College Degrees...

[Red Saxon]

So it is getting near that time that I should start thinking about what the major in.

My parents (bless their poor ignorant souls) are really pushing me into a Business degree. Laudable, I know.

I would like a degree that would compliment my political beliefs and provide me with a job at some point in the future. I would appreciate an Art History degree, but god knows that is completely useless. I could also see myself getting into Eurasian or Russian studies, which would also give me the benefit of being able to travel to Russia to visit monuments. A History Education degree wouldn't be so bad, but with such a surplus of History teaches in the US I would probably have a hard time finding a job, unless I could count on retiring baby boomers to make some room.

If all else fails, I could just go live on a commune in Canada.

Ruble for your thoughts?

[Livid]

Although being biased, I would suggest a Political or social science if you wish to understand more about people think and how a Left Ideologically could be applied correctly.

[Wanted Man]

You don't need a degree to visit monuments in Russia.

[Red Saxon]

You don't need a degree to visit monuments in Russia.Getting college credit, paying normal tuition AND being able to go to Russia as part of those studies is a treat profound in these economic times.


Although being biased, I would suggest a Political or social science if you wish to understand more about people think and how a Left Ideologically could be applied correctly.Insight doesn't pay the bills sadly. Are there many jobs I could find with Political Science?

[Animal Farm Pig]

Get whatever kind of degree you'd like. Except for some technical fields, the purpose of an undergraduate degree in much of the world is not so much to certify proficiency or a deep knowledge as to provide an indicator of your class background. As such, it doesn't really matter what you study. The end results will be the same-- doors opened to you because you appear to be from the "correct" class for certain types of work.

[Dr Mindbender]

What AFP says.

Base your degree around the sort of job you'd like. Especially if you'd like a technically orientated job in IT, maths, science or engineering. Otherwise you may create some awkward and regrettable cul-de-sacs for yourself in later life.

From what ive seen artsy based degrees probably carry more transferable skills between relevant professions. For example, a graduate in history, literature or sociology could probably get a job in television or journalism but a pure chemistry or biology graduate is less likely to get a job as an engineer or theoretical mathematician.

[Red Saxon]

Get whatever kind of degree you'd like. Except for some technical fields, the purpose of an undergraduate degree in much of the world is not so much to certify proficiency or a deep knowledge as to provide an indicator of your class background. As such, it doesn't really matter what you study. The end results will be the same-- doors opened to you because you appear to be from the "correct" class for certain types of work.I suppose that makes sense. My grandparents tell me all the time that once you get a degree its relatively easy to get a job anywhere.

Thanks for the words of advice.

[Dr Mindbender]

I suppose that makes sense. My grandparents tell me all the time that once you get a degree its relatively easy to get a job anywhere.

I'm going to be the cynical bastard here and say thats not true. A degree is not a magical ticket that guarantees employment in your dream job (for my money degrees are over-rated, nothing beats experience in the interview room). Sadly we live in an unmeritocratic capitalist society where who you know and where you came from is more vital than what you know. I know graduates that are stuck in dead end jobs that couldn't be further removed from their course. Many are probably on the dole. Your chances of getting a job are as affected as much by the demand as they are by the pieces of paper you have.

To that end, you might want to take a bite of the reality sandwich and alter your job expectations based on the market. Then from there, base your decision on what degree you should do before you hand out 10 grand for a mickey mouse degree no one cares about.

[Invincible Summer]

So it is getting near that time that I should start thinking about what the major in.

My parents (bless their poor ignorant souls) are really pushing me into a Business degree. Laudable, I know.

I would like a degree that would compliment my political beliefs and provide me with a job at some point in the future. I would appreciate an Art History degree, but god knows that is completely useless. I could also see myself getting into Eurasian or Russian studies, which would also give me the benefit of being able to travel to Russia to visit monuments. A History Education degree wouldn't be so bad, but with such a surplus of History teaches in the US I would probably have a hard time finding a job, unless I could count on retiring baby boomers to make some room.

If all else fails, I could just go live on a commune in Canada.

Ruble for your thoughts?

Trust me, just look for an education that will get you a job you'd like. Politics can be an aside. I went into sociology because it's the most left-leaning department I know of (which is not saying too much). But the degree is pretty much useless, mainly because it's so broad. Plus, no one really accepts "communist revolution" as a conclusion to a paper/research project on social issues.

I mean, it's not like I'm going to get paid for writing pages of "There's x problem... solve it with communist revolution!"

I'm graduating next year, and I'm seriously thinking I'll have to go back to school and get a totally different education (maybe like... computer science or something) just so I can get a job.

If you really are keen, I suppose becoming a college professor in political science/history/sociology would give you the most leniency in being able to talk about communism, but by then your students are probably into Rand, Rothbard, or the Dalai Lama and other stupid shit and won't really agree with you.

[Red Saxon]

If you really are keen, I suppose becoming a college professor in political science/history/sociology would give you the most leniency in being able to talk about communism, but by then your students are probably into Rand, Rothbard, or the Dalai Lama and other stupid shit and won't really agree with you.That's not really that far of a stretch. I wouldn't mind becoming a professor and I also wouldn't mind getting summers off to pursue hobbies.

[gorillafuck]

I'm graduating next year, and I'm seriously thinking I'll have to go back to school and get a totally different education (maybe like... computer science or something) just so I can get a job.
That sucks. Hard.

[Os Cangaceiros]

I think that college is a bit overrated, personally. You can learn a trade job and probably make more money than you would with a degree in many subjects, including most of the humanities (I'm a History major :rolleyes:). For example welders on the North Slope can make six figures a year, w/ overtime. I took two years of welding in high school, and I really wish that I'd completed my certification.

Maybe I'm just biased, though, because over the years I've grown to hate the college intellegentsia...it goes without saying that they're totally removed from the reality of most people.

[Red Saxon]

I think that college is a bit overrated, personally. You can learn a trade job and probably make more money than you would with a degree in many subjects, including most of the humanities (I'm a History major :rolleyes:). For example welders on the North Slope can make six figures a year, w/ overtime. I took two years of welding in high school, and I really wish that I'd completed my certification.

Maybe I'm just biased, though, because over the years I've grown to hate the college intellegentsia...it goes without saying that they're totally removed from the reality of most people.Having a skill such as welding wouldn't be a totally bad idea considering a trade such as that would be invaluable if I ever chose to live in a commune.

Also, speaking of Welding, they do have a class at my town arts center over the summer.

[Invincible Summer]

That sucks. Hard.

I mean, I haven't actually tried looking for a job where I can apply my sociology education yet, but talking to advisors and the like didn't really help. Basically they kept saying "But you can write good papers and do social research!"

The thing is, lots of university education (esp. in the liberal arts) really just sets one up for a life of academia. If that's what you want, then cool, but I really don't want to just write papers and mentally masturbate with other sociologists for the rest of my life.

Also, when I say "just so I can get a job," what I really mean is "so I can get a job that I can actually apply my education to." Sociology allows you to learn lots of great stuff about society, but it's not like you'll get hired to spout off statistics about workplace sexism or something.

[gorillafuck]

I mean, I haven't actually tried looking for a job where I can apply my sociology education yet, but talking to advisors and the like didn't really help. Basically they kept saying "But you can write good papers and do social research!"

The thing is, lots of university education (esp. in the liberal arts) really just sets one up for a life of academia. If that's what you want, then cool, but I really don't want to just write papers and mentally masturbate with other sociologists for the rest of my life.
Yeah, I've noticed that the things that I would actually be interested in studying in college would only be able to get me a job as someone who is basically a researcher or teacher of that subject, and I don't want that at all.

[Foldered]

Maybe I'm just biased, though, because over the years I've grown to hate the college intellegentsia...it goes without saying that they're totally removed from the reality of most people.
I have similar sentiments, to say the least.

[leftace53]

While my aspirations have and still do lie in academia (I would love to do something with the philosophy of physics), In this recessionary period I think you should rethink the business (by that I mean economics of course) degree in a revleft kinda way. Half of my current major is Economics with a public policy specialization - focus on international development (yes I have a specialization within a specialization), and it gives me an indepth look into how our economic model is constructed, and in a sense how it can be torn down. While all this can of course be found on the intarwebs, I find it quite useful to see the capitalist persona in action and to derive from it the exact ways we can change it. While most people you will encouter in an economics major are capitalist turds, there are a few that try to figure out how we can manage scarcity to give everyone the same economic opportunity.

The other half of my degree is philosophy. I wouldn't recommend that if you want a job.

Also where be these communes up here? I swear I've trodded across 6 provinces and am commune less :(

[RommelDAK]

In this recessionary period I think you should rethink the business (by that I mean economics of course) degree in a revleft kinda way.

I quite agree with the implication that economics can provide a compromise between 1) needing a job at some point and 2) following your heart. I would point out, however, that econ and business are not the same thing. I'm an econ professor and we are housed in the college of liberal arts at my university--that's actually more often the case than not. In addition, just because an econ department is in a business school does not mean they are hard-core free marketeers. The best way to tell what sort of department you have is to look at the range of courses they offer. A quick rule of thumb is if they still bother to teach history of economics (Adam Smith, Marx, Marshall, Keynes, etc.), it'll be a fun place to take classes. My department is very diverse and we not only offer but require of all students a course that discusses competing contemporary schools of thought (including, of course, Marxism).

Best thing about all that is that many employers confuse economics and business, meaning that you can open many more doors than you might with, say, political science (the other half of my undergrad major). Even among those who know the difference, economics (rightly or wrongly--I hope it's the former!) is respected as a useful and challenging major. Bottom line: our majors do not have a terribly difficult time finding a job, and they get to study Marx!


While most people you will encouter in an economics major are capitalist turds

You'd be surprised. I teach at a private university where most of the kids are rich and white, but they are fascinated by Marx. A couple of years ago we had an econ club meeting where we were going to do a sort-of mock court where students would be arguing for and against some policy. I grabbed some books out of my office to use as bibles for the swearing in: Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations, Keynes' General Theory, a copy of the Communist Manifesto, and a volume of Capital. When we got to that part of the hearing, people were fighting over the Manifesto and Capital! I wouldn't say they graduated as Marxists, but they are certainly open to giving everything a listen.

[RommelDAK]

no one really accepts "communist revolution" as a conclusion to a paper/research project on social issues.

LOL, on the exam I just gave last Wednesday, one of the questions was:


What, according to the author, is the only means of improving the lot of the third world?

The correct answer was:


Revolution!

So, on a least one occasion, your statement was incorrect: communist revolution WAS the right answer!

P.S. The author in question was Harpal Brar, a communist politician.

[Zapatas Guns]

I have a degree in English Lit. If you want to know how to deconstruct Shakespeare from a Marxist, Feminist, historical, or Freudian perspective I am your man.

If you expect me to make boat loads of money I am not your man and that major is not right for you.

You should think about why it is you are going to school. If you want to go to open your mind and look at things with sharpened critical thinking skills then a humanity is for you.

If you want to make lots of money out of college then you should look a specific trade and get a degree in that. A marketable trade is engineering, business, law, medicine, or accounting. I don't know anyone with degrees in those 5 fields that go hungry.

Also, as bad as the economy is right now school might be a good option. However everyone and their mom has a BA or BS now-a-days so you might have to go even further and get a Masters.

[Zapatas Guns]

I suppose that makes sense. My grandparents tell me all the time that once you get a degree its relatively easy to get a job anywhere.

Thanks for the words of advice.

This is false. The starving artist is not just a metaphor but a fact. Just having a degree to make it today is bull shit. Don't believe it or you will be disappointed.

[Mendax]

I considered doing political science or history...but in the long run while it would an intresting course to do the jobs there useful don't intrest me the slightest. So I'm proberly going for an engeneering based degree, which proberly makes more sense considering my top subject is physics :lol:

[Dooga Aetrus Blackrazor]

No offense to business majors, but I think it's not worth pursuing if you're particularly insightful. Business involves learning strategies and how the market operates, more than anything. In many ways, this can be self-taught. How much money is the business professor making? If they don't have a business on the side that's successful generating them income, why take them seriously? I mean, you can easily establish small revenue sources without substantial effort - especially if you have the background knowledge, too.

A great deal of college education is getting people to discipline you into doing the work. If you can read on your own, you'll do fairly well. Mathematical and social scientific skills can be learned by repetition. Really, the benefit of writing-focused majors is people critique your arguments and writing. You can get that online, but most people are idiots. I suppose it's just as easy to learn that on your own. So maybe a major that lets you use expensive equipment you can't afford to buy?

If you want business, maybe try some online business yourself. Do some writing, blogging, web-design. Set up some revenue and see if you like it. I just started getting into generating online revenue. It's a slow process that pays little, but you get better at it. Most people can't do well in the field because they work 9-5 then are too tired to do anything else. If you can start using your spare time early to generate passive revenue, etc. It's pretty neat stuff, I think.

Writing pays better than people think if you can do it well. Many sites pay you directly to essentially profit off your labor. You get small payments, ad revenue. Thus far, it appears that there is no limit on available work. I haven't even looked into direct client writing yet.

Social science builds writing and reasoning skills, and it gives you some expertise. If you like writing and utilize it effectively, you can do alright. I'd just take whatever the hell you want, personally. If you end up so unfortunate you can't stand it, just jump of a pier or something. Honestly, most people don't mind settling for a safe choice. Some people have personalities where they'd rather die than work in a career they dislike. If you're one of those people, you might as well take what you enjoy.

Best of both world's you do a double major in something fun and something practical. I went with a combined major (similar but less requirements) in two impractical fields. But I'm not regretting it yet. We'll see once I graduate what happens.