and they may also include a practical portion.
- Dark Sage (PhD)
- The highest level most members can obtain, Dark Sage degrees denote great skill and hard work that goes above and beyond typical Shadow Academy work.
- Master of Dark Lore
- Awarded only to current and former Headmasters at the order of the Grand Master.
With the exception of Master of Dark Lore, the degrees will be open to the general membership and the only thing preventing a member from obtaining a degree will be the member.
There will be two types of degrees: academic and service.
Obtaining a Degree
There is more to obtaining a degree than simply taking and passing Shadow Academy courses.
Academic Degrees
Academic degrees are earned through taking and passing courses and certain practical tests where prescribed.
- Notify the Headmaster and Praetor to the Headmaster in advance that they are seeking a degree. Failure to notify the Headmaster and Praetor prior to completing 50% or more of the required work will result in the degree being denied.
- Make a particular score or higher on all exams in the degree requirements. The threshold is currently 85% or higher.
- Members may retake exams, but until the coding is changed, courses will have to be removed manually by someone with the access before the test is retaken. Members of clans Arcona, Naga Sadow, and Plagueis are the responsibility of the Praetor to the Headmaster and they should e-mail him to have exams removed. The Headmaster will deal with members from Scholae Palatinae, Taldryan, and Tarentum.
- If a member fails to achieve the 85% or higher score after retaking the exam (a total of 2 attempts), then they will not be eligible for the degree.
- Until the coding is changed, the Headmaster will be responsible for checking that the required scores have been met. Members are encouraged to save their notifications.
- Once they have completed the stated requirements (which will be listed) for a specific degree, they must petition to have the degree awarded.
Service Degrees
Dark Maven
- Serve as a member of the Shadow Academy Staff for at least 5 months
Dark Savant
- Serve the Shadow Academy in multiple positions for an extended period of time
- Approximately 8 months or more
- Grading multiple exams counts for this
- Working on special SA projects will count towards overall time and may be “banked” for up to one year.
- Any combination of SA related positions (Envoy, EP, Magistrate, Praetor, and HM) may be used.
- Serve as a magistrate or as the praetor for 8 months or more
- All positions require excellent service. A moderate service record may be grounds for rejection. The immediate superior (HM, or GM, in the case of the HM) shall determine the awarding.
Dark Sage
- Provide long term, superior service to Academy while not holding a position above EP. This includes writing multiple exams, being involved in multiple projects, and maintaining constant activity at the Academy. This will be very rare, but specific members may be worthy of this.
- Serve as a magistrate for at least 18 months
- Serve as praetor for at least 14 months
- Serve as HM for at least 12 months
- All positions require excellent service. A moderate service record may be grounds for rejection. The immediate superior (HM or GM, in the case of the HM) shall determine the awarding.
Grandfathering and Revocation
Because the current Headmaster’s records only go back so far, members may petition to have a degree, or degrees, granted, or previously taken courses applied towards a degree (this is the only situation in which the 50% rule described above does not apply). Members will have a limited window to seek being grandfathered into the system. Once the window closes, it will not be reopened. All currently awarded degrees have been converted over to the current system.
Degrees may also be revoked. Any cheating on any Shadow Academy exam (whether it is part of the degree or not) is automatic grounds for the revocation of every single degree the member has earned. Any Chamber of Justice conviction will require the Headmaster to review and determine, on a case by case basis, whether or not the member’s degree(s) will be revoked. The decision is entirely at the discretion of the Headmaster. If a member holds a Dark Savant degree and has a required Dark Maven degree removed, they will lose the Dark Savant degree as well.
Adding Degrees, Removing Degrees, and Electives
As more courses open in the Shadow Academy, more degrees may be added to the available options. However, extra “filler” courses will not be created simply to allow the creation of a degree, even if it means that a certain subject area must remain without a degree. All courses must meet certain quality standards.
As the Shadow Academy is constantly changing and adapting, there is a possibility that a course will be removed, thus negating a degree. In this event, the previously awarded degrees will still stand, and a list of no longer existing degrees will be maintained.
Any course (except Brotherhood Basics) that is not established as part of a degree will be considered an elective course. Once a course becomes part of a degree, it will no longer be considered an elective, but those who used it as such will not have to take a new course.
Disclaimer, Conclusion, and Credits
The Headmaster reserves the right to alter degree requirements at any time, so long as they are applied equally across the Brotherhood. Members that are midway through a degree will be grandfathered.
It is hoped that the degree system will give the membership an additional feature that adds to their fictional and practical experience in the Brotherhood. The degree system will also allow for a reorganization of the courses under different categories, which is essentially required given the new fictional situation we find ourselves in.
This system described above resulted largely from the ideas of Dacien “BubbaX” Victae, though they were inspired by the original degree system created by Kaiann, which was further refined by Spears and Anshar.