Why does the government fund pointless degrees

Seriously this isn't a STEM supremacist thread, I believe it's fine for some people to study certain art and humanities at degree level and that they are often worthwhile degrees. However why exactly does the government fund absolutely pointless courses like photography, art or surfing studies from ex polys. These literally have no value and seem to just be an excuse for people to spend 45k to get pissed for 3 years.

I wouldn't have a problem with this if these degrees weren't tax payer funded. Unfortunately since you only have to pay off your student loan when earning over 21k this is a serious issue as the majority of graduates from these courses will never earn this so never pay off their debts which is the main issue. Why exactly are these courses allowed? Can't they be scrapped or at the very least funded by the students privately?

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Reply 1

flippantri

Because, whilst these degrees may seem irrelevant to you, they may be relevant to others.

Reply 2

Ethereal World

Cause it's easier than funding vocational degrees and teaching kids in a way that involves life skills and not just academic skills.

Reply 3

pecora

Are you also a believer that immigrants steal your jobs?

Reply 4

Danny McCoyne

Original post by intelligent con

. These literally have no value and seem to just be an excuse for people to spend 45k to get pissed for 3 years.

Someone needs to brush up on their maths skills.

Reply 5

Indeterminate

Everyone has the right to study what they're interested in at degree level. The fact that so many people are being accommodated in this respect is a good thing! :yep:

Reply 6

balanced

Original post by intelligent con

Because the government spends too much all the time, and isn't following the principles of efficiency savings.

Reply 7

Nununu

Original post by Indeterminate

Everyone has the right to study what they're interested in at degree level. The fact that so many people are being accommodated in this respect is a good thing! :yep:

Exactly, plus those humanities students partly subsidise us STEM students, as STEM tends to be more expensive to administer. So great going all round.

Reply 8

Dopesmoker

Original post by flippantri

Because, whilst these degrees may seem irrelevant to you, they may be relevant to others.

Relatively speaking, they're not relevant to the economy though.

Reply 9

ahllb

[QUOTE=intelligent con;62264227]Seriously this isn't a STEM supremacist thread, I believe it's fine for some people to study certain art and humanities at degree level and that they are often worthwhile degrees. However why exactly does the government fund absolutely pointless courses like photography, art or surfing studies from ex polys. These literally have no value and seem to just be an excuse for people to spend 45k to get pissed for 3 years.

I wouldn't have a problem with this if these degrees weren't tax payer funded. Unfortunately since you only have to pay off your student loan when earning over 21k this is a serious issue as the majority of graduates from these courses will never earn this so never pay off their debts which is the main issue. Why exactly are these courses allowed? Can't they be scrapped or at the very least funded by the students privately?

Sad but true. Most studying, as you say, "photography ... surfing studies" will probably either a) study something different afterwards, or b) end up in admin jobs

Reply 10

SterlingArcher

Original post by ahllb

Sad but true. Most studying, as you say, "photography ... surfing studies" will probably either a) study something different afterwards, or b) end up in admin jobs

You say admin as if it is a bad career, do you realise it's becoming popular with graduates sure you don't need a degree for it but you don't need a degree for many places now for example: Ernst & Young.

You can expect to make bank with admin jobs especially as you progress in your career.

Reply 11

ahllb

[QUOTE=SterlingArcher;62272127]You say admin as if it is a bad career, do you realise it's becoming popular with graduates sure you don't need a degree for it but you don't need a degree for many places now

Let's pay £50k+ for a photography degree and work as a receptionist. Listen to yourself, that's false economy

I'm not saying admin is bad, I'm saying the cost of studying for years and putting yourself in huge debt isn't worth the admin job which requires no degree.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 12

97Y

Original post by intelligent con

You, sir, speak my language. See, humanities I love! Who else is going to fund the chemical I throw down the sink weekly? £9,000 for a year of chemicals and fume hoods, not to forget all the glassware I'll go through! Not enough! History, very well. Liberal arts, however? They won't pay off the debt whereas me slaving away for years on end will eventually pay the £60,000 back.

University isn't a right and isn't for everyone. People are just afraid to say that nowadays

Reply 13

SterlingArcher

Original post by ahllb

Let's pay £50k+ for a photography degree and work as a receptionist. Listen to yourself, that's false economy

I'm not saying admin is bad, I'm saying the cost of studying for years and putting yourself in huge debt isn't worth the admin job which requires no degree.

Are you in college or?

Admin is not the same as being a receptionist. They are more involved in project work, they can lead projects and they organise things from planning meetings to planning training for staff - they have to deal with a range of people from different departments; the top role for admin is chief administrative officer.

Reply 14

ahllb

[QUOTE=SterlingArcher;62272459]Are you in college or?

Admin is not the same as being a receptionist. They are more involved in project work, they can lead projects and they organise things from planning meetings to planning training for staff - they have to deal with a range of people from different departments; the top role for admin is chief administrative officer.

All of which you can do, as you say, without spending £50k+ on a wishy washy degree

Reply 15

SterlingArcher

Original post by ahllb

All of which you can do, as you say, without spending £50k+ on a wishy washy degree

You can also work for Ernst & Young without a degree so what exactly is your point? People don't necessarily go to university just to get a job. They have genuine interests in whatever they decide to study.

Reply 16

Dopesmoker

Original post by SterlingArcher

I lol'd at this.

Its becoming more popular with graduates because its all they can get.

Nobody, LITERALLY NOBODY, goes to uni with the intent of getting an admin job after.

I also call BS on your claim of making bank in admin. Admin does not in the slightest have the percpetion of a field you go into to make money. Plus, completely goes against intuition - if it was a lucrative career it wouldnt have the stigma that it does.

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Reply 17

SterlingArcher

Original post by Dopesmoker

Except that they can and do make bank, what exact stigma does it have or are you just another sixth former that thinks he knows about the world?

I didn't say anyone goes to uni with the intent of getting an admin job. I said people don't go necessarily to GET A JOB. I said they go there because they have an interest in the subject.

Reply 18

cambio wechsel

1. The money doesn't disappear does it? It all goes back into the UK economy, and universities are in Aberystwyth and Hull and now even in Cornwall and the Highlands and Islands.

2. While it is a nice shared fantasy, we don't have an economy based largely on precision engineering or pharmaceuticals. You were thinking of (parts of) Switzerland again oh dear. Those are elements in our economy but so as well are media content provision and travel and tourism. It's only cargo cult science to imagine that by creating lots of chemical engineers you can expand your chemical engineering sector.

3. If Dean is not studying photography, that doesn't mean he ceases to exist. If he's the duffer you think he is, unlikely ever to earn more than £21k, then he's going to need all sorts of benefits, never mind that he might be causing trouble. Putting him through the university might be cheaper than that and a useful exercise in socialisation.

4. The per unit delivery cost of a degree in the arts and social sciences is nothing like nine grand per annum and is probably closer to a third of that. If Dean ultimately pays back even a third of his fee liability, he has probably paid for his course.