A Facebook post is shared on the Internet by supporters of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte giving clarification on the mayor’s claim that Roxas did not graduate from Wharton.
On Mar Roxas official website for his 2016 presidential campaign, it says “[Roxas] graduated from… the Wharton School of Economics at the University of Pennsylvania in 1979.” This is the statement that Duterte claims is a ‘myth’.
“You claim to have graduated from Wharton School of Economics. That is a myth. You did not graduate from Wharton, Mr. Roxas. Wala doon sa listahan na ikaw naka-kumpleto ng 4 years or 5 years for a degree. Tanungin mo ang Wharton. (You aren’t on the list of those who completed a 4- or 5-year degree. You ask Wharton),” Duterte said in his “Gikan Sa Masa, Para Sa Masa” episode on Sunday, December 13.
Here’s the clarification being shared by supporters of Duterte:
- That the name “Wharton” is the college name of the Finance and Economics in University of Pennsylvania. It is called Wharton School of Economics.
- Nakaugalian na in Pennsylvania na if you are a graduate of Wharton, actually ibig sabihin, Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduate ka. Kapag “Undergrad” ka lang, typically ang reference is always – UPenn graduate at hindi “Wharton grad”.
- Ang sinasabing “Undergraduate” dito is actually one who graduated a Bachelor’s Degree.
Now, here in Pennsylvania, the understanding is this – “NAGTAPOS SI MAR ROXAS NG UNDERGRADUATE NYA SA UPENN.” Ganun. But he can use “Wharton School” kaso pag hindi mo sinabing undergrad – immediately, iisipin ng mga tao na MBA graduate ka.
Dun ako naisahan ni Mar. Akala ko MBA grad si Mar Roxas. Hindi pala. Look at page 27 of the link. www.archives.upenn.edu
So, Yes, Mar finished Bachelors Degree at the University of Pennsylvania but an UNDERGRADUATE of Wharton. A person can be called GRADUATE of Wharton if he/she finished MBA degree. Since Mar Roxas did not finish MBA in Wharton, he is not a graduate of Wharton. So Duterte’s claim is right.
An inquiry by both Rappler and the GMA News Research team confirmed that “Manuel Araneta Roxas II” graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, under the “Wharton Undergraduate” division.
According to the official Wharton School website, various study programs are being offered to qualified applicants. This includes Undergraduate, MBA, and Doctoral among others.
In an American system of education, an undergraduate or “undergrad” is a student pursuing a bachelor’s degree (usually 4 years) at a college or university. A graduate or “grad student”, however, is a student who is pursuing a master’s or “graduate degree” after completing a bachelor’s degree.
This has brought confusion since what is known as ‘undergraduate program’ in the US is a ‘graduate program’ in most countries outside the US. And the equivalent of ‘graduate’ in the US is actually ‘post-graduate’ in most of the rest of the world.
Both Roxas and Duterte are rivalry in the coming May 2016 presidential election.
So now can Roxas, a “Wharton undergraduate”, truthfully claim that he is a graduate of Wharton School of Economics? What is your take on this?
Source: rappler.com