Are some Degree's overrated?

MisterEpicurus

In my view, the 3rd level system of education is a farce. Not only the methods by which you gain entry, but also the actual education process itself. For example, it appears most courses require you to attain 40% to pass, when it should be at least 50%. It almost appears that a lot of courses are dedicated to throwing the information out there and then basically inform students to recite it from memory. While this is appropriate for factual information, it seems totally useless to actually applying what you learn in a real life environment. For example, most students I know would be satisfied with 'scraping 40%' and then return to the bars and clubs to celebrate.

I think University should be about teaching people not only what to think, but how to think and apply what is learned. The process seems lazy and the people lazier. All too often you find idiots with degrees wondering how on Earth someone as dumb as that could attain one. Of course, a lot of courses are more challenging and actually test the student. But too many courses and students just do it for the sake of it and will probably forget the vast majority of stuff anyway.

I remember one particular student whom I was living with who was doing a Masters in Music. For literally the whole year he did the minimum, which usually entailed one to two hours over two weeks. He admitted it was easy and anyone could pass it even without an undergraduate degree in the area. So at the end of the process, he managed to get a 1st.

I'm also in education but try to get more out of it than simply "scraping a pass". It seems a waste of time and you're left with a student with letters but could never form a coherent and logical sentence.

Am I the only one who appears to think that degrees these days are overrated?????

Sonnenblumen

The 3 Degrees are hot.

Biggins

I think zero degree's is pretty cool!

ejmaztec

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

The 3 Degrees are were hot a long long long time ago.

fyp

MisterEpicurus

Biggins wrote: »

I think zero degree's is pretty cool!

I should have expected this :rolleyes:

token101

Most degrees are overrated ffs!!!

ZombieBride

Some are... Some aren't.

Tea_Bag

3K is the average temperature of the universe. true story.

RachaelVO

Well, a "Media" degree seems like a total waste of fees!

Steven81

i agree with you, sone people from my class never turned up all year, came in last few weeks, got notes , studied like mad and got good grades.

Should bring in some continuous assessments.

As for the 40% you havent even started compensating if you are about the 35% mark.

dvpower

token101 wrote: »

Most degrees are overrated ffs!!!

...to some degree.

Biggins

MisterEpicurus wrote: »

I should have expected this :rolleyes:

Welcome to After Hours.
We hope you enjoy your stay.

Chuck Stone

'Hobby degrees'.

Creating work for academics and extracting money from students and the tax payer.

Sindri

Biggins wrote: »

I think zero degree's is pretty cool!

How acute of you. :rolleyes:













Disclaimer:Zero degrees may not actually be an (acute) angle.

Flojo

RachaelVO wrote: »

Well, a "Media Arts" degree seems like a total waste of fees!

Fixed.

Biggins

Sindri wrote: »

How acute of you. :rolleyes:

Disclaimer:Zero degrees may not actually be an (acute) angle.

...But it might have a low temperature!

---

My mate Kelvin has a poor degree!

Toby Take a Bow

Depends on the degree. And on what you think the point of education is. Also, 'Scraping a pass' is grand enough, but some Masters and Phds will require you to get at least a 2:1 in your undergrad. Regarding the guy who got the Masters in music, I went to school with a lot of people who claimed to have done no work, but came out with 550-600 points. Very suspicious.

Sindri

Biggins wrote: »

...But it might have a low temperature!

---

My mate Kelvin has a poor degree!

I know what you meant, I was just making an attempt at a pretty poor pun since you stole my first one.

bonzodog2

Biggins wrote: »

...But it might have a low temperature!

---

My mate Kelvin has a poor degree!

The Kelvin temperature scale is measured in Kelvins, not degrees Kelvin.
Just sayin', like.

ejmaztec

A friend of mine unsuccessfuly attempted 273 degrees and didn't get any of them. He's an absolute zero.:(

Sindri

bonzodog2 wrote: »

The Kelvin temperature scale is measured in Kelvins, not degrees Kelvin.
Just sayin', like.

Pedantry is measured by the pointlessness of an objection at a joke.

Just sayin', like.

mconigol

It depends what your goals are. If you want to work and get a job to earn money then do a traditional degree like engineering. You can get any job with a good base degree I reckon.

If you want to study to further your knowledge is a specific area then do whatever interests you the most.

The problem today is that universities are factories for producing graduates for the private sector. Whereas they should really be centres for education and grades shouldn't really come into it.

Finneen

We need degrees for Setting up a business as the other ones are mainly for emigrating!

Richard Hillman

RachaelVO wrote: »

Well, a "Media" degree seems like a total waste of fees!

In Ireland especially, considering most media jobs are jobs for the boys.

cloptrop

Yes degreasers are overerated , a good cloth and some elbow effort will clear a bit of grease you dont need any fancy products , tell Barry Scott to **** off.

Brain Stroking

MisterEpicurus wrote: »

In my view, the 3rd level system of education is a farce. Not only the methods by which you gain entry, but also the actual education process itself. For example, it appears most courses require you to attain 40% to pass, when it should be at least 50%. It almost appears that a lot of courses are dedicated to throwing the information out there and then basically inform students to recite it from memory. While this is appropriate for factual information, it seems totally useless to actually applying what you learn in a real life environment. For example, most students I know would be satisfied with 'scraping 40%' and then return to the bars and clubs to celebrate.

I think University should be about teaching people not only what to think, but how to think and apply what is learned. The process seems lazy and the people lazier. All too often you find idiots with degrees wondering how on Earth someone as dumb as that could attain one. Of course, a lot of courses are more challenging and actually test the student. But too many courses and students just do it for the sake of it and will probably forget the vast majority of stuff anyway.

I remember one particular student whom I was living with who was doing a Masters in Music. For literally the whole year he did the minimum, which usually entailed one to two hours over two weeks. He admitted it was easy and anyone could pass it even without an undergraduate degree in the area. So at the end of the process, he managed to get a 1st.

I'm also in education but try to get more out of it than simply "scraping a pass". It seems a waste of time and you're left with a student with letters but could never form a coherent and logical sentence.

Am I the only one who appears to think that degrees these days are overrated?????

I have two degrees. And yes you are right. Didnt prepare me one bit for the workplace.

Spunge

Handy for getting you an interview. The rest is up to you.

lividduck

It depends, one supposes, on whether it has been conferred by a College of some repute , TCD for example , or a factory, UCD for example!:D

usernamegoes

It needs to be said that while 40 per cent is a passing grade, it is marked out of 70-75 range not out of 100. A bit of an anachronism, but accounts for this.

TPD

A lot of degrees seem to be done as an academic exercise rather than as a means to an end - getting a job. I think if the student grant was only to be given to students entering courses which the job market demands, we'd see a lot less useless degrees being attained.

SeaFields

TPD wrote: »

I think if the student grant was only to be given to students entering courses which the job market demands, we'd see a lot less useless degrees being attained.

Problem is the jobs market is a dynamic thing. What is in demand now may not be in demand by the time you finish your degree or masters.

Jimoslimos

lividduck wrote: »

It depends, one supposes, on whether it has been conferred by a College of some repute , TCD for example , or a factory, UCD for example!:D

Indeed, tell us about Trinity's well-renowned MA degree......

TPD

SeaFields wrote: »

Problem is the jobs market is a dynamic thing. What is in demand now may not be in demand by the time you finish your degree or masters.

I'd say there are a fair few courses which will never be in demand though.

lividduck

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Indeed, tell us about Trinity's well-renowned MA degree......

It is similar in every respect to Cambridge's M.A. , of course you need to have commenced with honours to recieve it. (Oh and a hard neck to actually use it):D

yosser hughes

Education is never a bad thing. Of course some degrees are more useful than others when it comes to gaining employment.However people should not denigrate certain degrees. For some people it is a great achievement to graduate.There are all sorts of obstacles in place for some people and for others it's plain sailing.One size does not fit all.
Some people have to work to pay their way as well as study,some people may have had no formal education or have had learning difficulties and are returning to education as mature students.
For others they may not have those worries/setbacks/obstacles and good for them.

Jimoslimos

I'm as guilty as most at having a pop at those with Arts degrees but I do think it would be a shame if our universities were only a tool for churning out graduates trained for work with multinationals.

vamos!

Jimoslimos wrote: »

I'm as guilty as most at having a pop at those with Arts degrees but I do think it would be a shame if our universities were only a tool for churning out graduates trained for work with multinationals.

And Arts never work for multinationals? What about the language graduates and the economics graduates... both BAs in some unis

I believe no undergraduate course should be taxpayer funded.

And making funded courses available only to those with specific jobs? Ridiculous idea. Look at the many diverse degree backgrounds of Graduate Entry Medicine students, Professional Accountancy Exam candidates, etc. Google don't give a damn what your degree discipline is for some of their graduateships.

With regards the Arts dissing - I am certain that a BA degree is a just as good as any other degree. Only in Ireland do people take the piss out of it. You don't see that sort of behavior in the USA, UK, etc.

I do a BA in Economics and I think its a far more useful degree than many at my university. It's 100% continuous assessment; constant stream of assessments with small exam components. We have presentations every second week, certain degree of freedom in assignments as to what we want to investigate, teamwork, close contact with lecturers, mentoring, small classes, online tutorials, etc.

mconigol

TPD wrote: »

A lot of degrees seem to be done as an academic exercise rather than as a means to an end - getting a job. I think if the student grant was only to be given to students entering courses which the job market demands, we'd see a lot less useless degrees being attained.

Define a useless degree? The focus is too much on producing "useful" degrees in my opinion, we should encourage people to study the lesser know fields and topics otherwise we will have a deficit in our knowledge as a society. Some guy studying butterflies for 20 years might not increase the GDP but it is still relevant knowledge that the human race should have.

happyman81

lividduck wrote: »

It depends, one supposes, on whether it has been conferred by a College of some repute , TCD for example , or a factory, UCD for example!:D

A stereotype driven by ignorance, mainly. In reality, it depends on what you are studying, and the reputation of the department. For example, Economics is my field and UCD is by far the best in the country for Economics. UCC has the best Microbiology department in Ireland, perhaps Europe, and on and on.

Dudess

Any degree is a good thing to have.

paky

college is an absolute joke and a waste of time. i study law and have on average 3 hours of lectures a day. we get very little continuous assessment, 1 assignment per module averaging at 1500 words or so. the only time i pick up a book or read a case is two weeks before an exam. theres absolutely no incentive to learn whatsoever. you would be better off staying at home

thee glitz

MisterEpicurus wrote: »

Are some Degrees overrated?

fyt

GombeanMan

Unless it's in a STEM related area and not some micky mouse course, College is a scam. This devaluation of college has been going on ever since access to education was widened. Widen the access, introduce the riff raff. Quality declines. It's a money spinner really.

dirtyden

MisterEpicurus wrote: »

In my view, the 3rd level system of education is a farce. Not only the methods by which you gain entry, but also the actual education process itself. For example, it appears most courses require you to attain 40% to pass, when it should be at least 50%. It almost appears that a lot of courses are dedicated to throwing the information out there and then basically inform students to recite it from memory. While this is appropriate for factual information, it seems totally useless to actually applying what you learn in a real life environment. For example, most students I know would be satisfied with 'scraping 40%' and then return to the bars and clubs to celebrate.

I think University should be about teaching people not only what to think, but how to think and apply what is learned. The process seems lazy and the people lazier. All too often you find idiots with degrees wondering how on Earth someone as dumb as that could attain one. Of course, a lot of courses are more challenging and actually test the student. But too many courses and students just do it for the sake of it and will probably forget the vast majority of stuff anyway.

I remember one particular student whom I was living with who was doing a Masters in Music. For literally the whole year he did the minimum, which usually entailed one to two hours over two weeks. He admitted it was easy and anyone could pass it even without an undergraduate degree in the area. So at the end of the process, he managed to get a 1st.

I'm also in education but try to get more out of it than simply "scraping a pass". It seems a waste of time and you're left with a student with letters but could never form a coherent and logical sentence.

Am I the only one who appears to think that degrees these days are overrated?????

Your post is a jumbled mess. What third level qualifications are pointless? Your post above suggests that you feel all are? Surely you don't believe lets for example suggest a surgeon could just pick it up 'on the job' (or an engineer, scientist, doctor etc)? The basis of almost all professional careers is first learning by attending lectures etc with some appropriate practical work and passing exams to show that you understand the subject. What are your alternatives.

You suggest that courses are just throwing the information out there. what do you mean by that, and what is your alternative. Do you suggest that perhaps a physicist should just go straight out and build a super hadron collider before opening a book. I am not sure that will work.

Is that sentence highlighted in bold supposed to be ironic?

happyman81

paky wrote: »

college is an absolute joke and a waste of time. i study law and have on average 3 hours of lectures a day. we get very little continuous assessment, 1 assignment per module averaging at 1500 words or so. the only time i pick up a book or read a case is two weeks before an exam. theres absolutely no incentive to learn whatsoever. you would be better off staying at home

Yeah, the only incentive to learn is for hope of reward in assignments and exams. I totally agree. I'm glad to see that the taxes I pay are going to good use.

Dudess

paky wrote: »

college is an absolute joke and a waste of time. i study law and have on average 3 hours of lectures a day. we get very little continuous assessment, 1 assignment per module averaging at 1500 words or so. the only time i pick up a book or read a case is two weeks before an exam. theres absolutely no incentive to learn whatsoever. you would be better off staying at home

It'll be better to have that law degree than not to have it.

paky

happyman81 wrote: »

I'm glad to see that the taxes I pay are going to good use.

what can i say, you're a total ass wipe :rolleyes:

Mod Note: Poster Banned.

Sonnenblumen

ejmaztec wrote: »

fyp Ignore

FYP they're still touring.

Capt'n Midnight

What about McDonalds university of hamburgerology ?

TPD

mconigol wrote: »

Define a useless degree? The focus is too much on producing "useful" degrees in my opinion, we should encourage people to study the lesser know fields and topics otherwise we will have a deficit in our knowledge as a society. Some guy studying butterflies for 20 years might not increase the GDP but it is still relevant knowledge that the human race should have.

Well, a degree subject in which the only directly related career is teaching said subject, I'd class as useless.

I'm not saying the colleges shouldn't teach these types of classes, just that they shouldn't be taxpayer funded. People passionate enough about the subject matter can work part time / for a few years after school and pay their way through the class, and will more than likely end up being a better teacher of the subject for having the passion.

Not to turn the thread recession-ey, but the more spent on putting people through college the less spent on healthcare etc. I think there's a balance to be reached between the money put in to colleges and the money put into the economy as a result of those courses - and by cutting government funding from some less employable degrees, we would get more out of the money put into colleges.