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Original poster

If you did a non professional degree at uni, do you regret it?

175 replies

Pheonix2023 · 01/01/2023 07:20

By no professional I mean a degree that wasn’t for a specific thing
like medical degree to become a dr, dentist,lawyer,nurse etc ?

OP posts:
BiasedBinding · 01/01/2023 07:21

No, but at that time the fees and loans required were much lower than they are now.

HollyBollyBooBoo · 01/01/2023 07:22

I did Business Studies (25 years ago!) went straight into a grad job with a retailer, never looked back so no regrets here.

Frazzled2207 · 01/01/2023 07:27

I did MFL, graduated in 2000. Of course not. I may not use my degree directly but early jobs I had required me to have a degree (not an MFL one mind)
that said I admit things are a bit different now. I was the last year group to pay zero fees.

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Igmum · 01/01/2023 07:28

Never regretted it. My first degree was in History. But I got fees paid and a grant

Tiddlywinkly · 01/01/2023 07:28

No, but I finished mine 20 years ago and fees were 1k a year. Now, I think I would have a real think about my career goals first.

autienotnaughty · 01/01/2023 07:43

No but I did a diploma with a year degree top up. I paid for diploma as it wasn't eligible for student loan so only got a loan for final year. came out with 3k of debt. Both my dd have done none professional degrees and will have approx 45k of debt. It does concern me.

Original poster
Pheonix2023 · 01/01/2023 07:45

If you didn’t have to pay fees as it was a long time ago, how would you feel if you did it now
knowing how much the fees are ?

OP posts:
bumpyknuckles · 01/01/2023 07:53

I did a non-professional degree (English Literature) and I regret it. I graduated into a recession and couldn't get a job. I ended up temping for years and had to return to uni to do another (professional) degree to get a decent job. My student loan is huge and the repayments are sizeable. I wish I'd just done my professional degree and joined a book club!

When I was 18, my parents said 'get a degree, it's a good experience and there are lots of jobs for people available'. Neither of these things were true. I will be strongly advising my children to look into apprenticeships rather than degrees. Universities are just ruthless money-making businesses these days, and most degrees are expensive white elephants. It's scandalous.

Winterpetal · 01/01/2023 08:00

Yes ,did a rediculous degree
have never used it ,it’s never helped me with anything
wish I’d picked better

NameIsBryceQuinlan · 01/01/2023 08:00

I did history, no regrets I loved it. Had a fantastic uni experience and it taught me many transferable skills. Got a job easily and have a successful career in marketing now.

TwoMagnificentLabradors · 01/01/2023 08:01

I did a psychology degree and ended up a psychologist, but most of my course mates ended up in unrelated roles, and have done well. They pretty much all did some sort of postgraduate training. DH did Greats, and is in law now. Most of his colleagues did degrees other than law. One of the most successful people we know did a music degree and is now VP in a US bank. In fact, most of the really successful people I know didn’t get going on their career until their mid-twenties. We have friends who did vocational degrees. The medics are fine on the whole. But two friends who did highly vocational NHS-focused degrees (physiotherapist and MH nursing) feel very stuck in low paid, tough NHS jobs. My vet friend is very happy and owns a large vet hospital in NZ, her life is fab.

I will encourage our children to study what they fancy at UG level, but to be aware they will probably need to study further for a future career (and I guess make sure there’s cash available for them to do this.)

LizziesTwin · 01/01/2023 08:02

I didn’t go to university but DC have.

DC1 STEM degree, works in consulting well paid 3 yrs post grad (not 6 figure but good)
DC2 Engineering degree, works for engineering company, says hasn’t done any maths since he got there, any degree would have done. Paid above regional average.
DC3 STEM degree, still at uni but has place on well paid grad scheme lined up for autumn 23 after graduating.

All earning above level at which loans have to be repaid.

Bagsundermyeyestoday · 01/01/2023 08:03

Not at all. Degree completely irrelevant to what I do now, I believe it gave me a competitive edge just having the commitment to achieve this

Tuttifrutti25 · 01/01/2023 08:04

I also did English Literature and didn’t really enjoy it - however, I didn’t have to pay fees as in Scotland so no debt from it.

I’ve never used it for any job I’ve had since but I know that I wouldn’t have been employed in my current job without a degree, despite it having nothing to do with either of the departments I’ve worked in since joining 8 years ago.

FestivePinkFairy · 01/01/2023 08:06

I loved my degree (History) but with hindsight I would have done something more vocational. My job is ok, but I'm never going to earn loads. DC1 also did History and is in the financial sector. As is DC2 who did Geography. They are both on a good career trajectory.

QueefQueen80s · 01/01/2023 08:07

My degree subject has never been important but the fact I have one has helped and looked good.
But definitely wouldn't do one at the cost they are now.. which is a shame.

TeenDivided · 01/01/2023 08:10

I did a maths degree, which is 'non professional' by your definition, but very employable.

Ifailed · 01/01/2023 08:19

back in the day when there were no fees and student grants were available, even a hobby degree was of some value when it came to look for a job, not least because only about 10-15% of people went to a university/polytechnic.
Nowadays I'm not so sure, with nearly 1/2 of people gaining some sort of degree and accumulating the associated debt.

Backstreets · 01/01/2023 08:21

if I could have faffed my whole life away on being a student I would have, but in hindsight my useless degree delayed my life by probably a good five years, and I started a more vocational one soon after I finished it realising I didn’t want to spend my life temping. Took me longer to build work experience, buy property, build financial security, etc

Ozgirl75 · 01/01/2023 08:24

No. I did a politics degree at a Russell Group university and I loved it, and i feel that it gave me so much general knowledge about political systems, philosophy, different countries, international relations. However, I didn’t pay fees and then went on to do the law conversion so i did need to do a vocational degree for my job, but honestly knowledge for the sake of knowledge and understanding isn’t something I would ever regret.

TangoAcid · 01/01/2023 08:24

bumpyknuckles · 01/01/2023 07:53

I did a non-professional degree (English Literature) and I regret it. I graduated into a recession and couldn't get a job. I ended up temping for years and had to return to uni to do another (professional) degree to get a decent job. My student loan is huge and the repayments are sizeable. I wish I'd just done my professional degree and joined a book club!

When I was 18, my parents said 'get a degree, it's a good experience and there are lots of jobs for people available'. Neither of these things were true. I will be strongly advising my children to look into apprenticeships rather than degrees. Universities are just ruthless money-making businesses these days, and most degrees are expensive white elephants. It's scandalous.

I agree with every word written here. I think a generation of 17/18 year olds were sold a lie about getting a degree and how easy it would be to get a job at the end of it. I did an arts degree first. Couldn't afford to live after graduation and ended up doing a healthcare apprenticeship degree and now work in radiology.

sorrynotathome · 01/01/2023 08:25

Ifailed · 01/01/2023 08:19

back in the day when there were no fees and student grants were available, even a hobby degree was of some value when it came to look for a job, not least because only about 10-15% of people went to a university/polytechnic.
Nowadays I'm not so sure, with nearly 1/2 of people gaining some sort of degree and accumulating the associated debt.

Exactly what I was going to say!

PositivelyBedevilled · 01/01/2023 08:25

I did a non-vocational degree in English and a MFL because they were my best subjects in school and ended up in an admin/customer service role following graduation. Reassessed where I wanted to be and completed a law conversion degree a couple of years ago. I'm by no means working in my desired area of law or at the level I want to be at, but it's a start and feel like I'm on the right track now.

Chasingsquirrels · 01/01/2023 08:26

Maths, 1993.
No fees & my parents gave me my maintenance money.
No regrets.

Would I do it now and end up owing £60k? I'm not sure.
Ds1 is currently doing econometrics and it's probably the right thing for him.
Ds2 is doing a levels and I think he should look for an apprenticeship afterwards.

Sunnidaze · 01/01/2023 08:30

I studied Law and Business, and later went back to do Education. I have never had a problem finding a job, my skills and qualifications are very transferable. I would never advise my children to do a non-professional degree. The most non-specific I would recommend is a Business degree, but even that opens lots of doors where I live. Would never advise Arts unless it was combined with something else.