Undergrad uni degrees. Boring one or fun one?
 

This may be a captain obvious question, but whatever.

Ok. So I'm slowly deciding what exactly to do for uni and my dream combination would be Business with a slight focus on managerial stuff, doubled or joint or whatever with Graphic Arts/Design (and/or a touch of film stuff, however one would go about that)

The thing is, I know I can't do both. This lead me to a question. In the short and long term, is it better to do a boring course like Business Administration over something I've been wanting to do for ages like Graphic Arts or Film Production?

(I can't take any Sciences stuff since I've got A LEvels in History, Business, English Lit, and Spanish)

Also I've been somewhat disappointingly been told that a Graphic Design (or similar) degree is useless in the working world too, employability-wise.

Oh and as for jobs I'm probably gonna try at designing/graphic design/media or whatnot and then eventually open up a merchandise firm (a la Alchemy Gothic). >_>

But yeah, the boring degree which I'll hate for 3 years but will come out with better employability or the degree I'll like better with slightly less employability. WHICH ONE :/

I must be crazy, but I didn't find most business classes boring. It must have been the professors. Just be warned that there really isn't an "easy" major. All majors require a good amount of studying and dedication. Unless you're a political science or communications major.

Argh. >_> It's not I'm saying that business is boring its......just....well my Business teacher(s) were terrible for A Level and GCSE so I haven't exactly been in super duper high favour with it. >_> Although I could be wrong and it could be better than the media edged stuff. >_>

While you're more likely to do better in a fun major, if you can keep your focus through a boring major that may give you an opportunity to have a more stable career, then I would say go for it. You can always take classes within the fun major or even go back to college after you gather enough money. Film can always be a hobby. It's better to have experience and such, but you don't necessarily have to be a film major to make a great film. Then again, I'm more into having a stable income rather than taking a huge risk.

Who told you that you couldn't make a lot of money in Graphics Design?

I don't know how your college works, but my college requires that all Communication majors make at least a B average and must write 2 doctorate-format papers, an interview session with 5 corporation owners, and some form of internship/active-learning experience before they can receive their degree (along with all the other classes we have to take). Most of the other degrees only require a C average (including Nursing and Sports Medicine), and yes the averages for a degree are determined by the professors. I thought the same thing you did until I actually started taking the classes, but it's too late for me to change the major. Stupid Liberal Arts college.

It's just part of me worries I won't have the expertise to do film. If I don't decide to do a filmy/photography related study, then there are places and/or extra classes or stuff after I graduate to learn this shit, right? >_>

Also I'm not saying there's anything wrong with graphic design, just I've been told a Graphic Design degree is kinda ":/" employability-wise.

You know, even within your freshman year (sometimes sophomore year) people change majors all the time. You come in as one, you exit as another. Although you might seem like you want to do graphics design from childhood, who knows, you might end up hating your classes and the way their profs work and want to do something else. Although most artistic people go into architecture, it seems like you've never considered it. In my opinion, architecture is a good way to balance the practical with the arts (and by golly, is it hard to get into!).

As for me, I would choose the more practical major. Business is usually the "engineer dropout" major, but there's a reason why engineers never rise in the workplace and business moguls do. If possible, double major in something you do like. It gives flexibility after you graduate, but literally none while you're in college. Make up schedules and see how possible double majoring is.

I know what you mean. That's why I'm a Commie major. There are plenty of places where you can take film classes and such after you graduate. I know there's a community college near me where I could receive an Associate's degree in Broadcasting within 1 year and a summer. Also, there are a few famous directors that only took a few film classes and managed to make it in Hollywood.

I don't know about Canada--if you have decided to go to one of their institutions--but in the U.S. you can earn a Bachelors in one field and then receive a major in a totally different field. A Sociology professor at my college has a Bachelors in Mathematics, a Masters in Psychology, and a Doctorate in Sociology without receiving a Bachelors in Psychology or Sociology. Many colleges consider a Bachelors degree as a general education degree with an emphasis on a certain field of study. You could spend 4 years studying Business and then get a 2-year Masters in Film.

I didn't mean that you thought it wasn't a good job. I always thought that Graphics Design was in high demand due to the popularity of CGI.

Well I still have a year or so (well UCAS wants details in by december so blah :/) to ask around so yeah.

I still have no fucking clue what to do. .__________________.

This is a question you can only answer yourself.

I'm getting a degree in physics, and there aren't tons and tons of physics jobs out there.

But guess what? I like physics, so I'm majoring in it. That's what school is about for me. It's about learning, not some tool you use so that you can find a job later on.

I also like challenges. The fact that I will have to go to grad school for any hope of a decent job is exciting. Grad school is just another way to challenge my mind--so it's good in my book.

Some people like to go the path of least resistence in life. These people tend to get "normal" degrees like business or computer science--that is, degrees where there's a clear, obvious job market for. These people don't like making big, life-changing decisions. They like the world set out for them.

A lot of these people go for pre-med degrees. They think, "Oooh, I want to be a doctor." They realize that there is a clear job--doctor--waiting for them once they graduate, and it makes lots of money to boot. Many of these students change their minds once they realize that the academic pre-med route is... wait for it... challenging!

So ask yourself, why are you going to college?

If you are going for a degree to land you an easy job, then realize that and choose accordingly.

If you are going to college to learn and live passionately through your academic career, then realize that and choose accordingly.

I'd rather live courageously and passionately than living with a fear of what degree offers more employability.

I recommend having that mindset, but I can't choose for you. Some people really like the false comfort of employability.

>_>

**mentally notes for future job interviews**

Try this:
Open up a word processor and at the top write: "Why am I going to college?"
Start a list and type away. Take every thought that comes into your head and write it down. Your list might include, "to learn," "because I'm expected to," "to get a job," etc. Just be sure to write down everything that comes into your head, regardless of whether or not it's the "true" answer; just typing out your thoughts will lead you in the right direction.

After typing out several items, you'll notice that a few stand out. Highlight those. There's your answer.

If you truly understand why you're going to college, it should be much easier to choose between what you WANT to learn and what you feel is necessary to learn.

A few other things to consider:
1. Reflect back on your assumptions about employability. Who told you that graphic designers couldn't get a job? Do you really know and understand the job market? What will it be like 5 years from now (when it counts)? You may find out that your assumptions about employability are based off nothing more than intuition and unreliable advice. There are plenty of reliable career books out there that will solve this problem. (i.e. the career outlook handbook or something like that...)

2. What other jobs can you get with your degree. Remember, a business degree does not mean your stuck with a business job. You know all those people who get history degrees? Well, they're not ALL historians or professors. This might be an eye-opener--your degree doesn't have to determine your career. In fact, some companies simply like hiring anyone with a college degree. It shows that the person has responsibility, intellegence, a work-ethic... (well, not really, but companies assume a college degree means just that :P)

3. Are you really passionate about graphic design? How far are you willing to go for it? I knew some people back in high school who were passionate about art. One girl aspired to be a famous graphic designer, but gave up before getting to college because she wasn't confident in her abilities. Another girl I knew aspired to be a great artist, but she wasn't very talented back in high school. But she was passionate about it and stuck with it. She's an art major in college right now and her current artwork is absolutely stunning... jawdropping, really. She wasn't very good in high school, but she was willing to stick with it. She became a great artist, but I have a feeling she's only getting started.

4. If you're uncertain about anything, do research. Coming to a forum is a good place to start, but here we can only give you ideas. Go to the library and really start researching this stuff. Ask your teachers, your parents, anybody!

Hope this helps,
Calc

I had to choose between working towards a degree in music (lifelong enjoyment), and working towards a degree in commerce (stability). I chose commerce because I would probably die from the lack of viable options available to me in music.
I don't know if that would apply to graphic design though. I'm seeing all sorts of commercials dealing with graphic design and the kinds of jobs you can pursue with that kind of degree.

My friend told me her view on a commerce degree: (with no offence to anyone) "taking business in post-secondary education wouldn't be too good, since you really learn business by going out into the real world and doing it yourself. Textbooks and theory can only take you so far, but real world experience is what the most successful businesspeople have."

I see what she meant by that, but I'm not switching majors anytime soon. It was just an interesting argument to me. I'm pretty sure that graphic design is far from the bottom of the barrel when it comes to job opportunities. I'd pick that over business.

Basically, if you want to challenge yourself, stay away from an undergraduate business degree. In my opinion, getting an undergraduate business degree is more of a routine than an actual learning process (unless you're going to a good school). It's not uncommon for top business graduate schools to pick, say, undergrad physics degrees over undergrad business degrees :P.

A typical business class won't make you think. And if you want to be an entrepreneur, you've got to think.

Well I got my undergrad in electrical engineering. The main reason I went for it was because I wanted to learn more about technology and cuz I loved mathematics.

Well, everything was fine until I got to my second circuits class and my physics electromagnetism course. I fell in love with electromagnetism because of its intricate way of applying calculus to real world problems. Hell, it was one of the few classes where you had the power to use calculus(Funny enough, I barely used any calculus in mechanics or thermo despite the fact is was beginners calculus based physics). On the otherhand, circuits 2 bored the shit out of me. Sure we got the opportunity to use things such as fourier series, fourier transforms, etc, but it was not like we got to actually set up the problem. You just applied the stupid theorems and did a bunch of tedious calculations. I thought it was the dumbest shit in the world.

Well to make a long story short, I finished electrical engineering, but I think it's one of the biggest mistakes I ever made in my life. I thought the major would get more interesting with more classes, and it did, but I just felt like I had no control over the mathematics. I almost did a dual major in physics, but since I didn't want to be restricted to just physical problems, I decided to do a dual mathematics major. I didn't finish it though cuz that and electrical engineering was just too much. I had a few math credits before I graduated(up to Modern ALgebra I), and I'm still taking a few more concurrently as I goto work. Once I finish complex analysis and Modern Algebra II, I will apply to grad school. My ultimate dream is to do research in applied mathematics, but I'm taking many many pure courses for more knowledge and for mathematical maturity. All I can say is that I have almost complete freedom in my thought process when doing pure mathematics. I just love doing mathematical proofs,learning concepts, theories, etc. It's fucking great. Everytime I conquer a proof, I feel like one of the great mathematicians of the past.

I like your theory and I'm glad to see that there are people who still take the risk in order to do something they enjoy. It is all about priorities and how much of a risk a person is willing to take. I do enjoy Communication, but I mostly took it because--regardless of what people believe--there is a good market for those that major in Communication. I believe in doing what you love, but I believe that the things that I love I can do as a hobby (writing, film, etc.) while making a steady living in something else. If that hobby becomes a money-maker then that would be great. Maybe it's because I come from a lower-middle income family.

I am majoring in Linguistics because I love learning about languages. I don't know what jobs I can get with this but I'm majoring in it because I love it. I think it's a good general degree and could lead to more opportunities. I'm also minoring in German because that's one of my favorite foriegn languages.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...icon/dizzy.gif

I wasn't expecting to get this much replies.

Well the thing is, I wanna study something I enjoy, but I'm still paranoid about employers looking at my art/design based stuff and going "URGH U SUCK". Although I could be wrong, I dunno. <_< Aforementioned person (my uncle) who said a graphics design degree is worthless took a Biochemistry degree in Oxford which apparently he hated and is working in advertising, wtf. ._.

Hmm. Well I'll give it a bit more thought (still haven't decided on a uni yet or a course because so much to choose from but I do want to do something design with film/photography/communications/graphic design orientated that challenges me and gives me some good multi-use skills for later on in life)

What do you mean you know you can't do both?

Doing both would probably be the best thing you can do.

I'm gonna put it this way: solo business degrees are pretty much useless. It's pretty much a step up from a liberal arts degree. Business is best done as a minor, being accompanied with a major of a specific area.

I know many art/lit majors that now work in business or computer sciences or some other "boring" domain anyways, and they really aren't off that bad.

I guess that could be interpreted two ways: "no use in avoiding a boring field", or "you might as well have fun in college" :D.

Really I think it depends how serious you are about art/film. Really the best question you can ask yourself is: Are you interested in an art/film degree because you love art/film and are interested in it, or because you know you've got the extremely high level of talent needed to break into the industry? If your answer wasn't "both" then I would STRONGLY advise business.

Another fun anecdote. My high-school english teacher has an MBA. When the .com boom came around she managed to earn MILLIONS, still in her 20s. Now she can do virtually anything she wants! She just happened to love writing and teaching so much that's what she chose.

Hope I didn't worsen your dilemna :P.

I laughed a little when I read this. Talk about elitism.

'False comfort of employability'?

Tell that to all the students who try, try, and try again to get into med school. The ones who did a BSc just so that they could get into med school because they wanted to help people. The ones who get a masters degree, try again, and still don't make it. Most of them probably don't even like sciences! Woo, comfort.

Ok, business. Broad category there. Yeah, there are people who go into Marketing, or end up franchising a Starbucks. There are also those who take huge gambles going into Investment Banking, Trading, Private Equity, or Hedge Funds. The people who get degrees in the same field as the guy in Marketing, but after graduating slave away in analyst positions doing 100 hours a week. But no, this isn't sweatshop labour. These guys worked their asses off to get the job and went through maybe 10 interviews with one employer before they got it.

After their two year contract? They might work for a bit, go from an IB to a PE firm for another 2-3 years. Where do they end up though?? Wait for it...

Graduate school. Like you.

Of course, after that there's no guarantee that the Private Equity firm or Hedge Fund will even hire them again. It's not as if those jobs are minimal risk, everyday operations either. Traders are essentially spending millions of dollars that don't belong to them. Any shit that comes from it is on them. The PE firms put immense stress on the associates because they're investing billions of dollars into companies. I mean, since when has Investment Banking been known for job security?

Job Market and Job Security may not be identical, but in the end come down to the same basic point.

Judging by your post though, I'm going to assume that you're trying for a doctorate program (anything less would sort of contradictory to that passion for learning not worrying about a job point of view) and hoping to be a professor. Besides, advanced degrees in physics can get a person a wide variety of jobs. The most successful hedge fund is run by a Physics PHD (who now happens to be a billionaire).

Hell i say go for both! I'm in a very similar situation to you and i decided to tough it out and finish two majors and a minor. It'll require summer school every summer but i'm happy i decided to do it. Oh yeah, I'm a Computer Information Systems (business) major, Business Process Management major, and lastly an East Asian Languages and cultures (Japanese) minor. I'm sure you can see which i did for fun ;)

Degrees, eh?

Get a bunch! Make a whole dang collection, if you want!

That way you'll have your fun major that you can really put your heart into, and your fall-back major for practical stuff.

I love your chauvinistic views.

It never occured to you that people also major in business, engineering, architecture because maybe they enjoy the subject? Maybe they wish to you know, expand their knowledge in those areas.

Nowadays, it's recommended that most undergrads also attend grad school. People majoring in business usually have to go to grad school if they wish to pursue further into their careers. Yes, and business students never use their brains. Yes.


What the fuck? You're implying that physics majors has so obscure enlightening job ready for them? You think just because you're a business major or computer science major, a job is guaranteed? Where the hell have you been? You've never seen people who go to a dozen interviews, join various clubs, network, go to grad school, and such just to get a job? There's so much more required of students to do then you know, just study.

Hmm I guess you sort of forgot why these people go to college in the first place. They wanted to become doctors to maybe help people. Sure, many do drop out of the pre-med program, but many also persist on, spending hours and hours studying, trying to pass their MCATS and get into grad school. Every major is challenging in its own ways. You may say, "oh but business majors have it so easy though! All they do is memorize some theories (ie supply and demand curve, supply goes up, price goes down) and stuff." Has it occurred to you that those theories, like many of your physics theories, are just the basic concepts, and that it requires a hell of a lot of more work and computations when applied to real life?


God. Don't give me that bullshit. I think most people, including people who are majoring in business, computer science, etc, go to college because they have a passion for what they learn.

Live courageously and passionately. Hah! So you're saying that someone like an accountant doesn't live courageously and passionately? Accountants whose ethics are constantly tested? Accountants who are moral enough to not cheat on tax returns, or audits, or financial statements? Accountants who know the loop holes to cheat the system and make millions for themselves, yet don't because it's not the ethical thing? Accountants who spend their careers trying to stop such things like Enron or WorldCom from happening again?

The thing is, I'm gonna be studying in England, so I'm not sure how easy it is to change majors or major/major/minor there or whatever. >______>