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Is BA Sociology or Journalism a mickey mouse degree?

I was thinking about taking one of these subjects but everyone keeps telling me they are mickey mouse degrees and a waste of time. I am interested in social sciences like Sociology, and am creative linguistically but concise and comminicate things "as they are" hence the journalism option. Are these degrees worthless?

Reply 1

Jump

18

I've got a couple of friends that aspire to be journalists, both have been advised not to take a journalism degree but instead something else that interests them (History, Politics, English, Geography etc).

Reply 2

priya

14

Cretin

I was thinking about taking one of these subjects but everyone keeps telling me they are mickey mouse degrees and a waste of time. I am interested in social sciences like Sociology, and am creative linguistically but concise and comminicate things "as they are" hence the journalism option. Are these degrees worthless?

if you're going to enjoy it, and feel you're going to get a lot out of it, then go for it. it's only mickey mouse if it's mickey mouse to YOU. i.e if you don't feel challenged by it or that the stuff you are being taught is underestimating your intelligence

Reply 3

Danithestudent

10

It will only be worth something IF you get lots of experience on the side. I am doing a BA in Journalism and I've got one day a week work experience at NME for a year, so it's gotta be worth something!

Reply 4

Ellie4

2

It depends what you want to do with it afterwards, if you want to be a journalist, English or Histroy will be a much better idea.

Reply 5

eleenia

1

Cretin

I was thinking about taking one of these subjects but everyone keeps telling me they are mickey mouse degrees and a waste of time. I am interested in social sciences like Sociology, and am creative linguistically but concise and comminicate things "as they are" hence the journalism option. Are these degrees worthless?

Not really hun, if you get on a respected journalism course it's pretty much a dead cert that you'll get some kind of work as a journo providing you get a decent grade.
If you want write for newspapers you do really need a special qualification (a NJC i think it's called, which you can pick up on a media course) but having said that you don't always need any specific qualifications to be a journalist. Just get as much work experience as you can in the area that you want to go into - work hard, and get your face known among the people you want to impress.
As for sociology, it often doesn't matter what you're degrees in for certain jobs, because the skills that employers want are the ones you learn at uni, no matter what degree you do, such as the ability to meet deadlines, to be responsible for your own work, to communicate your ideas precisely, etc, etc.

Reply 6

serendipity

9

eleenia

Not really hun, if you get on a respected journalism course it's pretty much a dead cert that you'll get some kind of work as a journo providing you get a decent grade.

I would disagree, there are so many wannabee journalists now competition is huge. Hence the reason I'm doing English so if my journo ambitions go to pot there are lots of other things I could do with my degree.

Reply 7

vincent gallo

1

You can study Sociology at LSE, Bristol, Durham etc so I dont think it could really be described as 'mickey mouse'. .I think you would maybe have more chance of becoming a journalist with degree in Sociology from a reputable university than with a degree in Journalism. Neither would be worthless by any means though.

Reply 8

LH

15

eleenia

Not really hun, if you get on a respected journalism course it's pretty much a dead cert that you'll get some kind of work as a journo providing you get a decent grade.

Not at all true, there are some decent journalism courses but, as has been said, competition is fierce so journalists are usually graduates of academic subjects or those who joined a local paper at 16/18 and have worked their way up.

Reply 9

username9816

14

If you aspire to be a Journalist, I actually think an English degree is the best way to go?

Reply 10

eleenia

1

Lord Huntroyde

Not at all true, there are some decent journalism courses but, as has been said, competition is fierce so journalists are usually graduates of academic subjects or those who joined a local paper at 16/18 and have worked their way up.

It's not my experience, I've seen a list of all the people that've graduated from Sheffield and they're all working in the media.

Reply 11

Pencil

16

http://www.bbc.co.uk/jobs/tips/faq.shtml#4 :rolleyes:

Is BA Sociology or Journalism a mickey mouse degree?

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