What are the most and least useful majors?

[it5five]

Just keep in mind that if it wasn't for computer science you wouldn't be typing replies like this on a Forum (web technology) on your Mac (hardware/software programming) using the Internet (evolution of DoD's ARPANET).

Yes. I know this. What I said was that I would find doing that work draining and unfulfilling. It doesn't interest me. I also said that people should study what they are interested in, regardless of it's perceived usefulness. Thankfully people out there find computer science interesting, but it is the last thing I would want to study.

 

[~Shard~]

Yes. I know this. What I said was that I would find doing that work draining and unfulfilling. It doesn't interest me. I also said that people should study what they are interested in, regardless of it's perceived usefulness. Thankfully people out there find computer science interesting, but it is the last thing I would want to study.

Fair enough. Likewise I'm sure many people would find whatever you like to study completely draining and unfulfilling too. As you say, thankfully people have different interests, passions and strengths - without such diversity the world would be a boring, bland and less-balanced place.

 

[Tilpots]

They are in every single aspect inferior to natural sciences. Let's see now:
- much worse education matching employment
- worse wages on average
- humanists can't create and invent
- humanists never make new discoveries
- humanists lack expertise in every scientific field imaginable but think they know everything which makes them irritating

List goes on and on! What's more fulfilling than learning how to manipulate E. Coli genome, witnessing horizontal gene transfer, uncovering mechanisms of death and maybe some day overcome them?! Meanwhile humanists are debating hard about portrayal of feminism in "Tron".
WHICH IS MORE INTERESTING AND FULFILLING? Yet you humanist scum keep on acting like you were better people. Get a grip, losers.

Educate yourself. Your University would be ashamed.

 

[furcalchick]

The most "useful" major is in something like mechanical or electrical engineering, because with such a degree, you can enter the widest number of fields, including business. You can go anywhere, do anything, and still get paid a decent amount of money. You can volunteer in a 3rd world country to build homes, and still put your skills to use. Many high-level business people aren't even business majors. They're law, accounting, or engineering majors. Even computer enginners and comp sci majors are joining that group. Business degrees don't always get you to the highest business ranks.

Like I said before, the most useless degree is anything you're studying because you like it as a hobby, such as drawing.

how about someone that enters, let's say, a chemistry program, thinking he could be a chemist after college, and right when he graduates, he has a change of heart and wants to do something else? is his chemistry degree now useless because he didn't get rich off his major? perhaps he learned something about himself that made him incompatible with the field. that doesn't mean all of those years studying chemistry were useless because he's not in a job related in it. in fact, you can argue that he needed to study chemistry to find out what else he can do instead of chemistry based on the skills acquired in the chemistry program.

I think choosing a major based upon the amount of money you can make with it after graduation is the worst thing you could do. Rather, I'd encourage people to study what they enjoy, even if some people find it "useless". If someone finds computer science fulfilling and enjoyable, then more power to them, but I could never do that to myself. Likewise, people who see no value in humanities degrees should realize that other people DO see value in one.

I would be interested in finding out why people think humanities degrees are "useless" without having to resort to job/money arguments. I know full well I won't be entering the corporate/business world with my History degree. But that doesn't make my degree useless, especially since I have absolutely no interest in getting a traditional business/corporate job.

it5five, i think some of the people who make these arguments (that humanities degrees are useless due to not making $$$ on the major) are the careerist types; the ones that are always thinking about their careers through college and miss out on the experience, and turn college into a trade school where it's all training for a job. i didn't think of college as this as the primary function, it's primary function is investing knowledge and knowing more about yourself (at least for me). this brings me back to the chemistry example, let's say he chose chemistry out of several choices of interests, because frankly, like most people at 18, don't know what exactly what they want to do, and usually have several options they weigh on. he said chemistry was the most intriguing of his hobbies growing up, and thinks it has potential to be a career, and also that he'll have fun learning more about chemistry.

 

[it5five]

They are in every single aspect inferior to natural sciences. Let's see now:
- much worse education matching employment
- worse wages on average
- humanists can't create and invent
- humanists never make new discoveries
- humanists lack expertise in every scientific field imaginable but think they know everything which makes them irritating

+ angry

You need to take a breath and read my other posts in this thread. I was not talking about natural sciences.

But way to prove my point, still. Your first two points are entirely dependent on employment and income, something without which you are unable to argue the "usefulness" of a humanities degree. The rest of your points lead me to believe you are incredibly uninformed in the humanities.

 

[dukebound85]

Yes. I know this. What I said was that I would find doing that work draining and unfulfilling. It doesn't interest me. I also said that people should study what they are interested in, regardless of it's perceived usefulness. Thankfully people out there find computer science interesting, but it is the last thing I would want to study.

you do realize that you can study arts, humanities and such without paying 10's of thousands right? you can still buy the books and learn on your own. BUT when you make it a point to get a degree in something that will not give much return on investment, how is that smart or logical? in other words why pay that insane amt of cash to get "credit" for a major in which it will be very difficult to get a job when you can learn it on your own through other means.

all paying tuition does is make sure you get credit that you took the class which would then be recognized by the industry that you completed the requirements for the degree.

yes i believe people should study what they are interested in....heck i do it all the time but as far as college goes, you have to be smart and major in something that will benefit you and enable you to pay back student loans and get a job

for example, i take a strong interest in photography and recently programming as well as working on my car. did i go to school to major in those interests?, no as i consider them hobbies and worthwhile subjects to learn about. granted majoring in cs would have been a smart chocie but i couldnt go wrong with engineering either


also, most talented people in art don't need a degree, same with musicians. you do need a degree to even break into the engineering or corporate world these days. that alone proves my point

so unless you have money to blow on studying whatever hobby you like as a degree, i would strongly recommend having some forsight and see how it will affect you after you graduate

 

[it5five]

also, most talented people in art don't need a degree, same with musicians. you do need a degree to even break into the engineering or corporate world these days. that alone proves my point

so unless you have money to blow on studying whatever hobby you like as a degree, i would strongly recommend having some forsight and see how it will affect you after you graduate

1. I'm not paying 10's of thousands for my degree. I am doing smart thing and I am attending an in-state public school. I'll be surprised if I have 5k in student loan debt when I graduate.

2. I have no interest in "breaking into" the engineering or corporate world, so why in the world would I study something that would make the rest of my life miserable? Because I'll make money? Not for me. I suppose we have different priorities in life, but happiness comes above wealth, for me.

3. I do have foresight. Seeing as how after I graduate, I'll be going to grad school to study History, my B.A. in History won't be a "waste of time".

Speaking of employment opportunities; wasn't it you that made that thread discussing the difficulty of getting a job after college? And you even studied a "useful" subject. It doesn't seem to be so useful for you right now.

 

[dukebound85]

Speaking of employment opportunities; wasn't it you that made that thread discussing the difficulty of getting a job after college? And you even studied a "useful" subject. It doesn't seem to be so useful for you right now.

haha touche
i too attended an instate public school. however the cost of attendance was 14k a year which is pretty cheap for university. this was for tuition, books, housing estimates, food, the WHOLE estimate it would take to go there a year. tuition on the other hand was only about 4k a year

the basis that i made my argument was on forcast of jobs in major
for instance
1)http://www.bordeglobal.com/foruminv/index.php?act=ST&f=109&t=18549&
2)http://globalsuccessclub.blogspot.com/2008/01/which-majors-are-in-most-demand.html

back to my job thread, i have had offers, just not in a field i take interest in which is aeronautics

 

[~Shard~]

also, most talented people in art don't need a degree, same with musicians. you do need a degree to even break into the engineering or corporate world these days.

Rightly or wrongly, this is one of the reasons I chose Engineering over music, as I stated in my initial post. I simply decided that although I enjoyed music, getting a piece of paper saying I completed a bunch of classes would not magically make me a better player. Conversely, at the risk of sounding arrogant, I am a better musician than many individuals I know who went through Music in University and received their degree in performance or what have you - it's a simple fact. And don't get me wrong, I feel very fortunate and blessed to have the natural musical ability I have. Anyway, music has always been a passion of mine, and passions are not something I usually like to associate directly with making money - I'd prefer to pursue them because I want to and I love to, not because my livelihood relies on them. Sure, getting paid to do what you love is an added bonus, but it shouldn't be the reason you're doing it in the first place. In my opinion, once money enters the equation something is lost.

I suppose we have different priorities in life, but happiness comes above wealth, for me.

That's exactly my outlook too. I guess though it comes down to what each person defines as "happiness" - different things make different people happy - it's all relative I suppose....

 

[NSNick]

Just keep in mind that if it wasn't for computer science you wouldn't be typing replies like this on a Forum (web technology) on your Mac (hardware/software programming) using the Internet (evolution of DoD's ARPANET).

If it wasn't for EE you also would not be posting on this forum.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

stuff

Let me guess: When you talk to people you don't know, you don't make eye contact. When you stop talking to these people, you immediately think in your head how much smarter you are than they. You will get a good starting salary out of college. For the next forty years, you will be working within the confines of your narrowly scoped job and will not know the necessary skills to either go it alone or to advance within your field. Your brain will stagnate under the monotony of your job. The very same people you ridicule will continue learning a wide array of subjects that might never get old for them. They'll read books that will teach them about human nature, they'll come into contact with prose that moves them. So, go ahead, make $65k out of college (if you go, which I'm doubting by your extremely ignorant pots) and work in the same department for forty years that you started in.

Me? I'm going to continue reading. It's fun, it makes me more articulate, and it allows me to relate to people. While you don't know anything else other than studying, I'm going to stop to appreciate the world, maybe catch a basketball game that might be useful in remembering when I'm talking to a boss down the road who happens to be a fan of that team. I'll know how to run a business, not to run *in* one. And finally, when I want someone who does not have the diverse education needed to make decisions with consequence...I'll hire you.


EDIT: And +1 for using the word humanist throughout your post. Maybe you'd know what it meant had you actually been educated. Me? I'll learn how to learn (not a typo) AND know the krebs cycle.

 

[ChrisA]

so, in this thread, usefulness is defined as the likelihood of getting a job? if thats true, then the most useful major is no major at all, and going into the military. guaranteed job.

Guaranteed job? Only until the war is over. I think they still have the "up or out" rule. That means those passed over twice for promotions are not allowed to re-enlist. This is what prevents you from seeing any 45 year old Second Lieutenants You actually have to be half way competent to be a career officer. It has to be this way: If they promoted everyone there would be more chiefs than Indians. They need to keep the ratio "correct". Even in the enlisted ranks I know of some that were "let go". They call the "unfit for service" and give them a ticket home and severance pay. Happens more than you'd think

 

[~Shard~]

If it wasn't for EE you also would not be posting on this forum.

Being that I am an Electronics Engineer you need not tell me.

 

[Eraserhead]

In my view Sciences are generally useful but less fun, arts are more fun, but are not so useful.

 

[sn00pie]

I'm about to start my major at University this fall. What do you guys think about a major in Criminology?

 

[Leareth]

I'm about to start my major at University this fall. What do you guys think about a major in Criminology?

Crim is useful only if you plan on working is related field
its like a bastard child if Stats, Sociology, Psychology, and History.

best to double major with something usually Psych or Sociology.

There are more Crim grads than jobs.
My Uni has over 480 Majors and 186 Graduates in Crim last time I checked- and its a med size uni.

 

[sn00pie]

Crim is useful only if you plan on working is related field
its like a bastard child if Stats, Sociology, Psychology, and History.

best to double major with something usually Psych or Sociology.

There are more Crim grads than jobs.
My Uni has over 480 Majors and 186 Graduates in Crim last time I checked- and its a med size uni.

Are you talking about UBC or SFU? I'm attending SFU and I'm planning on going into Law after doing a major in Crim.

 

[Leareth]

Are you talking about UBC or SFU? I'm attending SFU and I'm planning on going into Law after doing a major in Crim.

SFU.

trust me it is the most over-rated program up there.
insane admissions, long hours working outside of class and not that much payoff. did two degrees in it.

double majoring is the best way for future.
if you serious for law it is not the best major to take.


if you want more info pm me.

 

[Abstract]

how about someone that enters, let's say, a chemistry program, thinking he could be a chemist after college, and right when he graduates, he has a change of heart and wants to do something else? is his chemistry degree now useless because he didn't get rich off his major? perhaps he learned something about himself that made him incompatible with the field. that doesn't mean all of those years studying chemistry were useless because he's not in a job related in it. in fact, you can argue that he needed to study chemistry to find out what else he can do instead of chemistry based on the skills acquired in the chemistry program.

But that's personal reason, and not related to the degree. A chemistry degree is useful for reasons X, Y, and Z. If someone graduates from Chemistry and doesn't like the field, it doesn't change the usefulness of the degree itself. It only changes the usefulness of a chemistry degree for himself/herself.

If the topic is, "What are the most useful degrees?", I'd still go with mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or computer science.

If the question is, "What are the most useful degrees for someone whose interests include A, B, and C", then that's different. I mean, if you're interested in acting, then obviously chemistry is useless to you. However, you can't really ask the question presented to us and then base your answer off your own personal interests. The answer must be objective, and leave ones own interests behind.

The question requires us to treat degrees as a Swiss Army knife. For general, practical, day-to-day, "take anywhere" and "do anything" degrees, mech eng, electrical eng, and computer science are useful degrees, even if they're not useful for what I want to do in my personal life. They're clearly not related to cancer treatment; however, I'm certain my degree isn't the most useful degree once I leave the university/hospital/research lab. In our technological world, computer science would help. Same with mech or electrical engineering.

2. I have no interest in "breaking into" the engineering or corporate world, so why in the world would I study something that would make the rest of my life miserable? Because I'll make money? Not for me. I suppose we have different priorities in life, but happiness comes above wealth, for me.

3. I do have foresight. Seeing as how after I graduate, I'll be going to grad school to study History, my B.A. in History won't be a "waste of time".

 

[weazbert]

Ah, so your answers are porn star, and idiots who make YouTube videos?

sure why not, as well as the Wiki people, the recipe people, the Flickstr people, Porn, while enjoying a slight social stigma, was essentially the "killer app" that made it viable. You know content can also come from........ wait for it....... people on a message board! There are hundreds of users on here throwing up pictures of their setup/wife/ferret/ whatever gets them through the day. Thats content.

 

[~Shard~]

If the topic is, "What are the most useful degrees?", I'd still go with mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or computer science.

The question requires us to treat degrees as a Swiss Army knife. For general, practical, day-to-day, "take anywhere" and "do anything" degrees, mech eng, electrical eng, and computer science are useful degrees, even if they're not useful for what I want to do in my personal life. They're clearly not related to cancer treatment; however, I'm certain my degree isn't the most useful degree once I leave the university/hospital/research lab. In our technological world, computer science would help. Same with mech or electrical engineering.

Along that line of thinking then I would throw in structural/civil engineering as well. Highways, bridges and tall buildings are pretty useful things to have around as well.

 

[rajalot]

You need to take a breath and read my other posts in this thread. I was not talking about natural sciences.

But way to prove my point, still. Your first two points are entirely dependent on employment and income, something without which you are unable to argue the "usefulness" of a humanities degree. The rest of your points lead me to believe you are incredibly uninformed in the humanities.

Post-graduate employment and income do play a big role when measuring usefulness of different sciences. Rest of usefulness could be measured as usefulness for rest of humanity. Again, humanists take it hard in comparison. Humanist art student learns to paint a picture and tell a tale about Picasso or the most advanced ones learn to ask tricky questions literally out of real world while studying philosophy. Meanwhile an experimental chemist discovers how to make less toxic and longer lasting batteries for our electronics and physics researcher at CERN crawls patiently through massive amounts of data which could explain origins and basic structure of everything. Which is more useful to humanity as a whole? Being an literacy researcher or physics researcher? What good does knowing what style Aldous Huxley used when writing Brave New World to the rest of us? Nothing, nada, zip!

Admit it, defending humanitarian pseudo-science is useless.

 

[Tilpots]

Post-graduate employment and income do play a big role when measuring usefulness of different sciences. Rest of usefulness could be measured as usefulness for rest of humanity. Again, humanists take it hard in comparison. Humanist art student learns to paint a picture and tell a tale about Picasso or the most advanced ones learn to ask tricky questions literally out of real world while studying philosophy. Meanwhile an experimental chemist discovers how to make less toxic and longer lasting batteries for our electronics and physics researcher at CERN crawls patiently through massive amounts of data which could explain origins and basic structure of everything. Which is more useful to humanity as a whole? Being an literacy researcher or physics researcher? What good does knowing what style Aldous Huxley used when writing Brave New World to the rest of us? Nothing, nada, zip!

Admit it, defending humanitarian pseudo-science is useless.

Thank a writer for inspiring many scientists for joining their profession.
Thank an English teacher for your ability to write this idiotic statement. Thank you for showing us what you're all about...

 

[~Shard~]

This thread is morphing into "arts versus science" debate...

 

[4JNA]

i thought that i thought so

This thread is morphing into "arts versus science" debate...

which is why philosophy is by far the most useful degree.