why not abolish &#x27;weak&#x27; degrees?

Original post by madders94

This is an incredibly prejudiced thread - the assumption that everyone who does "weak" degrees are stupid? :facepalm2:

It's TSR, what did you expect?

A well reasoned argument or viewpoint, don't be so silly.

Reply 22

cid

13

Hmm i don't think media is completely worthless, i think part of the problem is that there are so many different 'media' degrees that could possible just come under one title of media studies and incorporate parts from all the areas of media, instead of having, films studies, journalism, film production, creative media production, television studies ..media writing (you get the idea) it does seem that to some extent courses are being made purely so there is room for more students.

I do not mean to offend anyone for their degree choice, all degrees have some merit, it just seems that the media area of degrees has become a bit of a runaway behemoth gorging itself on unsuspecting students.

If they could make a uniform 'media studies' so that there was some sort of common syllabus they could probably still deliver relivent media education to students, cut cost by not running extra courses teaching a very similar thing under a different title and increase the competitiveness of the media studies degree.

Some thing like, uniform first year subject matter, bread and butter media studies, then the broader areas of media in the second years and then third year a chosen specialty such as written media, digital media, media production etc etc

The problem currently is that society has become used to large amounts of graduates to the point where most white collar jobs now require a degree often the subject is of little relevance.

As for apprenticeships, the problem starts with secondary school, children are brainwashed into thinking academic achievement it all that matters, you could be excellent at say design and technology and really have a natural skill with physical production ... but your scoring D in maths and science ...so you end up in the bottom set with the kids who set fire to things and who's parents are on first name terms with the school Councillor.

Reply 23

Aeschylus

Is this the thread where we poo on people from a great height to reinforce superiority complexes? I think it is!

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 24

madders94

Original post by Casshern1456

From what I heard, we don't think people who do Film Studies/ Media/ Journalism as stupid but just why would you spend 3 years of your life and £50k to pursue it when it has almost little value in gaining a good career. I actually agree there should be these subjects but only a handful and only specialist colleges that can provide excellent Media/ Film degrees, but when I see the likes of KCL giving out Film studies degree i die a little inside. Imo, you are far better off getting real hands on experience at a Media firm or working on film production sets than "learn" about it at university.

That's fair enough for people in London but where I live, I have very little chance of that. My only chance of learning is through the university when they have industry professionals coming in. Plus, if I do manage to work in journalism, I want to do bilingual print journalism so I'm kind of confined to Wales :sad:

Reply 25

A level Az

16

Original post by IlexBlue

Because the government wants to fork out thousands of pounds of wasted money so that people like the morons at my school who couldn't pronounce "hinge" in a book at the age of 15 and thought "precisely" was a long word can pretend that they don't have the IQ of a damaged kumquat by studying something, no matter how useless it is,

Hear hear.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 26

Aeschylus

Original post by bownessie

Universities are not just there for teaching 'useful' subject. Remember that universities were originally seats of learning and academic study, not just institutions created for the pure sake of creating graduates who are employable because they've graduated with a specifically 'strong' subject. There are plently of people who study degrees because they are interested in it and not just because they want to graduate being the 'most employable graduate'.

Um, Bologna and Paris were set up as training lawyers and grammarians back int the 12th century. However even then academics were moaning that people just wanted to learn the bare minimum then go on and make lots of money so plus ca change.

Reply 27

madders94

Original post by AspiringGenius

read my post and what I was responding to. You will find I was writing quite the contrary.

It was IlexBlue's post I was referring to as insinuating the degrees are for stupid people (the one where they implied that soft degrees are for those who think "precisely" is a long word), not yours.

Reply 28

AspiringGenius

15

Original post by madders94

It was IlexBlue's post I was referring to as insinuating the degrees are for stupid people (the one where they implied that soft degrees are for those who think "precisely" is a long word), not yours.

oh was it as misquote?

Reply 29

madders94

Original post by AspiringGenius

oh was it as misquote?

I think so, sorry :colondollar:

Reply 30

concubine

Original post by yothi5

If universities took out 'weak' degrees, half of the UK's universities would close. The likes of London Met, LMJU etc.

Well. That would be tragic.

Reply 31

A Mysterious Lord

Not abolished, but not classified as a degree, but as something like a 'National Higher Diploma'.

Reply 32

TurboCretin

Original post by bownessie

Universities are not just there for teaching 'useful' subject. Remember that universities were originally seats of learning and academic study, not just institutions created for the pure sake of creating graduates who are employable because they've graduated with a specifically 'strong' subject. There are plently of people who study degrees because they are interested in it and not just because they want to graduate being the 'most employable graduate'.

This. Some see education as a means to an end, others an end in itself. However, if a degree is not going to facilitate your putting money back into the system that subsidised you for it, then it should not be subsidised to the same extent.

Reply 33

Jimbo1234

Because then unemployment figured increase.................Got to love the govt :facepalm:

Reply 34

Aeschylus

Original post by Jimbo1234

Because then unemployment figured increase.................Got to love the govt :facepalm:

Which episode of American Dad is your sig from?

Reply 35

whatsername2009

11

Original post by Helloworld_95

my guess would be that they help fund 'stronger' degrees

This. Someone doing a Media Studies degree pays exactly the same level of tuition fees as someone doing Physics, even though the Physics course will cost a lot more per student for the university to run due to the greater number of contact hours and the need for specialist equipment etc, so the Media Studies student is actually subsidising their education.

Going to university is not all about getting a job, and there are plenty of graduate jobs that ask for a degree in any subject. I would agree that universities should be more open about the career prospects their courses can offer, but I don't think a course should be scrapped just because it doesn't lead directly into a particular career path.

Reply 36

Casshern1456