Why aren't arts degrees "real degrees"?

[Lakeland]

The only useful thing you can do with an art degree is to teach art

 

[KaHn]

Mechanical engineering actually sounds like a really interesting and solid degree. What would I need at A level to get into that? I could always search but from a personal perspective, Kahn or anybody else what A levels did you do to enable you to do Mechanical Engineering at uni?

I did Aerospace engineering for BEng (Hons) then Mechanical for MSc

I would suggest Maths, Physics and then something you enjoy, be it chemistry (like me) or something more design related.

KaHn

 

[Theophany]

I'm not sure what you're confused about. All I'm saying is that a good BA can get you a good graduate job. These are jobs that require a degree. It doesn't have to be directly related to the degree...

Confused because we mean the same thing in different words - BA is useful in its capacity, but may as well be printed on toilet paper for all its actual value beyond your CV

 

[Sukh]

Again, not at all. I recounted my own experience in support of the idea that it is who you know, not what you know. I said in this thread I'm still unemployed and do not have a job. I also said that in the cases where my applications failed (not a strong enough application, not fast enough in NRTs, etc) and I knew somebody in that organisation, I was able to bypass the rejections.

I'm interested about these firms you applied to. Could you give us some more information?

 

[Jupiter]

Mechanical engineering actually sounds like a really interesting and solid degree. What would I need at A level to get into that? I could always search but from a personal perspective, Kahn or anybody else what A levels did you do to enable you to do Mechanical Engineering at uni?

My brothers doing Mech engineering at uni. He took physics maths IT and business studies (he dropped this at a2). Hes doing well.

 

[Flying Gribble]

Like I heard the other day:

A graduate with a Science degree asks, "Why does it work?"
A graduate with an Engineering degree asks , "How does it work?"
A graduate with an Accounting degree asks, "How much will it cost?"
A graduate with a Law degree asks, "Who gave it permission to work?"
A graduate with an Arts degree asks, "Would you like fries with that?"

 

[Dabbles]

LLB > *

:3

Lawyers are the scum of the earth!

 

[admoo]

Mechanical engineering actually sounds like a really interesting and solid degree. What would I need at A level to get into that? I could always search but from a personal perspective, Kahn or anybody else what A levels did you do to enable you to do Mechanical Engineering at uni?

I'm a third year mechanical engineering student. I did maths, physics and chemistry - I think most places want maths and physics and something 'relevant', though to be honest so long as you have good grades in maths and physics you should be fine

There are definitely times where myself and my friends wonder why the hell we're doing engineering - just before Christmas I was probably doing 70-80 hours a week for about a month just to get assignments finished it's quite rewarding though, just beware of all the work!

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

There's a great deal of self-justification going on here

Anyway, I did a Bsc but I know many, many successful people who did something else or didn't go to Uni at all. Your work experience very quickly overtakes your education in terms of attractiveness to an employer (generally speaking, to avoid the no-doubt incoming GD pedantry).

 

[meghatronic]

LLB > *

:3

Er... LL.M.?

 

[sigma]

Lawyers are the scum of the earth!

Law is easy, just requires you to have a really good memory.

 

[Dabbles]

Law is easy, just requires you to have a really good memory.

and REALLY low morals!

 

[Aod]

I'm a third year mechanical engineering student. I did maths, physics and chemistry - I think most places want maths and physics and something 'relevant', though to be honest so long as you have good grades in maths and physics you should be fine

There are definitely times where myself and my friends wonder why the hell we're doing engineering - just before Christmas I was probably doing 70-80 hours a week for about a month just to get assignments finished it's quite rewarding though, just beware of all the work!

most of the Institutions i looked at for Mech-Eng wanted an A-level in Maths (B or higher preferably) first and foremost, and any other combination of other A-levels afterwards.

they very strongly prioritize Further-maths students as well.

 

[R B Customs]

You get a lot of wasters on art courses and such but at the same time you may be looking at people who either want to go into education; do a degree in an art based subject then do a post grad degree and start teaching at secondry school level or higher.

A lot of people are saying things like 'why do you need a degree to be an artist, if ytou're already an artist'
A degree is more than just a piece of paper, it's 3 years or more of basically forced experience (if you choose). someone who doens't need the piece of paper might need the facilities, the freedom and the people around them. Their lecturers maybe some of the best in their game - you pay for that kind of contact.

I'm on what could be considered a mickey mouse course - I'm doing a BSc in visual effects, at one of the worst uni's in the country... however it happens to be one of the best courses in the field, and the best course in the uni by far. it is proving to be worth it. The uni just happens to be bad at everything else! I have access to some very decent equipment and software; things that I simply would not get my hands on outside of the course - team members to work with are valuable assets. I can work on big projects and combine the skills of various artists to help me. people trying to get into he industry I'm going for could spend years simply doing the wrong things and learning the wrong way with duff equipment.

Also, a degree is more than the subject - it's how much effort you put into it. Someone on a more 'out there' course could be putting an increadible amount of effort in, and truly getting the most out of it.

I reckon that people on mickey mouse degrees give them a bad rep by not trying hard enough. I'm sure quite a lot of people waste 3 years of their life chasing something that isn't for them, where as the top performers in the class could go on as outstanding professionals.

I'm putting all I can into mine, and I know I'm going to get a fantastic job out of it in the end. I'm pretty sure I would not have been able to get as far as I have done without being at uni to be honest, just the facilities, space and people, as mentioned above allow so much more work to be done; and all following the correct pipeline used in industry.

Personally I think people should think long and hard about the degree they choose. I live with and I'm friends with people who are doing photography and fashion design. They are just along for the ride in all honesty they have no desire to seek the jobs that their degrees could lead them to, some won't even go out on their own to take photographs! I think they just went for it based on the idea of it, fresh from school. One doesn't even want to be a photographer!

so are arts degrees worthless? I'd say only to the people who make nothing of them and give them a bad name as a result. I know my degree will not be worthless, but I believe I'm one of the few on my course that is putting the effort in - our graduates go one of two ways: a select few go to the top companies in industry, the rest go back to asda. sad

final words: A degree's worth depends on the student.

 

[dowie]

http://www.staffs.ac.uk/courses_and_study/courses/celebrity-journalism-tcm4227143.jsp

This is why we not only need increased fees but also an aim to decrease the number of people going to university. Survival of the fittest etc.. hopefully some of the bum-****-ex-polys offering **** courses will go bankrupt as a result.

 

[Demoniser]

You get a lot of wasters on art courses and such but at the same time you may be looking at people who either want to go into education; do a degree in an art based subject then do a post grad degree and start teaching at secondry school level or higher.

A lot of people are saying things like 'why do you need a degree to be an artist, if ytou're already an artist'
A degree is more than just a piece of paper, it's 3 years or more of basically forced experience (if you choose). someone who doens't need the piece of paper might need the facilities, the freedom and the people around them. Their lecturers maybe some of the best in their game - you pay for that kind of contact.

I'm on what could be considered a mickey mouse course - I'm doing a BSc in visual effects, at one of the worst uni's in the country... however it happens to be one of the best courses in the field, and the best course in the uni by far. it is proving to be worth it. The uni just happens to be bad at everything else! I have access to some very decent equipment and software; things that I simply would not get my hands on outside of the course - team members to work with are valuable assets. I can work on big projects and combine the skills of various artists to help me. people trying to get into he industry I'm going for could spend years simply doing the wrong things and learning the wrong way with duff equipment.

Also, a degree is more than the subject - it's how much effort you put into it. Someone on a more 'out there' course could be putting an increadible amount of effort in, and truly getting the most out of it.

I reckon that people on mickey mouse degrees give them a bad rep by not trying hard enough. I'm sure quite a lot of people waste 3 years of their life chasing something that isn't for them, where as the top performers in the class could go on as outstanding professionals.

I'm putting all I can into mine, and I know I'm going to get a fantastic job out of it in the end. I'm pretty sure I would not have been able to get as far as I have done without being at uni to be honest, just the facilities, space and people, as mentioned above allow so much more work to be done; and all following the correct pipeline used in industry.

Personally I think people should think long and hard about the degree they choose. I live with and I'm friends with people who are doing photography and fashion design. They are just along for the ride in all honesty they have no desire to seek the jobs that their degrees could lead them to, some won't even go out on their own to take photographs! I think they just went for it based on the idea of it, fresh from school. One doesn't even want to be a photographer!

so are arts degrees worthless? I'd say only to the people who make nothing of them and give them a bad name as a result. I know my degree will not be worthless, but I believe I'm one of the few on my course that is putting the effort in - our graduates go one of two ways: a select few go to the top companies in industry, the rest go back to asda. sad

final words: A degree's worth depends on the student.

Agree with everything you've said there tbh.

I've just finished an MSc in 3D Games Modelling, straight after a BSC in Computer Games Design, both 'mickey mouse' degrees people might think.

I've seen people on both courses that have 'just been along for the ride' as you say. I have no doubt that these people will have no chance in hell of getting a job in the games industry, because they didn't put the work in, and just did the bare minimum to get the piece of paper at the end.

On the other hand, i've seen people who've put the extra work in in their spare time and taken advantage of whats available to them. These have gone on to land pretty decent starting jobs in the industry after graduation.

Were those 4 years worth it? Well they got me working with like minded people face to face on a daily basis. I had access to top of the line equipment and software, including a state of the art motion capture studio used by a local developer. Not to mention the experience and feedback of the lecturers.

On the other hand, there were subjects i had to study, which i'll never really use. There were others which i know will not help me get a job in the slightest.

Could i have learnt the stuff i learnt in my own time? Absolutely. Would it have been more productive? it's hard to say. Was working in an academic environment with the above benefits worth it? I'd have to say yes. was my choice of course right? Yeah it turned out well imo. I got some invaluable skills and experience i wouldn't have got on my own.

If i could go back 4 years, would i take a more thorough look at my options to see if my choice was the best available at the time. Sure i would, in hindsight.

Theres no right or wrong answer, many 'mickey mouse' degrees that appear to be a waste of time actuallty have some decent plus points going for them.

But there will always be those that can manage without, and succeed on the non-uni path.

Just my two very long cents.

 

[Sherbs]

My other halves sister dropped out of uni doing an arts degree. 2 years later she gets a certificate in the post.

Free B.A.

 

[KaHn]

There are definitely times where myself and my friends wonder why the hell we're doing engineering - just before Christmas I was probably doing 70-80 hours a week for about a month just to get assignments finished it's quite rewarding though, just beware of all the work!

Don't worry, you'll be doing more hours than that a week if you get a demanding job in engineering.

KaHn

 

[semi-pro waster]

and REALLY low morals!

"The higher the building the lower the morals" - Noel Coward. We can only imagine the debauchery that goes on in the Burj Khalifa...