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"Far from being worthless, the more unusual degrees are proving a hit with employers"

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article6829650.ece

Well...who'd have thought? (I think the term is schadenfreude when someone looks into an issue that the tabloids kick up a fuss about every so often and find that the tabloids got it wrong...)

Reply 1

just say hello

9

does this mean i can actually take the casino management degree ive always wanted to do? wooooooohoooooooooooo

Reply 2

NDGAARONDI

16

Prince Rhyus

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article6829650.ece

Well...who'd have thought? (I think the term is schadenfreude when someone looks into an issue that the tabloids kick up a fuss about every so often and find that the tabloids got it wrong...)

I did wonder what involvement in the sport these specific degrees allow. Football studies was another people castigated for but if they incorporate decent connections with the FA it might allow graduates to have done some of the pre-existing coaching qualifications that current managers take as it can be an expensive option. If I wanted to become a top European coach I'd need to take the UEFA Pro License, which costs a bomb and currently you'd need either a CDL to cover for it or by other means, but if a degree permitted vocational progress in the professional sport then you're effectively using your SLC as a gateway to help finance it. Not sure if the football degrees do this but I'd be pleased if it did. Hopefully there can be a better crop of English football coaches in the future.

Reply 3

Tsukuyomi

15

This is a joke, golf mamagement, computer games programming, brewing and distillery, what next the i wonder?

Reply 4

Ewan

15

I doubt they were referring to Beckham studies

Reply 5

.ACS.

19

Tsukuyomi

This is a joke, golf mamagement, computer games programming, brewing and distillery, what next the i wonder?

They're vocational degrees with a specific purpose, and so very much worthwhile.

Yessssssssssss.

Ewan

I doubt they were referring to Beckham studies

Probably not. They likely focused on degrees that existed.

Reply 8

Lizia

2

It makes sense, if the degree actually qualifies you for something. Like the golf management course provides a PGA accredited qualification at the end. The computer games programming course is a niche one and so there are less graduates for employers to snap up, and thus of course there can be a higher employment rate. They also seem to have solid A levels behind them to start with. But if the degree is simply something with a gimmicky name and no real accreditation or qualification at the end, then I think the common perception of such degrees isn't as inaccurate as the article would make out.

Reply 9

cpj1987

15

Lizia

But if the degree is simply something with a gimmicky name and no real accreditation or qualification at the end, then I think the common perception of such degrees isn't as inaccurate as the article would make out.

Such as?

Reply 10

claireythepinkfairy

Contemporary circus and physical performance — Bath Spa University
:awesome:

Reply 11

achard

7

I think it's expected that courses designed with a heavy involvement of industries would do well in the employment stakes. He's not particularly shedding new light on anything. it's funny also that the writer thinks a computer programming course is "mickey mouse". It just exposes his own ignorance.

Reply 12

Strangey

15

PhD Beckham Stuides is now worth something! :woo:

Also, computer games programmer = mickey mouse? I'd have said it was a specilaity of computing/ComSci and therefore not mickey mouse?

Reply 13

Lizia

2

cpj1987

Such as?

I wouldn't know, I've never looked into the particulars. But I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that many of the "mickey mouse" degrees have that reputation for a reason, if they're not recognised by the official bodies in their subject area, and don't give you the professional qualifications required anyway (such as the PGA qualifications the golf management provides).

Maybe you could provide some examples of degrees which do lead to employment, despite having no such qualifications or accreditation? The ones mentioned in the article do all have such qualities, and the article would suggest they're all snapped up by employers in those exact fields, so it would be interesting to see that applies elsewhere.

Reply 14

cpj1987

15

Lizia

I wouldn't know, I've never looked into the particulars. But I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that many of the "mickey mouse" degrees have that reputation for a reason, if they're not recognised by the official bodies in their subject area, and don't give you the professional qualifications required anyway (such as the PGA qualifications the golf management provides).

Maybe you could provide some examples of degrees which do lead to employment, despite having no such qualifications or accreditation? The ones mentioned in the article do all have such qualities, and the article would suggest they're all snapped up by employers in those exact fields, so it would be interesting to see that applies elsewhere.

The degree in itself is a qualification. :s-smilie:

Reply 15

ChemistBoy

16

Tsukuyomi

brewing and distillery

"Kirsty Derry, Director of HR operations, Coors Brewers (coorsbrewers.com) If graduates have a brewing and distilling degree, that's fabulous"

From this guardian article from 2007:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2007/apr/28/careers.graduates1

Brewing and distilling degrees are very well respected in the profession and have been going for a long time. Heriot-Watt (arguably the best place to study this degree in the world) has been offering degrees in brewing since 1903.

The brewing and distilling industry is massive and the degree concentrates on the technical skills people will need to be master brewers in the modern age, i.e. biotechnology, chemical engineering and chemistry for the most part, it isn't just a glorified 4 year piss-up. The skills graduates get from this degree are also applicable in other fields, such as pharmaceutical biotechnology - a huge industry in its own right and food production.

The fact that it gives you something interesting to talk about in other areas of employment is just another bonus as far as I can see.

Reply 16

ChemistBoy

16

Strangey

PhD Beckham Stuides is now worth something!

Who are you to judge the worth of a piece of academic research?

Reply 17

Strangey

15

ChemistBoy

Who are you to judge the worth of a piece of academic research?

I'm not, it's just one of the traditional slated mickey mouse degrees...

Reply 18

Lizia

2

cpj1987

The degree in itself is a qualification. :s-smilie:

You're missing the point rather. The "mickey mouse" subjects the article mentions all have accreditation beyond the degree itself. They aren't "golf management graduates who got a job thanks to their golf management degree". They're "golf management graduates who got a job because they have the relevant PGA qualification, which just happened to have been obtained via the degree". So really, it seems logical that it wasn't the degree that lead to her employment, but the PGA course she could have taken elsewhere.

I was asking you to show us some "mickey mouse" degrees which don't have such qualifications built into them which give the levels of employment quoted in the article. I'm sure they exist, but I can't really think of any and you seem to think you can :smile:

Reply 19

sidewalkwhenshewalks

14

Prince Rhyus

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article6829650.ece

Well...who'd have thought? (I think the term is schadenfreude when someone looks into an issue that the tabloids kick up a fuss about every so often and find that the tabloids got it wrong...)

Doesn't really strike me as shadenfreude :confused:

"Far from being worthless, the more unusual degrees are proving a hit with employers"

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