To ask which degrees you think are useful / useless?

[fizzthecat1]

I was just on this thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3062891-to-think-dd-should-pick-to-study-what-she-is-interested-in-and-not-what-she-ll-get-a-job-in

There were so many comments of "I did a degree I enjoyed but couldn't get a job, wish I'd done something more useful" etc.

I'm just curious what degree you did and whether it was the right decision, or what degree you'd have done instead. There were so many of these comments and I may retrain in the future so want to know what to avoid / what's good.

"Multidisciplinary degrees might be the way forward - a bit like in the US where you can major in, say, History but also take modules in chemistry, statistics, music etc."

You can do that at many universities in the UK. I frequently teach humanities modules to engineers and chemists and IT students. It's the kind of thing you should look for in prospectuses and ask about at Open Day.

"I have a first class engineering degree.

Useless. Absolutely bloody useless. Turns out to get a good job in engineering you have to do loads of work experience BEFORE you graduate. Stupid me.
Also, being brutally honest, I experienced massive sexism and some very uncomfortable borderline harassment trying to get in to the sector. Not nice.
I wish I'd not wasted so much time and energy trying to get in to a sector that clearly was never going to be the right one for me. But difficult to know what else I could have done with that time."

Apart from the sexism, which is clearly disgusting and not the responsibility of the new graduate, the other part (the lack of experience) is often more in the hands of the individual. This is something my generation was badly prepared for, but something I always try to suggest to new students: that they should spend part of their study time thinking about the future, take any careers advice on offer, getting relevant extra experience, not leave thinking about a career until the last semester.

PPE at Oxford. Churns out complete idiots.

A traditional subject from a redbrick university is useful.

Totally agree with this. If my don't want to study something vocational (engineering, physiotherapy, opthalmology etc) then this is absolutely the route I've suggested to them. A rigorous traditional academic degree from a redbrick plus plenty of extra curricular and some good work experience will be the best route IMO.

I think that DS is currently thinking about Economics or similar at Nottingham / Leeds / Birmingham. Sounds like a very sensible option to me and should stand him in decent stead for pretty much anything he wants to do. I think it will be looked on favourably for most professiona careers such Law, accountancy, banking or even IT, TV or teaching.

It's a bit of a crapshoot because (speaking for myself):

a) When picking a degree course in my late teens, I didn't know enough about what potential careers were out there
b) I didn't know enough about myself - my strengths and weaknesses
c) I wouldn't have been able to predict the future. Areas I was interested in such as publishing and journalism are in decline, and it was luck rather than wisdom that meant I didn't go down those roads.

I did law and overall it's been useful. I think it helps you sound authoritative about stuff even when you have no right to be - throw in a few legalistic caveats about something and it sounds like you've considered all angles very deeply. It helps you bullshit, basically, which is one of the underrated advantages of a degree. I didn't practice though - I knew nothing about networking, which also hampered other career paths. Learning networking skills would have helped me more than any academic subject.

My fantasy degree is archaeology, but there are pretty limited opportunities to earn a reasonable living in that area.

Law, engineering or medicine are to me, by far the most "useful" as its almost a guarantee to go into the relevant industries. Maths is also a very impressive degree to come out with, English ok too.

I definitely feel my degree, while allowing me to have some of the best years of my life, hasn't proved that useful. Unless you come out of uni and spend dedicated, focused time doing work experience/gaining experience in the same industry as your degree and are absolutely intent on pursuing a career related to your degree within the first few years of graduating (which I'd really tell me DC to do when time comes) I feel it gradually fades into not being that relevant/ useful, or even attractive to employers post 5 years of graduating.

No such things as useful and useless degrees. I studied English literature, creative writing and media. Lots of people might think that's 'useless' but I now work as a very well paid strategist (started out as a writer then editor) and use the skills I learned during my degree on a daily basis. When you study anything to degree level, you're learning critical thinking and analytical skills which are completely transferable. It's never a waste of time and it is what you make of it.

This point

I think where people struggle after university is that they don't really have much of an idea what they want

And this

Learning networking skills would have helped me more than any academic subject.

Are far more important than the actual degree that you do.

I'm sorry to hear thats your experience, I work in construction for an M&E consultant and there is very much a shortage in the field. Its widely acknowledged that there are not enough people studying engineering to fulfil the countries future needs.

Agree that work experience is important, I did none so it took me a lot of interviews to get my first job but since then its really been an employees market.

Something competitive that requires high grades is the way to go. I think the actual degree doesn't matter much but you need an established course at an established university. Always go for the best uni you can get into, so for example you are probably better off studying English at bristol than law at Sussex (example only I have no idea of the typical offers).

I would in graduate recruitment for a while and many graduate schemes accept any degree, it doesn't factor into the hiring decision much. More important was what else they did at uni, societies, work experience, internships etc. If possible, decide a career area at 18 but if you can't, choose a subject that interests you and use your summers to try out different careers that take any degree, business, audit, management consultancy etc. Think about what skills you'll gain from a degree such as public speaking, teamwork, research and how these will transfer to working.

The fact is, many 18 year olds just don't know what they want to do in life but that's ok. Also good to check how each uni teaches that course, as they vary greatly and it might affect your decision.

For the more competitive graduate schemes, there is more weight put on the university and the degree class, than on the subject.

When I joined a City financial services firm, I found many people who got plum front office roles had degrees in Anthropology, Sociology, History from top universities. Meanwhile many who were hired into the back office/admin roles had degrees in Mathematics, Engineering, Finance from lower ranked unis.

More important was what else they did at uni, societies, work experience, internships etc.

Agreed.

It's really important to do all of this so that then you have lots of experiences you can draw on for the competency based interview questions.

I was chair of my sport club, treasurer for the national university sports club, involved in a society related to my degree, worked (summers only) and did an internship in the field I went into.

Plus I worked the milk round like a mofo in my second year rather than waiting until my third year so I got all of my 'what am I going to do with my life" sorted by Christmas of my second year and didn't have that stress in my third year. Entered third year after doing an internship and a job offer.

Looking back I wonder how I had time to do my actually degree actually! So busy with my sport and running the club.

IMO a degree is just the start. I did History (back when it was free) at a RG university.

I then did various low level jobs before doing a GDL and LPC to be able to get a training contract to be a solicitor.

However, I also wrote to every firm in my region to get some work experience and was able to demonstrate commitment to law on my TC applications.

That experience, combined with the degree and quals, plus able to use examples from my low level jobs (which you can make sound more interesting) got me interviews.

Getting an interview is the key. I could then sell myself, my differences and my confidence over a 22 yr old who had never worked (I didn't feel confident, I faked it).

So yes, in a way my degree was useless. But combined with other things, it opened doors.

The big thing was though, it was free. I didn't have this massive debt so it was easier to do what I enjoyed. I feel sorry for my children in that respect.

I did a Theatre & Performance degree. About halfway through I realised I had no intention of acting (I do enjoy writing for theatre, however). Still not a useless degree, though. The value of a degree is subjective - the way I see it, if nothing else, during my time on the degree a performance I wrote encouraged a group of people to join the organ and bone marrow registers, and to donate blood regularly.

I also haven't struggled to find work, although having a First probably helped with that. I've never been unsuccessful in an interview and I currently work in the NHS in a challenging but rewarding role. Given the chance I'd go back and do the same degree again; I had a fantastic three years and the friends I made on the course became more like family (mostly because we spent so much time together ). I had DD at 19 on my second year of the degree - her godparents were on the course with me; she knows many of them as "Auntie " and "Uncle " - the nature of the degree meant we spent upwards of 12 hours a day together. It was worth it for the communication and confidence skills too.

That experience, combined with the degree and quals, plus able to use examples from my low level jobs (which you can make sound more interesting) got me interviews.

'Low level jobs' are super valuable when you go for grad job interviews. Time management, working under pressure, dealing with difficult situations, problem solving etc

I commented on the other thread. My question is 'useful for what'? No degree guarantees you a job. My degree is in drama and theatre, which came in useful for getting a job in theatre. I also shamelessly, networked, enthusiastically volunteered and generally got myself noticed and made myself useful. And I was lucky, and had some privilege (able to work for lower pay).

Doing a languages degree, for example, might have been 'useful' to some other people but probably less useful to me.

Don't do an Arts PhD. Just don't. Biggest waste of time EVER. Has qualified me for fuck all, and has probably made me unemployable to boot

Well that's just you and your negative attitude, no wonder you didn't get anywhere with it.

DD's uncle has a PhD in art and is now a lecturer at an Ivy League College.

My physio said one degree that is a fast track to nowhere is anything prefixed with Sport. He did Sport Science, was told by a careers officer it would open many doors and then did physiotherapy.

I seem to know a disproportionate amount of people who did microbiology and work as cashiers or in retail.

Cinematography sounds a bit useless to me awaits a hoard of posters telling me they have that degree in that and earn £100k.

I am really surprised by the assertions about there being no science or engineering jobs about. There is a massive shortage of engineers in the UK, with a huge number of engineers and similar workers due to retire within the next few years. The numbers aren't there to replace them. The company I work for always has positions advertised and in my previous career as a teacher, it was clear to see the desperate shortage of physics teachers, too. We also have a squad of chemists on site! There's a shocking dearth of women in STEM and I have worked on a number of projects to look at why. You have to pique a girl's interest by the age of 8, on average, to persuade her to ignore the 'It's for boys' rubbish. Encouraging that sort of degree or a proper apprenticeship is very worthwhile!

Fully qualified and well experienced specialist engineers are in short supply.

The trouble is, training budgets have been cut to the bone so everyone is looking for already qualified, specialist engineers with five to seven years' experience.

No one is training the engineers to become fully qualified, well experienced specialist engineers.....

Just chiming in to agree with PPs that have said that work experience and your employability skills are just as vital. Getting placements, internships, even temping jobs in offices - demonstrating you have real work skills - are really important whatever degree you do.

To an extent, they don't even need to be in a career area you want, you can use this time to work out what you like and focus on the transferable skills when it comes to later roles. In fact if you don't know your passion - or the thing you'd be happy v with doing in your working hour's hours - using work experience to try things on is just as useful.

Basically, chucking yourself into life instead of only studying, even if there's not an obvious goal at the end, through extracurriculars, jobs, volunteering, writing short stories and putting yourself out there, building a tiny side business, anything, gives you skills and experience to talk about when you find your thing.

I lecture in one of the subjects some of you have suggested aren't worth much. I can assure you the course is planned with huge emphasis on transferable skills, knowledge of theory and practice, research, networking, teamwork etc as well as industry specific knowledge. Many of our graduates go on to great things in the industry and out of it. I think what I teach has equal value to any 'traditional' arts degree. It's the engagement of the student and the quality of the teaching that makes the difference, not the subject.

They can all b useful or not useful depending on what u want to do and whether it's relevant! No point studying medicine if u want to be an actor perhaps! No point studying philosophy if you want to b heart surgeon perhaps! If your degree is relevant to what you want to do, it's useful!

Or that said, if it interests you and gives you satisfaction simply by doing it, then it's useful! If it gives u opportunity to meet great people it's useful!

It's useful if it meets your needs!

@Gingernaut..

That's not my experience. The vast majority of companies I have worked for or come accross over the last 14 years have provided training schemes for graduates. In fact I'm struggling to think of one that didn't.

Some aren't the greatest, but in my experience there is plenty of support and training for new engineering graduates. Even if your company is shit, relevant institutions such as the IET, ICE will provide support to professional qualifications.

Plenty of companies have yearly intakes. There are most definitely jobs out there at all grades.