MRS degree

{{Short description|Pejorative slang term}} An '''MRS Degree''' or '''M.R.S. Degree''' is a derogatory slang term in [[North American English]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=MRS, n. 2 meaning |url=https://www.oed.com/dictionary/mrs_n2?tab=meaning_and_use |website=Oxford English Dictionary}}</ref> for when a young [[woman]] attends [[college]] or [[university]] with the intention of finding a potential spouse,<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/pill-mrs-america-womens-roles-1950s/ | title = People & Events: Mrs. America: Women's Roles in the 1950s | publisher=PBS | access-date = July 22, 2008}}</ref> as opposed to pursuing academic achievement for a future career.<ref>{{cite web|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-susan-pattons-advice-to-get-an-mrs-degree-is-as-wrong-as-her-math_b_5065968 |access-date=February 9, 2021 |title=Why Susan Patton's Advice to Get a "MRS Degree" Is As Wrong As Her Math|date=April 2, 2014|first=Christina|last=Pesoli}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/relationships/studying-the-case-for-a-new-mrs-degree-in-marriage/article10790026/ |title=Studying the case for a new Mrs. degree in marriage |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |first=Zosia |last=Bielski |date=April 4, 2013 |access-date=February 9, 2021}}</ref> The term derives from "[[Mrs.]]", a common honorific for married women,<ref name="rice">{{cite web |title=M.R.S degree |url=https://neologisms.rice.edu/index.php?a=term&d=1&t=17575 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213004250/https://neologisms.rice.edu/index.php?a=term&d=1&t=17575 |archive-date=2021-02-13 |access-date=February 9, 2021 |work=The Rice University Neologisms Database |publisher=rice.edu}}</ref> and its similarity to abbreviations for [[Academic degree|academic degrees]], such as "M.S." for a [[Master of Science]]. It is a faux [[initialism]], as it does not stand for anything individually even though its letters are pronounced individually when spoken aloud.<ref name="rice" /> The earliest use of the term was in 1860,<ref name=":0" /> but the term "MRS degree" was most commonly used during the mid 20th century in North America, a period of time when higher education became more accessible, yet the possibilities for women were still very limited.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.redandblack.com/culture/students-and-faculty-discuss-the-idea-of-mrs-degree/article_5b353f7a-4059-11e8-85f8-639c3715284b.html |work=[[The Red & Black (University of Georgia)|The Red & Black]] |title= Students and faculty discuss the idea of 'Mrs.' degree |first=Lara |last=Strydom |date=April 11, 2018 |access-date=February 9, 2021 }}</ref><ref name=":0" /> A similar concept exists in Spanish: taking an EMMC course (an acronym meaning "estudio mientras me caso", "I study while I get married").

==See also== * [[Sex discrimination in education]] * [[Sexism in academia]]

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:Academic degrees]] [[Category:Criticism of academia]] [[Category:Dysphemisms]] [[Category:Feminism and history]] [[Category:Pejorative terms for women]] [[Category:History of women in the United States]] [[Category:20th century in women's history]] [[Category:Women's education in the United States]]