Transformerology
Transformerology (from [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Latin|{{#if:||Latin}}]]: trānsfōrmāre, "trans+forma, across the form"; and [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Greek language|{{#if:Greek|Greek|Greek language}}]]: λόγος, [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}logos|{{#if:||logos}}]], "speech" lit. to talk about Transformers) is a faux-serious [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}academic degree|{{#if:||academic degree}}]] proposed by Dreamwave Productions Creative Director James McDonough and Adam Patyk in 2004 to describe the learning process needed in compiling the "More than Meets the Eye" Generation 1, profile book, covering 20 years of the franchise history and more than 400 characters. Transformerology specifically relates to a study of the fiction of the Transformers franchise rather than its toys.
To estimate the program level a "degree" in Transformerology represents... The time required to watch/read every episode, comic book sourcebook and novel published in the Transformers lexicon from 1984 through 2004 is between 800 and 1000 person-hours<ref>Ballpark figure based on ~600 episodes, ~700 comics, three movies, 6 full-length novels, 19 sourcebooks, annuals, specials et cetera.({{#time: M-d-y| 18 March 2009 }})</ref> allowing for no breaks, repeats or time for reflection. If one were to include the kind of repeat-viewings, comparative analysis, speculation, peer discussion and dissection essential to understanding what is essentially one very large convoluted story, the time-investment to acquire a "degree" in Transformerology is roughly equivalent to that of earning a [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}bachelor's degree|{{#if:||bachelor's degree}}]].<ref>This is a conservative estimate. As a rule of thumb, if an English-speaking fan has seen the Japanese series more than once, they've probably spent enough time studying Transformers to equate to a masters degree. And yes, McFeely has a doctorate.</ref>
The task McDonough and Patyk faced in 2004, familiarizing themselves with slightly less than half of the Generation 1 franchise (much of it in pre-digested form), would have represented about 1/4 of that, perhaps the equivalent of an [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Academic certificate|{{#if:undergraduate certificate|undergraduate certificate|Academic certificate}}]].