Are there any courses, you would actively discourage your dc doing at uni ?

[JennyTals]

Is anything a no go for you, or would you support any course

I’m a uni lecturer and the only thing I would discourage would be some whack Mickey Mouse sort of degree, like wine tasting or something ridiculous like that. University is probably much more important for the experience rather than the degree (but the degree itself can’t be a big joke either). Most of what gets people ahead in life is drive and passion and hard work, so the degree itself doesn’t matter too much. I’d want them to study what interests them though rather than what they think will translate directly into a high earning career.

Yeah, I don't think I'd encourage some of the very out there ones...especially if tuition was £9k p/a.

Ideally, I'd like my dcs to have an idea of what they want to do for a living first, do I might actually prefer then not go at 18yo unless they knew what they wanted to do and were doing a relevant degree

I'd largely agree with this.

Though given the cost of uni fees, depending on what it and their own learning style I might suggest an apprenticeship.

I also think by the time your kid is 18 you can't tell them what to do. Though I'm glad my parents steered me away from something niche at a red brick to something more widely applicable at a Russell group uni.

Wine tasting isn’t in the least ridiculous, though. I know people who are having interesting, well-paid careers as sommeliers and wine-buyers.

Is there seriously a wine tasting course ? Where can I sign myself up😂

Agree with your point tho

Not really, no. The subjects people laugh at as Mickey Mouse are generally very useful for one specific thing (golf course management etc). But I’d make sure my child understood the implications of their choice (don’t do golf course management if you want to be a barrister, and so on).

No, i wouldn't support any course at all. I would encourage DCs to stick to traditional subjects like maths, english, geography. There are far too many pseudo academic courses, its become farcical. For jobs that require a degree employers can be picky, and i don't think students are standing themselves in good stead by choosing a course simply because it appeals to them.

I wanted mine to identify a job they wanted to do then do a course working towards it. Not the other way round. Graduate unemployment was rife in the 1990s, I know the misery of it.

Wine tasting is considerably useful in real life than English or History.

Interesting. I was at a graduation for students at a ‘low ranked’ university which offered a number of small courses specifically relevant to local long-standing industries (some courses clearly validating years of on-the-job training, others qualifying students for particular roles).

I strongly suspect these courses’ graduate employment stats were at least as good, if not better, than DD’s Oxbridge degree.

Yes but if you are doing that kind of course, you do not have options, or transferable skills. And being a wine sommelier is very niche. You are severely limiting your options.

As long as going to Uni isn't the default expectation in the first place, they should study what they're most interested in. Too many people go to Uni because their parents did and they get into debt for no reason.

I would discourage them from going to a college-turned uni, unless it was renown for a particular course or subject.

I would discourage any young person from going to university ‘because everyone else does’ and without any strong interest in their specific course. Wholeheartedly studying anything anywhere is better than seeking ‘the student experience’ on a course of little interest.

Am I the only one who has just wasted half an hour looking at degrees in wine tasting?

My neighbours daughter did a maths degree in a Russell group university...then became a somellier!
Increasingly postgraduate degrees and qualifications are more vocational.

Same. Our local one is excellent for technology based degrees but if she wanted to do a traditional subject there I would say no.

If they wanted to be a sommelier/master of wine/ wine buyer etc I would recommend they went to a highly regarded catering/hospitality college or culinary school etcnot a university.

There are lots of really useful qualifications/courses to do at agricultural colleges as well

I'm a university professor and tried to persuade my youngest to go to pilot school rather than university to no avail!

There are very popular degree courses that recruit loads of students but with very little employment prospects in the subject. But there is nothing wrong with studying for the joy and passion of it.

My two eldest did Sports Science and lots of people told them it was a waste, a joke degree (it really wasn't it was tough) etc etc . They both have very good careers now in that field.

I work in the creative industries and am often involved in casting for film, TV and theatre. We often find that actors who have been to drama school are very institutionalized in the way they perform/work, especially the most prestigious schools. It takes a good few weeks of unlearning and unclenching to be able to find the actor within them! There's one particular London drama school that's very well thought of that is known in my circles for hindering the progress of good performers. So I look more favourably upon actors who have studied other subjects that might be useful to the role of acting- English, Sociology, Psychology. Am dram experience is fantastic.

Journalism for print/written formatt
If they really want to go into it then go and do a degree in Economics or a science or English or whatever then do the NCTJ course. So many journalistm degrees and Although as my husband is an ex journalist we'd probably encourage them to look at a different career although. My sister is a head of faculty and would strongly advise against doing a degree because everyone else is or because of parental expectations to go to university. Her main tip was don't do a vocational type degree without checking out accreditation for that career. Eg don't do a course in policing that isn't on the college of policing list.

I would definitely discourage DC to go for any degree that will limit their earnings potential. The idea of studying what you like is very romantic but sadly we live in a capitalist society.
They can do whatever they love and are interest at as a hobby!

I think firstly parents are too involved though understand why they are. The best thing is to help young people understand what they're committing to and how it's going to be paid for.

Secondly, I think the subject is vital. A massive enthusiasm for it. If you are there for the 'student experience ' and half arsed about the subject, it's not going to go so well.

Some degrees allow some flexibility to find out what you're passionate about... either joint hons, or liberal arts or even those with plenty of options within. Some offer amazing study abroad opportunities and have seen this in my own students as a life changing positive experience.

I'm never keen on calling degrees Mickey Mouse. There's a lot of ignorance about other subjects. To study in depth, with independence, research and critical thinking is a fantastic thing.

Id just hope my child picks something that will bring them joy and opportunities.

I think it's also important to consider the prestige of the lecturers (who actually teach undergrads, rather than just associated with the department). I chose a course because of the specialist area researched by one of the staff, but he never went near undergrads. This also affects the specialist areas of the overall subject that will be tackled within the degree course. E.g. if you want to study History because you love the Tudors, or really only like the medieval period, don't go somewhere where they only teach c19th onwards.

Unlike in my day, you really need to consider the 'value for money' of a course and associated expenses (how much it will cost to live in halls/ the area etc). That 'value' doesn't solely have to be financial - could be cultural, employability, connections etc.

Mine knows teaching is absolutely not to be considered.
After that: unless it is something that she loves and wants to pursue, university is no longer a lifestyle choice. If she wants to do American Studies or a nebulous media thing, that's great, but if she can't repay the loans or get a job, it's a very expensive few gap years and I'm not thrilled about that. My child, while clearly the most amazing child I know, is not a genius and quite frankly would be better working her way up or doing an apprenticeship; obviously I'm not quite so explicit in my conversations and ultimately it's entirely her choice because I'm not paying .

About half of the students in my department go on to work in the field but the rest don't and get a wide variety of jobs - often graduate programmes/graduate level jobs just want any degree from a well regarded university.

To see it through the three years and get a decent 2:1 at the end is hard work if they have no love for the subject.