Similarly, the security industry was once unregulated and any one who was 18 years old and breathes was eligible to work as a guard. This left the consumer at the mercy of unscrupulous guard agencies and many of their guards. There is a minimum standard now.
Likewise, the Martial Arts community too will have to become regulated not only to protect the consumer but because the government will desire to tap into the industries' profits by licensing teachers and schools along with the appropriate fees.
College of Martial Arts & Science (CMAS) Inc. is being created to attempt to set a international minimum standards for people claiming to teach any form of self-defense and police restraint tactics. CMAS has recognized the growing need for qualified instructors. New schools are opening continuously. Health clubs and non-profit YMHA and YMCAs are adding assorted martial arts programs to their curriculums. Applied Martial Arts has been successful in training and preparing its students to work and teach in the martial arts industry.
Government regulation in New York State requires a four-year process to become an accredited college with all the benefits that come with it. We have begun that process. However, in the interim, to recruit and register students now, we first must become a vocational institute granting various martial arts certifications entitling our one-year graduates to begin working upon certification. We currently are in the process of affiliating with one or two accredited colleges where they would sub-contract with us our martial arts curriculum. This would entitle our students when approved by the NYS Department of Education to earn a two year associates degree, a four year Bachelor of Science degree and later a Master of Science, and eventually a PHD degree. The approval time by the NYS Department of Education in granting a new academic degree is usually a six to twelve week process when affiliated with an accredited college.
CMAS hopes to be the first vocational and scholastic martial arts program in the country. In addition, CMAS will affiliate with several professional fitness and exercise certification programs where our students would be cross-certified, to work as a personal and group trainer in the physical fitness profession.
The government has been funding countless millions of dollars to vocational and college facilities to promote young people in continuing their education so they can find work and become productive citizens. In fact, the United States� Government new social plan dictates that people who are on welfare must be off within five years. For the government to accomplish this goal billions of dollars is being pumped into the vocational and higher educational industries to try and get people jobs. The government has been disbursing as much as $4,000- for a six-hundred hour course curriculum in vocational schools and much more funding for college education. There are: beauty, computer, auto, electronic, and a host of other schools receiving immense government subsidies to sponsor many disadvantaged students.
Most recently in the City of New York, the CUNY system (City University of New York) has been under intense scrutiny for having lax standards. They have voted to tighten academic standards for entering freshman students. This would mean as many as one third of the usual entering students in the CUNY system may be denied access to a higher education. The College of Martial Arts & Science hopes to be able to bridge this gap and fill this void. While our program will maintain exceptionally high standards, many students who would enter usually have a burning desire to study and learn the marital arts. Students desiring to learn a particular course of study or trade, generally have discipline themselves to pass any requirements made of them.
For many students who attend college, a BA or BS degree often can not by itself earn a job upon graduation in the student's field of study. Our certification and later degree will enable the student to almost immediately find employment in their field. In fact, another function our college/organization will have will be to place students in our affiliated franchise dojos/schools around the tri-state area, which by itself will generate a substantial profit. We intend to franchise our curriculum and program to both colleges and private martial arts health studios.
A few major groups we are targeting are the disadvantaged Black, Latino, and Chassidim populations. Many of these students are either dropping out of high school at alarming rates and for those who don�t many do not go on to college. The College of Martial Arts and Sciences hopes to relieve this situation. Martial arts are very popular in these communities as it teaches the needed practical self-defense along with the required attributes of respect, honor, discipline and civility. Students would be highly motivated to succeed.
A second major group we are targeting is the public and private law enforcement community. Many police and security agencies are now requiring their personnel to have college credits upon entering their agencies and to have a college degree to move into the supervisor's level. A martial arts degree would become very enticing to this group because it is practical for their everyday work and it would generate a hefty side income for those who graduate. Additionally, many police agencies have a �Twenty year� retirement program and a martial arts degree will enable the police veteran to embark on their second adjunct career upon retirement.
The CMAS vocational program would be highly successful because there will be a need for qualified instructors for years to come. Most adequate Black Belt instructors usually receive their rank/certification after completing an average of six to seven years of training in several types of skills in martial arts. These include skills of Body motions, blocking, punching, kicking, grappling, throwing, choking, joint-locking, ground controls, and tactics. Students who generally go to classes 2-3 times a week consider it more as a hobby. There are ten ranks/exams or levels a student must take before they reach the black belt level where they would be first eligible to qualify as a teacher. For each level/rank our curriculum requires approx. 150 hours of learning and practice. By the time the student reaches the Black Belt level they have been training approx. 1200-1500 hours.
It is our contention that there is a market to train and place qualified teachers. A vocational student can train 1200 hours in our curriculum and within 12 months can become certified. Upon passing a rigorous exam the new teacher will be qualified to teach several types of martial arts at a minimum beginning pay rate of $20- per hour. What young person wouldn't seize the opportunity to learn the skills they grew up admiring and then learn to teach them and get paid for something they love?
Our Bachelor of Science degree in Martial Arts would be academically equivalent to a cross between a physical education and a social work degree (with our concentration on conflict mediation). The students would have the requisite courses to satisfy the NYS requirement in fulfilling both curriculums. In addition to teaching martial arts, the student could naturally pursue a graduate course of study in either of these professions, which is an integral part of the martial arts.
NYS Department of Education accreditation requires that a vocational school is opened first and then eligibility to apply for college status is available. In additional, a specific sum of money, usually over 1 million dollars needs to be kept in college bank account to show that the college will not fold and endanger students� education.
Additional sources of revenue would be from the opening of a dojo (training studio) at our college site and in the qualification and testing of instructors across the country. CMAS will be setting the national and international standard for training and or qualifying other instructors in a physical practicum. Each Black belt qualification exam will cost $1,500- with higher level exams costing as much as $3,000. There are approx. a half a million instructors across the country. The institute/college would also be open to the public for those who desire training in an adult education program. Most individuals and children spend approx. $1500- per year. It is estimated that after the first two years we expect to have over 300 dojo students.
New York City has begun to open up charter schools where public funding will be granted to open up new private high schools who can offer higher standards than the often failing public school system. The opportunity to open a martial arts & science high school is great which would serve as a feeder into the college. A martial arts summer camp is also a viable option where students and their families from the vocational and CMAS would come. Summer camp fees range from $5,000-$7,500 per person.
Lastly, once accredited CMAS - College of Martial Arts and Sciences would be eligible to offer many other fields of study to maximize new student potential. We hope to expand with various related fields of study in integrated and holistic health programs. |
