Stop doing terrible degrees!

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The way what's going? This doesn't even mean anything.

Name me one country in Asia that has anything like a history of civilization that's superior to anything anywhere else in the world - especially your "terrible" West.

Well I thought India/China were growing at 5-10% per year?

Reply 41

Student403

Original post by Ashleyclaire

What about those who do your so-called bad degrees so they can then teach that subject?
I think you'll find that English teachers are pretty necessary.

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And language/history teachers!

Reply 42

Asolare

Original post by Ashleyclaire

What about those who do your so-called bad degrees so they can then teach that subject?
I think you'll find that English teachers are pretty necessary.

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I would advise not listening to anyone who just rated biology as a bad subject lmfao. He's single-handedly ruined any credibility this thread had with his nonsense list.

Reply 43

username738914

Original post by 1secondsofvamps

Would you say Primary Education is a terrible degree?
I'm planning on becoming a primary school teacher so the degree is useful. But the issue with it is that the degree isn't STEM and the salary isn't much.

It's not, the premise of this whole thread is ridiculous.

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Reply 44

Platinum213

The majority of psychology is now considered a STEM subject/area - unless the 2015 STEM subject list is lying.

Reply 45

Paraphilos

I think this is a complicated subject. But employers are also human; I personally think it would be naive to say that they don't have preferences (conscious or not).

During my previous internship I overheard managers from two divisions talking of a candidate they had interviewed a few moments ago and they seemed to light up when they talked about their illustrious academic qualifications in economics from a very good university. These things are definitely a factor for some employers at least.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 46

999tigger

Original post by PQ

How many people do you think are studying undergraduate degrees in Gender Studies in the UK?

Not as though there arent enough law students...

Reply 47

Sorani

Original post by Trinculo

Asian kids are emotionally and socially underdeveloped to quite a degree - that's why they make no impact on the jobs market in Europe and the US. Yes, you get some finding jobs, but given their academic excellence (which I don't doubt for a second), why don't they have a monopoly on the graduate jobs market? I say it's because most are too immature and socially lacking to hold down the majority of high powered work.

Having worked a bit around East Asia, I feel a bit bad for some of the youngsters. Although it varies wildly country to country (South Koreans are pretty chill), some of them come from countries where in school they're basically told to shut up and write. It's why their English language skills tend to be lacking, they start learning from a young age but rarely say a word of English in the classroom and instead endlessly learn grammar rules and structure. Creativity and expression are just not big things in their education, it's a very dated method.

I couldn't really say anything for India or Pakistan, or anywhere in that region.

Reply 48

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by 999tigger

Not as though there arent enough law students...

Reply 49

scrawlx101

Hi,

I know my making this post is going to raise a lot of anger, especially among the new-age mob who say passion and determination are the only factors levying success, but sadly I have seen a lot of posts giving students terrible advice regarding their academic future by telling them a degree in a non-vocational and non-traditional subject will have little impact on their future job prospects. Put simply, it is morally indefensible to advice young people that a degree in some bizarre liberal arts discipline is a good use of their one-off student loan; employers nowadays have an abundance of graduates whom to choose from and being disadvantaged in one aspect of your personal profile because you were fed misinformation by your peers will lead many young graduates fighting it out for low-paid employment.

Of course there will be people who will tell you how they've become a millionaire with their English degree from London Met, but we also need to have a sense of perspective. Do not go to university if you are not sure what you want to do with the rest of your life. University is expensive. And is £50,000 of student debt a burden you want to carry when you don't even have an end-plan in mind? There are a lot of graduate opportunities available for students who graduate from any university with a 2:1, but if you don't possess much added-experience alongside your academic qualifications, then the subject discipline holds a lot relevance.
got any proof?

My Area Manager, who is a young graduate, told me that he was informed during his application process that students with "weak degrees in weak subjects"
This is subjective? Plus,he's only one example of many

are ignored during selection. He said the degree that you choose to study at university says a lot about you as a person and the level of work ethic

Spending time in industry and developing proper work experience is a much better and more efficient use of time for those who don't know what they want to do than going to university, as work experience is paramount for employers and the on-the-work pay is an added bonus as well.
A ridiculous claim as I highly doubt he/any employer knows how difficult a subject is outside their own academic discipline...
Here's an excellent video I'd advice you all to watch:

[video="youtube;CVEuPmVAb8o"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVEuPmVAb8o[/video]

Remember, just because you're "passionate about something, it doesn't mean you're good at it".
True but being good at something is a combination of skill and talent and skills can be taught.

my thpughts are in italics

Reply 50

username2763536

Original post by Princepieman

It's not, the premise of this whole thread is ridiculous.

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Is it? The debt is getting to be really expensive.Its comparable to buying a flat or a small house.Its all very well saying do what makes you happy but money is a huge part of happiness that shouldnt be dismissed.Money gives you freedom to do other stuff.
personally I think this idea that 50% of people should go to university is silly.All its doing is driving up the costs of going to university for those who truly deserve it.If you have the academic ability then you should be able to go.

Reply 51

999tigger

Original post by PQ

username of person you were respondong to.

Reply 52

username2637499

Original post by 1secondsofvamps

NO.
Teachers are required everywhere all around the globe.
There is a shortage .

Teachers have the highest employment rates
Surely you want to be in a job after you graduate

Teachers apparently have the highest salary after graduating
Teachers have plenty of opportunities to increase their salary by taking up higher positions.

Stick to what you love.

Ignore the STEM BS

Reply 53

zzFishstick

Swap Biology with Law and then you've got an accurate list. And maybe even History too but that depends which uni you've studied it at.

Reply 54

pizzanomics

Original post by 1secondsofvamps

Not at all, although you might be better off doing a different (but somewhat relevant) degree then doing a PGCE.

Reply 55

shawn_o1

I think we wouldn't have this argument if we went back to how it used to be: 10% of school leavers going to uni with the rest all joining industrial placements or training courses (or straight to "unskilled" employment :wink:

). Then the only ones studying are the only ones going on to do further research on the subject.
It's only because of the ease of getting into uni and the secondary schools/sixth form colleges not giving appropriate career advice that we're seeing many graduates with not enough clue about the world around them to get a job. Let's face it, every school wants to claim they're the best in the region by means of stats like % of leavers going to uni - anyone that doesn't intend to go to uni is left all alone with regards to career advice at their school

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 56

Trinculo

Original post by Sorani

South East Asia and the like are just terrible for this. The crazy thing is, people see the empirical stats and admire this, and want to copy it.

Reply 57

username738914

Original post by Robby2312

It's not 'debt', it's a PAYE non-tax payment obligation for the majority of the bell curve, nothing on the bottom of the bell curve and a hell of a lot of interest repaid at the top of the bell curve. Everyone who went pays into this scheme, unless they physically can't (i.e. don't make enough to hit the threshold).

I agree that there might be a tad too many people going to uni, but in reality, a more educated society is nothing but a benefit.

But the whole idea that a non pre professional degree itself will lead into certain outcomes, not controlling for the students themselves, is fully flawed because outcomes vary based on a huge mound of factors. Re: repayment, it is just a plain fact that some careers pay less than others (read: not degrees, careers) so inevitably there will be people who can't fully contribute enough to cover what they had subsidised for them regardless of what they studied (see: academics).

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(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 58

YeSand

Original post by Trinculo

What an ignorant and racist comment. I guess your brain is under-developed to make such assumptions. :smile:

Reply 59

Sorani

Original post by Trinculo

South East Asia and the like are just terrible for this. The crazy thing is, people see the empirical stats and admire this, and want to copy it.

As an educator, seeing people fawning over the Japanese education system over the equally successful and vastly superior Finnish system drives a knife through my heart.