Who here has a "useless" degree?

I'm currently getting a B.A. in Journalism and I've considered getting an M.A. or PhD in Religion and Philosophy; and perhaps becoming a college professor in said area.

I can't count how many times people have told me that those degrees are useless and how I'm going to end up homeless in a park with a bible in hand. Okay, I made that last part up, but I'm surprised no one has made that joke yet.

Out of curiosity, how many of you have "useless" college degrees? How many of you have done something with said degrees?

 

I have been told a lot that my degree is "useless." I've been told it's dumb, an easy subject, and common sense. :dry: I graduated with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Religious Studies. I hope to get a PhD in Sociology. I haven't done anything with my degree yet but I just graduated in May.

Personally I find it really rude when people tell us our degrees are useless. They should get off their high horse.

 

Journalism is not that dumb... but -personally- i don't like journalism for playing with words to try to provoke emotion out of readers...

religious studies... i am iffy about that. But I can definitely see sociology come into play somewhere...

and i am major in science, so lol.

 

My degree will be useless if I decide I don't like the field enough to work in it...

 

I'm art education. Yep. I'm gonna be an art teacher. Thing is, my generation will have plenty of jobs opening up in the next couple years...so it WON'T be as difficult/useless as people think.

Though if I'd gone for studio art like I wanted...well there's a reason they call em "starving artists" heh

 

I feel like if you're passionate about something, it's not useless to study it and earn a college degree. For me, the only useless degree is one where you're studying something you hate. Honestly, what's the point in becoming a chemist, engineer, nurse, doctor, or whatever you qualify as useful if you despise every minute of it.

 

Communication studies here. Pretty much useless unless you get connection in the industry. Otherwise it is kinda a general degree that no employer seriously care for.

But I like it.

 

I got a B.A. in Sociology, too! :eek: I wouldn't consider it useless, as I value the knowledge I've received through that subject. As for having a job, I've been looking since mid-August when my last job ended. It doesn't help that I don't want to pursue Sociology anymore... I'm thinking of returning to school for a degree in cartoon animation. Actually, my plan is to study improvisation, but I haven't been able to move yet because of student loan debt :icon_redf

 

I'm going for a BS in Geology and a BA in Religious Studies, so one of my degrees will be useless. And I might go to grad school in religious studies, which would be hella useless.

 

I'm getting my BA in sociology and plan on going to grad school for my MA and PhD, most likely in the sociology of education with my focus being on lgbtq experiences in the Canadian education system.

 

My Mom got her Master's degree in economic history. She went on to be extremely successful, but I can't reveal information about that, since it would then be possible to research who I am.

 

I'm in the course of getting my degree in English Literature, which people always deem a "useless degree" unless you're teaching or writing a book. BUT, I am getting a minor in Technical & Professional Writing, which is a lot more practical, useful, and very much needed in every workplace. So, hopefully my skills combined from both degrees (which are on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of the English/writing fields), I can find a good job. I get the more analytical, creative aspects from English Lit, and I get the more down-to-business, real-world applicative aspects from Technical & Professional Writing.

 

I think if you're studying something you like, it's not a useless degree. It may not be something that will make you a lot of money, but why force yourself to do something you don't like. I'm a computer science major and love it, so that's why I picked it, not because of the high potential salaries. Everyone I know who chose a major they didn't like based on salary either dropped out, changed their major or hates their job.

 

I'm in Creative Writing, which could definitely be called useless...but nothing that a more academic-minded person would consider helpful interests me. I would call any degree in a field you're not passionate about useless, regardless how much money you can make doing it.

My program's great for teaching discipline. I would never have learned how to actually focus myself to write a book (which is what we're doing this month) without it. The disability centre raises their eyebrows when they see an ADHD diagnosis on a full-time writing student, however...

 

I have a 'useless' degree in linguistics & philosophy, though the linguistic part eventually turned out to be very useful indeed when I had to write parsers. The philosophy part though has only enabled me to say 'I'm a qualified philosopher' when drunkenly arguing with people.

 

Any degree is useless if you don't know what to do with it.



That aside, in the first two years at college I've considered political science, philosophy, and psychology. Now I'm thinking I'll attempt to attain either a Bachelor's in computer science or chemical engineering (or maybe a chemistry degree specializing in a particular area) - which I presume is what you would consider a "useful" degree?

 

English Major, Bio/Sociology Minor. Aiming to get into a master's program.

I feel like there's too much emphasis placed on your degree here. I think what plays a larger role is the experience you have, and have gained from previous jobs. They are a pretty vital part of how you acquire the job/career/other thing you're trying to get. The degree, on the other hand, is essentially an increased potential in earnings, it is knowledge, it allows you to go further up the metaphorical ladder.
With that said, what you guys consider a useless degree seems to be within the fields of liberal arts, in which case I can assure you that there are plenty of jobs related you might not have thought of. And if not, I believe there's a statistic that claims that most students will have a job that does not exist yet when they graduate.
I dunno, the idea of a 'useless' degree irks me, hence the rambling. Undergrads/postgrads are supposed to be there for the sake of learning. I would assume that was their intended purpose: to further educate.
I'll stop now.

 

I'm doing a BA Music degree. Definitely what a lot of people would call 'useless'. But music is my passion, so it's definitely not useless to me! Also I intend to get a music related job, so my degree will be useful, I WILL MAKE SURE OF IT!!

 

OH yeah

I'm nearing the completion of my first 'useless' degree. I'm getting my bachelor's in Philosophy and planning on continuing until I finish my 'useless' Ph.D.

But I want to teach. I'm hanging out with the rest of the people whose degrees are 'useless'. in a cool place called academia.

The thing I don't understand is how anyone who knows what philosophy really is (hint: it's not just your opinion or fancy wordplay) could EVER possibly think it's useless. If you have a degree in philosophy, you can read, write and think very critically. You can express yourself well. In other words, you're one smart cookie who doesn't take people's bullshit out of ignorance. You're a truth-seeker and most certainly a lover of wisdom--no coincidence that that's what the word Philosophy means...

 

Speaking as a qualified philosopher, I agree completely :icon_bigg