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

[Cupcakeicecream]

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

I have a history degree. It made me paranoid and depressed. Do not recommend

I studied nursing however the course lacked academic rigour and I have few transferable skills. If I just wanted to be a nurse for the next forty years it would have been worth it.

@fullforcegale

What year did you study nursing?

I did an Arts degree, thinking I would end up being a poet or something. Yeah.

It was great at broadening my mind, but I didn't think about the practical side at all, got no career advice from anyone, school, teachers, parents...I just thought I'd do a degree and then the future would fall into place.

My parents didn't have the money to support me at all, so no chance of doing further study or internships or anything. I floundered massively when it came to making any kind of career. I was just clueless.

It's lovely to broaden your mind but for those without money, it is something of a luxury. So unless you're rich, I'd always say to do something vocational and save the mind broadening for your free time. It sucks but that's how the world is these days.

If I had my time again, I'd do radiology or something like that.

@NurseButtercup I finished mid year 2017, but I’m not in the UK. Why’s that?

I did English Lit at BA and MA. It was very useful as now I'm a journalist so I use my writing ability every day as well and keeping to deadlines as well as public speaking and arguing a point or looking at both sides.

I'd do it exactly the same every time.

Accounts and finance has lead several friends to be in £60k + by 25.

Law seemed pretty pointless for a few as they just couldn't get a law school placement afterwards.

Creative writing (on its own I did it as a minor) and philosophy appear not to have great employability among my friends.

@hefzi this

No education is pointless - it all adds to the dimension of who you are.

If you want a degree that obviously leads to a job at the end, though, choose something vocational

I know a couple of people who did degrees that didn't help them in life. First person gained a degree in media and ended up working in a job for minimum wage for a few years but had since done a vocational degree and is doing well. Second person has a degree in photography and admits she could have done an apprenticeship to gain the same if not better knowledge and skills. She worked in a couple of jobs she didn't like before moving away.

I personally did a social work degree which has been very useful in opening doors to different kinds of job roles.

Personally my degree was completely pointless and I haven't used it in any way vocationally.

However I'd do it all again without a second thought. I gained so much with growing up, friends and experiences. It wasn't about just a qualification for me.

But yes, if it's about a qualification leading to a career think very carefully. Although I knew lots of people who did law, medicine etc who went on to completely different life paths.

It expect it's changed in the last 20 years, but I read law (before tuition fees and when it was the only way into the profession). I became a lawyer and still have a current practising certificate, albeit have diversified a bit.

I'd like the DC to study something that interests them, but it's only my vocational degree that has enabled that "luxury", I suppose.

Still fancy going back to study something random. Like that lawyer from the Apprentice (Margaret?) who read Papyrology.

...and in terms of what people should study, it's incredible how many CEOs I've worked for who did marketing. (then went into sales and up the ladder from there).

I wouldn't agree that a nursing degree lacks academic rigour. I have a STEM degree from a RG university then went on to do nursing. I'd say they were around the same, academically speaking. The nursing degree was harder overall due to the academic side plus full time placement plus portfolio building all at the same time.

I would recommend a nursing degree if you want a degree where you are basically guaranteed a job for life. However nursing as a career overall? Definitely not for me. Sadly I feel stuck as I'm not sure if I want to go back to uni and study for a third degree and it's been so long since I gained my biochemistry degree that I doubt a company would even look at me if I applied for scientific position.