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Title: Why Did 17 Million Students Go to College?
Source:
Chronicle
URL Source: http://chronicle.com/blogs/innovati ... n-students-go-to-college/27634
Published: Oct 22, 2010
Author: Richard Vedder
Post Date: 2012-01-10 10:46:20 by lucysmom
Keywords: None
Views: 7762
Comments: 16
Two sets of information were presented to me in the last 24 hours that have dramatically reinforced my feeling that diminishing returns have set in to investments in higher education, with increasing evidence suggesting that we are in one respect “overinvesting” in the field. First, following up on information provided by former student Douglas Himes at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), my sidekick Chris Matgouranis showed me the table reproduced below (And for more see this). Over 317,000 waiters and waitresses have college degrees (over 8,000 of them have doctoral or professional degrees), along with over 80,000 bartenders, and over 18,000 parking lot attendants. All told, some 17,000,000 Americans with college degrees are doing jobs that the BLS says require less than the skill levels associated with a bachelor’s degree. snip ...the growing disconnect between labor market realities and the propaganda of higher-education apologists is causing more and more people to graduate and take menial jobs or no job at all. This is even true at the doctoral and professional level—there are 5,057 janitors in the U.S. with Ph.D.’s, other doctorates, or professional degrees.
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#1. To: lucysmom (#0)
(Edited)
Many college grads aren't qualified to mop floors or flip burgers. Some may argue that there’s no such thing as a useless degree – any education is a good education including many degrees from online schools and universities. However, these seemingly pointless studies may be an exception to that rule. Pay attention as we list the top 10 most useless college degrees. 10. David Beckham studies – Staffordshire University, UK It might sound like a joke, but the squeaky-voiced soccer star actually has a degree course dedicated to him. The course, which is technically classed as “Football Culture”, has been defended by its founder, who argues that degree courses must keep with the times. Celeb-style degrees can also be found in the US, with Madonna studies injected into the Gender course at Harvard (no less) and Oprah Winfrey studies at Illinois. 9. Parapsychology – various colleges This degree is perfect for starting a career with Ghostbusters. Oh wait, Ghostbusters are fictional – that’s four years wasted. Nevertheless, this course dedicated to the study of the paranormal (Slimer and haunted houses included) is popping up in universities and colleges worldwide. Coventry, Edinburgh, Northampton and Liverpool in the UK, plus Belford and Flamel in the US all offer the course, which makes you wonder if people are watching too many Most Haunted episodes. 8. Doctorate of Philosophy in Ufology – Melbourne University In August this year, Aussie Martin Plowman became the first student to become a real Dr Who after passing his studies of unidentified flying objects. After his major in culture and communications, he decided he wanted to do something a bit different, so he chose little green men. However, despite his new status, he remains open-minded about things: “When I meet someone who says they’ve seen something strange, that’s fair enough, because maybe they have. I don’t know what it is, though,” 7. The Phallus – Occidental College It’s difficult to get to grips with the exact nature of this course – if you’ll pardon the pun. It’s cited as studies “between the phallus and the penis, the meaning of the phallus, phallologocentrism, the lesbian phallus, the Jewish phallus, the Latino phallus, and the relation of the phallus and fetishism” but is actually a survey offered by this distinguished college’s department of critical theory and social justice. 6. Surfing Studies – Plymouth / Melbourne Gone are the days of dumb surfer dudes riding the waves without a care. Now, surfing means business. With Plymouth Uni in the UK offering a BSc (Hons) in Surf Science and Technology and Southern Cross University in Australia offering Surf and Sport Management, is seems the seaside slackers want to be taken seriously. What next? Wrestling degrees? 5. Philosophy – various colleges Philosophy, like sociology and psychology, is one of those degrees that people do when they’re not quite sure what vocation they want to follow . It’s a fun-time four years, open to stoners, egocentrics and those that love the sound of their own voice, who will finish the course even more confused at what they want to do in life and probably end up working at a convenience store. 4. Queer Musicology – UCLA Due to seemingly popular demand, the UCLA have actually combined queer theory – the study of gender, feminism and gayness – with the science of music, to produce a very open-minded course within their Herb Alpert School of Music. The LA Times reported that the course will introduce debates like: “the idea that if you’re gay, then music by gay composers such as Benjamin Britten will sound different to you than it would if you were straight.” 3. Star Trek – Georgetown University in Washington It’s a degree, Jim, but not as we know it. The Georgetown faculty of Philosophy argues that “Star Trek is very philosophical. What better way, then, to learn philosophy, than to watch Star Trek, read philosophy, and hash it all out in class?” The Trekkies have also landed at Indiana University, who curiously combine their Star Trek Studies with religion. If only there were more vacancies for professional dorks… 2. Golf Management – University of Birmingham / Florida Gulf Coast University Here’s another useless sport degree spreading through Universities across the world, but this one lands the number two position because it’s not even fun. There’s nothing much duller than playing golf apart from studying golf, so why these two Universities have offered courses covering the psychology of golf; equipment technology; financial performance and coach education, is a mystery. 1. Art History – various colleges What career would you ever get with a degree in art history? Maybe an art gallery curator, but how many of those does the world actually need? Most art history courses consist of a selection of well-to-do teenagers and arty-hippy types deliberating over the same Dali and Magritte paintings for four, even five years straight. It’s time to move on! Honorable Mentions: The Science of Harry Potter – Frostburg University Maryland’s Frostburg University provides this honors seminar, which is really a physics class that investigates the supposed magic of Harry Potter. Seems like an excuse to watch the Harry Potter movies. Learning from YouTube – Pitzer College California’s Pitzer College has added a class named, Learning from YouTube. TechCrunch reports that “the class consists of students watching YouTube videos and then discussing them. They also leave comments on the videos themselves.” by Katherine Watt
I disagree with the above statement.
Philosophy and the Humanities are inconvenient to the Quays of the world. Too much free thinking and insight into the inter-connectivity of human efforts. Can't have that... And don't get me started on science...(it's a tool of the devil)...
and it all begins with questions - yikes!
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Top 10 Useless College Degrees & Classes
#2. To: Happy Quanzaa (#1)
Philosophy, like sociology and psychology, is one of those degrees that people do when they’re not quite sure what vocation they want to follow . It’s a fun-time four years, open to stoners, egocentrics and those that love the sound of their own voice, who will finish the course even more confused at what they want to do in life and probably end up working at a convenience store.
#8. To: lucysmom (#2)
I disagree with the above statement.
#10. To: war (#8)
Too much free thinking and insight into the inter-connectivity of human efforts.
Replies to Comment # 10.
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