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?

And where are they getting these apprenticeships, pray tell? I haven't exactly seen a plethora of them!!!

And who are you anyway to criticise someone's degree as "bullshit"???!

I agree that there are plenty of degrees with low quality curriculum that aren't worth the money. However be aware that the best apprenticeships are very competitive now so your children still need very good GCSEs and/or A levels and clear motivation/work ethic.

Hard work and initiative is still necessary for success, there is never a simple route to wealth and accomplishment.

Or maybe some of us actually understand the graduate labour market.
You advice is actually pretty poor.

Jobs and apprenticeships are for people who have a very clear career idea. An apprenticeship is training you to do a specific job and employers are looking for people who know they want to work in that particular sector.

University can be great for the 'undecided' as it is an opportunity to find out what you enjoy and what direction you'd like you career to go in and you have an entire team at your disposal helping you! Not to mention the wide range of skill you develop which are valued by graduate employers.

Business studies is definitely not a bullsh!t degree. Covering marketing, finance, economics, HR, managing people. A good based for anyone wanting to ho into management, or specialise in any of the other areas.

I think too many people go to university because they don't know what else to do but I don't think a degree needs to lead to a job to be valuable. I can certainly think of more 'useless' degrees than the ones cited. I have a law degree and for various reasons now work on minimum wage, zero hours in a warehouse. My eldest studied medicine- she was thinking of doing a Fine Art degree but was worried she might not make enough money with art. I would still have supported her if she had gone with the art as she is very artistic. Dd2 and ds both did/ do engineering at university but it was totally their decision. I wouldn't be surprised if dd3 ( year 11) decided to study politics or philosophy but a lot of jobs nowadays just need a degree so it might as well be something they enjoy!

You're probably right @Runnerinthenight. It must be nice to be so superior to everybody else (in their own head, anyway!).

Yeah, when it's clear in reality they don't have a clue!

OP you seem to have a very limited understanding of the industries in the working world. Media, PR, communications, marketing agencies, creative agencies, the music industry, curating, the art and museum world, insurance .... it's endless. A degree in art history or business would be absolutely acceptable degrees for applying for any of those. People taking fine art like those taking music are rarely looking to get a job in finance.

Your comment about being a pilot was frankly just weird. You probably wouldn't take a fine art degree for that. But you wouldn't take an economics degree or chemistry or architecture specifically to become a pilot either.

You probably think digital marketing sounds like a bs degree yet I know people earning hundreds of thousands in that field.

You just sound you're limited. Your English is also dubious for someone born and raised in the UK. Perhaps you ought to address that before worrying about what other people do.

Not got a degree, my eldest has 1st class honours in Forensic Biology. Why does it have to be so bad, if others to have a what OP calls BS degree.

University is an industry now though, so some people are making a great deal of money out of bullshit degrees.

Oh and this made me laugh. Universities are facing serious financial difficulties at the moment so this really isn't true.
Not to mention that any degree course with poor graduate outcomes is likely to be under extreme scrutiny and at risk of closure or re-structure.

Here is info on apprenticeships in Accounting.
www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/accountancy-banking-and-finance/accounting-apprenticeships

For the highest level of apprenticeship available you actually usually need a degree to apply.

"BPP also oversee a 45-month Level 7 Actuary Apprenticeship leading to the IFoA Actuary designation.
To join this programme, you'll typically need a degree in a numerate subject such as maths, economics or statistics, but if you hold a grade B or above in A-level maths you may still be considered. Those who've successfully completed the Level 4 apprenticeship may also be eligible for entry."

Granted, I'm not in the UK so didn't have to get huge student loans, but do you not think your advice is a bit heavy handed? I understand that a huge debt for a pie in the sky degree can be silly, but it would seem better to research the quality of the courses and institutions before dismissing things out of hand.

Another example is Investment Banking, one of the highest paid jobs in the UK. The usual route is via being an financial analyst. It's also necessary to have a degree with significant financial components.

"As you consider continuing professional development (CPD) and studying for further investment banker qualifications, you can enrol onto the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) programme.
To be eligible for this internationally renowned investment management qualification (equivalent to a Masters), you'll need a degree, four years' professional work experience or a combination of work and study totalling four years".

A radiologist is a doctor. I think you meant radiographer. HTH

The last three people I know who completed that have degrees in French, English Literature, and Public Relations respectively.

Just to prove a STEM undergraduate degree isn’t the be all and end all!

A relative of mine studied politics and is now a very senior civil servant.

Ah piss off with your snobby narrow attitudes. Next you will be saying society doesn't need cleaners, shop assistants or care workers ( as they are not REAL jobs!)

If you’re as well educated as you say you, may wish to check your spelling. You may also want to note that radiologists are also doctors.

So you meant to say 'I guess all parents want their kids to do better than they did' but it accidentally came out as 'There are other degrees just as crappy' and ''Media Studie' as the biggest lol IMO'?
Easy mistake, we've all been there.

I didn't go to Uni and I love my profession as I've worked really hard from the bottom to where I am now. I'm about 12 years in and I finally felt the other day that I'd made it to a really comfortable, wealthy place and it's lovely but I do think that if I didn't go down this route I'd have considered Uni and courses are what you make of them. If someone's academic and a good employee then Uni will enhance that. We would have a very dull society if we only took on people who had what you consider to be more noble degrees - I work in the justice system and one of the most interesting, beautiful and well rounded girls to come and work with us had an arts degree. I'd hope that when she was employed by my employer they noticed her creative, rich and broad thinking that we don't get from a lot of.my colleagues who are very similar people ( and different to her ). She has bought a really fresh mindset to what we do and I'm glad she chose to change her path but also glad she did an arts degree as she is really bright and has picked out things from her education that we wouldn't have shared with us usually. Your degree can enrich any work space you go onto join and often for the better.

Not knocking them, just demonstrating to OP that for many fields the most straightforward route to more opportunities is a degree, even in the world of apprenticeships. Notwithstanding anecdotal success and individual drive and initiative.

I think there are degrees at poor universities which are not high quality and not worth the huge expense. But I disagree with you that the subjects you listed are valueless.

I also know loads of people who did degrees that you would presumably deem worthy (like engineering) who now have jobs with absolutely nothing to do with engineering. Like primary school teaching. Was their degree a waste?

I know am art history graduate who became a lawyer, and a law graduate who couldn't get a training contract and now works very successfully in recruitment. Were their degrees a waste?

I know people who wouldn't have met their spouse if they hadn't done their BS degree. Or whose careers are based on the hobbies they took up at uni rather than anything they studied.

I think plenty of "worthy" things could be learned without a degree (like nursing) if other ways of training were available.

It's part of all the variety of life.

Your list of bs degrees makes you sound very uneducated and uncultured. How embarrassing for you.

My daughter attended a local hospital Career Day with female surgeons. The undergraduate degree for one of them was in Dance. Life takes us in many directions.

I don't agree that the degrees are shit just the lack of respect for apprenticeship and vocational qualifications because everyone with a degree is seen as "better"