Stop doing terrible degrees!

What do you think of subjects like maths, it's not vocational and doesn't have an obvious career choice at the end??

Reply 82

username738914

Original post by Tsrsarahhhh

I guess it's be they don't lead to a job straight away. For example with medicine you know that the student wants to end up as a doctor. His list is stupid and incredibly closed minded. Just be a language or biology doesn't lead to a specific job doesn't mean they're useless.

Physics and Maths doesn't either, but it always gets lumped into 'good degrees'.

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Reply 83

Phipp91

10

Original post by jake4198

Good
- Engineering
- Medicine
- Dentistry
- Veterinary Science
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Economics
- Accounting
- Nursing
- Computer Science
- Law

Bad
- English
- History
- Gender Studies
- Media Studies
- Cultural Studies
- Biology
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Languages
- Theology
- Sport Science
- Business
- Design

And let's kill off the Creative Arts shall we? So we can all live like the Robotic Engineer-Medic, Scientific-Lawyer you evidently are...

Or you could try not to stifle people's desire to study arts-based subjects, and give people the option of CHOICE.

Reply 84

Tsrsarahhhh

19

Original post by Princepieman

Physics and Maths doesn't either, but it always gets lumped into 'good degrees'.

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Lol that's tru

Reply 85

JamesN88

Most things have a purpose in society, although I draw the line at things like Gender Studies and Star Trek.

Reply 86

username2313507

To all those arguing people should study whatever they like because it 'makes them happy'

Generally speaking, graduates with certain degrees in certain fields will spend much of their lives in low pay jobs.
Because they don't earn much, they're unlikely pay back their student loan within the 25 years of it being valid. It is a proven fact that a large number of students never pay back their loan fully.

Who pays for these loans? The government.
Who foots the bill when graduates don't pay back the money they borrowed? The government.
Where does the government get their money from? The people

As far as I'm concerned, taking a loan for a degree that has poor/low pay employment opportunities solely because 'it makes me happy', knowing they're unlikely to pay it back, is stealing.

Reply 87

username738914

Original post by TelAviv

To all those arguing people should study whatever they like because it 'makes them happy'

Generally speaking, graduates with certain degrees in certain fields will spend much of their lives in low pay jobs.
Because they don't earn much, they're unlikely pay back their student loan within the 25 years of it being valid. It is a proven fact that a large number of students never pay back their loan fully.

Who pays for these loans? The government.
Who foots the bill when graduates don't pay back the money they borrowed? The government.
Where does the government get their money from? The people

As far as I'm concerned, taking a loan for a degree that has poor/low pay employment opportunities solely because 'it makes me happy', knowing they're unlikely to pay it back, is stealing.

'Will', is a strong word. How do you know where a graduate will end up just from their degree choice?

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Reply 88

maggie43

16

Original post by ActuallyIDo

I've always found it funny how people love to get into other people's business but never worry about themselves. Why do you care if someone wants to get an English degree. Like, STFU....

Nice one! It's their problem not his. He shouldn't be meddling in other people's business

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Reply 89

username2763536

15

Original post by Princepieman

It's not 'debt', it's a PAYE non-tax payment obligation for the majority of the bell curve, nothing on the bottom of the bell curve and a hell of a lot of interest repaid at the top of the bell curve. Everyone who went pays into this scheme, unless they physically can't (i.e. don't make enough to hit the threshold).

I agree that there might be a tad too many people going to uni, but in reality, a more educated society is nothing but a benefit.

But the whole idea that a non pre professional degree itself will lead into certain outcomes, not controlling for the students themselves, is fully flawed because outcomes vary based on a huge mound of factors. Re: repayment, it is just a plain fact that some careers pay less than others (read: not degrees, careers) so inevitably there will be people who can't fully contribute enough to cover what they had subsidised for them regardless of what they studied (see: academics).

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Yeah so basically a lot of the people earning high amounts of money will end up subsidising those people who dont.If you never earn over 21000 then you never pay the money back but who ends up paying for that.If people do stupid degrees then they have to borrow money from the goverment.If more people do stupid degrees then it makes university more expensive for everyone else because the money has to come from somewhere.I wouldnt actually say that a more educated society is always a benefit.A 1000 physics and engineering graduates is probably a lot more useful to society than a 1000 womens studies graduates.Its not sensible to advise everyone just to get any old degree simply because most grad schemes are non degree specific.If you're going to uni you need a plan otherwise you'll end up doing something you dont want to do and going nowhere.

Reply 90

username2313507

Original post by Princepieman

'Will', is a strong word. How do you know where a graduate will end up just from their degree choice?

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Which is why is used the term "generally" rather than "all".

Sure, there'll be the few golden students who are exceptional and end up making the $$$. But as evidence clearly shows, the average graduate in certain fields isn't going to make enough within 25 years of graduating to pay back all the money they owe.

Reply 91

grassntai

If I get into university I'm going to be studying an English lit degree. I do wish I took science A-Levels and tried to get into medicine. I think that's one of the issues with the education system; we're forced to specialise too early and narrow our learning. I like the American system where you can major and minor subjects until you find the right fit.

OP what advice would you give someone like me? Should I do a gap year and sit an A-Level in maths or science and change my degree course?

Reply 92

Claire461

Original post by TelAviv

To all those arguing people should study whatever they like because it 'makes them happy'

Generally speaking, graduates with certain degrees in certain fields will spend much of their lives in low pay jobs.
Because they don't earn much, they're unlikely pay back their student loan within the 25 years of it being valid. It is a proven fact that a large number of students never pay back their loan fully.

Who pays for these loans? The government.
Who foots the bill when graduates don't pay back the money they borrowed? The government.
Where does the government get their money from? The people

As far as I'm concerned, taking a loan for a degree that has poor/low pay employment opportunities solely because 'it makes me happy', knowing they're unlikely to pay it back, is stealing.

My degree is in Criminology and I'm 68. I don't really give a stuff what anyone here thinks about my choice of study. I don't need a job- I am retired - sort off.
And if I drop dead and can't my my loans back, then I have 7 children who are taxpayers, and 6 of my 16 grandchildren are also taxpayers.
And my degree does make me 'happy'. So wha? Are you paying my fees. Nope.

Reply 93

tanyapotter

Original post by jake4198

I'm not doing a Chinese degree. My official offer from Leeds is to do a degree in Economics and Russian. The only reason I mentioned Chinese is at the time I was considering changing the Russian component for Chinese. Even so, the ability - as a westerner - to speak fluent Chinese is one of the most desirable skills in modern business.

Even so, I'm deferring my offer at university because I've been offered the opportunity to make my way up the ranks in retail. I've been working at ALDI through my A levels and now I've been offered a place in management. If I need a degree to advance my career I'm sure I'll get one when and where it's necessary.

I'm pretty sure you implied you wanted to change to a straight Chinese degree completely, and that was only 4 weeks ago. I wonder what changed your mind so drastically about arts degrees to push you to make such a bold post.

Reply 94

TercioOfParma

18

Original post by Assan

Ever studied Women's Studies?

Know what it entails?

Know the type of work WMST go on to do?

No?

I ask because people mock WMST, while having no actual basis for their claims - experiential, experimental, or otherwise.

Oh, and to pre-empt the predictable retort: double-majored in History and WMST, studying Law. WMSTwas not only demanding but enlughtenong.

I think you should have done English instead.

Reply 95

username2313507

Original post by Seamus123

My degree is in Criminology and I'm 68. I don't really give a stuff what anyone here thinks about my choice of study. I don't need a job- I am retired - sort off.
And if I drop dead and can't my my loans back, then I have 7 children who are taxpayers, and 6 of my 16 grandchildren are also taxpayers.
And my degree does make me 'happy'. So wha? Are you paying my fees. Nope.

And is this loan financed by the government?

Yep.

I started my degree back in 1998 before loans came in, but had to drop out to raise a grandchild who was poorly when he was born in 1999. He is 17 now and at college so I went back to continue my degree last year.

Reply 98

sabana

What if someone has an interest in becoming a fashion designer, then it wouldn't make sense to pick those "good" degrees?

Reply 99

username738914