Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

out of interest do you think arts/creative degrees are worthless?

username4320064

I *obviously* don't think they are at all but interested to hear peoples opinions especially as I heard they may not give as much funding to people taking any creative degree subjects

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Reply 1

xxbelle

Nothing is exactly worthless, but let's just say there are more useful degrees out there than art

Reply 2

Soul Wavel3ngth

In terms of ensuring financial stability after university, they are kind of useless.

Reply 3

fallen_acorns

A huge amount are.. its sad because the creative arts are one of the most valuable and useful things in our society... but pushing them into universities in most cases has proven a disaster. We're it up to me: I would keep a small number of courses aimed at theory/critical response, and the replace the rest of the courses with specific institutes for each, that don't need to follow traditional university models and can develop structures and courses in a way that works to develop young creatives.. rather than the hybrid we have currently where you have photography students learning in lecture halls, writing essays, working on the same mark and credit systems designed for academic courses, mostly learning from failed photographers etc. Etc. If you were to actually design, from the ground up, a course to make professional photographers, it would look nothing like most university photography courses. Hence why most end up with a less then 5% rate of those actually working within the industry..

We used to have far more specialisation but money has spoken. So many technical and art schools have become universities or parts of universities.. because that's where the money is. Equally since the cap on places was lifted so many are now taking on as many students as possible and bloating their faculties, because students = cash.. when they know full well that the vast vast Marjority of their students will never end up working in the creative sector they are studying for.

The traditional arts are still better off, especially music which retained its conservetoirs, but modern arts, photography, film, animation, etc.. are all being really under served by our educatIona sector.

A real rethink would be a brilliant boost to our society, re-elevate the training of something so important to our culture, back to where it should be.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 4

MKstudent96

It really depends. I agree that in terms of getting a job and becoming financially stable, they don't provide the best means to do so.

I'm currently studying MSc Computer Science and there is a girl on my course who studied Classics at Cambridge. The degree did nothing for her, so she is back in uni to get a Computer Science Masters so that she can get a good paying job. She got in to the MSc because she worked at Deliveroo doing techy stuff; and she got that job only because a friend worked there.

Just food for thought. But if you are really passionate about it, go for it.

Reply 5

fallen_acorns

The best arguement for going to university and studying something like film studies, is that it gives you 3 years where you don't have to worry about working and can put all your time into your craft, can borrow equipment you wouldn't usually be able to afford, and can meet likeminded creatives.. none of those are merits of traditional university as such, and all could still be had, plus a much more useful experience in a dedicated creative institution designed from the ground up to foster creative talent.

Kind of

depends.If you have a solid plan , know what you want to do and can get a job, then they are not worthless. My sister is an artist and she doing quite well.

Reply 8

katf

No, it depends on what you want to do. If you're dead set on being a classical musician, going to a conservatoire will serve you pretty well. Or if you want to be an art therapist or art teacher, studying art will help you get there.

If you're just going to uni for the sake of it, then you're degree will be pretty useless.

Reply 9

gwynmor1234

I don't think they're completely worthless but too many people do creative degrees to make them useful. STEM degrees are probably better to do at university

Reply 10

username1539513

Many things in society we enjoy or need rely on artistic talent to some degree or another; advertising, fine art, the music we listen to, the actors and movies we watch. So in that sense no; they aren’t useless. But the average person on the street would have more of a chance at a good paying job taking a STEM subject like maths

Original post by dancesingact

I *obviously* don't think they are at all but interested to hear peoples opinions especially as I heard they may not give as much funding to people taking any creative degree subjects

Reply 11

IBGirll

there most definitely not worthless. everyone knows how difficult they are and they are very much respected. I strongly believe in doing what you love and if you what you love is something creative then do it.

Reply 12

username738914

no, they aren't useless.

1. most grad jobs are open to anyone with any degree provided they have the profile or network to get a chance to interview

2. a lot of people in arts/creative courses don't know what they want after graduating since they've focused so much of their time on pursuing a career in the space (which depending on the exact career, could have very low odds of anyone breaking in). ultimately ending up in stop gap jobs before settling into an actual career or getting a lucky break. some creative careers are more established and there are clearer pipelines for recruiting into them (e.g. design, architecture etc)

3. the caricature of ending up in mcdonalds is more about lack of guidance and a clear idea of what people CAN do than it is evidence of these degrees being "inferior" in some way.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 13

KayteeLou

I study photography and at my institute we have a 80%+ success rate of getting a job in the industry after leaving. I think it depends on how committed you are and your options. I don’t think it’s pointless as some universities cater with work experience and are able to get your name out there. In my honest opinion I don’t think you ever walk about of university with a secure job that’s your dream, you will still have to work for it and push yourself to get to where you want to but I don’t think they’re pointless if it’s your passion and what you love :smile:

I’m already working for/with people in the industry and I haven’t even finished yet. It depends on your passion and commitment and persistence is all I would say x

Reply 14

Jono*

Not useless but not very useful in terms of future earnings, if you want a good stable career you'd be far better off doing engineering or medicine.

Reply 15

BlueIndigoViolet

not in the artistic fields, but humanity is built on creativity, without artistic people, this world would be a very sad place...

Reply 16

username4320064

Original post by Jono*

Not useless but not very useful in terms of future earnings, if you want a good stable career you'd be far better off doing engineering or medicine.

ha anything but engineering or medicine 😂 honestly I wouldn't want to be treated by a doctor who's only goal is to be rich...

Reply 17

username4320064

okay so my aim is to go to a dance/mt conservatoire and short term have a career in the industry and teach (performing arts) in the long term. Would consider primary teaching if I decide after vocational sixth form this year that performing isn't where I want to go. I'm not stupid I do understand that it isn't the most "secure" industry but then I believe in doing degrees and training for challenge and broader horizons and not to gain tons of money in the future. I would MUCH rather do a job I enjoy than one I was told to do because of the money, that's one miserable life. My maths teacher told me not to do a musical theatre course because you won't earn as much, what he doesn't understand is that I have no interest in maths or anything STEM related and that i would be miserable doing a levels (in anything) and degrees in that and would probably end up coming out with no qualification. So why wouldn't I strive for what I want and if that doesn't work out asses from there, I have ambition and want to try to get my dream career and if I didn't then I would regret it for the rest of my life.