why do people study such useless degrees?

[Guest]

Philosophy is a good solid discipline and many employers value it because of the critical analysis involved. This is a useful skill that can be applied to many other areas. It encourages people to challenge things rather than just accept them. This means graduates in this area have to be innovative and discerning. The same could be said of English.

Most employers value these skills and realise that most jobs require on-job training.

There are some careers ie medicine and law that require an applied degree but lots of other careers do not.

That aside, you're obviously just trying to ruffle some feathers. I'm sure you're not so short-sighted that you can't see the value of a degree that is less applied.

[Sabjeet]

I am doing an economics degree because it'll help me get a good job with lots of money. This is the most important reason why I'm doing it..money is the most important thing because its power.

what can you do with a philosophy degree? nothing because its totally useless

[unregistered]

I agree with respect to degrees like Film or Media Studies, Tourism, and the like, but Philosophy? History of Art? These are established degrees about knowledge. I see a difference between me say doing a Classics degree (I don't) which wouldn't get me head-hunted and isn't a particularly relevent degree but yet is an intellectual one, that would help me understand the world around me and I would hope - would be respected (obviously not by people like you) and me doing say, Performance Arts at a ex-poly which I would say was a waste of time.

[ra]

Quoting Sabjeet from 17:43, 22nd Feb 2006
some examples - philosophy, english, art history. how will studying these help you get a job? moreover why do people waste their parents money studying for such a degree that won't be any use to them?

I'm studying economics and finance, and i think people who only take this degree are the smart ones. Others wasting their time doing philosophy etc are stupid because employers will ask them how will that help them.

Sabjeet

Because we got bored of "studying" your mum.

[Bonnie]

Sabjeet,
You don't even know the basics of your own degree! That is so much less useful to society and to yourself than any argument you make about other degrees.

One of the very basic lessons in economics is about SIGNALLING.

You should know better than to suggest that some degrees are more worth more than others as a degree is a signal.

Oh, go look it up in a first year module.

[hr]

I love cheese.

[Duggeh]

Quoting Sabjeet from 20:02, 22nd Feb 2006
I am doing an economics degree because it'll help me get a good job with lots of money. This is the most important reason why I'm doing it..money is the most important thing because its power.

what can you do with a philosophy degree? nothing because its totally useless

I pity you.

[hr]

IMAGE:www.macintyre42.plus.com/images/tb2-100.jpg
Duggeh: Master Of Ceremonies

[neener]

There are so many people that do econmoics degrees with the same intention in mind. i'm starting to wonder what will happen when all of u graduate with the same jobs in mind.

[rubbermuffin]

Surely, surely, this is some attempt by an unregistered user to stir up Asian sterotypes or a general arts v science argument.

[hr]

'If something has to change then it always does'

[daduffster]

Quoting Sabjeet from 17:43, 22nd Feb 2006
some examples - philosophy, english, art history. how will studying these help you get a job?

I don't understand. Did you not get taught about Human Capital in Economics? The whole point is that a degree shows an active attempt to gain and expand ones knowledge, and also is priceless in terms of life experience. I think it is difficult, probably impossible, to compare degrees but ALL degrees have undoubted value for potential employers because of what it entails to get in, stay in and complete uni.

[Eliot Wilson]

Certainly, Sabjeet, you should thank your lucky little stars you're not reading history (Gordon Brown, Simon Schama, David Starkey), classics (Lord Butler of Brockwell, our very own Sir Kenneth Dover) or English (Jeremy Paxman, Zadie Smith, Stephen Fry, Hugh Grant). What a bunch of no-importance underachievers.

But perhaps yours was a post made somewhat mischievously.

[hr]

Bill and Ted beat the Grim Reaper at Twister

Bill: "You played very well, Death, especially with your totally heavy Death robes."

Death: "Don't patronise me."

[KateBush]

I do English cos I LOVE it

[hr]

http://www.livejournal.com/users/vasovagalvegan/
POTS and Vasovagal Syncope- not for the *faint* hearted
See me in my wheelchair? Keep staring--I might do a trick!

[The Dude]

Surprisingly enough Art History has the highest earning potential of any degree out of university (admittedly I do not have figures so you can refute this claim all you want). What you learn in an academic degree though is how to think and how to analyse. Subjeet might know how to make business plans and economic models out of university but that is vocational training and will only take him or her so far. To make more money in the world (as they profess to be solely concerned with) you need to be able to see the big picture and be able to think individually, but more importantly like others around you. Maybe he or she can post here when they have been made redundant after being in middle management for 30 years, and the rest of us who are either in lucrative or meaningful jobs (or not) can comment on his or her situation.

[LonelyPilgrim]

Sales careers represent the standard way into business management and seven figure incomes.

Funnily enough, you don't need a degree at all to get started in sales.

However, degrees which sharpen your communication skills, analytical skills, and ability to relate to human beings on a personal level will be the degrees most likely to help one suceed in sales.

Hmmmm... seems to me any history degree, or philosophy degree, or *gasp* English degree might just meet those criteria.

However, in the end, unless you are going into a highly technical field in the natural sciences, engineering, computers, medicine or economics/accounting your choice of degree is less important than the fact that you were dedicated and intelligent enough to earn a degree.

As a side note, maybe no one has told you, but earning a degree in a science or in economics is no guarantee of sudden riches. You'll have to work hard for years before you can prove that you are good enough to rate a large income. If you are skilled enough, that is. And I'm not holding my breath for you, since you seem to have no understand of how the business world and hiring actually work. Ergo, how well do you really understand the economy?

[hr]

I sing of arms, and the man...

[Eskimo]

I currently do an Economics degree as at A-level I found the subject fairly interesting and wanted to find out more. I've since realised that there is nothing more to it. Im definitely swapping out into philosophy as soon as I can as I would rather do a degree that interests me than one that leads to a job I hate. Good luck to you with your fantastic money and 'power' but don't forget to envy me with the life that I will enjoy.

[tylermatts]

Quoting Eskimo from 02:11, 23rd Feb 2006
Good luck to you with your fantastic money and 'power' but don't forget to envy me with the life that I will enjoy.

Amen.
Are you honestly planning to live a life that revolves around a means to an end?

[ezra]

sabjeet, you muppet

i. money is useful only insofar as it gets you what you want
ii. for quite a few people, doing something interesting (and maybe intrinsically valuable - like addressing significant questions) is what they want
so
iii. only stupid people would fail to see the shortcut

damnit.

[Lodestone]

This is a useful skill that can be applied to many other areas.

Balls to transferable skills.

Academic subjects should be studied for the sake of academia.

[Biitchboy]

Employers don't always care what degree you have, so long as you show that you have the transferable skills necessary for the job. I did an arts degree, international relations, with no link to finance whatsoever. But now I work in finance for Deloitte. It certainly wasn't my technical knowledge they hired me for as I had none what-so-ever. So show me how my degree disadvantaged me?

[Gubbins]

Surprisingly few people end up in a field directly related to their degree. From my physics class, most people I know ended up doing something involving finance. One even writes for the Scotsman. Most of those using their degree have gone on to do PhDs. Even in (sic) useful subjects like Physics, a degree is more recognised as a degree than specifically as a Physics degree because of the amount of "transferrable skills" involved (even though I can't stand that phrase).

On the other side, I have found many arts graduates that have gone on to be historians, teachers, interpreters, and other jobs that they would enjoy far more than if they were in city business.

Mind you, when every other person has one (as is the government's drive) and it's possible for someone to do a Masters in Hairdressing it makes you wonder what value a degree takes.

[hr]

...but then again, that is only my opinion.

[Fozzy Bear]

im shocked this thread is getting so many serious replies. it's obvious mr unreg sabjeet jus wants to wind people up and get an arts v science argument going.

i'll agree with some of the people who have listed true useless degrees, but i think it's time to stop giving the original poster what he wanted.

[hr]

Advertise your business here. £4.99 a month