College Degrees
- Thread starter jammer
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I have one. I'm sure if I thought hard enough I could come up with some tie-in to my current job, but the quick answer is "not on your life, buster." Necessary? Yes and no. For the majority of people, yes it is necessary, if only because of the expanded knowledge base and associated other things that only come with a college education. There are still others out there doing the "American Dream" thing and making it from scratch with hardly a HS degree. Those are getting fewer in between as the whole world gets more high-tech though.
Depending on your field of choice, a Masters is not only necessary, it's become the equivilent of what a BS was 15 years ago...the bare minimum.
Depending on your field of choice, a Masters is not only necessary, it's become the equivilent of what a BS was 15 years ago...the bare minimum.
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Yes, I think college degrees are very important.
I have a BA in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Intercultural Studies. My MA will be in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in Special Education. I will utilize both in my career and would not be able to have my career without them.
I think Master's are only important for those who wish to obtain a new level in a career or to try something new.. for instance, what I want to do.. I can't do without my MA... it all depends on the who and what and why and when...
I have a BA in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Intercultural Studies. My MA will be in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in Special Education. I will utilize both in my career and would not be able to have my career without them.
I think Master's are only important for those who wish to obtain a new level in a career or to try something new.. for instance, what I want to do.. I can't do without my MA... it all depends on the who and what and why and when...
yes, my degree is directly related to my field of work--couldn't be doing it without the degree. I think a Bachelor's degree is needed for many job opportunities--and a Master's depending upon what you are looking to do. There are many people who make a living without a degree--some doing better than others (I know one guy who is making triple what I do and he has a high school degree!)--but, education is never wasted.
If I had a BA in underwater basketweaving I could get certified as a mediator, and there is a shortage of mediators to work on land cases - which I'm far more qualified to do than 99.9% of the attorneys and judges out there with my backgrounds . . . but no paper means I'm not even allowed to think about it 
A typical land mediation here starts at around $900. And goes up from there.
A typical land mediation here starts at around $900. And goes up from there.I think there are many jobs out there that require a college degree. I have a BS in Environmental Health Science. No, I'm not using it per se staying at home with my kids. Before that, I worked in a research lab at the CDC as a tech, as a medical technician at a hospital, and in a research lab at a medical university. My emphasis in Microbiology was more important than the what my degree was in, but I did need a 4 year degree for each of those jobs.
I don't think any education is a waste, so, whether or not a job requires it, I can't think of too many drawbacks to additonal education.
I don't think any education is a waste, so, whether or not a job requires it, I can't think of too many drawbacks to additonal education.
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I have an AS in Animal Science and I do use that degree in my part time job as a trainer, but to get anywhere in my fulltime job (at a high school) I need to not only have a BS or BA, I also have to have a master's.
Not having finished college (which I am going back to do this summer, FINALLY) has really hurt my ability to make a living at ANYTHING. That piece of paper is ABSOLUTELY important.
Not having finished college (which I am going back to do this summer, FINALLY) has really hurt my ability to make a living at ANYTHING. That piece of paper is ABSOLUTELY important.
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a BA is the typical "benchmark" for a high paying job.
Is it necessary to have a college degree? i don't think so. will it make things much easier and be highly beneficial? probably.
it depends on the field you want to get into, as well. i'm an aspiring filmmaker, but i'm going to get my degree in education. in my opinion (and most other filmmakers), you can do just as well in filmmaking without film school. it's not like you're not going to be able to shoot a movie without a degree, and i've honestly learned more on my own and from other filmmakers than i ever would have in film school. if i'm going to make it as a filmmaker, it's not going to be dependent on my degree, which is why i want to have another degree, as a sort of "back-up plan." Granted, if i had ANY degree, even a degree in film, i'd have a lot more job opportunities unrelated to the film industry, but i'm not going to be able to teach with a degree in filmmaking, and teaching is my backup plan.
that was a total rant. long story short, if you know what you want to do, go for it. if you pick a major you're not sure on though, you won't be stuck in that field of work forever.
Is it necessary to have a college degree? i don't think so. will it make things much easier and be highly beneficial? probably.
it depends on the field you want to get into, as well. i'm an aspiring filmmaker, but i'm going to get my degree in education. in my opinion (and most other filmmakers), you can do just as well in filmmaking without film school. it's not like you're not going to be able to shoot a movie without a degree, and i've honestly learned more on my own and from other filmmakers than i ever would have in film school. if i'm going to make it as a filmmaker, it's not going to be dependent on my degree, which is why i want to have another degree, as a sort of "back-up plan." Granted, if i had ANY degree, even a degree in film, i'd have a lot more job opportunities unrelated to the film industry, but i'm not going to be able to teach with a degree in filmmaking, and teaching is my backup plan.
that was a total rant. long story short, if you know what you want to do, go for it. if you pick a major you're not sure on though, you won't be stuck in that field of work forever.
I can't get in the door in my field without a masters. Well, I can, but I'll never be promoted.
Even then a Phd would be much better. (although they then complain about paying overpriced Phds when they wont hire anyone without a masters. The Phd should only be 3 more years, so quite a few people do it!)
Of course, some jobs do pay well. http://www.jobpath.com/JobSeeker/ca...a2083effd34f38a58ed810103dac5c-255306921-VS-4
Even then a Phd would be much better. (although they then complain about paying overpriced Phds when they wont hire anyone without a masters. The Phd should only be 3 more years, so quite a few people do it!)
Of course, some jobs do pay well. http://www.jobpath.com/JobSeeker/ca...a2083effd34f38a58ed810103dac5c-255306921-VS-4
I have two BAs and a JD (Juris Doctor, equivalent of a PhD). Since I can't be a lawyer without the JD, and I'm making good money, I'd say it was worth it.
As for the two BAs, both afforded me with interesting skills and a deeper view of the world. Neither did much to help me find gainful employment. I don't consider them a waste of my time, or my money (though I wish they were cheaper!)(For the record, they are BA Religous Studies, speciality Indian Subcontient, UVA, and BA Computer Animation, Art Institute of Phoenix). However, a Bachelor's is key to any further degrees . . .
But whether you need a Masters (Or JD, MD, PhD, etc) totally depends on what you want to do. If you want to join one of the professions, you definately need one . . . for other things, a BA/BS or even AA/AS should be fine. Or trade school. I strongly suggest getting at least an Associate's degree though . .. except for a few fields, employers tend to look dimly on people who have not had some college . . . but experience, talent and personality can make up for it. Still, if you can afford it, get a Bachelor's . . . it opens doors.
It really is . . . what do you want to do? And what do you mean by good money? Yes, the really big ticket jobs tend to require at least a Bachelor's . . . but not necessarily a Master's or a Doctor's let alone the post doctorate degrees (which Law has, though I'm not sure about other fields).
As for the two BAs, both afforded me with interesting skills and a deeper view of the world. Neither did much to help me find gainful employment. I don't consider them a waste of my time, or my money (though I wish they were cheaper!)(For the record, they are BA Religous Studies, speciality Indian Subcontient, UVA, and BA Computer Animation, Art Institute of Phoenix). However, a Bachelor's is key to any further degrees . . .
But whether you need a Masters (Or JD, MD, PhD, etc) totally depends on what you want to do. If you want to join one of the professions, you definately need one . . . for other things, a BA/BS or even AA/AS should be fine. Or trade school. I strongly suggest getting at least an Associate's degree though . .. except for a few fields, employers tend to look dimly on people who have not had some college . . . but experience, talent and personality can make up for it. Still, if you can afford it, get a Bachelor's . . . it opens doors.
It really is . . . what do you want to do? And what do you mean by good money? Yes, the really big ticket jobs tend to require at least a Bachelor's . . . but not necessarily a Master's or a Doctor's let alone the post doctorate degrees (which Law has, though I'm not sure about other fields).
I asked out of curiosity, mostly. I have a BA in Psychology and to get anywhere in that field, I need a PhD. I don't know if I want to pursue it that far. I'm not in a field that utilizes my degree per say...Real Estate is a good area that doesn't require a 4yr degree to make good money. I'm in the real estate field and it's astounding how many snooty real estate agents walk around with a minimal education.
I have a BS in Political Science, an AS in Animal Science, and a JD (law degree)...
And I'm only really "using" one of the three...considering I'm training dogs part-time, and training skaters the rest of the time...both of which I could have been hired on experience alone, without the degrees...although I'm sure the AS helped with the trainer job...
-Rosefern
And I'm only really "using" one of the three...considering I'm training dogs part-time, and training skaters the rest of the time...both of which I could have been hired on experience alone, without the degrees...although I'm sure the AS helped with the trainer job...
-Rosefern
