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Original poster

If you went to university what courses or degrees would you say are worth it and what is pointless to study?

213 replies

Cupcakeicecream · 02/02/2020 10:54

Whether you went to university or would start over and go back to university what would you study.
How many of you actually use the degree you got is it actually relevant to your life or a complete waste?
What degrees would you say are absolutely pointless to study and why.
If you had the chance to change your career what would you study.
Or would you bother going to university if you had your time again.
What degrees are worth it either getting you into a job with work life balance good salary job prospects ect

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 03/02/2020 14:06

but there's also a snobbery about 'selling out' or 'not being a good enough scientist to survive in academia' and going into a well paid secure job in industry.

Some industry jobs may be well paid, but few are secure nowadays - and many perfectly adequate academics wouldn't survive in industry!Grin

Reginabambina · 03/02/2020 14:10

I studied law. Not a lawyer but it helped me get my current job and has been really really useful to developing commercial awareness, political awareness (especially on brexit), historical/philosophical/anthropological basics and so on. It’s also good in the sense that I know the way the country works. I know exactly what kind of tax I need to pay and why, how to set up a business, how to protect myself from being sued etc.

Louloudia1 · 03/02/2020 14:16

I studied MFL and then went down the PGCE/teacher route. A lot of my peers did that and I think we just felt lost at the end of our degree, so it felt quite formulaic and the safe option dare I say? I'm now in the tech industry, so I'm not sure a joint honours in languages was the best thing for me in hindsight, but it sounds awesome and the culture modules were fascinating. Wish I had dropped French and had studied Japanese and German though!

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Higher education
CountFosco · 03/02/2020 14:20

Given that I have friends who ended up doing repeated 3 month contracts in academia for a while (before they left for industry natch) I'll take the theoretical possibility of redundancy in industry above that. My experience is that those of us in industry have better job security, better work life balances and more marketable skills. Agree some academics couldn't cope though, and I would encourage young scientists to get some industrial experience as early as possible.

Teacaketotty · 03/02/2020 14:23

I have a degree in Architectural Engineering, I've not been out of work or short of job offers since i left uni and earn a great wage. I would always recommend STEM courses, can't go wrong with engineering.

I think you have to look at realistically what you can do with your degree, of course there are jobs you just need any degree to do which is a fall back. Most people I know who did languages etc dreamed of a life as a UN Interpreter but are high school teachers now - not knocking it but wasn't what they set out to do!

edwinbear · 03/02/2020 14:54

I read Economics and worked in investment banking for 20+ years. It was a worthwhile degree for me, although banking as a career is not as remunerative nor as secure as it was when I started.

marble11 · 03/02/2020 15:01

I have a law degree. I have no idea why I did law. I never wanted to be a lawyer. I work for the Local Authority as an Income Collection Officer. I am currently halfway through my MA which is in Crime & Justice. I was bored and wanted something to do in my spare time. I would like a career change once I finish.

PigletJohn · 03/02/2020 15:27

Business studies. Has been a benefit in my career in organisations, and in my own business, and managing my personal and family affairs.

Vast swathes of it have gone unused at times.

One disadvantage has been realising the ignorance and incompetence of some bosses.

Poetryinaction · 03/02/2020 15:31

I did languages and loved every minute. Such a fab way to spend 4 years. Lots of transferable skills like grammar, translation, presenting, analysing texts... plus 2 work placements abroad.
I now teach languages but often wonder if I shoud be doing something more exciting.

cologne4711 · 03/02/2020 15:38

We still have a skills shortage so if you want a well paid job do STEM

I would change that to: if you have a science "bent" do STEM. There's no point trying to get kids who are better at humanities and languages to struggle through science A levels and then a degree.

STEM subjects are useful for law, too, especially for areas like life sciences and/or patent law.

ErrolTheDragon · 03/02/2020 16:08

I would always recommend STEM courses, can't go wrong with engineering.

Some branches would be non-starters if you're no good at maths.

There's no point trying to squash a square peg into a round hole; most people aren't equally talented at everything. Some aren't 'academic' but have a lot of common sense; others may be clever but completely impractical.

I'd suggest avoiding any subject in which postmodernism is taken at all seriously, to avoid wasting other people's time too...

ThisIsBigMoon · 03/02/2020 16:18

Another psychologist here. I think it is a great degree. I had been working as an accountant pre DC, but hated it. I took the opportunity while the DC were small to do a psychology degree part time. The skills are massively transferable and my fellow students have gone on to everything from PhD & research roles to running a yoga studio. I have gone on to primary SEN support and love it!

IloveJudgeJudy · 03/02/2020 16:26

I haven't rtft but just wanted to say that DS1 has a psychology degree (a BSc first class honours) from a newer university and although he's not working in that field it's definitely helped him get a foot on the ladder of his career. Without it he wouldn't have had a chance to do an Erasmus year and it's definitely taught him how to think and how to assimilate lots of data in a short time and how to sift through information and see what's important.

Womenwotlunch · 03/02/2020 16:28

I studied Law, but wish I had studied dentistry

Newgirls · 03/02/2020 16:29

I did an English lit and Lang degree and have a long career in book publishing as an editor. My degree (especially the language part) was essential. However I don’t know any of my pals from my course who went into books - they do journalism, law, local council work etc none of us are well paid sadly! Having said that I loved my course and it was the only one I would have been good at!

Cyberve · 03/02/2020 16:34

Yeah don't bother with psychology unless you actually really want to use it for a job, not just 'because it sounds interesting'.

Although if you either like wasting money or have a lot of it to waste, ignore my point.

STEM is a good area to go into. But again, I wouldn't bother with anything in particular unless you were really interested in making it into a career. Otherwise it's just a waste of money.

EugeniaGrace · 03/02/2020 17:48

Officially my degree was MFL, and I now work in IT managing people with STEM degrees. It hasn’t turned out badly for me having a humanities degree but working in a tech field. I rarely speak the language I studied but it taught me communication and presentation skills I use daily.

My uni began offering a multidisciplinary degree after I had started mine that would have suited me better themed around human interaction with computers. I would have likely ended up in the same type of role as I do now for the same salary; however, I could have ditched some medieval literature modules I didn’t enjoy for modules in computer science/linguistics/philosophy.

okiedokieme · 03/02/2020 17:50

I have a degree in business, it got me my jobs as most decent office jobs require a degree these days

LokiLocks · 03/02/2020 18:23

Not wanting to hijack the thread but @ThisIsBigMoon could in ask what age you started your part time psychology degree at? I would be 39 by the time I finish (6 years) but really want to change the scope of my job am so tempted to switch to psychology but people keep saying I'm already too old to do something meaningful with it.

ThisIsBigMoon · 03/02/2020 19:55

@LokiLocks that’s nonsense! I was 45 when I started. There were plenty who were older than me and all ages down to an 19 year old who I met when we were almost finished but who had started it at straight from GCSEs.

pauapaua · 03/02/2020 20:52

@Lokilocks I'm 54 and doing my Masters degree now. Don't let age stop you.

ExcessiveAdmin · 03/02/2020 21:00

I did psychology. Did doctorate, now a Counselling Psychologist. Work in the NHS with other Counselling and Clinical psychs.
Yes, you need postgrad to work as one but I think the Bsc provides many transferable skills.

FunnyScience · 03/02/2020 21:29

@ExcessiveAdmin what's the difference between a Counselling Psychologist and Clinical Psychologist please? Wine

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 03/02/2020 21:35

Have a degree in counselling and psychotherapy

Would have been better to study counselling and psychology or psychology then MA in an area of therapy more opportunities for work (and I think probably more interesting)

Hasn’t been pointless as use it in my work but you have to do a huge amount of non paid work before being accredited

Pollaidh · 03/02/2020 21:42

If you are capable of doing STEM, or med/dentistry/law then that's probably your best bet. It opens up not only the typical science and engineering jobs, but also is well regarded (above many humanities subjects) for banking and standard graduate schemes. Modern Foreign Languages is also useful. Aim for a high profile university though. Russell Group etc might be somewhat a self-perpetuating myth, but enough people believe in it to open a lot of doors.

There's no point trying to get kids who are better at humanities and languages to struggle through science A levels and then a degree.
You see, I got to 16, saw older friends study Eng Lit and philosophy degrees etc and then turn into accountants. I decided that though I was much better at humanities, I was just about good enough at STEM to do a STEM degree, and my STEM degrees at top ranking universities certainly got me a fascinating career which is a wonderful mix of STEM, history, politics and languages. I couldn't have gone into my career if I'd had a humanities degree though, i.e. done it the other way round.