Learned professions

Posted by SR on November 22, 2004

In Reply to: Learned professions posted by Henry on November 22, 2004

: : : What is the meaning of the phrase "the learned professions"?

: : 29 CFR 541.301 - Learned professions.

: :
: : Section Number: 541.301
: : Section Name: Learned professions.

: : --

: : (a) The ``learned'' professions are described in Sec. 541.3(a) as
: : those requiring knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or
: : learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized
: : intellectual instruction and study as distinguished from a general
: : academic education and from an apprenticeship and from training in the
: : performance of routine mental, manual, or physical processes.
: : (b) The first element in the requirement is that the knowledge be of
: : an advanced type. Thus, generally speaking, it must be knowledge which
: : cannot be attained at the high school level.
: : (c) Second, it must be knowledge in a field of science or learning.
: : This serves to distinguish the professions from the mechanical arts
: : where in some instances the knowledge is of a fairly advanced type, but
: : not in a field of science or learning.

: : There is a more detailed explanation on the US Gov't Labor Department website. SR

: These would include, I imagine, medecine, law, architecture and engineering. There must be more, priesthood perhaps?

much more from googling 'the learned professions.'
"Learned or Common Profession?
Over the next few centuries, "profession" came to refer to any avowal of a calling, whether religious or not. A professional was then someone who followed a specific calling, someone distinguishable from both the ignorant and the jack-of-all-trades. This wider use of "profession" opened the way for a distinction between the "learned professions" -theology and its university off-shoots, law and medicine-and the rest, the "common professions," silversmith, merchant, and so on, trained through mere apprenticeship." SR

• Learned professions Doug 24/November/04
• Learned professions Lotg 23/November/04
• Learned professions David FG 22/November/04
  • Hear/here - professional status Lewis 25/November/04