<p>"anonagron, if you didnt have a degree in the field youd think it was laughable too." </p>
<p>Eeehhh, that would be a negative. I don't think there are any "laughable" degree fields. If it took 4 years to get to that point, you've surely learned <em>something</em> useful along the way! Even if it is just storytelling...</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure Princeton's Medieval Religion major should be near the top.</p>
<p>Speaking of the "corn guy"</p>
<p>Interesting trivia, the Outback Restaurants "Bloomin Onion" is a genetically developed onion created for them to grow to the same size, peel back the right way, etc.</p>
<p>"You do find people who've become successful in life "despite" majoring in those fields. "</p>
<p>And what do you define as "successful."
Judging by the rest of your post I assume you mean financial success, in which case I have to remind you that people who major in such "useless" fields like Medieval Religions, Celtic Literature, etc. aren't out to make money. There's an important distinction between people whose majors lead them to the private sector and those whose majors lead them to academia. If you want to be a professor of Medieval France, I don't think that an electrical engineering degree would do you much good.</p>
<p>I was often fustrated whenever people said degrees like Classics, English literature, Philosophy, or Comparative Literature were useless degrees and advised me not to pursue them. They were right in saying that they are not as practical and easy to find jobs as say..finance or math or engineering. But it saddened me to learn that modern day people do not respect or give the faintest piece of understanding into these areas of learning. While reading Greek and Roman history, I marveled at how those ancient people greatly admired the arts, literature, and philosophy, and used them to better their understanding of the world and ourselves. And despite what people say, learning classics and analyzing literature are not simple things to do. It requires skill, patience, and sometimes talent. Not everyone can understand philosophy and take it to heart; not many can analyze Paradise Lost or translate Dante's works. But people in the modern times do not see them this way, merely the society regarded "useless and not practical". My friends and family often suggest pursuing science or math or pre-med because they are so much easier to make money. This desire to make more money or better say...EASIER to make money has made people regard other concentrations of the arts and humanities as useless. Personally, I think people are just looking for an easier way out. For example, one of my friends is planning to be an accountant. Unfortunately, the only thing he told is that it's easy and so easy to find jobs. It's sometimes hard for me to see where people's passions lie nowadays. And it's also rare for me to find people who are very very passionate in what they do. But when these people committ themselves to what they love (people who are determined, creative and undaunted in the face of what other people lowly expect of them) they truly produce extraordinary works and are very successful in whichever field they choose to do.</p>
<p>I think what's more funny about the website that this list came from is the list of "Alternatives to College" (What</a> Others Are Saying - Should I Go To College - Value of College:%5DWhat">http://www.valueofcollege.com/content/view/3/5/):)
"Become a geek member of the “Best Buy” geek squad"
"Work at a ski resort"
"Create a blog on a subject that excites you and find a way to make it a profitable business."
"Get a job or two"
"Fight forest fires during the summer"</p>
<p>it's funny because half of the things on the list probably require a college degree anyway (like "get a job or two")</p>
<p>"Practical" or not just do what interest you. If your gonna spend thousands of dollars plus the countless hours of studying, Why not just do it in a subject that interest you. Currently I am enrolled in a Community College in Oregon. But I would love to someday get into UCLA because of there Scandinavian Languages Program that offers not only a BA in Scandinavian Studies but also MA, Phd. I know its not the most "practical" goal/dream but it interests me. If I pair it with International Studies/Business I can get a really good job for a big Company. I am not even close to transferring in to a 4 year school yet and I have been offered jobs if I had a degree in International Studies. And it always intrest people when I explain I want to focus on Scandinavia.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The value of communication skills, global citizenship, cross-cultural literacy, and group facilitation are permanent and cut across all fields. Even in fields that are clearly pre-professional, graduates with the requisite technical skills may get entry-level jobs but it will be the professionals with the broad-based liberal arts skills who will be promoted into leadership.
[/quote]
Do you believe your own BS?</p>
<p>I can think of entire industries where leadership positions (ie: middle management) are virtually all technical staff.</p>
<p>""Practical" or not just do what interest you." (ModiviedReality) </p>
<p>"But when these people committ themselves to what they love (people who are determined, creative and undaunted in the face of what other people lowly expect of them) they truly produce extraordinary works and are very successful in whichever field they choose to do." (dragonreborn)</p>
<p>ModiviedReality, you and dragonreborn hit the nail on the head. If <em>you</em> feel a passion for your field, regardless of how others view it in practicality terms, you will make something of it. </p>
<p>I know too many kids who entered fields because others (parents) wanted them to have a "practical" degree, but their heart is not in it. A friend's daughter desparately wanted culinary school and was accepted by a program that is top in the field, but her dad said no and he was paying for the education. He wanted her to become an architect: it was respectable and well-paying and her math skills matched the field. However, daughter had no interest in this whatsoever. She ended up at a local state university majoring in food and nutrition and is making gourmet cakes on the side. She loves that! She eventually will end up going to the original culinary school she applied to once she is on her own and funding her own education - so she would have saved time (and his money) by going the culinary route in the first place. </p>
<p>Of course, even this is not a new problem. My mom, a depression-era child, received a BS degree in "Household Equipment" in the 1940s - now known as Home Economics/Home Mangement. She took art classes on the side and was a stay at home mom and homemaker for the next 40 years. She became an accomplished folk artist in her later years. I once asked one of my siblings why she did not just major in art and the answer was because mom thought she <em>had</em> to be more practical. Her Home Ec degree did not hurt her, certainly was beneficial, but she probably would have done just as well with an art degree and getting even more of what she loved.</p>
<p>Okay, that aside, I have also heard an interesting statistic from Dave Ramsey during a Financial Peace University class session: 10 years after graduation, 80% of college graduates are working in something totally unrelated to their college degree! That means that either they shifted because of job opportunities, or there was no passion felt for the field of the degree, or they found something else for one reason or another. Obviously, then, they picked up job skills and important tidbits long the way in coursework other than their major! </p>
<p>And thanks, dis-grace, I was going to respond to COlsen573, but it was too ugly and meanspirited, so I hit the delete button. At least I do have a passion for my field. But I will not be so bold as to show disrespect to those who choose a different professional path - we all have an occupational niche to fill for our world to function and I am grateful to those who use their talents and abilities to make this world a better place, be it in the arts, sciences, or humanities. I'll even be grateful for COlsen's niche, though I have no idea what his/her degree field is. Who knows, he may be the next Jay Leno that gives me a good laugh poking fun at me and the other corn guys. ;D</p>
<p>"When tillage begins, other arts follow" - Daniel Webster</p>
<p>At Berkeley's Parent orientation they told us not to worry so much about what your student decides to major in as an undergrad. As an example they said that Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett Packard has a BA in Medievel Studies...</p>
<p>IN context to that-I read an article where they said that the future CEOs will require a strong liberal arts background. The major doesnt really matter- its the fact that you've had an education which makes you think and open up your mind. Thats my 2 cents</p>
<p>Here is a new report today that might be an interesting read.</p>
<p>Interesting article, thanks. </p>
<p>That brings up a question: how many school's degree programs require work experience in the field before graduation? I know many engineering students co-op which gives them a heads-up on landing jobs, but how many other curriculums include a requirement of practical field experience just to get the diploma? </p>
<p>Students in my college w/in a large state university were required to complete 6 months of practical work experience in their field (either paid work or volunteer work counted, and it could be over a 2-summer span) before that diploma was given. We were required to turn in a daily log of activities on the job and write a research paper involving our work as well. This was in the 1980s. Not all colleges in that university did this, but it seemed to make a big difference for placement of grads... our college job placement percentage rate was very high comparatively. </p>
<p>Just curious, as it seems this is where some of these "elite" job skills referred to in the above mentioned article might be learned.</p>
<p>my friend is going to be a medival studies major at st andrews in the fall. she plans on working on movies like they show on hte history channel :)</p>
<p>I have a friend who produces films for the history channel. I wouldnt plan on making a living "working" on them. Even for the producers its a very low margin business and they always use the services of established historians, generally out of a university. Tell her to be sure an get her PHD and a university position first.</p>
<p>A degree and an education is what you make of it. Nothing less, nothing more.
My two cents.</p>
<p>COlsen573 are you joking? corn? omg hahahahahahaha</p>
<p>
[quote]
At Berkeley's Parent orientation they told us not to worry so much about what your student decides to major in as an undergrad. As an example they said that Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett Packard has a BA in Medievel Studies...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This is a lie from Berkeley. If it's true then they would not force HS students to apply to College of Chemistry or College of Engineering in 12th grade. By the way, Fiorina crewed up HP badly and she was forced to leave in 2005. After she left, HP stock went up.</p>
<p>I'll bet many are lawyers ...</p>
<p>The founder of my high school majored in Classics.</p>