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All arts and social science students - lets fight back against this discrimination

I dislike how a few people earlier in this thread lumped psychology degrees in with media studies. Not that I think media studies is a bad degree as our world is highly influenced by the media, and it can lead to lots of careers too, however, I'm sure any members of TSR who are affected by mental illness, or brain damage, or a developmental disorder such as add/autism would really love to live in a world without psychological research.

When people think of psychology, they almost certainly think of Freud. However, I think that's the same as thinking of alchemy when someone says "hi I'm doing a chemistry degree".

Fortunately, I go to a very arty university where this kind of degree snobery isn't around. I met a guy the other day doing a degree called history of ideas, which he explained put philosphical and socio-political theory in historical complex, giving these subjects more real world relevance, but I bet if someone said that was their degree on here people would be quick to call it mickey mouse.

As for me, I'm doing what I love, and proud of it.

Reply 261

Elli12

Maker

Art and culture is important, I like films, telly and reading. What I have a problem with is saying they are as important as science and technology and worthy of spending 3 years and thousands of pounds studying.

If I want to learn about Shakespeare, Milton and the Abstract Expressionist movement, I can read the books, go to the theatre and go to galleries for a lot less than going to uni.

I would define art degrees as hobby degrees suitable for the idle chattering classes, not unworthy of study but hardly critical to the world we live in.

So according to you, no-one should go to university unless it's to study degrees that are absolutely critical to the world? The whole point of further/higher education is to learn more about subjects that interest you - it does not mean you are part of the "idle chattering classes".

Where would a politics degree fit in the world, according to you? In your opinion is that critical enough to warrant reading?

Reply 262

Elli12

prospectivEEconomist

who gives a **** about shakespear. get real.

Coming from a person that can't even spell Shakespeare - that says it all really.

Reply 263

Maker

20

Elli12

So according to you, no-one should go to university unless it's to study degrees that are absolutely critical to the world? The whole point of further/higher education is to learn more about subjects that interest you - it does not mean you are part of the "idle chattering classes".

Where would a politics degree fit in the world, according to you? In your opinion is that critical enough to warrant reading?

The whole point of higher education is to improve your employment prospects if you are not fortunate enough to be well off enough already.

I am as interested in art and film as the next person but I only get one chance at getting a degree and I knew if I studied those, my employment prospects were worse than if I did a degree in a science subject.

I also think arts degrees don't stretch you intellectually as sciences do because its all based on opinion. For example, political theories go in and out of fashion, whats right today is wrong tomorrow and vice versa.

I think a politics degree is useful if you want to find out about it but if politics courses vanished, the rest of humanity would hardly miss it. If on the other hand physics or computer sciences did likewise, the development of humankind would be very much affected.

Reply 264

Maker

20

Elli12

Coming from a person that can't even spell Shakespeare - that says it all really.

There are 7 known signatures of Shakespeare and they are all spelt differently.

Reply 265

around

13

Elli12

Coming from a person that can't even spell Shakespeare - that says it all really.

The OED prefers Shakspere.

Reply 266

Maker

20

around

The OED prefers Shakspere.

Thats nice, many spellings of words were not standardised during Shakespeare's time, I don't know if that also applied to people's names.

Reply 267

cpchem

14

prospectivEEconomist

who gives a **** about shakespear. get real.

Erm... I do, and I'm an organic chemist. Should I not? :confused:

Reply 268

Andy the Anarchist

10

Maker

The whole point of higher education is to improve your employment prospects if you are not fortunate enough to be well off enough already.

I am as interested in art and film as the next person but I only get one chance at getting a degree and I knew if I studied those, my employment prospects were worse than if I did a degree in a science subject.

I also think arts degrees don't stretch you intellectually as sciences do because its all based on opinion. For example, political theories go in and out of fashion, whats right today is wrong tomorrow and vice versa.

I think a politics degree is useful if you want to find out about it but if politics courses vanished, the rest of humanity would hardly miss it. If on the other hand physics or computer sciences did likewise, the development of humankind would be very much affected.

Considering you've written off the entire history of political philosophy as "all based on opinion" and being essentially based on a whim, a bit like one's favourite fruit pastille, I'm not inclined to take you very seriously.

As to the topic, people should do the degree they want to do FFS, the sole measure of your life isn't how much you earn in a future career, and difficulty is subjective. I know maths students who couldn't do my subjects, and the inverse is true. You only get to be on this planet once, so I'm damned if I'm going to force myself to study subjects I have no interest in, and then get a career in a field I have no interest in, for the sake of the money. That's called selling your soul, and i'm ****** if I'll do it.

For the record, I want to go into academia and make a career out of studying what I enjoy (political science). If you enjoy studying science subjects then fine, just don't tell me what to do with my life, it's none of your business.

Reply 269

River85

17

Maker

The whole point of higher education is to improve your employment prospects if you are not fortunate enough to be well off enough already.

Is it?

Higher education has never been about "getting a good job". Universities didn't even teaching engineering and the sciences as we know now them until the Victorian era. University is about scholarship and learning for its own sake.

Going to university to improve your employment prospects, that may be your reason for going, but don't mislead people into thinking that it's the aim of everyone or is some traditional purpose of higher education because it really isn't. Besides, you haven't adequately explained why studying an arts or social science degree doesn't improve "employment prospects" anyway.

Please study an arts degree before you slag it off (I assume you haven't0. To suggest that political philosophy is all about the flavour of the month and what's right yesterday is wrong today is just completely ridiculous. Ideas and ideologies are critically discussed. Isn't the same true in science, some of what we saw as being scientific fact is now incorrect? Also, if politics and our knowledge of it did just "vanish" tomorrow then yes, we will miss it. We'll miss society.

On the one hand, you're saying university is there to improve career prospects. On the other hand you're calling courses like golf course management and (I assume) cattle herd management "Mickey Mouse" courses and not worth doing. You clearly aren't aware of the vocational importance and excellent career prospects these courses have. I think your argument needs a little work.

Reply 270

Maker

20

Andy the Anarchist

Considering you've written off the entire history of political philosophy as "all based on opinion" and being essentially based on a whim, a bit like one's favourite fruit pastille, I'm not inclined to take you very seriously.

As to the topic, people should do the degree they want to do FFS, the sole measure of your life isn't how much you earn in a future career, and difficulty is subjective. I know maths students who couldn't do my subjects, and the inverse is true. You only get to be on this planet once, so I'm damned if I'm going to force myself to study subjects I have no interest in, and then get a career in a field I have no interest in, for the sake of the money. That's called selling your soul, and i'm ****** if I'll do it.

For the record, I want to go into academia and make a career out of studying what I enjoy (political science). If you enjoy studying science subjects then fine, just don't tell me what to do with my life, it's none of your business.