&#x27;Mickey Mousers&#x27; Society

cpj1987

Since you asked so nicely, I'll try and explain why I'm doing my degree. :p:

Firstly, I think studying for a degree at a university gives a better overall experience than other types of vocational training. Not only do I get to experience the studying for the actual degree, there's a lot more for me to get involved in in a university environment, and for me, academics aren't everything and I'd like to become a better person overall than in a solely academic way.

Yeah university is indeed an awesome experience, but I don't know if I would have done it if by the end I would end up in 20k debt.

Essentially the only reason why I am doing it is because I am doing a good degree whilst there. So, I just know that it will all pay off.

Secondly, my course at university offers me more than I could get from other vocational opportunities. I study a wider range of aspects, at a more intense and difficult level. I learn all aspects of TV Production, but I also get the web-design, and the theory in there too, so that I'm going to be much better equipped for a TV Production job upon graduation than if I'd just learnt a bit of TV Production on my own or whatever. University also provides me with a lot more opportunities to practice this skills, as well as giving me networking opportunities. In short, I feel I'm getting a more intense, varied, and worthwhile education.

I don't know what goes into TV production, so I am sure that the degree will benefit you in that respect. As some parts may be complex to learn by yourself.

Web - designing I will comment on; as I am a freelance web-designer.

You can self-teach yourself it if you are just looking to develop your front end skills. Tools such as Adobe Golive, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia Flash are not hard to use and can be easily learnt through tutorials and so forth. Even then, it ultimately comes down to how good you are naturally at design for you to be good at web designing.

Think about it this way, anyone can use the paintbrush, but it is what you do with it that counts.

It is the back-end skills that are technically harder; CSS,SQL,ASP,PHP etc.

Thirdly, yes, some people can start off on the bottom rung of the ladder in a media career and work their way up without a degree, I understand that. However, I'm gaining the confidence from my degree that once I get out there I'll KNOW what I'm doing, and what everyone else's jobs involve too, so I'll be more aware of everything within the industry, and more confident in my own skills, able to prove myself better, and hopefully advance a little faster than someone who is less sure of themselves.
Yes, I'll still have to start, most likely, on that bottom rung, but I'll be doing so confidently and with experience.

I guess I haven't explained it all very well there, and there's a lot more to it than what I've said before, but I'm not great at justifying myself to others. I made a very well informed choice before choosing to take up my degree, and looked hard at the other options, and for me, this was best. I hope this post doesn't cause any arguments now. :erm:

Maybe someone else can justify their degree a little better? :p:

Fair enough.

Reply 83

<CJ>

You know where I stand on the matter :p:

My course probably isn't that Mickey Mouse, but definetly not the "norm" as some people put it.
Plus, amount of times i've had to stand up for ICT against the hard nosed comp sci guys...grrrrr

Sign me up (once i've applied at least). :smile:

Reply 84

cpj1987

OP

15

fat_hobbit

Web - designing I will comment on; as I am a freelance web-designer.

You can self-teach yourself it if you are just looking to develop your front end skills. Tools such as Adobe Golive, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia Flash are not hard to use and can be easily learnt through tutorials and so forth. Even then, it ultimately comes down to how good you are naturally at design for you to be good at web designing.

Think about it this way, anyone can use the paintbrush, but it is what you do with it that counts.

It is the back-end skills that are technically harder; CSS,SQL,ASP,PHP etc.

Yeah. This is the bit I was least interested in on my course, so I've actually dropped this module after the first year. I've been teaching myself web-design since I was 11, but never been very good.
We did learn how to use the software, and how to do CSS, and it would've advanced after the first year but I've chosen to focus fully on the major TV Production aspects so I won't continue with this one. :smile:

Reply 85

Soc

Politics here, and apparently we have it all easy.

No, not at SOAS.

But realistically, if you do Politics at some downtrodden university, ARE you realistically going to get a job as a civil servant; in Westminster; the home office/foreign office or in investment banking?

Chances are no -- most individuals will just end up in teaching. (....pffff)

Reply 86

fat_hobbit

No, not at SOAS.

But realistically, if you do Politics at some downtrodden university, ARE you realistically going to get a job as a civil servant; in Westminster; the home office/foreign office or in investment banking?

Chances are no -- most individuals will just end up in teaching. (....pffff)

My flatmate has a job at the Foreign Office with a degree in philosophy from Greenwich....

Reply 87

shady lane

My flatmate has a job at the Foreign Office with a degree in philosophy from Greenwich....

Did he get a 1:1?

Reply 88

I suspect not as he's doing his part-time masters at another non-prestigious London uni.

Reply 89

samba

6

shady lane

My flatmate has a job at the Foreign Office with a degree in philosophy from Greenwich....

Does he/she make tea for them?

Reply 90

shady lane

I suspect not as he's doing his part-time masters at another non-prestigious London uni.

Well least to say I am quite shocked...

...I have a friend at Oxford. He is in his 3rd year reading history and once said:

"A degree in History anywhere else aside from the top 10 is a waste of time"

It makes sense.

I can't seem to comprehend why the F/Office will hire someone who has not got a 2:1 ahead of people from more prestigious unis with probably a better degree classification. I can imagine that working there is a 'sought' after thing.

Well, whatever...your friend deserves respect.

Reply 91

samba

6

fat_hobbit

Well least to say I am quite shocked...
I can't seem to comprehend why the F/Office will hire someone who has not got a 2:1 ahead of people from more prestigious unis with probably a better degree classification. I can imagine that working their is a 'sought' after thing.

Well, whatever...your friend deserves respect.

She never said what job they're doing there.... I'd imagine a secretary or something would be quite suited to that degree!

And people with 2.1's from good unis don't want to be making people coffee for a living :smile:

Reply 92

cpj1987

OP

15

fat_hobbit

Well least to say I am quite shocked...

...I have a friend at Oxford. He is in his 3rd year reading history and once said:

"A degree in History anywhere else aside from the top 10 is a waste of time"

It makes sense.

I can't seem to comprehend why the F/Office will hire someone who has not got a 2:1 ahead of people from more prestigious unis with probably a better degree classification. I can imagine that working there is a 'sought' after thing.

Well, whatever...your friend deserves respect.

The right person depends on who they ARE as a person, as well as their grades, though. The degree isn't everything. Someone with a lower degree classification could really be more employable.

Reply 93

fat_hobbit

Well least to say I am quite shocked...

...I have a friend at Oxford. He is in his 3rd year reading history and once said:

"A degree in History anywhere else aside from the top 10 is a waste of time"

It makes sense.

I can't seem to comprehend why the F/Office will hire someone who has not got a 2:1 ahead of people from more prestigious unis with probably a better degree classification. I can imagine that working there is a 'sought' after thing.

Well, whatever...your friend deserves respect.

Yeah well the point of posting that was my personal belief that, even if you go to a lower-ranked university, choosing a "traditional" subject will probably serve you better than a "Mickey Mouse" one. There's no way the uni he's at now (which is lower-ranked but still a University of London college) would have taken someone onto their course with a BA in Events Management (another Greenwich degree). And a 2:1 in Philosophy, even from a lower uni, looks better than one with a dodgy title any day.

Reply 94

samba

She never said what job they're doing there.... I'd imagine a secretary or something would be quite suited to that degree!

And people with 2.1's from good unis don't want to be making people coffee for a living :smile:

He has the opportunity to start a foreign posting as soon as he finishes the MA. I know which office he works in and it's definitely not coffee delivery, although it's obviously a low position as he's just finished his BA. It's a graduate position.

Reply 95

Agamemnon

fat_hobbit

I can't seem to comprehend why the F/Office will hire someone who has not got a 2:1 ahead of people from more prestigious unis with probably a better degree classification. I can imagine that working there is a 'sought' after thing.

Not many people get 1sts so it may not have been possible to hire someone with a better degree classification. As for, why they would hire someone from a less prestigious university. There is no evidence that degrees in the same subject from less prestigious universities are assessed less rigorously so there is no advantage in taking someone from a more prestigious university if the degree classification is the same.

Reply 96

samba

6

shady lane

He has the opportunity to start a foreign posting as soon as he finishes the MA. I know which office he works in and it's definitely not coffee delivery, although it's obviously a low position as he's just finished his BA. It's a graduate position.

I've never known you to be so reticent with detailed evidentiary support :p:

Whilst I think you make a good valid point and illustrate it well, I doubt you're painting the picture 100%!

I agree with your premise though, so will leave it at that :smile:

Reply 97

Agamemnon

Not many people get 1sts so it may not have been possible to hire someone with a better degree classification. As for, why they would hire someone from a less prestigious university. There is no evidence that degrees in the same subject from less prestigious universities are assessed less rigorously so there is no advantage in taking someone from a more prestigious university if the degree classification is the same.

Yes, but I assume from where he is doing his masters it is a good possibility he did not get a 2:1 either.

Secondly, there is a lot of academical snobbery in the fields I have mentioned because they are competitive and they will need a way to filter people out.

Just look at the MPs in each party and look at where they have studied. I highly doubt, that it wouldn't be any different in the F/office, H/Office - especially with the positions that are sought after.

Reply 98