Why aren't arts degrees "real degrees"?

My honours BA in Economics & Politics is worth more than a BSc in some joke of a subject like Sport Science. May not make me a batchelor of science, but it also doesn't make me a jumped up masseuse. :)

Edit: a degree in art or a BA?
 
Theophany said:
My honours BA in Economics & Politics is worth more than a BSc in some joke of a subject like Sport Science. May not make me a batchelor of science, but it also doesn't make me a jumped up masseuse. :)

Edit: a degree in art or a BA?
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What about English Literature or History?
 
Who said it "wasnt" a real degree? however everyone I know who has done an art degree in Uni, has graduated and not done anything with their life's remotely related to art, at all....

Infact I know a few people who got to the second year, racked up £9k's worth of Uni debt, then dropped out in their second year as they knew that they would come out and not be able to get a job in the art industry.

I know a few people who graduated with art degree's a few years ago, one is working at a supermarket, the other is working as a care nurse.
 
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Mickey Mouse degrees. I believe that is the expression.

I wouldn't say that art isn't a real degree but I believe you have to have a talent for it. It's just one of those degrees that people see as not a real subject, just a bit of a cruise course and an excuse to spend a few more years dossing in education as opposed to getting a proper job.

Obviously for those who have every intention of getting a job in the industry afterwards then it isn't a Mickey Mouse degree but I'm curious to know how many take art degrees and then end up in a job completely unrelated for the rest of their working life. That is just a waste of time and money in my eyes but that goes for any degree not just ones in art.

Others that seem to attract the same label would be things like Media Studies and the like.

Before anyone asks my degree was Business Studies with E-Commerce. Something I felt would give me a good grounding for a wide base of occupations. Obviously with the exceptions of medicine/law/engineering etc
 
My cousin done an art degree. He lives on the streets and eats out of rubbish bins.

This is not a true story.
 
In my opinion it's because education just seems to be about passing exams these days. If the degree is perceived as being easy to pass then people say it's not a 'proper' degree because anyone can do it.
 
It depends on which uni it's from, doing English Lit or History at Oxford would be well regarded - you'll evidently have needed some intelligence and hard work to complete the degree.

However, doing Geography at some ex-poly where you spent at most 3 hours a week in leactures probably won;t get you the same respect....

It's also the ability to quantify degrees - which is much easier with science/maths/engineering subjects due to the nature of them.

I do dislike the current trend of university being seen as a conveyor belt to a good job, and hence arts degrees being looked down on. University shouldn't just be about what job you get afterwards, but furthering your knowledge in a subject you enjoy and potentially making a valid contribution to the world of academia.
 
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DJMK4 said:
Infact I know a few people who got to the second year, racked up £9k's worth of Uni debt, then dropped out in their second year as they knew that they would come out and not be able to get a job in the art industry.
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its probably because it sounds like an easy degree a lot of dropouts who have no artistic tallent do it.... so 90% of the people on the course have no tallent at all... so its a total waste... those with tallent its probably going to help, those without will end up working in BK or M&S
 
People are confusing a BA with a degree in the subject art.

I'm pretty sure the OP meant BA because he mentions History and English further down.
 
mangobreeder said:
i have a Bsc, Maths, UCL.

I see nothing wrong with having a BA, it is the subject that is of import.

I.e respect Ba in Economics

No respect BA in Celebrity Journalism
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This. Urge university and subject are important. BA/BSc are not, and meaningless. E.g., BA Natural Sciences at Cambridge.
 
The government classifies a certain set of courses as Arts courses, I'm not sure the resulting qualification (BA) is part of this decision. I'm not sure which courses fall into this category, but they are the ones at the highest risk of losing funding.

Institutions which offer only arts courses are also at highest risk.

I think the logic is that arts courses provide a less definite route to employment.
 
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