The perfect representation of everything that is wrong with education today...

[triphicus]

http://www.holytaco.com/2008/06/03/the-10-most-worthless-college-majors/When did the noble goal of education, that is, of expanding and enriching one's mind through the study of great works of literature, science, and philosophy, become reduced

Comments

[witchylatina]

I have an English Literature degree with a minor Medieval History.

Wow. Other than teaching there's really not a lot than I could do.

Except wait for someone to buy me a beer.

[triphicus]

Really? All of the people I know who graduated with English degrees were accepted with open arms by most of the jobs to which they applied. Again, it has always seemed to me that employers can appreciate the close reading and clear writing/thinking skills that the major requires, not to mention the ability to make connections between ideas and concepts.

[witchylatina]

I was somewhat joking with my comment. I'm actually an academic advisor for a state university. I've been asked many times what my major was in college.

I get weird looks from parents when I tell them my major.

[sensaes]

Is the world of publishing full? Again?

Tsk. Rotten old economy...

[sensaes]

It's "not how things" have worked for quite a while now (my reference to the "old economy" was deliberate). On this side of the Pond, with some exceptions, the ratio has changed even if expectations haven't. Specifically the expectations of idealists who failed to suss that increasing the numbers of people obtaining undergraduate degrees might just devalue the educational currency.

Edit: I'll take an agnostic position on "holy tacos", having never seen one, but thinking the idea of one sounds tasty. Potentially.

[sensaes]

Encourage them - tell them they've taken the first step, and that it's on the right path.

Then introduce a version of Thunderdome (with or without Auntie Entity) into finals, to weed out the weaker ones and keep the numbers down.

[sensaes]

Economic reality - you should sell tickets for that.

[witchylatina]

LOL