Midwest Radio reports:
UG journalism lecturer’s doctorate fake, claims RTÉ report
Tom Felle claims to have a doctorate in journalism from City, University of London, now City St George’s, where he used to work as a senior lecturer, however an investigation by RTÉ’s Prime Time has concluded that Mr Felle did not receive a PhD in 2022, as he has claimed.
Apparently he got this PhD by the 'fast track' route known as 'PhD by prior publication' whereby established researchers use a significant body of already published, peer-reviewed work to be examined for a doctorate.
In Felle's case, this significant body of work consists of 'at least 10 articles and chapters in various academic and journalistic contexts.'
Blimey. That's a lot.
There seems to be a misconception among highly educated academics that just starting a PhD is the same as earning one.
Practically anyone can start a PhD but not everyone can finish. It's a bit like qualifying for the SAS.
Just because you applied to join does not mean you can call yourself an elite special forces soldier.
According to Student Independent News:
“Doctor Who?”: University of Galway lecturer falsely claimed to hold a doctorate
Tom Felle, who has appeared as an expert on “fake news” and whose stated research interest include “trust and transparency”, stated that he held a PhD by prior publication from City, University of London (now City St George’s).
“It wasn’t like a traditional PhD,” Felle told Prime Time, “it was a set of a set of journal articles done over, probably, five or six years.”
It wasn't like a traditional PhD because a handful of articles is not a PhD.
A real PhD has a substantial thesis that has to be defended but Doctor Who's thesis seems to have gone AWOL in the Tardis if these reports are true.
Believe it or not, FNN actually does have a PhD and from the University of London so is not in favour of this kind of nonsense as it just devalues PhDs generally.
Mr Felle joins the ranks of other alleged academic fibbers such as Jason Arday and Anthony Kila:
The whole thing shows just how easy it is to pull-the wool over peoples eyes.
Have these famous Universities never seen American Hustle?