Did your degree lead you to work in that field?

Blondie86Star

Hi i'm just wondering how many people have a degree(particulary a BA) and have gone into work in that field after they've finished, or have you done something completely unrelated to your qualification?

Sleepy

B.Comm (MIS), H. Dip Systems Analysis and I work as an IT consultant so yes, I'm mainly doing what I studied for in college. That said, I don't know how much the degree or diploma have benefitted me in my work. A couple of MS exams would have probably given me more functional skills and a lot of the rest I wouldn've probably picked up on the job.

That said, employers do tend to like degrees so my qualifications probably opened the door for me.

BoozyBabe

BSc. IT Mgt.
Work as a Network Administrator, so yes, related to job

thebman

Bsc. Computer Science & Software Engineering working in Tech Support ATM so yeah, I'll be moving into programming from here within the company and its IEEE compliant which we did as part of the course so it fits exactly with what I'm doing and I like doing it.

robinph

I have obtained different qualifications relavent to the field I was working in at the time after already having managed to blag the job. So no, working in a particular field led to me getting a degree in the same area.

Marksie

yep got a degree in microbiology and a separate one in molecular biology.

i currently work in both fields

digitally-yours

B.com + MCSE

working in technical support in IT

so yes i am working in that field


But my main area of studies is business and accounting.Looking for job in that sector.

watna

Nope... i have a degree in Chemistry from Trinity and now work in recruitment. Apparently (and I've actually seen this in interviews) a degree like that shows you are analytical and can work in a team. I just nod and smile in case they find out I don't know anything about chemistry!

NutJob

BSC in Software developement.

Gone from developement to test to developement and back again.

Still want to be a fireman when i grow up though

ixoy

B.A. (Mod) in Comp. Sci and working in IT so yes, relevant.

I asked the head of Comp. Sci in Trinity, why their main IT degree of the time was a B.A. and the evening course was the B. Sc. He didn't know. Odd...

Vegeta

B.Eng and yes working in the field but hate it

calsatron

B.A. Accounting and I'm a financial analyst so yes.

Pherekydes

B.A. in Maths Studies and Stats. Now keeping house, so very relevant.

rain on

BA in English and Linguistics, MA in English, work in a library, so.. kinda, I guess.
Going back to do an MBS in the autumn though. Upon completion of which the answer will hopefully be a resounding Yes.

Wacker

watna wrote:

Nope... i have a degree in Chemistry from Trinity and now work in recruitment. Apparently (and I've actually seen this in interviews) a degree like that shows you are analytical and can work in a team. I just nod and smile in case they find out I don't know anything about chemistry!

Good lord, replace the word 'chemistry' there with 'philosophy and politics' and 'Trinity' with 'UCD' and you and I have the same life.

Knowing how pathetic my life is makes me pity you!

chump

except philosophy and politics in UCD is a walk in the park compared to chemistry in TCD - where completion of which would indicate some level of intelligence

ps. i'm just getting a rise out of u

Wacker

chump wrote:

except philosophy and politics in UCD is a walk in the park compared to chemistry in TCD - where completion of which would indicate some level of intelligence

ps. i'm just getting a rise out of u

Don't worry about it. I'm pretty philosophical about such things!

In my opinion, a certain degree of intelligence is required to get my degree. What is not required is any work.

ixoy

ixoy wrote:

I asked the head of Comp. Sci in Trinity, why their main IT degree of the time was a B.A. and the evening course was the B. Sc. He didn't know. Odd...

It's weird. A lot of the courses are B.A. - for example, if you complete a 4 year degree in Theoretical Physics, you receive a B.A. I think there's an official reason for it (I remember being told back in the day) but I can't remember why there are a lot of B.A. courses there.

It could simply be to do with the timing of the evening course - it may be more modern than the day time course, thus a decision was made to stop doing something just for the sake of doing it. But I'm just guessing.

DublinWriter

I was already working in I.T. during the twelvty-million years it took me to do my BSc and MSc programmes part-time at TCD.

I found the courses to have almost no pratical use in my day-to-day. The only reason for them is a) looks good on the CV and b) gives me the option to 'retire' into academia if I want.

watna

I think the reason they give a BA is because Oxford and Cambridge do too. I think there is some actual reason for it but it's illogical and poncy. Having a BA after my name when i have a degree in chemistry is more than a wee bit annoying. I can't help comparing my college days to my brothers. He's just finished Arts in UCD and bummed around for three years drinking whereas I spent my college days locked in a lab or doing lab reports... bad bad times!

Time Magazine

ixoy wrote:

B.A. (Mod) in Comp. Sci and working in IT so yes, relevant.

I asked the head of Comp. Sci in Trinity, why their main IT degree of the time was a B.A. and the evening course was the B. Sc. He didn't know. Odd...

Professional degrees are non-B.A. B.Th for the Proddy priests, B.A. for the rest of us. Except for Myth, the bloody professional.

patrickolee

Degree in electronics working in S/W dev, so kinda... but very little of what I learned in college helped in work, apart from my least favourite subject ... 'interface' when condemed to writing scsi drivers!

Nehpets

I don't go to TCD but I have a leaflet about the CS course. It says that BA < BSc. < BA (Mod). It's for historical reasons and as mentioned only three colleges in the world offer it. (Cambridge, Oxford and Trinity). In other words, it is insignificant!

DublinWriter

watna wrote:

I think the reason they give a BA is because Oxford and Cambridge do too. I think there is some actual reason for it but it's illogical and poncy. Having a BA after my name when i have a degree in chemistry is more than a wee bit annoying.

No, it's actually an MA. You can claim it three years after completeing any degree course from TCD. My undergrad in TCD was a BSc but I went for the MA a couple of years ago when doing my 'real' MSc. All you need to do is pay the 80 Euro and turn-up suitably frocked on the day of commencements.

JackKelly

The Comp Sci in TCD is a BA (mod) degree, apparently a step above a normal BA degree.

https://www.cs.tcd.ie/courses/ba/FAQs.php

Third_Echelon

B.Sc. in IT Management -> work as I.T. consultant. So yeah!!!

dermot_sheehan

LL.B -> LL.M. -> and soon BL

hope to work in the area after six years in college.

Red Hand

Blondie86Star wrote:

Hi i'm just wondering how many people have a degree(particulary a BA) and have gone into work in that field after they've finished, or have you done something completely unrelated to your qualification?

From the title, I thought this was going to be about some guy with an ox and plough in a field...and a degree in Astrophysics.

Time Magazine

DublinWriter wrote:

No, it's actually an MA. You can claim it three years after completeing any degree course from TCD. My undergrad in TCD was a BSc but I went for the MA a couple of years ago when doing my 'real' MSc. All you need to do is pay the 80 Euro and turn-up suitably frocked on the day of commencements.

Incorrect my good man! You enroll in a BA and if you fail your fourth year exams you are given a BA with no chance of MA. Thus the distinction of BA (Hons.) and BA.

Also the price has increased substantially since your day. It's about €450 now I believe.

Hail 2 Da Chimp

Yes it did...

thelordofcheese

I have a BSc in Computer Systems, and i was working in IT as a developer/3rd line support, then decided to do an MSc in Computer Games technology and i am currently in the middle of that so.... kinda, i suppose is the answer.

boneless

BA degree, history and archaeology. I worked in lots of fields...:p

Miss Fluff

BA Hons Anthropology and Classics, working in the business world so no, no connection at all!

zuutroy

BSc in Applied Physics -> PhD in Semiconductor Physics -> now a Semiconductor Physicist, so yes.

metaoblivia

BA in English/Creative Writing, MFA in Writing for Young People. My first job out of college was teaching Language Arts and Reading. Then I went through a dark age and had a few jobs that had absolutely nothing to do with my degree. I'm currently an editor for children's textbooks.

jesus_thats_gre

B.Sc. in IT Management -> work in I.T. Operations. So yeah.

Ibid

Ibid wrote:

Professional degrees are non-B.A. B.Th for the Proddy priests, B.A. for the rest of us. Except for Myth, the bloody professional.

Good old Engineering giving out a B.A. and a B.A.I.

electric69

Computers

---

> Pilot so thats kinda a no!

chump

Ba (Honorary) Physics

work completely non related, but no jobs in science [that would suit me:)]

zuutroy

electric69 wrote:

Computers

---

> Pilot so thats kinda a no!

Cynics would disagree I like winding my pilot mate up about being a glorified PC operator.

jrey1981

BA Journalism...working as a business journalist

Mr. Presentable

Hmm. yeah. My Arts degree led me to working in a field as a labourer for two years. :rolleyes:

Blush_01

Still in college, working part time in an office. The closest I get to using my actual degree in work is writing e-mails to our "customers".

Time will tell!

fluppet

DublinWriter wrote:

No, it's actually an MA. You can claim it three years after completeing any degree course from TCD. My undergrad in TCD was a BSc but I went for the MA a couple of years ago when doing my 'real' MSc. All you need to do is pay the 80 Euro and turn-up suitably frocked on the day of commencements.

Well, not a real MA... it's an Trinity MA which the Universities of Dublin (TCD), Cambridge, and Oxford award to fancy-up their BAs, but employers know that it's really just a BA. I have also heard that it is actually reaching the age of 24 that you have to wait for, rather than 3 years after you graduate (which would roughly coincide, for most people). According to Wikipedia, however, it is 7 years after matriculation, which would correspond to 3 years after graduation, so perhaps what I heard was incorrect.

Ooo: See here for details.

I think Myth said earlier that TP in TCD results in a BA, but being the pedant that I am I would like to clarify that it's actually a BA (Mod).

Time Magazine

Fluppet, it's three years after receiving your BA you can get your MA from the University of Dublin.

It's for internal reasons tbh.

fluppet

fluppet wrote:

I think Myth said earlier that TP in TCD results in a BA, but being the pedant that I am I would like to clarify that it's actually a BA (Mod).

fluppet

Okay, going way off topic here, but what is a BA (Mod)? I always thought the Mod was for Moderatorship or something, but I did a search for it and I only get Irish results, so it seems to be an Irish thing...

Also: Just a bit more about these 'MA's that Trinity gives out. I've also heard (although it was from the same person who told me about the 24 thing) that if you subsequently do a masters in Cambridge or Oxford you don't get the MA thing from Trinity... you only get it from the last one of the three (Trinity, Cambridge, Oxford) that you attended before you turn 24 (or 3 years after you graduated, or whatever).