Jail university officials who sell career-useless majors?

[Kalosia]

IMO a major to a career is like a set of paint to a painting. It may help immensely but it's not necessarily the only way to get there; it's what you make of it that counts.

Besides, even useful majors don't guarantee you a related career. My english teacher in my senior year of high school majored in business, but that didn't stop him from becoming an... english teacher. Or was it chemistry he majored in? I forgot. The point is, he didn't major in the English language despite his job.

[Frank Zipper]

It's a nonsense idea. Governments and firms have difficulty saying what skills they are going to need from employees in a year or two, so how are universities meant to do better? Whole areas of employment can disappear in less time than it takes to do a degree in them, new ones appear.

There are subjects, like STEM, that there is a predictable demand for, but if everybody studied those supply would outstrip demand and salaries, and the quality of candidates, would plummet.

Having a wide range of higher education allows a market, so people can choose what interests them, what they think might become a growth area, or just to show that they can pick something quite specialised up in a short amount of time.

[Felrik]

IMO a major to a career is like a set of paint to a painting. It may help immensely but it's not necessarily the only way to get there; it's what you make of it that counts.

Besides, even useful majors don't guarantee you a related career. My english teacher in my senior year of high school majored in business, but that didn't stop him from becoming an... english teacher. Or was it chemistry he majored in? I forgot. The point is, he didn't major in the English language despite his job.

It just gives people a higher chance and more job opportunities doesn't it?

[Teemant]

At least students shouldn't complain about debt and education system when they study majors that don't have very good career options available. Young people shouldn't be allowed to pretend like they had no idea. Of course they had.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

To be fair, I can sort of agree on the gender studies thing. Like what is that supposed to even be? And how is it anything but a subset of sociology? It certainly does not sound valuable or broad enough to warrant a separation from general sociology.

I'd say it has its own special category as a focus of a degree, or even as a masters' or Ph.D. Because, you know, specialization.

Not as an undergrad major. That's fucking stupid.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Also, let's not kid ourselves here, no major guarantees a career in said major, so in a way every major is career-useless.

It's what you do while in college and afterwards that defines your career in the job market, not just how pretty your degree looks.

[Kalosia]

IMO a major to a career is like a set of paint to a painting. It may help immensely but it's not necessarily the only way to get there; it's what you make of it that counts.

Besides, even useful majors don't guarantee you a related career. My english teacher in my senior year of high school majored in business, but that didn't stop him from becoming an... english teacher. Or was it chemistry he majored in? I forgot. The point is, he didn't major in the English language despite his job.

It just gives people a higher chance and more job opportunities doesn't it?

Yeah. You could use food dye for all I care but most paintings out there are made of paint, so it's more realistic to just stick to it.

[Vassenor]

Isn't it basically an accepted fact that having a degree doesn't actually make it easier for you to get a job?

[Individual Concerns]

Useless is in the eye of the degree holder.

Indeed. You might find yourself out of tp one day.

No really, the need for a degree is subjective, and in the political and financial interests of the industry that need has naturally been overstated.
By all means, if your future's blueprint without doubt requires the education, please attend.
If not, err on the side of practicality, and perhaps consider other options.

Business is trending away from just any degree will do, and beginning to focus more on practical and related experience.
The successful evolution of intern and other kinds of apprenticeships over recent years has begun to inform corporations that these are cheaper and more efficient and effective ways to invest and train a new hire.

But do what you think is right for yourself.
Preferably with a little objectivity.
Current and future generations have less and less time and money to waste.

[Novus America]

Isn't it basically an accepted fact that having a degree doesn't actually make it easier for you to get a job?

Depends on the job. Having a law degree makes it easier to get a job a lawyer. As you need one to get the job at all. Same with nurses, doctors etc.

The degree does not guarantee a job. But not have one guarantees not getting the job.

Some degrees howver are of limited to no utility though. Like Women's studies and the like. We should not ban them. But we should stop providing any government funding or support for them. If somebody wants a useless degree fine. But the public should not pay for it.

[Uxupox]

Also, let's not kid ourselves here, no major guarantees a career in said major, so in a way every major is career-useless.

It's what you do while in college and afterwards that defines your career in the job market, not just how pretty your degree looks.

Unless your a doctor. :^)

Isn't it basically an accepted fact that having a degree doesn't actually make it easier for you to get a job?

If I had a accountant position opened and out of twelve candidates only 2 of them had degrees related to the position then I'd narrow it down to those two and disregard the others. Obviously there is more too it than this but I'd consider them the subject experts because of their background/degree.

[Uxupox]

Isn't it basically an accepted fact that having a degree doesn't actually make it easier for you to get a job?

Depends on the job. Having a law degree makes it easier to get a job a lawyer. As you need one to get the job at all. Same with nurses, doctors etc.

Some degrees howver are of limited to no ultimate though. Like Women's studies and the like. We should not ban them. But we should stop providing any government funding or support for them. If somebody wants a useless degree fine. But the public should not pay for it.

What the hell is women studies anyway. Sounds like a nice 4 year waste of time.

[The Serbian Empire]

Speaking as a college student, it's the student's place to research the current job market as well as the projected job market in five years to determine if their major is going to get them anywhere.

And secondly, it's why I departed for the trades. The growth won't be there, but the demand due to aging workers in the trades should demand plenty of opportunity. It's buyer beware at this time and it should be.

[Vassenor]

Isn't it basically an accepted fact that having a degree doesn't actually make it easier for you to get a job?

Depends on the job. Having a law degree makes it easier to get a job a lawyer. As you need one to get the job at all. Same with nurses, doctors etc.

Some degrees howver are of limited to no ultimate though. Like Women's studies and the like. We should not ban them. But we should stop providing any government funding or support for them. If somebody wants a useless degree fine. But the public should not pay for it.

I was talking more in the sense of the number of graduates in a given field outstripping the number of jobs available in said field.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Isn't it basically an accepted fact that having a degree doesn't actually make it easier for you to get a job?

Depends on the job. Having a law degree makes it easier to get a job a lawyer. As you need one to get the job at all. Same with nurses, doctors etc.

Some degrees howver are of limited to no ultimate though. Like Women's studies and the like. We should not ban them. But we should stop providing any government funding or support for them. If somebody wants a useless degree fine. But the public should not pay for it.

The problem with majors like Women's Studies is that they sound more like specializations of sociology.

We don't need an entire fucking major to teach something so narrowly specific as to ignore sociology in general.

I'd say provide support for high degrees in Women's Studies while gutting out the undergrad programs on the subject. They're useless.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Also, let's not kid ourselves here, no major guarantees a career in said major, so in a way every major is career-useless.

It's what you do while in college and afterwards that defines your career in the job market, not just how pretty your degree looks.

Unless your a doctor. :^)

I said major, not M.D.

You go to med school for becoming a doctor which most definitely qualifies as a graduate program because you need to graduate from something in college anyways before applying to med school, not to a 4 year undergraduate program.

But for instance, many undergraduate students don't actually take pre-med majors because they're useless for med school admissions. They take something like biology, chemistry, or biochemistry, even though their career is not going to be in biology, chemistry, or biochemistry itself.

[Aelex]

Well, it's up to you to chose a major that can get you a good job.

[Uxupox]

Unless your a doctor. :^)

I said major, not M.D.

You go to med school for becoming a doctor which most definitely qualifies as a graduate program because you need to graduate from something in college anyways before applying to med school, not to a 4 year undergraduate program.

But for instance, many undergraduate students don't actually take pre-med majors because they're useless for med school admissions. They take something like biology, chemistry, or biochemistry, even though their career is not going to be in biology, chemistry, or biochemistry itself.

It actually depends on the medical school. In Puerto Rico for example the best medical school which is the PSM has a mandatory requiered curriculum that possible alumni need to have already taken such as biology, gen chem, org chem, physics and some maths.

[The Serbian Empire]

Depends on the job. Having a law degree makes it easier to get a job a lawyer. As you need one to get the job at all. Same with nurses, doctors etc.

Some degrees howver are of limited to no ultimate though. Like Women's studies and the like. We should not ban them. But we should stop providing any government funding or support for them. If somebody wants a useless degree fine. But the public should not pay for it.

The problem with majors like Women's Studies is that they sound more like specializations of sociology.

We don't need an entire fucking major to teach something so narrowly specific as to ignore sociology in general.

I'd say provide support for high degrees in Women's Studies while gutting out the undergrad programs on the subject. They're useless.

Indeed, the undergrad levels of Women's Studies are more to prop up the demand for the specialists up above. Without the students, that particular branch has no real use to a university involved in research.

[Freefall11111]

Where do you draw the line, exactly? What kind of criteria do you use to determine who to jail?

[Novus America]

Unless your a doctor. :^)

I said major, not M.D.

You go to med school for becoming a doctor which most definitely qualifies as a graduate program because you need to graduate from something in college anyways before applying to med school, not to a 4 year undergraduate program.

But for instance, many undergraduate students don't actually take pre-med majors because they're useless for med school admissions. They take something like biology, chemistry, or biochemistry, even though their career is not going to be in biology, chemistry, or biochemistry itself.

Well they are still degrees. Okay nursing then, as that is undergrad. Law and Doctor are consider combined secondary and tertiary level degrees. You can get a useless undergrad and still go into them in theory. But it is smart to get a undergrad that actually helps. Like a lot of doctors do pre med or biology. Law any degree requiring a lot of reading, reseach and analysis and writing helps.

[Novus America]

Depends on the job. Having a law degree makes it easier to get a job a lawyer. As you need one to get the job at all. Same with nurses, doctors etc.

Some degrees howver are of limited to no ultimate though. Like Women's studies and the like. We should not ban them. But we should stop providing any government funding or support for them. If somebody wants a useless degree fine. But the public should not pay for it.

The problem with majors like Women's Studies is that they sound more like specializations of sociology.

We don't need an entire fucking major to teach something so narrowly specific as to ignore sociology in general.

I'd say provide support for high degrees in Women's Studies while gutting out the undergrad programs on the subject. They're useless.

Well why do we even need sociology? But anyways definitely cut it at the undergrad as as you point out is redudant and worthless at the undergrad.

[Cannot think of a name]

To be fair, I can sort of agree on the gender studies thing. Like what is that supposed to even be? And how is it anything but a subset of sociology? It certainly does not sound valuable or broad enough to warrant a separation from general sociology.

I don't even know what jobs people could possibly get with the Gender Studies degree.

The following list of employers and job titles was derived from Advising & Career Services' jobs database where employers indicated an interest in recruiting students majoring in women, gender, & sexuality studies. This list does not reflect all potential places of employment or kinds of jobs for women, gender, & sexuality studies majors. This list does not reflect current openings.

AIT Laboratories – Account Manager/Account Executive
American Red Cross – Territory Representative
Aon Corporation – Early Career Development Program Associate
Book News – Editor
Capital Financial Planners – Associate Investment Advisor/Financial Planner
Cascadia Behavioral HealthCare – Behavioral Health Counselors
Cedar River Clinics — Health Services Supervisor
CollegeNET – Sales Assistant
Consolidated Federal Credit Union – Loan Servicing Specialist
Crafts Americana Groups – Product Line/Brand Manager
CTC Consulting – Research Analyst
De La Salle North Catholic High School – Development Director
De Paul Treatment Centers – Adult Milieu Counselor, Women's Residential Program Primary Counselor, Alumni Association Coordinator
Dunkin and Bush – Junior Estimator
ECONorthwest – Research Assistant
Frito-Lay – Sales Associate
Girl Scouts, Columbia River Council – Community Program Coordinator
Hacienda Community Development Corporation – Microenterprise Developer, Portland Mercado Project Associate
Indian Health Service – Contract Specialist
Inside Track – College Success Coach, College Admissions/Enrollment Coach
Integral Consulting – Document Processing Specialist
Intel – Strategic Program/Project Manager
Intercall – Event Specialist
IXL Learning – Educational Sales Consultant
Kaiser Permanente – Healthcare Data Analyst
Kaplan – Student Advisor
KeyBank Oregon – Management Associate
Kittelson & Associates – Project Management Assistant
Knowledge Universe – Customer Relationship Specialist
KOIN TV – News Director, Account Executive, Assignment Editor
Legacy Health System – Manager Employee Health
Lifeworks NW — Residential Care Facilitator
Listen to Kids — Business Manager/Office Administrator
Lutheran Community Services Northwest – New Youth Perspectives Bilingual Youth Specialist
McKenzie Books – Human Resources Administrator
Mercy Corps – Assistant Program Officer
METRO – Assistant Transportation Planner
Metropolitan Family Services – Family Involvement Coordinator, Assistant Transportation Planner
Morrison Center Child & Family Services — Night Residential Skills Specialist, Residential Skills Specialist
Oregon Food Bank – Appeals & Proposals Developer, Donor Services Coordinator, Statewide Services Coordinator, Public Policy Advocate, Major Donor Manager
Oregon Museum of Science & Industry – Executive Assistant (Development)
Outside In – Housing Specialist
Portland Business Alliance – Inside Sales Account Executive
Impact Northwest – Resident Services Coordinator 1
Portland VA Medical Center – Program Support Assistant, Research Assistant, Research Assistant 2
PSU Admissions, Registration, & Records – Admissions Counselor, Program Support Assistant
Schneider National – Fleet Manager
Sherwin Williams – Management/Sales Trainee
Sustainable Northwest – Policy Program Assistant
Susan G. Komen For the Cure — Presentation Coordinator
The Hertz Corporation – Management Trainee
The Nature Conservancy – Administrative Assistant
Thetus Corporation – Training Developer
Unitus Community Credit Union – Compliance Specialist
Urban League of Portland – Academic Coach
US Bank – Manager in Training, Relationship Manager
Waggener Edstrom Worldwide – Account Executive
Warm Springs Community Action Team – Healthy Foods Program Coordinator
Wieden + Kennedy – Macintosh Support Technician
YWCA of Greater Portland – Energy Assistance Coordinator

one sauce, picked randomly.

[Bogdanov Vishniac]

There are subjects, like STEM, that there is a predictable demand for, but if everybody studied those supply would outstrip demand and salaries, and the quality of candidates, would plummet.

Not really. If you read any major scientific journals you'll probably come across articles like this and this decrying the stagnation of postdoctoral research in places like the United States, and the ever-growing figure of students with advanced degrees in science leaving the industry to go elsewhere for lack of work and lack of funding to do research.

Of course you don't really hear much about that in the popular press or here. People seem much more interested in the age-old circlejerk of dissing the humanities than actually having a real conversation about the place of academic credentials in the workplace.

[Novus America]

Depends on the job. Having a law degree makes it easier to get a job a lawyer. As you need one to get the job at all. Same with nurses, doctors etc.

Some degrees howver are of limited to no ultimate though. Like Women's studies and the like. We should not ban them. But we should stop providing any government funding or support for them. If somebody wants a useless degree fine. But the public should not pay for it.

I was talking more in the sense of the number of graduates in a given field outstripping the number of jobs available in said field.

Well in that case the students should do the research themselves. The number of jobs in a career is no secret. That is how the market is supposed to work. Though the market assumes people are rational and informed. And college degrees show that is not always the case.