'Mickey mouse' degrees

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My question is why do some people do subjects at uni which have very limited prospects like media communications and creative writing? What is the point? My father said only professional degrees like medicine, optometry, pharmacy are useful and you can make a reliable decent income from them.

As other have pointed out, you can't measure the worth of everything just in monetary gain and return on investment.

That said.... I do partially agree with your sentiments. I have no issue with people going to university to get a degree in communications or media studies or sociology etc... If they enjoy it good for them and it contributes finances to universities. What does irk me a bit is when said graduates of such degrees complain about finding it harder to get a good job compared to their friends who did software engineering or nursing or pharmacy etc.... The idea that some degrees offer a higher level of well paid employability post-graduation shouldn't shock anyone that much. If you want to get a degree that may not have as clear cut a path to a well paid job post-gradation you need to think about that before you start your degree, not after the event and expect the world to offer you a well paid position when other people are more suited to it due to their degree and work placement choices.

Reply 81

Pendragons

I did work experience in an HR department, so I saw how employers behave towards degrees. Obviously some careers expect certain degrees (doctors, dentists, vets, etc) but the vast majority of jobs just see you have a degree, they aren't especially concerned in what it is in, it is more the skills you acquired, like applying yourself to a deadline. I am hoping to do post-production for film and tv next year at uni, which many would see as a mickey mouse degree, but I want to go into that industry, so it is only the same as wanting to be a doctor and getting a degree in medicine, it's the degree for the job. You could go to uni and for four/five years learn to be a dentist, and then become a dentist earning $$$$$ but you might not be as happy as if you had gone to uni for three years to do history or english lit. You can make a reliable income from any job as long as you're willing to work for it

Reply 82

dhsdsygysdgsydg

Original post by Drewski

Because there's more to life than making money.

try and say that when ur in a studio apartment eating pot noddle for dinner every night

Reply 83

Drewski

Original post by dhsdsygysdgsydg

try and say that when ur in a studio apartment eating pot noddle for dinner every night

Read the whole thread before commenting after post 2, numpty

Reply 84

Pendragons

love pot noddle it is my favourite noddle-based product (you know when someone doesn't read the whole thread before replying lol)

Original post by dhsdsygysdgsydg

try and say that when ur in a studio apartment eating pot noddle for dinner every night

Reply 85

tabbyglitter

Original post by e^iπ

You are one of those uber-PC people by the looks of it. It's a known fact that the general consensus among Asians when it comes to degrees in that medicine,law and STEM degrees are the only ones worthwhile doing. I doubt many Asian people on this website would not agree with me.

Asian, I agree

Reply 86

username3079870

Original post by Pendragons

I get what you are saying but disagree with one point: You need.a medical degree to become a doctor. You don't need a degree in post-production to get in to that area of work. Sure it might help, but it's not essential. A friend of a friend works as an editor for regional BBC, and he never went to uni.

Reply 87

-Eirlys-

Debate & Current Affairs Helper

Original post by Dignifieddeath

When you remember that education isn't all about careers. There are just as many people studying for degrees out of interest in the subject and to develop their skills in general. However, I do know someone who did a textiles degree and she is not doing well compared to her sister who has an English degree and became an English teacher. But that may be because she had no idea what she wanted to do and the UK has a tendency to force university on young people who don't really know what they want to do which is why I took a step back and started my degree when I felt ready and wanted to.

drama degree LUL

As a STEM student I can say that doing a science degree isn't all that. I'm on track for 2:2 maximum (probably looking at a third) and I think graduating with a first or 2:1 in 'Mickey Mouse' subject is better. I made the mistake of thinking a science degree was the sensible option but honestly it's really not. I'm naturally more inclined towards art and writing and seeing as I don't want a job in science, my degree won't help me that much. I'd wish I'd have done Art or Illustration where I'd be more likely to be successful and come out with a good degree classification whereas with my current degree it's gonna look as though I'm just lazy and didn't try even though I'm not doing well because I don't grasp the subject matter rather than not trying.

I think a degree should be less about the subject and more about how you can show perseverance and commitment, university is about learning to be more independent and grow up. Do I think Mickey Mouse degrees are worth it? Actually I don't think any degrees are worth it. I have three cousins who are all older than me. Two of them graduated in STEM subjects years ago. One is in an entry level job and one is unemployed. The third didn't go to university, doesn't have a degree and is earning the most out of all of them. Unless you're training for a specific job, uni isn't really worth it.

Reply 90

Snazzyzebra

Original post by Maker

It gives recruiters a good chuckle to see someone spend 3 years and £50,000 to learn about Eastenders.

Your comment gave me a good chuckle too, top bants

Reply 91

niteninja1

Original post by Dignifieddeath

So what about subjects such as engineering, computer science etc

Reply 92

username3456172

Original post by gjd800

I prefer Daffy Duck Degrees.

Likewise

Reply 93

<..........>

Original post by Dignifieddeath

Yes I am aware but money is required to pay rent, waterbill, food etc

Have you ever seen the film 'Dead Poets Society'?
It's a great movie and in all honesty, I suspect you might enjoy it.
Anyway, it has this great line in it:

"And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."

There is more to life than these big professions and some people study arts subjects purely for the love of them (my first degree was in English Lit and I certainly didn't believe that it was a tool that I would use to amass any great pools of wealth). Education can widen your field of vision enormously and earn its keep that way - it doesn't have to be about money.

That said, how can you neatly define what will and will not be a profitable degree? Lin-Manuel Miranda is an actor and artist, professions that are commonly mocked for their lack of money, but it's rumoured that his 7% royalty on 'Hamilton' makes him about $50,000 a month.

The world is a little too complex for your dad's worldview to hold up I'm afraid.

Reply 94

stephenb1608

Original post by Dignifieddeath

Yes I am aware but money is required to pay rent, waterbill, food etc

Every male in my family studied Engineering and landed good jobs immediately. Also, without exception every last one of them hate their work environment and look miserable all the time. I studied International Business and really enjoyed it. I still have money but the difference is that I don't feel like blowing my brains out most mornings. Trust me. As a mature student who has been around the block, trust me when I say that doing a job you hate everyday for the rest of your life may be good for your bank account but it is most definitely bad for your soul.

Reply 95

username3079870

Original post by stephenb1608

That's the thing with technology and engineering that doesn't get discussed much: How extremely testing and demoralising the work is long term. I think tech and engineering have such good prospects for 2 reasons:

1) They make a ton of money...8 of the top 10 companies in terms of revenue are engineering/energy/tech companies

2) The jobs in tech and engineering can be complex and mentally draining. One of the reasons you hear about there being shortages of say, software engineers, is that most software engineers can only do it for 15-20 years before it starts to take a toll on them. Then they move on to management positions or just totally quit the industry. You rarely see programmers in their 50's hacking out code.

I genuinely think tech and engineering roles can have a long term detrimental impact on peoples health as they demand so much and the human mind only has a certain point before it snaps.*

* I know this could be applied to other vocations too.

Reply 96

Life_peer

Original post by Drewski

Because there's more to life than making money.

Yeah, but come on… women's studies, creative writing, dancing, … David Beckham studies?! You need neither university education nor any kind of a degree for that ****. The opposition to Mickey Mouse degrees isn't that people can't do those things, only that it's ridiculous to do them at a university level.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 97

PTMalewski

Original post by NonIndigenous

I'm half Polish myself and that's the first time I hear of this. I'm interested where you got that from.

From the Central Statistical Office (of Poland).

The data says, engineers earn a little bit more than 6000 PLN gross a month.
A truck driver usually earns the minimum wage, but also receives many bonuses (without which no one would agree to work) which allow him to earn 5-7 thousand net. Now, if an engineer earns 6100 gross in Poland it means that net he gets only 4 316 PLN... so net he gets 900 pounds while a truck driver gets from 1041 to 1400 pounds.

Original post by NonIndigenous

Poland's economy is much different to the UK's though, and responded very differently to the EU than the UK has done. I don't know what deeper impacts that might have had (besides the obvious migration that everyone knows about). If lower-skill workers left for the UK for example, that means if supply of low-skill work fell in Poland, it's average earnings would go up. Possibly even to match that of university graduates??

I don't know, I'm guessing.

Possibly, plus most of the countries to the east of Oder, are somehow a ruins of independent industries.
At large, we don't design product, usually our companies only produce or implement the products designed elsewhere.

The emmigration doesn't however touch only the low skilled, Poland is running short of doctors, as many decided to move to the west where they can multiply their income.

Original post by BritishGirl

Yes it can buy you a lot of things (materialistic), but can it buy you family and friends?

It's not easy to have a family without money either.
People talk noble and decent things, but in the end, most of them prefer to avoid living in poverty and constant stress of unpaid bills.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 98

Drewski

Original post by Life_peer

Why is it?

It's further education. Who are you to say what people might find educating or interesting, or what they have to do with those qualifications? As long as people know what they're getting into, the choice is theirs to do what they want.

Just because you can't see a purpose for it doesn't mean it is without merit. That's incredibly close-minded.

Most of the bs things you're quoting aren't degrees, fyi, but modules within wider degrees.

Reply 99

PTMalewski

[QUOTE="Johnathan94;77038516"]
There is more to life than these big professions and some people study arts subjects purely for the love of them (my first degree was in English Lit and I certainly didn't believe that it was a tool that I would use to amass any great pools of wealth). Education can widen your field of vision enormously and earn its keep that way - it doesn't have to be about money.

I agree, but from my experience it can also be exactly the problem as well.
I'd rather prefer to have my economical existence secured at first, and challenge the big themes in the later part of my life.
But I've decided to challenge the big themes first, as a result I'm living in constant stress, many things I've learned turned out to be disappointing, I can't make use my knowledge at work, and I can barely spare some time or energy to develop.

Original post by Johnathan94

That said, how can you neatly define what will and will not be a profitable degree? Lin-Manuel Miranda is an actor and artist, professions that are commonly mocked for their lack of money, but it's rumoured that his 7% royalty on 'Hamilton' makes him about $50,000 a month.