Dec. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Microsemi Corp. Chief Executive Officer James Peterson didn’t receive degrees from Brigham Young University that are listed in government filings, according to the university.

Carri Jenkins, a spokeswoman for Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, said Peterson took classes from 1978 to 1980, but didn’t receive any degrees. A regulatory filing for STEC Inc., a company where Peterson serves as a director, said he has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Brigham Young University.

A U.S. government security clearance application form provided by Peterson lists his position at Microsemi and states that he has bachelor’s and MBA degrees from Brigham Young.

Peterson was awarded an associates degree in arts, sciences and general education from Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho in December 1978, said Kyle Martin, registrar of Brigham Young University -- Idaho. In 2001, Ricks College became Brigham Young University Idaho, which is separate from the school in Utah, he said. As a former junior college, it couldn’t have conferred a higher degree, he said.

“That’s not correct,” Peterson said, referring to the information provided by Brigham Young. “I’ll contact them immediately.”

Military Service

Peterson said in a telephone interview that he earned credits during his military service that counted toward the degree from Brigham Young. He didn’t provide a university transcript after earlier saying he would.

Cliff Silver, a spokesman for Irvine, California-based Microsemi, referred inquiries to the CEO. The company makes chips for military and aerospace customers, according to its Web site.

The discrepancy was uncovered by Barry Minkow, co-founder of the Fraud Discovery Institute, which looks into the backgrounds of executives. Minkow served more than seven years in prison, from 1988 to 1995, after being convicted of fraud while running a company called ZZZZ Best Co.

Minkow almost always holds a position in securities his organization reports on, according to a disclaimer on his Web site. He said he has put options on STEC and Microsemi shares.

To contact the reporters on this story: Ian King in San Francisco at ianking@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: December 2, 2008 18:42 EST