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?

This has been fascinating.

There are crap degrees at crap Universities, but you can do the same degree at a Russell Group Uni and be very employable.

FWIW I have a politics degree and went on to work in politics and communications. My husband has a first in chemistry from a top uni, and went onto a career in…..politics and communications. We both earn very well.

Right now I work for a company owned by the largest luxury fashion/drinks companies in the world (owned by one of the richest men in the world). Fashion, arts and media degrees have done a lot of people very well in my business. Creativity is valued above most other things.

There is no wrong path in this life, only what is right for the individual.

Clearly you are being deliberately obtuse, therefore I wont waste any more of my time with you. And its not my fault you went for one of the degrees I mentioed.

Well at least this thread taught you how to spell obtuse

"there is no wrong path in life.."

There sure is bud. Look at it like this. Someone decided to go for a total bS degree. They come out of uni with the degree. Jobs are lacking in that area of work. They are have their mind set on a particular job related to the degree but no jobs in their area and few jobs around are hotly contested. They come out od uni with a 30k debt. They can get a job and luck to get one at fast food/shop etc - how is that not the wrong path when they could have gone into work and worked their way up minus the 30k debt?

I’m trying to imagine the dystopian nightmare world where all arts education is removed for not being ‘useful’ (shudders)

I don’t think any of these are BS degrees. They all lead to jobs such as museum curator, business manager, entrepreneur etc. it depends what job the person wants. I use the knowledge I learnt in business studies to understand businesses who I regulate.

Anyway even if it was degree in Mickey Mouse they would still learn how to interpret, analyse and evaluate information effectively. Also how to research and write a dissertation etc. These are vital skills and important in any professional role.

Tbh I think your post is rather rude and I didn’t even do one of the degrees on your list.

The value of a degree goes far beyond the subject choice, although for the record I fundamentally disagree with your notion of ‘BS degrees’. The skills developed, academic, professional and social are invaluable. Many graduate employers look for the transferable skillsets and critical thinking developed in higher education over and above the subject choice and therefore why can’t learners pursue something they enjoy? I did a history
degree, became a teacher and then a senior leader before switching to an entirely different career in seeking to widen participation in higher education - so granted I do have to declare an interest here. I couldn’t have made this switch without the foundation my degree gave me. The young people we encounter are constantly being exposed to messages like the above seeking to somehow discredit certain degrees when there is inherent and transformative value in
them.

Yes, it also depends on the uni you go to, I accept that but there are rubbish degrees that lack job ops etc

You keep saying this but you've yet to provide any evidence.

Although, I doubt the OP will reply to me as they've ignored every single one of my posts!

People can study whatever they want, it's down to them to seem if it's relevant to what they want to do in life. Alot of the time it doesn't have to be completely relevant to a job but it is proof of the person's ability to commit to learning that subject and to retain in depth knowledge to complete the course. Also going to university is a life experience for many now, granted an expensive one, but it teaches them to stand on their own two feet a bit more etc.

I didn't personally go to uni as I didnt have a clue what I wanted to do, do I wish I had, maybe, but I am fairly happy with life/job, there would be very few jobs that I would be happier in I think. I work to live, not live to work.

Your list is bizarre!
I know quite a few with politics degrees, some very quickly worked for the foreign office, became diplomats, 1 worked at the Hague and 1 is a banker.

As for exercise science well they can be very well paid profession with sports clubs, GB level teams etc.

I did a STEM subject about 1/3 of my friends do a related job and sciences generally isn't well paid but definitely needed. The others found completely different career paths that they enjoyed.

I think the saddest aspect in your whole thread is that you dictated to your children and forced your opinions on them tbh.

Business Studies degree here, I’ve had several jobs I wouldn’t have got without a business degree.

Um, what on earth

you know what I find a bit BS-y? Being so judgemental! I went to a polytech University and studied business management, I’m now 28 years of age, earning 70K a year and on track to meet my personal goals (in a career I really enjoy) of earning 100K per year in my 30th year. So, if you’re being judgemental because you don’t recognise those degrees as leading to high earning professionals, you’re wrong. Equally, even if they don’t lead to high earning career paths, if students are studying something they enjoy, and find a career they are passionate about and enjoy as adults, they have won adulthood! How rewarding.

(By the way I’m not the exception of my University cohort, I’m about average in terms of current earnings)

dont be so judgemental!!!!!!!!!!!

Friend has a geography degree - he’s a store manager
Friend’s daughter has a geography degree - she’s a business consultant
Friend’s other daughter has a geography degree - she’s a web content manager

Not Mickey Mouse degrees but different outcomes.

I don’t have a degree and worked as a project manager and outstrip them all in what I earned.

So what?

You sound like an awful idiot ~ Arts grad & Business teacher.

Fashion Design graduate here.

Set up a business that is now a global fashion brand.

What have you done?

There sure is bud. Look at it like this. Someone decided to go for a total bS degree. They come out of uni with the degree. Jobs are lacking in that area of work. They are have their mind set on a particular job related to the degree but no jobs in their area and few jobs around are hotly contested. They come out od uni with a 30k debt. They can get a job and luck to get one at fast food/shop etc - how is that not the wrong path when they could have gone into work and worked their way up minus the 30k debt?

Not directly I'm bothering but here goes.

Here is what ACTUALLY is likely to happen. Young person studies a degree subject they love. They excel and acquire a number of highly valuable graduate attributes along the way.
They have careers and employability embedded in their degree programme so they are aware of the wide range of graduate level jobs options to them.
They may go a placement year where they make valuable contacts and further develop those fabulous skilled valued by employers.
They attend graduate jobs fairs and use the careers and employability service to support them in applying for their first graduate job... which may or may not be directly related to their degree subject.
Bonus content .... as a graduate they have access to careers support after they have graduated ( sometimes for life!!).

Alternative ending. They go onto postgraduate study to train to do a specific job. Their degree allowed them entry on to this programme and because it was at the same uni they got an alumni discount on their fees 🙌

You’re doing that awkward thing of asking the OP to provide credible sources other than the Daily Heil and her family’s opinion, which they apparently talk about endlessly at parties, in between condoling with one another as to which adult kid earns least..

You are so ignorant.
Are you not embarrassed talking to people at parties? Like do you not care they laugh at you when you walk away?
You should.

But you have a phd in it so maybe not.

You’re doing that awkward thing of asking the OP to provide credible sources other than the Daily Heil and her family’s opinion, which they apparently talk about endlessly at parties, in between condoling with one another as to which adult kid earns least..

I know. The cheek of me 🙈

Those parties sound fun 🙄

You seem to enjoy telling people off about this issue you have with what you call ‘BS’ degrees, since you even bring it up when socialising.
Here’s a thought: why don’t you keep your ideas to yourself and let people be? Sure, not all jobs require degrees but having a degree does put one in good stead when seeking employment. Most degrees teach the fundamentals of critical thinking and the like. It’s good for people to learn these things. Maybe you didn’t come across these modules that teach one to think logically and put forward a point in a measured way, hence you are opinionated and quite rude about expressing your (probably unwanted and unsolicited) narrow-minded opinion.

"Arts" degree?

Do you mean a degree in Art, or all BA degrees?

While I do agree there are plenty of degrees out there that are the so-called Mickey Mouse degrees, what they should be doing is preparing the student with the facilities to get on in the their chosen career with soft and transferable skills.

For example - how to read a complicated document and summarise. How to be able to have a reasoned discussion, and critically assess the details. How to work to deadlines when needing to write a document that requires strict adherence to formats, footnoting etc.

I do think that a lot of universities are failing young people by not teaching critical thinking, and allowing all the 'safe space' bollocks so their feelings aren't ever hurt (or even challenged in any way), but both further and higher education is in the main, a good thing to have.

I do think we are over killing it on further education such as Masters. The requirement to have one for promotion, especially in the public services, is, in most cases, a waste.

This is coming from someone who has an MSc and it basically repeated the BSc.

Another quality goady af thread, op.

Next do one about cyclists. They always generate a few arguments.

Fuck you

Fashion degree, now working as a fashion designer and have been for the last 30years