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Mickey Mouse degrees: what I think
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Hey. I believe that Mickey Mouse degrees do exist but degrees that people believe are MM degrees I don’t agree with. Non Mickey Mouse degrees:
Bio
Chem
Physics
Maths
Geography
History
English literature
Mfl
Anything health related like nursing, optometry or medicine
Economics
Psychology
Sociology
Engineering courses
Architecture
Music
Arts (Although I think that any art student that wants to apply to uni are already very creative and bursting with ideas and I somewhat believe that they don’t require going to university, my aunt has said that uni drained her ideas and made art really boring and dreadful, but then again it’s the students choice)
Law
Philosophy
Social work
Computing
These are the degrees I can think of from the top of my head so if there’s more that aren’t MM degrees, sorry and I know that they aren’t I just can’t remember them.
What MM degrees are is what I think that you don’t get skills from and degrees that don’t increase salary and make you largely in debt and make you suffer. I do also think that universities shouldn’t accept students with lower than CCC although this is controversial (extenuating circumstances are another story). Things like music can be deeply complicated with the theory. I rather like to think that business and management degrees can be used as a masters rather than an undergraduate degree.
With degrees like English lit or geography, students can go into further research to get a phd OR they can enter jobs that require those skills such as politics, journalism, business and even teaching. So that’s why it’s a great degree. Languages help you with teaching and let’s you enter businesses although I also think that the language should be studied with something else for example economics although I do believe if someone wants to do an mfl, they can attend classes that don’t require £9000+ a year, but yet again, it’s the students choice.
Degrees like Egyptology shouldn’t exist, it’s just history that is specialised in the Egyptians and same again with American studies. It’s history and anthropology that’s specialised in America. There are a few more which I don’t see the point of either but again, it’s not the top of my head.
Also I think that if a student does a psychology degree and enters retail, then it can be called a MM degree as the student isn’t using the skills learnt, perhaps they don’t want to continue with their degree or because the job markets are too saturated (which then it isn’t their fault)
It might seem controversial but what do you think?
Ps- I think that polytechnics should be brought back
Bio
Chem
Physics
Maths
Geography
History
English literature
Mfl
Anything health related like nursing, optometry or medicine
Economics
Psychology
Sociology
Engineering courses
Architecture
Music
Arts (Although I think that any art student that wants to apply to uni are already very creative and bursting with ideas and I somewhat believe that they don’t require going to university, my aunt has said that uni drained her ideas and made art really boring and dreadful, but then again it’s the students choice)
Law
Philosophy
Social work
Computing
These are the degrees I can think of from the top of my head so if there’s more that aren’t MM degrees, sorry and I know that they aren’t I just can’t remember them.
What MM degrees are is what I think that you don’t get skills from and degrees that don’t increase salary and make you largely in debt and make you suffer. I do also think that universities shouldn’t accept students with lower than CCC although this is controversial (extenuating circumstances are another story). Things like music can be deeply complicated with the theory. I rather like to think that business and management degrees can be used as a masters rather than an undergraduate degree.
With degrees like English lit or geography, students can go into further research to get a phd OR they can enter jobs that require those skills such as politics, journalism, business and even teaching. So that’s why it’s a great degree. Languages help you with teaching and let’s you enter businesses although I also think that the language should be studied with something else for example economics although I do believe if someone wants to do an mfl, they can attend classes that don’t require £9000+ a year, but yet again, it’s the students choice.
Degrees like Egyptology shouldn’t exist, it’s just history that is specialised in the Egyptians and same again with American studies. It’s history and anthropology that’s specialised in America. There are a few more which I don’t see the point of either but again, it’s not the top of my head.
Also I think that if a student does a psychology degree and enters retail, then it can be called a MM degree as the student isn’t using the skills learnt, perhaps they don’t want to continue with their degree or because the job markets are too saturated (which then it isn’t their fault)
It might seem controversial but what do you think?
Ps- I think that polytechnics should be brought back
Last edited by SparkleFace; 1 month ago
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#2
Very thoughtful. I am thankful there are people like you around who spend so much time thinking about these things and informing us all. Mickey would be proud of you.
Last edited by 999tigger; 1 month ago
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(Original post by 999tigger)
Very thoughtful. I am thanful there are people like you around who spend so much time thinking about these things and informing us all. Micky would be proud of you.
Very thoughtful. I am thanful there are people like you around who spend so much time thinking about these things and informing us all. Micky would be proud of you.
I’m sure that tigger would be jumping for joy
Especially when other threads label history Mickey Mouse
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(Original post by londonmyst)
You missed out law, philosophy and social work undergrad degrees.
You missed out law, philosophy and social work undergrad degrees.
I’ll edit them in
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#6
(Original post by londonmyst)
You missed out law, philosophy and social work undergrad degrees.
You missed out law, philosophy and social work undergrad degrees.
And the cost!
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(Original post by Grizwuld)
Yes but then look at the trouble and grief these things create
And the cost!
Yes but then look at the trouble and grief these things create
And the cost!
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#8
(Original post by Grizwuld)
Yes but then look at the trouble and grief these things create
And the cost!
Yes but then look at the trouble and grief these things create
And the cost!
My undergrad was theology, two of my jobs are in law and publishing.
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#9
is not a Mickey Mouse degree based on how hard the content is and how high the standards are as set by the university and not the subject itself? i would argue that there are like 130 universities in the UK. a law degree at Oxford surely isn’t the same level of difficulty as one at the University of Winchester.
my point being this can’t be generalised by subject area. why do some unis require AAA at A level and an LNAT while others accept CCC?
why don’t you see the point in studying Egyptology or American studies especially if you plan to specialise in this area in academia or elsewhere in your career?
yes of course if you don’t use your degree after graduation has nothing to do with whether the degree was difficult. in some cases it might be because the degree was too difficult.
my point being this can’t be generalised by subject area. why do some unis require AAA at A level and an LNAT while others accept CCC?
why don’t you see the point in studying Egyptology or American studies especially if you plan to specialise in this area in academia or elsewhere in your career?
yes of course if you don’t use your degree after graduation has nothing to do with whether the degree was difficult. in some cases it might be because the degree was too difficult.
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#10
What about the radical idea that there may not be such a thing as "Mickey mouse degrees", but "Mickey mouse undergraduates"?
An Egyptologist who genuinely pushes their field in research and understanding, an American studies student who writes a masterpiece about the cultural psyche, or a fashion student who uses their experience, contacts and learning to be the next Giorgio Armani can't really be considered doing anything unworthy.
What would a MM undergraduate look like then?
It could be defined as the type of undergraduate who isn't really attending university to study and focus on leveraging their experience into something meaningful in the future? The type that simply followed the conveyer belt from GCSE to A-level to the next logical step, without examining who they are, what really drives them and what are they likely to benefit from and be able to make their unique contribution? Or are just doing a course society thinks it's impressive, despite having no inclination or aptitude in that subject? The type that would rather spend their time in the student union bar or missing lectures, or be more interested in the 'uni experience' than using their 3 years of protected time as a means to develop their mind and start a trajectory for the rest of their life.
The taxonomy of Mickey Mouse undergraduates could include:
"I just followed my mates to this university."
"I am just here to get laid."
"I am doing psychology because I want to be Cracker."
"I am doing law to be like Y from Suits."
"I am doing medicine because my parents want me to."
"I am doing X because I did well at A-level"
"I have no real interest in studying or learning so what is the minimum I need to get through this exam?"
"I am doing this degree without really understanding that it is a field that is heavily oversubcribed and will need to do a lot more to stand out than just a 2:1"
.... amongst others.
How does that sound?
An Egyptologist who genuinely pushes their field in research and understanding, an American studies student who writes a masterpiece about the cultural psyche, or a fashion student who uses their experience, contacts and learning to be the next Giorgio Armani can't really be considered doing anything unworthy.
What would a MM undergraduate look like then?
It could be defined as the type of undergraduate who isn't really attending university to study and focus on leveraging their experience into something meaningful in the future? The type that simply followed the conveyer belt from GCSE to A-level to the next logical step, without examining who they are, what really drives them and what are they likely to benefit from and be able to make their unique contribution? Or are just doing a course society thinks it's impressive, despite having no inclination or aptitude in that subject? The type that would rather spend their time in the student union bar or missing lectures, or be more interested in the 'uni experience' than using their 3 years of protected time as a means to develop their mind and start a trajectory for the rest of their life.
The taxonomy of Mickey Mouse undergraduates could include:
"I just followed my mates to this university."
"I am just here to get laid."
"I am doing psychology because I want to be Cracker."
"I am doing law to be like Y from Suits."
"I am doing medicine because my parents want me to."
"I am doing X because I did well at A-level"
"I have no real interest in studying or learning so what is the minimum I need to get through this exam?"
"I am doing this degree without really understanding that it is a field that is heavily oversubcribed and will need to do a lot more to stand out than just a 2:1"
.... amongst others.
How does that sound?
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#11
(Original post by Lord Asriel)
What about the radical idea that there may not be such a thing as "Mickey mouse degrees", but "Mickey mouse undergraduates"?
An Egyptologist who genuinely pushes their field in research and understanding, an American studies student who writes a masterpiece about the cultural psyche, or a fashion student who uses their experience, contacts and learning to be the next Giorgio Armani can't really be considered doing anything unworthy.
What would a MM undergraduate look like then?
It could be defined as the type of undergraduate who isn't really attending university to study and focus on leveraging their experience into something meaningful in the future? The type that simply followed the conveyer belt from GCSE to A-level to the next logical step, without examining who they are, what really drives them and what are they likely to benefit from and be able to make their unique contribution? Or are just doing a course society thinks it's impressive, despite having no inclination or aptitude in that subject? The type that would rather spend their time in the student union bar or missing lectures, or be more interested in the 'uni experience' than using their 3 years of protected time as a means to develop their mind and start a trajectory for the rest of their life.
The taxonomy of Mickey Mouse undergraduates could include:
"I just followed my mates to this university."
"I am just here to get laid."
"I am doing psychology because I want to be Cracker."
"I am doing law to be like Y from Suits."
"I am doing medicine because my parents want me to."
"I am doing X because I did well at A-level"
"I have no real interest in studying or learning so what is the minimum I need to get through this exam?"
"I am doing this degree without really understanding that it is a field that is heavily oversubcribed and will need to do a lot more to stand out than just a 2:1"
.... amongst others.
How does that sound?
What about the radical idea that there may not be such a thing as "Mickey mouse degrees", but "Mickey mouse undergraduates"?
An Egyptologist who genuinely pushes their field in research and understanding, an American studies student who writes a masterpiece about the cultural psyche, or a fashion student who uses their experience, contacts and learning to be the next Giorgio Armani can't really be considered doing anything unworthy.
What would a MM undergraduate look like then?
It could be defined as the type of undergraduate who isn't really attending university to study and focus on leveraging their experience into something meaningful in the future? The type that simply followed the conveyer belt from GCSE to A-level to the next logical step, without examining who they are, what really drives them and what are they likely to benefit from and be able to make their unique contribution? Or are just doing a course society thinks it's impressive, despite having no inclination or aptitude in that subject? The type that would rather spend their time in the student union bar or missing lectures, or be more interested in the 'uni experience' than using their 3 years of protected time as a means to develop their mind and start a trajectory for the rest of their life.
The taxonomy of Mickey Mouse undergraduates could include:
"I just followed my mates to this university."
"I am just here to get laid."
"I am doing psychology because I want to be Cracker."
"I am doing law to be like Y from Suits."
"I am doing medicine because my parents want me to."
"I am doing X because I did well at A-level"
"I have no real interest in studying or learning so what is the minimum I need to get through this exam?"
"I am doing this degree without really understanding that it is a field that is heavily oversubcribed and will need to do a lot more to stand out than just a 2:1"
.... amongst others.
How does that sound?
Though I also agree that those doing Medicine or Law just for the money or because their parents wanted them to do it are also wasting their time and money. It especially bothers me when those same students look down upon those loving their humanities degrees and making the most of them to get places. I’m pretty sure that even some STEM students, for example, Biology students or Physics students, need to do a similar thing as humanities students to get places because they don’t fall into jobs like Medicine graduates do just for being STEM (but don’t take my word for that because I’m just a sixth former, haha).
(And I like the username reference to ‘His Dark Materials’).
Last edited by Pichi; 1 month ago
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#13
(Original post by YaliaV123)
Nobody asked.
Nobody asked.
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#14
(Original post by YaliaV123)
Nobody asked.
Nobody asked.
Spoiler:
Show
And nobody asked for you to comment on this thread either. 
This is a discussion forum and so OP can post their thoughts if they want to.
This is a discussion forum and so OP can post their thoughts if they want to.
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#15
(Original post by CoochieMan)
Nobody asked you to comment but here we are. No one has to ask in order for someone to say something. If that was the case we'd all be mute
Nobody asked you to comment but here we are. No one has to ask in order for someone to say something. If that was the case we'd all be mute
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#16
(Original post by YaliaV123)
Your username is fitting.
Your username is fitting.
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#17
(Original post by CoochieMan)
What does my username have to do with this thread Yailia?
What does my username have to do with this thread Yailia?
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#18
Most people don't even bother defining what a "mickey mouse degree" is when talking about them on TSR so well done at least for offering a definition
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(Original post by Joleee)
is not a Mickey Mouse degree based on how hard the content is and how high the standards are as set by the university and not the subject itself? i would argue that there are like 130 universities in the UK. a law degree at Oxford surely isn’t the same level of difficulty as one at the University of Winchester.
my point being this can’t be generalised by subject area. why do some unis require AAA at A level and an LNAT while others accept CCC?
why don’t you see the point in studying Egyptology or American studies especially if you plan to specialise in this area in academia or elsewhere in your career?
yes of course if you don’t use your degree after graduation has nothing to do with whether the degree was difficult. in some cases it might be because the degree was too difficult.
is not a Mickey Mouse degree based on how hard the content is and how high the standards are as set by the university and not the subject itself? i would argue that there are like 130 universities in the UK. a law degree at Oxford surely isn’t the same level of difficulty as one at the University of Winchester.
my point being this can’t be generalised by subject area. why do some unis require AAA at A level and an LNAT while others accept CCC?
why don’t you see the point in studying Egyptology or American studies especially if you plan to specialise in this area in academia or elsewhere in your career?
yes of course if you don’t use your degree after graduation has nothing to do with whether the degree was difficult. in some cases it might be because the degree was too difficult.
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#20
(Original post by Sinnoh)
Most people don't even bother defining what a "mickey mouse degree" is when talking about them on TSR so well done at least for offering a definition
Most people don't even bother defining what a "mickey mouse degree" is when talking about them on TSR so well done at least for offering a definition
Also, maybe the reason why some people think niche degrees aren’t great is because they don’t offer a wider range of experience? I’m not sure though.
Last edited by Pichi; 1 month ago
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