TL/DR (but read the link, it's worth it): MIT's Pirate Certificate became available in the Fall of 2011. MIT students who successfully complete Archery, Fencing, Pistol (or Rifle) and Sailing get the certificate.<p>It was intended as a fun way to incentivize students meeting the physical education component of their degree requirements. The certificate does not entitle the student to engage in piracy.
Okay so this isn't totally related, but there's something about the mélange between pirates and techies that just makes my heart sing. I get that this course is just supposed to be fun/a joke... but the cultural kinship between pirates and technologists is actually strangely similar. Maybe MIT isn't structured like a pirate ship, but startups most certainly are. Great read:<p><a href="https://medium.com/@bagelboy/why-pirates-are-feared-5be709ae0e74" rel="nofollow">https://medium.com/@bagelboy/why-pirates-are-feared-5be709ae...</a>
Don't steal this idea: a pirate certificate with advantages:<p>1. Anyone can get it, not just MIT students<p>2. It <i>does</i> allow you to engage in acts of piracy<p>3. Includes the accent
I would totally latch onto something like this if it were available to me. Not that there is any point to it, but chasing little achievements is fun. I took Archery twice in college and sailing sounds like a lot of fun.
> Pirate certificate is for entertainment purposes only and does not give the recipient license to engage in piracy or any pirate activities.<p>Lol / Too bad.
Looking at this makes me want to dig in and find out what locales in the US actually license exotic dancers, because (if cheap enough) it would amuse me to be able to say I was a licensed exotic dancer during Meetups and meet-and-greets.<p>I also think that such might be amusing to MIT students who pursue the Pirate Certificate.
There's a physical education requirement to get a degree?<p>Me, straight out of the airborne infantry before entering college, would've just looked at them with a disbelieving look and laughed...