Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Original poster

To think law and social science degrees are a waste of time?

168 replies

Wowserz129 · 05/08/2012 17:37

Are law degrees a waste of time? I wanted to study law through OU but everyone thought this was a silly idea and hardly anyone actually manages to get work after.

6 people (not many I know) that I know have studied social science, one studied social Policy and criminology have had to go on to study masters or not gotton jobs. 5 out of the 6 said they wished they studied something more useful.

What is your opinion on these type degrees?

OP posts:

gordyslovesheep · 05/08/2012 17:39

YABU I have a degree in comparative social policy - I have worked since I graduated in 1996!

pinkstinks · 05/08/2012 17:40

Olympia2012 · 05/08/2012 17:41

So you measure their worth by employment gained after completing them?

Ragwort · 05/08/2012 17:41

I think Law is an excellent subject to study - and incredibly hard to get into to so I would assume that means most people get work afterwards (don't most people who read Law become Lawyers or solicitors ? Or am I being naive?)

I studied Social Sciences (a long time ago ) - I found work relatively easily although it was not specifically related to my choice of degree. However I recognise that the job market is very different these days to when I graduated - late 1970s .

expatinscotland · 05/08/2012 17:41

Try going to a school besides OU and first researching the types of jobs graduates get.

lisaro · 05/08/2012 17:41

It depends on what you want to do with it. It'd be more useful not to use 'gotton' though.

Schoolworries · 05/08/2012 17:42

I have had many comments in the past about how I would be suited to a career in law. I looked into it but the general research I did showed was the competition is immense to get any work in law.

I think unless working in law is your absolute burning passion (not so for me), and perhaps you had connections I would wonder how viable it was.

Social sciences I have no idea about.

Noqontrol · 05/08/2012 17:43

Ive got a degree in social policy, went on to do a masters, and have been in work ever since, (bar periods of mat leave).

LRDtheFeministDragon · 05/08/2012 17:44

I think it depends a lot what degree it is exactly, where you do it, and how you plan to use it to help you get a job.

I know lots of people who did social sciences or law who've gone on to get jobs they're very happy with, but they researched which universities had good rates of employment six months after graduation, and what sorts of jobs graduates got.

What job are you wanting to do?

NameGames · 05/08/2012 17:44

I think it depends on what you want to do, how good you are at it and which bit of social science you look at.

A 1st in Economics from the LSE is unlikely to be much of a waste of time, jobs wise. And probably hugely interesting from a personal development perspective. A less well regarded institution and a poorer degree in a more niche or less in-demand subject is less likely to pay off in terms of a job (might still be very interesting and good for personal development though).

LadySybildeChocolate · 05/08/2012 17:45

I have a LLB. I don't work in law, but I can use the skills that I gained so it's very useful for me.

Dolcelatte · 05/08/2012 17:46

Law is more boring than some other academic subjects such as English, History whatever, but it is a good foundation for most careers, teaches you analytical skills and is bloody useful for knowing your 'consumer rights', confidence giving etc.

What else would you do that could be more useful? Possibly something more practical/less academic - an apprenticeship perhaps?

It depends what you are looking for OP. I am sufficiently old fashioned to think that doing a degree isn't just about finding a job at the end, although that's an added bonus!

Noqontrol · 05/08/2012 17:46

I don't know if law degrees are a waste of time or not. Certainly not if you want to be a lawyer but I think you've got to be pretty good, theres a lot of competition out there. I know quite a few people who have done law degrees, but only a few who actually moved on to be solicitors, barristers etc.

Birdsgottafly · 05/08/2012 17:47

I did A level SocialPolicy,years ago, i went on to a SW BA, but i still know others that went on the do a BA in SP, they have never been out of work.

It depends on what you want to do with your BA and what your earning expectations are.

In terms of the knowledge gained, i don't think you can beat SP, tbh.

Law is a tough area to find work in, most people that i know have to do voluntary work, for experience, but i know of two people who have decent jobs, whilst they wait to move upwards.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 05/08/2012 17:47

You don't have to do a law degree to be a lawyer, though, and plenty of people study law and don't intend to go on to be lawyers (though personally I don't get this as it seems quite boring to me! But each to their own).

addictedisback · 05/08/2012 17:47

Dh did a masters in law, he suggests doing a law degree through the ou is a waste of time, if you were to go to a red brick university, not such a waste of time.
Hth

LollipopViolet · 05/08/2012 17:49

I think YABU, I have a friend with a law degree, she got work straight out of uni.

I have a film production degree and no driving licence, so I'm stuck

LulaPalooza · 05/08/2012 17:53

StillSquiffy · 05/08/2012 17:55

I think the OU bit is more of a problem than the degree course. Where you study counts far far more than what you study (and it's a crying shame that so many young students aren't told this).

addictedisback · 05/08/2012 17:57

Lrd dh intended to go on to be a lawyer but ended up doing a little accountancy work experience by accident. he really enjoyed it and. has gone on to be an auditor.

my sister really enjoyed the subject so did her llb, but never intended to do any thing with it, she loved the subject each to their own I guess!

LRDtheFeministDragon · 05/08/2012 18:02

add - that sounds quite similar to a girl I went to university with - she thought she'd be a lawyer but got sidetracked into other things she enjoyed more.

I guess one of the downsides of OU is it mightn't be so easy to do that as you'd be studying so much on your own?

Trazzletoes · 05/08/2012 18:02

A law degree is NOT a waste of time whether or not you decide to become a Solicitor/Barrister. It demonstrates a lot of other skills such as analytical skills, ability to research: lots of transferable stuff.

NarkedRaspberry · 05/08/2012 18:05

Where you study counts far far more than what you study (and it's a crying shame that so many young students aren't told this).

Very, very true.

Trazzletoes · 05/08/2012 18:06

By the way, it is currently extremely difficult to get a training contract to become a solicitor and even harder to get a pupillage to become a barrister.

WaitingForMe · 05/08/2012 18:07

Everyone I know with a law degree is in well paid employment. My background is social sciences (politics) and I've never struggled to find work. I actually think it's an amazing subject area as I studied what motivates people and society, invaluable stuff now I'm an entrepreneur.

I agree with the poster that said more young people need to be aware of the quality of the establishment they attend. My local university is an unemployment factory for many of its subjects.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7