Specialist Ratings Source
NOTE: This is no longer applicable to the current Specialist Ratings list on the website updated as of January 5, 2016. The new list is based on information released by Yasser F. Sarona of the BSP. This method below explains how the OLD list was derived prior to the new list now available online.
Several ocassions I have been asked for
the source of the list of Specialist Ratings listed on the
website. So here it is.
The source of the compiled list comes from
the 13 and Above Handbook and the Advancement
and Merit Badge Handbook both published by the Boy
Scouts of the Philippines (BSP). As everyone is aware,
each publication presents its own list of Specialist Ratings
and since there is no official BSP guideline concerning which
one is correct it is a valid assumption that both list are
valid lists.
Prior to publishing a compiled list, a
series of elimination needed to take place:
-
Removing all merit badges explicitly required
for Eagle Scout. By saying explicitly, it refers
to merit badges that leaves a Scout no choice but to
earn them. For example, Safety is
explicitly required since before you become an Explorer
Scout you will need to have this merit badge, while Ecology is
not explicity required since you can take Tree
Farming instead. We remove these merit badges since
these merit badges can no longer be used as one of the
three merit badges you use to earn your specialist rating,
otherwise you will end up with less than 21 merit badges
for Eagle Scout.
-
Removing all merit badges with no official BSP
requirements attached to them. In short, these
merit badges are not found in the "Advancement and Merit
Badge Handbook". We call these the Merit
Badges in the Works.
- Removing specialist ratings that cannot be completed. After
removing merit badges from the list, some specilist ratings
are left with less than three merit badges under them.
Obviously, a specialist rating can only be earned after
earning three merit badges and completing a related service
project. We call these the Unworkable
Specialist Ratings.
After all these eliminations, a finalized
list of specialist ratings is published on this website.
Canonical Source
As far as the process was concerned, it
was (and is) always important to use what I call "BSP Canonical
Publications". What I refer to as canonical are BSP publications
that are still in official cirulation and not in any way
discontinued or revoked. In short, these publications are
still sold at the National Scout Store in the National Office.
So, the old Senior Scout Program
Guidebook will no longer be considered canon since
it has been discontinued. Same goes for the Service
Scout Series of Handbooks which were discontinued
in the early 1990s.
Any BSP circulars, memos, and orders are
also considered as Canonical Publications so long as they
are not rendered void by other BSP circulars, memos, and
orders.
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