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What are the most useless/useful college degrees?

Pmacv1

Here's my list:

1. Gender Studies
2. English
3. Classics
4. Theology/Philosophy
5. Sociology

Honourable mention to Politics

Most useful:

1. Medicine
2. Computer Science
3. Physics/Chemistry
4. Engineering
5. Nursing

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MoashoaM

They have their uses. It might not serve the regular Randy directly, but the humanities do their bit.
The world presents us with new and unusual occurrences.
Studying and understanding them should be priority before fear sets in. We've lost that battle before.
A humanities degree serves a future humanities major, who serves humanity.

Better Than Christ

Pmacv1 wrote: »

Nope, what I'm saying is that in the last 50 years, the 5 subjects I've outlined as most beneficial, have contributed much more than philosophy has in the past 50 years, and will most likely continue to do so.

Anybody can have a mediocre career in any field.

Nope, you're saying that the college degrees themselves are useless/useful. By the standards you've outlined, almost all degrees are 'useless' on the grounds that the vast majority of people who successfully complete them will not make any groundbreaking contributions. Which, incidentally, does not make their career 'mediocre'.

ILoveYourVibes

LirW wrote: »

ESKIMOS DO NOT EXIST!

Exactly.

Its frightening people don't get it.

The truth is ...gender studies produces a lot of people way way out there ...but the GREATER truth is ...

You would never have change without those people.

Catch 22 ...never go to the extreme ....but nothing happens without extremists.

LirW

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

Watch the right go for geography and environmental science next.

ESKIMOS DO NOT EXIST!

ILoveYourVibes

Raconteuse wrote: »

I was talking about your post where you said take out the first five and you get a population only voting Trump.

That needs more thinking through.

Over generations ..it really doesn't. I suggest you think that through.

What is never spoken of is never thought of.

Pmacv1

Better Than Christ wrote: »

So if a person completes your average computer science degree, and goes on to have a good career in their chosen field, albeit one which doesn't make any significant contribution to any improvements to people's lives, was their decision to pursue that degree a waste of time?

When I did philosophy, I noticed that a significant number of medical students chose certain moral philosophy modules as electives. Do you think they were wasting their time?

Nope, what I'm saying is that in the last 50 years, the 5 subjects I've outlined as most beneficial, have contributed much more than philosophy has in the past 50 years, and will most likely continue to do so.

Anybody can have a mediocre career in any field.

Better Than Christ

Pmacv1 wrote: »

Nope I'm referring to research and achievements which have improved our lives beyond the wildest imaginations of those living 50 years ago, and continue to improve constantly.

So if a person completes your average computer science degree, and goes on to have a good career in their chosen field, albeit one which doesn't make any significant contribution to any improvements to people's lives, was their decision to pursue that degree a waste of time?

When I did philosophy, I noticed that a significant number of medical students chose certain moral philosophy modules as electives. Do you think they were wasting their time?

Raconteuse

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

Without philosophy you wouldn't have democracy at all.

I was talking about your post where you said take out the first five and you get a population only voting Trump.

That needs more thinking through.

ILoveYourVibes

Watch the right go for geography and environmental science next.

Twister2

LirW wrote: »

While I believe that just about every degree has its right to exist and are useful for society in one way or another, there's one I'd like to nominate as worst contender: Geography.
Not because it's boring or wishy-washy, but I believe that the overall topics are covered better by Google maps and other academic disciplines.

What

ILoveYourVibes

LirW wrote: »

While I believe that just about every degree has its right to exist and are useful for society in one way or another, there's one I'd like to nominate as worst contender: Geography.
Not because it's boring or wishy-washy, but I believe that the overall topics are covered better by Google maps and other academic disciplines.

GOBSMACKED.

LirW

While I believe that just about every degree has its right to exist and are useful for society in one way or another, there's one I'd like to nominate as worst contender: Geography.
Not because it's boring or wishy-washy, but I believe that the overall topics are covered better by Google maps and other academic disciplines.

ILoveYourVibes

Raconteuse wrote: »

Wha?!

Without philosophy you wouldn't have democracy at all.

ILoveYourVibes

If money is your idol then very little else is useful to you because nothing else is going to provide you with as much money as you think ....

If you want to make money ...you don't need anything else but the desire to make money and the work.

Anything else will waste your time. Doctors don't do it for the money ...and you would be wasting your time. Its too much work for too little money.

People have a terrible attitude towards money they think its evil to want lots of money or that its bad to want other things and value them as much as money or more.

Money is awesome. But the path to money is to want to make money. Its not a degree.

But you should value other things as a wise billionaire

Do you know George Soros studied philosophy?

In uni he did ...and he applied karl popper's theory to capital markets. Now don't get me started on karl popper!

But the philosopher Karl popper was actually Soros' mentor.

I dunno if you know George Soros but he has plenty of money...also has a degree and a masters in philosophy.

glack

Pmacv1 wrote: »

Teachings a post-grad qualification, which is why I omitted it, but I agree fundamentally.

Most primary and a significant number of secondary teachers (home ec teachers for example) have Bachelor of Education degrees. Post grad is a option but not the main one in primary.

Raconteuse

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

Good list. I totally agree. except for one thing.

Take out the first five and you get a population that votes for trump every single time ...and we all die.

Wha?!

IAMAMORON

Anything to do with Business Studies. Management degrees or theory of business are complete codswallop and worthless. Albeit the Maths you might study will give your brain a tickalong for a few years. Business degrees, and all the theory within, lack relevance and become outdated after about 3 or 4 years. That is the same amount of time it takes you to get the stupid thing.

I would advise any whipper snapper reading this that if you want to learn about the business world to get off your arse and get involved in the business world. Degrees in business will teach you nothing, if anything you will be the laughing stock of all the senior staff at your first intern placement, which you will only achieve if you finish in the top 9% of your entire year.

Unless you are studying to be a doctor or something frontline and relevant ,college is a waste of time, unless your studying Law or Engineering. You can learn everything you need to know in most colleges online.

Now that I think of it you can probably study Law without going to college also.

That is all.

Pmacv1

glack wrote: »

Not sure how any of your most useful 5 would get there with a few people with education degrees. Even doctors needed teachers...

Teachings a post-grad qualification, which is why I omitted it, but I agree fundamentally.

JohnnyFlash

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

Good list. I totally agree. except for one thing.

Take out the first five and you get a population that votes for trump every single time ...and we all die.

https://tenor.com/Lkfh.gif

EmmetSpiceland

Pmacv1 wrote: »

Great, it's not overly useful now though is it? Don't get me wrong, it's fascinating to study, but only in very exceptional cases does it now provide any value.

Would be great to go and study film, philosophy, ancient history or English literature when you’re a “mature” student well into your 60s.

Advising a teenager to go down that path is just crazy.

glack

Not sure how any of your most useful 5 would get there without a few people with education degrees. Even doctors needed teachers...

ILoveYourVibes

Twister2 wrote: »

I would put maths up there but you need higher than basic degree

Any maths you have is going to help you.

Pmacv1

Twister2 wrote: »

I would put maths up there but you need higher than basic degree

That's why I left it out. It acts more as a precursor to a more specialised field.

ILoveYourVibes

Pmacv1 wrote: »

Great, it's not overly useful now though is it? Don't get me wrong, it's fascinating to study, but only in very exceptional cases does it now provide any value.

Wrong. Astrophysics.

Twister2

I would put maths up there but you need higher than basic degree

jk23

If it gets you in to a job or on to another course towards your career it's a good degree..

Pmacv1

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

Without philosophy ..you wouldn't have science at all.

And if you had studied history you would know that.

In fact science was once called 'natural philosophy'.

Great, it's not overly useful now though is it? Don't get me wrong, it's fascinating to study, but only in very exceptional cases does it now provide any value.

ILoveYourVibes

Better Than Christ wrote: »

I presume you're referring to monetary value. Intellectual value not being worth anything in your tiny, narrow little mind.

You can make money from philosophy. But like everything ..you just have to know how to sell it.

Pmacv1

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Surprised that computer science is so high on the list. Is that your qualification OP?

I think theology/philosophy would be interesting to do but your back to interesting v useful.
I would put economics in there somewhere on the useful side. Anthropology could go in on the useless side

Well the next big step is using algorithms to detect health defects earlier, so yeah it's vitally important and it's inevitable it'll take the top spot.

Sociology beat out anthropology by a hair.

ILoveYourVibes

Pmacv1 wrote: »

Nope I'm referring to research and achievements which have improved our lives beyond the wildest imaginations of those living 50 years ago, and continue to improve constantly.

Without philosophy ..you wouldn't have science at all.

And if you had studied history you would know that.

In fact science was once called 'natural philosophy'.