In your opinion, what undergraduate degrees offers the best skill set?
This can be as subjective as you like but I am curious about what the consensus will be -- that's if one is even formed.
There were two threads I saw recently that made me think about this.
Forgetting about interest for a subject, graduate prospects, prestige etc., what degrees do you think any (within reason) person can come out having learnt a skill set that will be useful in general?
I'm sure we will all have different views on what is useful which is what might make this an interesting thread. Let's see what happens!
There were two threads I saw recently that made me think about this.
Forgetting about interest for a subject, graduate prospects, prestige etc., what degrees do you think any (within reason) person can come out having learnt a skill set that will be useful in general?
I'm sure we will all have different views on what is useful which is what might make this an interesting thread. Let's see what happens!
(edited 10 years ago)
Scroll to see replies
physics, because it teaches you makes, drawing and just generally in life it is usefully to know why things move.
Original post by Occams Chainsaw
This can be as subjective as you like but I am curious about what the consensus will be -- that's if one is even formed.
There were two threads I saw recently that made me think about this.
Forgetting about interest for a subject, graduate prospects, prestige etc., what degrees do you think any (within reason) person can come out having learnt a skill set that will be useful in general?
I'm sure we will all have different views on what is useful which is what might make this an interesting thread. Let's see what happens!
There were two threads I saw recently that made me think about this.
Forgetting about interest for a subject, graduate prospects, prestige etc., what degrees do you think any (within reason) person can come out having learnt a skill set that will be useful in general?
I'm sure we will all have different views on what is useful which is what might make this an interesting thread. Let's see what happens!
If you remove all of those things you mention, I am inclined to say Medicine. With those skills you can be of great use to yourself and to your community.
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Original post by SorryInAdvance
physics, because it teaches you makes, drawing and just generally in life it is usefully to know why things move.
That made little sense to me. Are you saying that a degree in physics teaches you to make things, to draw and teaches you why things move? In which case, why not mechanical engineering?
Original post by LexiswasmyNexis
If you remove all of those things you mention, I am inclined to say Medicine. With those skills you can be of great use to yourself and to your community.
Makes sense
Would you opinion differ if it was just skills you could utilize and you didn't care about serving your community? Just curious!(edited 10 years ago)
economics it is useful in every academic subject and real life as well
Bioengineering or Biomedical engineering, gives you a solid foundation in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths while also enhancing teamwork and problem solving skills.
Original post by Occams Chainsaw
That made little sense to me. Are you saying that a degree in physics teaches you to make things, to draw and teaches you why things move? In which case, why not mechanical engineering?
Makes sense Would you opinion differ if it was just skills you could utilize and you didn't care about serving your community? Just curious!
Makes sense
Would you opinion differ if it was just skills you could utilize and you didn't care about serving your community? Just curious!Yes mechanical engineering study's objects that move, but does it look into the electrostatic forces the create that interaction and then try and show how that repulsion comes about on a fundamental level then you aren't really learning why things move. And knowing why things move is quite an important thing.
I would say a science degree: physics/chemistry/engineering etc as it shows you can work with numbers, you're analytical, team work (if you have labs). They're also quite tough degrees so it shows you have the intelligence and capability to achieve it and work hard etc etc.
medicine, people are pretty dependent on doctors
It might be my bias, but a social science such as Geography has a lot to offer. It involves essay writing skills, mathematical skills, drawing skills (and colouring-in skills!) and scientific knowledge You not only collect primary data, but interpret it from other sources. And perhaps what makes it one of the most valuable subjects is that it is constantly relevant to current affairs and works in a real-world context.
I would say something like "Social Systems Science" which you can't really study in the UK yet. It would basically be complexity science (maths) applied to social systems. It would be pretty nifty to understand what's going on in the world, and the modelling skills you would learn would be applicable to anything that may interest you in the future.
Failing that, Physics, for pretty much the same reasons.
Failing that, Physics, for pretty much the same reasons.
(edited 10 years ago)
Hmm, so what are the different skills in terms of Physics and Engineering?
I can see a clear difference between others but this pairing I am struggling to differentiate between. Can anybody help?
I can see a clear difference between others but this pairing I am struggling to differentiate between. Can anybody help?
In Engineering, everything has to have a purpose. You would never study anything that is "not useful". What's "the point"? Engineers tend to ask that a lot, at least compared to scientists. Well, scientists say it too, but it's different. Engineers go like: "What's the point? Let's not do it.", scientists go like "What's the point? Let's find out." or "What's the point? Well who cares? It's kind of fun."
In short, the difference is in the mind set, not in the acquired skill set.
In short, the difference is in the mind set, not in the acquired skill set.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by llys
In Engineering, everything has to have a purpose. You would never study anything that is "not useful". What's "the point"? Engineers tend to ask that a lot, at least compared to scientists. Well, scientists say it too, but it's different. Engineers go like: "What's the point? Let's not do it.", scientists go like "What's the point? Let's find out." or "What's the point? Well who cares? It's kind of fun."
In short, the difference is in the mind set, not in the acquired skill set.
In short, the difference is in the mind set, not in the acquired skill set.
I guess you balance that against the fact that engineers become proficient in designing and building things and because of the charter requirements they have classes in business/economics etc which makes it difficult for me to decide which I think is better.
Thanks though!
Original post by llys
In Engineering, everything has to have a purpose. You would never study anything that is "not useful". What's "the point"? Engineers tend to ask that a lot, at least compared to scientists. Well, scientists say it too, but it's different. Engineers go like: "What's the point? Let's not do it.", scientists go like "What's the point? Let's find out." or "What's the point? Well who cares? It's kind of fun."
In short, the difference is in the mind set, not in the acquired skill set.
In short, the difference is in the mind set, not in the acquired skill set.
As an engineer, i would say business without a shred of a doubt
Business is the best undergrad degree you can get if you dont know what you want to do
A little example, engineers are useless without business people, but business people are not useless without engineers, its the business people that affect a company's bottom line the most.
A engineer might want to solve a problem to the best of his/her ability , but it could make the company broke in the process of doing so.
Now, business with accounting would be a god tier degree in terms of skill set
Original post by nish81
engineering, economics, or maybe medicine. maybe applied maths too.
hey this is off topic but nish81, you still hang around Tgt and do ap'ing?
Presumably something inter-disciplinary.
It might be a joint-honours programme (e.g. maths and philosophy), a combined studies degree, or something like computer sciences which covers a number of fields theoretically and practically.
But really, it depends on the individual course. I can find CompSci courses with very little report writing, presentation-giving, or development of core skills e.g. teamwork, leadership, communication, etc. On the flipside, BCS-accredited CompSci courses normally have a certain focus on skills development.
In short: it varies where you study as much as what you study!
It might be a joint-honours programme (e.g. maths and philosophy), a combined studies degree, or something like computer sciences which covers a number of fields theoretically and practically.
But really, it depends on the individual course. I can find CompSci courses with very little report writing, presentation-giving, or development of core skills e.g. teamwork, leadership, communication, etc. On the flipside, BCS-accredited CompSci courses normally have a certain focus on skills development.
In short: it varies where you study as much as what you study!
Original post by rickfloss
As an engineer, i would say business without a shred of a doubt
Business is the best undergrad degree you can get if you dont know what you want to do
A little example, engineers are useless without business people, but business people are not useless without engineers, its the business people that affect a company's bottom line the most.
A engineer might want to solve a problem to the best of his/her ability , but it could make the company broke in the process of doing so.
Now, business with accounting would be a god tier degree in terms of skill set
Business is the best undergrad degree you can get if you dont know what you want to do
A little example, engineers are useless without business people, but business people are not useless without engineers, its the business people that affect a company's bottom line the most.
A engineer might want to solve a problem to the best of his/her ability , but it could make the company broke in the process of doing so.
Now, business with accounting would be a god tier degree in terms of skill set
A lot of business people have engineering backgrounds, especially in heavy industry so I don't think that engineers are as commercially ignorant as you suggest. My whole understanding of engineering is that it is supposed to create solutions using science in an safe & economic way. Any engineer that doesn't have regard to costs is a pretty poor engineer as a result.
Of course there is also a big difference between 'business people' and 'business studies graduates' just as there is a big difference between 'politicians' and 'politics graduates'.
The only business degree worth having imho is an MBA.
(edited 10 years ago)
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