AIBU to feel that some parents just want their children at Uni even if its a BS degree

[DistinguishedSocialCommentator]

Hello
I come from a background/culture where education is seen as very important and going to a university is a must (My parents came to England in 1962)

Yes, more and more jobs are seeking degrees and often even when not necessary. There are many professions where you must have a degree to join the course training

However, what I and my family call BS degrees, to name but a few

Arts
Studio Fine arts
Arth History
Business studies
Exercise Science
Fashion

I cant see what jobs they will get as there must be other routes, less intensive and extensive to get the job they want

When I've talked about mickey-mouse degrees at parties etc and not be aware that some parents children or they may have studied them, they start to defend the indefensible.
The biggest bS degree is 'Politics' - WTH!! Sadly, we know a few people whose children have done that and ended up running the family shop/business - total waste of a degree

There are other degrees just as crappy - they should be banned IMO

AIBU to think these degrees are a waste of time and often do not aid the person into a job in that field?

Gosh that’s goady!

Plenty of art based carers require a fine art degree or extensive experience which is easier to get with the connections made doing a degree. Many prestigious artist residencies want you to be masters degree standard. I really regret not making my HND fine art into a full degree. For example I considered going art therapy as a career choice before I got sick and couldn't do the course as I only had a fine art HND not a fine art degree.

My niece did arts and now she is a tattooist, makes hundreds on just one tattoo.

What degree do you have?

Your background doesn't 'value education' .

I’ve got a degree but I don’t use it anymore (allied health professional) Nowadays, I would encourage young people to go down the apprenticeship route as there’s so much choice and you can earn right away with no debt. What’s not to like?!!

DH did a business degree and now earns 400K a year.
I did a proper professional degree and earn 50K.

You lost me at Arth History

(Arts grad, 100k a year)

How surprising that this particular Op has started a goady thread.
Not like them at all at all.

Education is worth more than the job you end up with.

You’ve been creaming over Will and Kate on other threads. What degrees they got?

pmsl - okay!

I have one doing Politics and International Relations - she plans to go onto the Civil Service Graduate Scheme or work in politics - she'll be fine with her BS degree - as will her sister, studying criminology and sociology planning to go into youth work/youth justice via post grad.

I mean I guess you only value STEM subjects - which is a very narrow world view - we need artists, creatives, free thinkers in the world

I don't entirely disagree with you, but your delivery leaves a lot to be desired!

With the cost of uni these days I think it's wise to research your career path before going to uni. I would advise my kids that if they don't know what they want to do, that they take some time out after college to work. Then they can go to uni later.

What is arth history? Just so I know

lol if you want to work in art History you will need to study it. If you want to do further research and a phd in that area, you will need to study it.

I think it's the study of northern kitchens 1700-1950 when people gathered round the arth?

What degrees DO you think are useful?

You do realise that your opinion is just an opinion, right?

You are saying that you personally see a degree as a means to an end and consider it essential for that degree to lead to a lucrative career.

Many others consider that studying a subject that they are interested in is worthwhile and good for personal development. It can be argued that people studying the arts benefits society as a whole.

Some careers require a degree in any subject, (such as a teaching career) so surely spending three or four years studying something you enjoy before getting a career specific qualification is ideal for many people?

😂

Clearly your "education" didn't actually teach you much!

Both my children have what you would term as a BS degree. The eldest has just landed his first job with an excellent salary and will be travelling all over the world doing something very technical that he excels at. Most importantly he is HAPPY. I call that a result.

Also quite frequently it’s the skills you learn from the degree that you use for work. I agree that some unis where the degree is of very poor quality, then that is a waste of time . The student is not academic and it’s not really a degree. But we are in a society where other skills like trades aren’t valued like they are in other countries.

Actually some people enjoy learning, OP. It gives them a sense of self and teaches a whole range of skills. Learning for learning's sake is absolutely okay.

I have a family member who is an internationally recognised and celebrated artist. He started off in the design industry but would never have got to the place he has without his Fine Art degree, which allowed him access to The Royal Academy, and made him an RA.

My own mother wouldn't let me do the degree I wanted to and I regret it every single day. I quite liked my degree but I didn't love it and I got a 2:1. If I'd done the degree I wanted I probably would have got a First and it wouldn't have affected my career prospects at all - I did a post-grad professional qualification which I needed "a degree" to access. I'd probably be in the same job, but I think if I'd spent three years really studying something I loved I'd be a different person inside.

My children will be encouraged to follow their interests and live a rich (as in enriched) life.

Dp teaches "exercise science" also known as sport science and physiology and he actually works with an Olympic team of athletes, drawing up training plans and monitoring their fitness etc etc, he goes with them to the Olympics