Is an Arts degree worth doing?

I love angels

Hi,
I was just wondering if an Arts degree is worth doing and what jobs people have got with an Arts degree? In your opinion is it worth doing an Arts degree or is it better to do something else? I am thinking of doing an Arts degree or Law and Politics or Psychology. Which of these degrees is the best and which one of these will give you more job opportunities?

Thank you

dyl10

Your question is very difficult to answer for numerous reasons. The most important of which being that Law and Psychology are more directed subjects in that there are industries associated with both. Arts (particularly Arts in UCD) on the other hand, is far more self-directed and many of your 'potential' opportunities really depend on what you do.

To be honest, it all really depends on you. Depending on how you conduct yourself inside your programme, doing any of the above shouldn't close many doors for you.

If you are set on working out a career etc. from this point, you should really decide what you want to work and pick that way instead of the other way around. However, I imagine, like most people, you don't know. So, if that's the case, just pick what subjects seem interesting to you and be a bit smart about your choices (if you choose Arts) and you'll be fine.

Regarding your question about what jobs people have got from Arts degrees: It's broad in its aim and design, so you'll find that graduates from Arts degrees have gone on to work in almost every industry - so the question is not really valid.

OneOfThem Stumbled

I love angels wrote: »

Hi,
I was just wondering if an Arts degree is worth doing and what jobs people have got with an Arts degree? In your opinion is it worth doing an Arts degree or is it better to do something else? I am thinking of doing an Arts degree or Law and Politics or Psychology. Which of these degrees is the best and which one of these will give you more job opportunities?

Thank you

Politics and Psychology are Arts.

dyl10

OneOfThem Stumbled wrote: »

Politics and Psychology are Arts.

Is Law and Politics not a separate stream?
I assume the OP means single major psychology which if I am correct, has different outcomes/length than the Arts option for psychology?

Glendambo

I did an Arts degree in UCD and I would suggest you go into it knowing that further study in some form or other will be required at the end of it.

Maldesu

dyl10 wrote: »

Is Law and Politics not a separate stream?
I assume the OP means single major psychology which if I am correct, has different outcomes/length than the Arts option for psychology?

Politics is in arts but there is a Law with Politics degree. Psychology as a single major is three years but would be more intensive. If Psy is taken via the Joint arts program, it can only be taken as a minor to degree level.
All of them are 3 year programs.

Canteloupey

Law with Politics is 4 years (but I dunno if you just meant the other course you mentioned are 3 years, cos they are, I don't wanna sound like I'm correcting you when you clearly know what you're talking about :cool:).

I think Arts can be really helpful:

Politics (for example) doesn't just teach you about Politics, it also teaches you about editing (which I would consider an extremely important skill), research, skills to help articulate an argument and timing yourself for deadlines. I'm sure there are more, that was just off the top of my head! What I've learnt in Politics I think would be helpful in loads of careers.

With Arts, I would consider the best thing about it is that you do a few subjects in first year, so if you loathe what you end up in, you can keep on the subjects you like the most. In Law with Politics, you're assigned your main modules (so you can't just focus on the Politics modules you have the most interest in).

Of course, it's your decision! I think you should read the modules for the courses you're interested in and think about which you think would be your sort of thing? Good luck!

http://www.ucd.ie/students/course_search.htm

Maldesu

Canteloupey wrote: »

Law with Politics is 4 years (but I dunno if you just meant the other course you mentioned are 3 years, cos they are, I don't wanna sound like I'm correcting you when you clearly know what you're talking about :cool:).

Nope, you're right. Just double checked it. Tis 4 years.

Musefan

Psychology is actually in the college of human sciences not the college of arts and celtic studies Plus its a lot more points.

scrummonkey

An Arts degree provides a great foundation for further studies. You are not pidgeon holed into one particular area and can broaden your cv by choosing one of many diverse career options which is rather more difficult with say a Med/law/engineering degree. Imo a post grad is neccessary to suppliment this . But in this present climate an undergrad degree is not what it once was anyway. Best of luck.

[Jackass]

Apparently when you are awarded the arts degree, they ask you if you want fries with that. :pac:

Canard

[Jackass] wrote: »

Apparently when you are awarded the arts degree, they ask you if you want fries with that. :pac:

Aren't you studying economics? BA on hard mode. :P

[Jackass]

Yes I live in a glass house, but it's still fun to tease!

andie90

I think it is fair enough to say that an arts degree will need to be supplemented by a postgraduate degree. When you qualify with a BA you are in a strange situation as you aren't really able to walk into any job like you can with engineering, science... The list goes on. If you know what you want to do and you know that arts is a step to getting there , then by all means do the course. A lot of people find themselves in arts degrees because the points for it are quite low, but that doesn't mean that the course should be undermined and anyone who does so is not thinking independently, they've seen the 'let's take the absolute piss out of arts students' bandwagon and they have jumped aboard. Every college course will be challenging, and anyone who comes out on top with a 1H or a 2H deserves a bit of credibility.

Breadcrusts

Apart from one or two of the more specific and specialized degrees that are being offered at the moment, in this economy ANY degree you do will fairly much require that you both put your head down and really try to get the best degree possible and fulfill the extra curricular requirements of any career/area you wish to go into.

I know people with arts degrees who have done great things and who 2 years out of college have well paid full-time jobs and I equally know people with degrees in law, business, science etc who, because they lumbered through their degrees, are now unemployed and looking to go into other areas. If you're passionate and willing to work at something then do it, don't do something because you think you'll get an easy job out of it.

[Jackass]

But sure it doesn't really matter at all if it's a BComm or BSc or whatever, it's the subjects studied that are important. A master of Economics is a MA in UCD, so it's still Arts, but is a very strong masters to have, particularly in financial services...

I think the whole "arts" joke comes from someone who studies a broad arts joint major and picks something like Druid Studies and Neolithic Diet.

If you have a BA in Maths & French or something, that's a very useful degree...

A BA is / can still be a great degree, and is no less than a BSc or whatever, as long as the subject is relevant and useful, just like a BSc is no better than a BEng or vice versa....the letters only denote the field of study, not the usefullness and quality of the degree, the subjects studied, course content, grades achieved and quality of university decides that...