Social science degree wastes of time and what people have done with it.

[spinac]

Whatever happened to studying a subject because you enjoy learning about it?

 

I agree, I studied BA (Hons) History because I enjoyed the subject (plus it meant not having to grow up for another 3 years;)). I've ended up climbing the ladder in admin roles within Higher Education. I wouldn't change anything if I could go back- for one thing I met my wife whilst studying!

 

There are obviously many benefits to education, but times are changing. Gone are the days when tuition fees were paid and you got a grant.

 

It would be great if everyone who had the inclination could study the subjects they wanted to with no end in mind. Wow! Who wouldn't like to pursue an interest, a hobby, a personal passion for 3 years?

 

Unforunately most people who don't come from wealthy families need to be thinking about what 3 years of study rather than 3 years of work experience will do for them. If your degree doesn't open doors and give you a head start in your career then it's probably a luxury you can't afford.

 

It's the same with gap years. Highly recommended for everyone. The only question is - are they affordable?

 

I'm really grateful I got a University education when I did. I'm really not sure I'd go about things the same way now though, even though I did a vocational degree. Most of the stuff I require now to do my job is self taught. Technical knowledge and skills get out of date very quickly!

 

Good luck to anyone who is able to study a subject simply because they enjoy it and can separate that interest from any career they decide to pursue later.

[finoni9]

Re: the BSc Psychology - it's so competitive nowadays that you have to get a 2:1 classification to get registered with the British Psychology Institute once you have your degree - so no C passes allowed!

[cutie23]

Lol I can understand. Well it’s fine if you’re wealthy enough to afford it without loans but majority of the people simply don’t have that as an option. I concur some of the modules are irrelevant and pointless and perhaps some would argue that if you want practical side of it then you should apply for applied psychology.

 

I got a BSc Hons in Psychology - I'm a teacher now. I would have loved a career in psychology but would've needed to study for a further three years! Didn't want to spend most of my 20s studying.

 

I spent the first year of my degree having to take half the credits in pointless unrelated subjects. They should fit more stuff into the degree so that people could actually use it professionally or gain some work experience! It was all just theory, nothing practical so I did voluntary work alongside it. It wasn't a waste of time, just could have been a lot better. (And this was meant to be at one of the top universities in the country for psychology).

[cutie23]

True, don’t get me wrong I did enjoy the course especially towards the end as I got to choose modules I found interesting. But I am thinking that perhaps I should have done the degree at a later stage of life when I had a job that paid a decent wage as enjoying a subject and taking it further at uni might not necessarily pay for the bills. Sad as it is but unless ur really wealthy and have great support behind you then why not study something you enjoy. It’s my fault partly I should have thought more carefully when applying for courses to uni but you live and learn and pay for it in my case. The advantage though with vocational courses is you get the best of both worlds applied skills and transferable skills but also there aspects of the course whether vocational or not you might not enjoy.

 

 

Whatever happened to studying a subject because you enjoy learning about it? Although I am probably not a good example as I went on to do a PhD after my Psychology Bsc and now I lecture, but the grounding you get from an UG degree in psychology can lead to a wide range of careers. If you study for a vocational degree aren't you somewhat stuck with that vocation? Of course you will get the applied skills with vocational courses, and any good degree should teach crticial thinking etc., but if you aren't sure of the career you wish to enter then I would think they are a bad choice.

 

At 17 when the vast majority of students are choosing their degrees, a lot aren't sure what they want to end up doing. When I was 18 I studied Law (LLB) but went in with the intention not to practice, rather I was interested in the concept of law, specifically the constitutional stuff. However, from day one we were constantly pushed "when you are doing your articles..." etc. There didn't seem to be the option to simply study it because it interested you.

[cutie23]

That is true; it is difficult as psychology often deals with socially sensitive issues. Working with offenders is a challenging area just like many areas of psychology as there is always the case of relapse with clients when no matter what you do with that client they don’t seem to be following the treatment or other complications occur. It definitely requires life skills and coaching skills. I get the impression that psychology requires experience which most people get as they get older hence for example when your 35 in age you can draw more to in to the profession.

 

 

 

The trouble with getting practical experience in psychology is that a lot of the populations that we work with are sensitive (eg children, offenders, clinical patients etc.) and gaining access to those populations for cohorts of psychology UGs is a minefield of red tape and risk assessment, not to mention finding people who will consent to untrained psychology students "experimenting" on them.

 

Voluntary work is a brilliant way of getting experience working with people (which a lot of careers for the social sciences require) and also for sussing out what you actualy want to do. When I first started my UG degree I worked for the Probation Service and decided I wanted to work with offenders as a forensic psychologist, I volunteered as a mentor which lead to part time work in a bail hostel. This made my mind up that I simply didn't want to become a forensic psych and it changed my focus completely.

[cutie23]

Well my mate who did a degree in forensics argues that social science is a waste of time offer nothing to society and is pointless as the research just tells us common sense and gives no skills or brains for anything useful. Which is kind of annoying because it devalues the course and she thinks all it does is help low lives in communties. Further to this she thinks that temp jobs are also waste of time as you get treated like ****. But I am sure this is not the case always.

 

 

I Graduated from a BSc(Hons) in Psychology in 2001 with no intention of working as any type of psychologist.

 

What the degree gave me was strong proof that I am numerate to a high level based on the statistics elements fo the course, literate and able to write for review, scientific/experimental reports and argumentative essays, I am able to research topics fully. In addition it gave me the other skills of a good degree - the ability to self motivate and organise workloads etc.

 

I couldn't proove that I am where I am today - middle management in a hood job I enjoy earning a decent salary - just because of the specific degree I did, but I know it has given me lots of skills which have been applicable to many graduate level jobs. My current job does happen to specifically require a social science degree, plus other experience or study, but I didn't come directly into it.

 

I have (very fortunately) very rarely struggled to find work of some description. I put this down to the fact that throughout my time at uni and beyond I haven't been work shy or fussy. When I have needed a job I have worked and that has got me experience an a vst array of places which even based on temp jobs gives me a good looking CV of experiences to bring to other roles.

 

Of course the possibility is with a Psych and sociology degree that you missed elements that make a psychology degree quite useful in my opinion. I must confess the sociologists didn't seem to have much int heir course which lent itself to wider work.

 

The other thing that annoys me slightly with the raft of graduates on the news at the moment is the expectation that just a degree was enough to get a graduate level job (I don't necessarily mean the OP here). Even 10 years ago it wasnt. There will always be tough competition for good jobs and the only way to fight that is to make yourself different and desirable.

[Dark Moomin]

Well my mate who did a degree in forensics argues that social science is a waste of time offer nothing to society and is pointless as the research just tells us common sense and gives no skills or brains for anything useful. Which is kind of annoying because it devalues the course and she thinks all it does is help low lives in communties. Further to this she thinks that temp jobs are also waste of time as you get treated like ****. But I am sure this is not the case always.

 

Well that's interesting - as I also have an MSC in Forensi Science.

 

Social science can be useful in the 'real' worl, but just like Forensic science the specialist roles available are much fewer than the numbers of graduates.

 

Ignore some science snob that tells you anything not 'core' science based is worthless, and also ignore people that tell you temp experience is worthless. I (and numerous of my friends) are living proof that this is not the case. If they are in the same stage of life as you are then how can they know the worth of doing that sort of work?

[cutie23]

Well my friend who a BSc in forensics has got 1st class and did a placement year at 3M. She is now hoping do to a PHD, her argument is at least her degree gives her more options and that she can just get a temp job in a lab even though she wouldn’t want to and get paid £7 an hour whereas my degree would only allow me to do jobs that pay minimum wage till I find a way to crack into area that pays well and her degree she says requires brains and skills. Furthermore she believes degrees like social science do not contribute anything to society apart from stating the common sense and research just makes policies go around in circles. In addition the social science research does not benefit society in anyway where as science is exploring new things to aid human life.

 

 

Well that's interesting - as I also have an MSC in Forensi Science.

 

Social science can be useful in the 'real' worl, but just like Forensic science the specialist roles available are much fewer than the numbers of graduates.

 

Ignore some science snob that tells you anything not 'core' science based is worthless, and also ignore people that tell you temp experience is worthless. I (and numerous of my friends) are living proof that this is not the case. If they are in the same stage of life as you are then how can they know the worth of doing that sort of work?

[Dark Moomin]

well she is entitled to her opinion - and we can just feel smug that we know she is wrong

 

don't feel down about what you have achieved, and if you work at it and with a bit opf luck you will be just as successful ni whatever you end up doing. And don't forget success isn't just money.

 

Understanding society is massively important and yes it come sup with less concrete answers than 'science' because it is not ethically possible to test hypotheses in the same way as is done int he medical/scientific world. However understanding how people make decisions about risk behaviour (for example) is massivley relevant.

 

Maybe she could help cure cancer, but a social researcher could help to find out how to encourage people to stop smoking/drinking/polluting/eat better/take more exercise and prevent the illness in the first place!

[cutie23]

My friend thinks its about moving things forward in society, giving retards like chavs and druggies help is pointless as they are not going to contribute anything to society or the economy I.e. like millionaires brining in jobs. Even if you bring druggies back to life out of drugs what jobs they going to find mainly minimum wage jobs which don’t allow them to contribute massively to society. All it does is it gives them normal standard of life. For example helping people eat healthy setting up workshops they attend lessons but then they go home its a different story, pointless exercise people are not willing to change. Temp jobs crap hours and crap pay and people treat you like the low class i.e. your not a permanent employer, she thinks temps get looked down on as they get crap jobs to do. Admin job is doggy work, I.e. middle work not going forward in anyway it’s a dead end. For my friend its all about being top of the pile, for her it’s about taking step further, she says 2:1 for Hallam is crap because it’s a crap met uni the only thing you can do is get a first. Science requires using the brain, you learn something and apply it and implement it, researchers take it a step further. Qualitative research is pointless ten different answers still don’t why people don’t eat healthy its meaningless how do you go forward. We are trying to find gap private companies don’t fund people to eat healthy, not feeding back to society in anyway harder to fund it. If no private company funds research then its crap, social science gives no benefit with a investment in returns. Working with people who are stupid there is no hope, I.e. prodders. She thinks privatising healthcare would encourage people to be more serious about their health, its your money that will be wasted and your health, back to square one if people are not willing change.