There's no such thing as a pointless degree
Scroll to see replies
Original post by Changing Skies
It's original, I'll give you that
I do think some degree choices are pointless, but I would not consider psychology to be one
Original post by keromedic
Even if it's really linked like Engineering, Medicine, Law, Architecture, Nursing, Dentistry or Accounting?
When I said 'that degree', I meant the one with no job prospects. If your degree doesn't have prospects, but you're doing it for the prospects, it's pointless. I didn't mean to say that doing a degree only for the prospects was pointless (although personally I think it's somewhat soul-less).
Original post by PythianLegume
When I said 'that degree', I meant the one with no job prospects. If your degree doesn't have prospects, but you're doing it for the prospects, it's pointless. I didn't mean to say that doing a degree only for the prospects was pointless (although personally I think it's somewhat soul-less).
Yet you were arguing pro equine studies...
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Jammy Duel
Do you actually read my posts? In many of them I have stated that there's more to a degree than merely the financial rewards. Otherwise I'd be studying maths or economics so I could go and make millions in the city.
Original post by arminb
Is History pointless?
Depends what you do with it.
Original post by PythianLegume
Do you actually read my posts? In many of them I have stated that there's more to a degree than merely the financial rewards. Otherwise I'd be studying maths or economics so I could go and make millions in the city.
To refute a claim you have to read/hear the claim, so yes, you just chose to ignore the arguments
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by lucybuckleyy
I see a lot of people on here talking about 'useless' and 'pointless' degrees, and my own subject (Psychology) is often considered to be one of them. I'm not posting to explain why it isn't, but that there shouldn't be so many people looking down on others on here for their choice of degree. Just because it doesn't have many job prospects, or isn't considered 'difficult' (though it's entirely subjective), doesnt mean it's pointless. Someone may be studying the subject out of pure interest and passion for the subject. The way I see my own degree, I pursued it because I want a career out of it as I am hugely interested in it, but if it turns out that I don't end up in a job in that field, I'll still be happy with my decision because I studied a subject I love and enjoy studying. Personally I think that's better than studying something you hate just because it has a lot of job prospects. Stop shaming others for their choice of degree, or even their choice of university!
No offence but all x graduates will say that a degree on x is not pointless. But I agree, shaming is not the way.
Original post by Jammy Duel
To refute a claim you have to read/hear the claim, so yes, you just chose to ignore the arguments
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
Your claim seems to be that doing a degree is pointless if it doesn't have monetary/financial/occupational rewards. Therefore it seems natural to assume that the only purpose of a degree is financial. I refuted that by providing an example - myself - of someone who finds use in a degree beyond the financial. Whether or not something is 'pointless' is not objective. It's about whether someone finds a point in it.
I agree that every degree can be useful, some perhaps more so than others but it depends on how you use it. Ultimately, you can succeed in anything you want to and it's just a matter of application. Media Studies can give you key contacts in journalism; the market research involved in a fashion degree is probably going to help some business-minded person make a lot of money out of people; and, for the sake of it, a degree in surfing might well give someone the inspiration to revolutionise the surfboard (which might well be quite a lucrative business!).
Original post by cambio wechsel
is taught at only one university, (Russell Group) Birmingham, asks for AAB, is co-sponsored by the PGA, includes a placement, and has a tremendous employment record. It's only the case that more and more golf-courses are being built worldwide, and someone has to manage them.
Evidence of your claims?
Original post by PythianLegume
Your claim seems to be that doing a degree is pointless if it doesn't have monetary/financial/occupational rewards. Therefore it seems natural to assume that the only purpose of a degree is financial. I refuted that by providing an example - myself - of someone who finds use in a degree beyond the financial. Whether or not something is 'pointless' is not objective. It's about whether someone finds a point in it.
There are 4 reasonable reasons to do a degree:
Interest in the subject:
-You need a degree for whatever you want to do, you are interested in whatever (reputable degree) so you do that which interests you
-you intend to work in [field that interests you] which requires a degree so you do a degree in whatever is relevant and interesting
Money:
-You want a well paying job that requires one of {set of necessary degrees} so you do one of them
-Same as point 2 of interest, except with a slight compromise for higher pay, ie you enjoy Field A more than Field B, but B pays more, you chose B.
The common factor in all 4 is that a degree is required (and can be extended to also include a degree being very helpful).
As explained several times, equine studies is an example of a degree where none of these 4 things are the degree isn't necessary and will almost certainly not help, if anything hinder.
Original post by Jammy Duel
There are 4 reasonable reasons to do a degree:
Interest in the subject:
-You need a degree for whatever you want to do, you are interested in whatever (reputable degree) so you do that which interests you
-you intend to work in [field that interests you] which requires a degree so you do a degree in whatever is relevant and interesting
Money:
-You want a well paying job that requires one of {set of necessary degrees} so you do one of them
-Same as point 2 of interest, except with a slight compromise for higher pay, ie you enjoy Field A more than Field B, but B pays more, you chose B.
The common factor in all 4 is that a degree is required (and can be extended to also include a degree being very helpful).
As explained several times, equine studies is an example of a degree where none of these 4 things are the degree isn't necessary and will almost certainly not help, if anything hinder.
Interest in the subject:
-You need a degree for whatever you want to do, you are interested in whatever (reputable degree) so you do that which interests you
-you intend to work in [field that interests you] which requires a degree so you do a degree in whatever is relevant and interesting
Money:
-You want a well paying job that requires one of {set of necessary degrees} so you do one of them
-Same as point 2 of interest, except with a slight compromise for higher pay, ie you enjoy Field A more than Field B, but B pays more, you chose B.
The common factor in all 4 is that a degree is required (and can be extended to also include a degree being very helpful).
As explained several times, equine studies is an example of a degree where none of these 4 things are the degree isn't necessary and will almost certainly not help, if anything hinder.
All of those are motivated by what happens after the degree. A couple take into account what happens during the degree, but only as secondary considerations. You still fail to grasp the fact that some people want the opportunity to spend 3 years studying a subject they enjoy under the tutelage of experts in that field. While it's true that anyone can go to a library and pick up a book on a subject they enjoy, this simply isn't the same as taking a course designed and taught by experts.
You seem to be incapable of seeing a degree as a means in itself, rather than a means to an end.
Original post by arminb
Is History pointless?
Are you interested in History?
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by lucybuckleyy
Thats what I'm going to do next year. So yes
Original post by PythianLegume
All of those are motivated by what happens after the degree. A couple take into account what happens during the degree, but only as secondary considerations. You still fail to grasp the fact that some people want the opportunity to spend 3 years studying a subject they enjoy under the tutelage of experts in that field. While it's true that anyone can go to a library and pick up a book on a subject they enjoy, this simply isn't the same as taking a course designed and taught by experts.
You seem to be incapable of seeing a degree as a means in itself, rather than a means to an end.
You seem to be incapable of seeing a degree as a means in itself, rather than a means to an end.
Unless, of course, you pay all expenses yourself it's somewhat irresponsible to do a degree to serve no purpose except because you want to. It's kinda like borrowing money from somebody to buy a car with them understanding it to be so you can work in the city rather than in a corner shop, they agree and let you pay it back based on your earnings in that new job with no way to get the money otherwise but still working in that corner shop and instead using the car to just go on country drives because you like driving around pointlessly.
If you can read a few books on it then don't do it as a degree. Degrees such as:
Medicine
Law
Engineering
Physical sciences
Maths
Computer Science
Are the most challenging degrees. The point of a degree is to help with job prospects in the future.
If you love Classics for example, doing a degree in it won't help as much in getting a job as it would with a maths degree. You can read books on Classics and watch plays. You can't do that with maths.
Just because you have a passion for subject doesn't mean you should study it at degree level. You can be a fan of Spanish Literature without a BA in Spanish Literature.
One last thing, 4 tough years in a hard degree is worth the relatively easy life afterwards than doing an easy degree for 4 years and having a difficult life in finding jobs.
Posted from TSR Mobile
Medicine
Law
Engineering
Physical sciences
Maths
Computer Science
Are the most challenging degrees. The point of a degree is to help with job prospects in the future.
If you love Classics for example, doing a degree in it won't help as much in getting a job as it would with a maths degree. You can read books on Classics and watch plays. You can't do that with maths.
Just because you have a passion for subject doesn't mean you should study it at degree level. You can be a fan of Spanish Literature without a BA in Spanish Literature.
One last thing, 4 tough years in a hard degree is worth the relatively easy life afterwards than doing an easy degree for 4 years and having a difficult life in finding jobs.
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Jammy Duel
Unless, of course, you pay all expenses yourself it's somewhat irresponsible to do a degree to serve no purpose except because you want to. It's kinda like borrowing money from somebody to buy a car with them understanding it to be so you can work in the city rather than in a corner shop, they agree and let you pay it back based on your earnings in that new job with no way to get the money otherwise but still working in that corner shop and instead using the car to just go on country drives because you like driving around pointlessly.
Well that's a discussion about finance. It has nothing to do with a degree being pointless. It is slightly irresponsible to get the government to pay for your degree if you have no plans to pay it back. However, that doesn't make it pointless.
Original post by PythianLegume
Do you actually read my posts? In many of them I have stated that there's more to a degree than merely the financial rewards. Otherwise I'd be studying maths or economics so I could go and make millions in the city.
Please, tell me more about how I should be reading equine sports science as opposed to History & French simply because I adore horses and equestrianism more and apparently shouldn't be taking my prospects after uni into account.
It's obviously important that you enjoy your subject enough to be doing it for 3+ years, but for degrees such as equine, you would be better off going straight into industry. It's more interesting and you learn more. One boy came onto our yard straight out of school last summer and is now on an Olympic event yard. He had very little riding skill because YOU LEARN IT ON THE JOB, not as part of a degree. You cannot learn to feel theoretically.
Apprenticeships are required for equestrian industry only in racing and that's only a level 2 qualification over 9-14 weeks, not a 3 year degree.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Open university psychology with counselling question
- Is a Psychology degree really worth it?
- University
- Graduation?
- Forensic science degree
- A-level choices
- Resit university Twice?
- Advice on career pathways? Psychology work placement/Law GDL
- [deleted]
- Suitable degree of accuracy
- not happy with all A* results
- advice for aspiring pharmacist
- Job options for non-honours degree
- Personal Statement
- Entry requirements
- Which university subject has the highest entry requirements?
- Ranking all engineering fields
- confusion
- Do I need economics for a degree
- Medicine worries/Alternatives?
Latest
Trending
Last reply 3 days ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 3 days ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?Trending
Last reply 3 days ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 3 days ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?
