Assisted Dying, Here's Where It...
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The Chase
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How can someone study marine biology at university and want to go into marketing. She is interested in it as a hobby diving. That is an insult to us the tax payer funding her for a hobby.
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Caran seems to have a very strange idea of what universities are for. The vast majority of graduates don't go into careers which are directly related to their university studies.
For example, only a tiny percentage of graduates in Modern Languages become translators, graduates in Classics would find it hard to find any job directly related to their degree, as would graduates in English Literature, History, Geography, Philosophy, Politics and many other subjects.
The vast majority of Fashion graduates don't go into the fashion industry. Similarly, Fine Arts graduates rarely end up making a living from their creations and only a minority of Music graduates become professional musicians.
There are far more young people studying Archaeology and Media Studies than there will ever be job vacancies in those fields.
The majority of Mathematics graduates don't end up in careers which actually require use of any of the maths which they've learned at university. Instead they find career paths where logical thinking is prized. They might well end up working alongside Law graduates, as a high percentage of them never enter the legal profession.
With some obvious exceptions (e.g. Medicine) a student's choice of subject for their university studies need not be related in any way to their future career paths. University should be about studying and learning for the joy of doing so.
For example, only a tiny percentage of graduates in Modern Languages become translators, graduates in Classics would find it hard to find any job directly related to their degree, as would graduates in English Literature, History, Geography, Philosophy, Politics and many other subjects.
The vast majority of Fashion graduates don't go into the fashion industry. Similarly, Fine Arts graduates rarely end up making a living from their creations and only a minority of Music graduates become professional musicians.
There are far more young people studying Archaeology and Media Studies than there will ever be job vacancies in those fields.
The majority of Mathematics graduates don't end up in careers which actually require use of any of the maths which they've learned at university. Instead they find career paths where logical thinking is prized. They might well end up working alongside Law graduates, as a high percentage of them never enter the legal profession.
With some obvious exceptions (e.g. Medicine) a student's choice of subject for their university studies need not be related in any way to their future career paths. University should be about studying and learning for the joy of doing so.
I was going to write something similar to Chris, but less detailed, but clearly he beat me to it. Classical subjects tend to be interests that help show employers that you are intelligent and can stick with the task of studying. Arts students tend to just enjoy themselves. Subjects like American Studies are simply an excuse to visit the place and enjoy a few years' socialising.
With the percentage going to university these days to make government figures look good one has to expect only a small percentage going for the hard career goal oriented subjects. If anything is a waste of money it's the change from universities being a place where the intellectual elite can be mentally stretched and more useful to society to a situation where it is a right of passage for many and keeps the unemployment figures down.
With the percentage going to university these days to make government figures look good one has to expect only a small percentage going for the hard career goal oriented subjects. If anything is a waste of money it's the change from universities being a place where the intellectual elite can be mentally stretched and more useful to society to a situation where it is a right of passage for many and keeps the unemployment figures down.
By studying marine biology she has gained a degree in a subject that interests her and got the chance to visit places that are also good for her hobby. It is a very sensible choice. As said most employers just want a degree to show the candidate has the intelligence and capacity to learn and study to a high standard. Few graduates work in their 'degree' area.
Another exception to this is people such as myself. I left school with just 'o' levels and started work as a Trainee Laboratory Technician. I studied by 'day release' four days at work and one day plus one evening at college.
After 9 years of day release I got an advanced Laboratory Technicians certificate and then a degree in industrial chemistry . So I had a chemistry degree and 9 years experience in a chemistry lab by the age of 26. ( all without a single penny from the taxpayer) This let me work in Africa and the Middle east as a Chemist and an instructor for Laboratory technicians.
Another exception to this is people such as myself. I left school with just 'o' levels and started work as a Trainee Laboratory Technician. I studied by 'day release' four days at work and one day plus one evening at college.
After 9 years of day release I got an advanced Laboratory Technicians certificate and then a degree in industrial chemistry . So I had a chemistry degree and 9 years experience in a chemistry lab by the age of 26. ( all without a single penny from the taxpayer) This let me work in Africa and the Middle east as a Chemist and an instructor for Laboratory technicians.
I agree with Buenchico, eddie and others. Some careers require a degree in a specific subject ( eg a doctor needs to have done medicine or an actuary maths) but many employers of graduates just require someone of graduate calibre who has shown the ability to organise and apply themselves, to collect interpret information, solve complex problems, communicate persuasively or informatively, etc.
Also, graduates may change career several times- she may move into a field later where not only her skills but also her knowledge of marine biology or science in general will help her.
University gives students a chance to make their own way in life, organise themselves without teachers organising everything for them, find out more about themselves- their strengths, weaknesses, interests etc, make contacts for later life.
Of course there are some courses which on the face of it seem to be much less useful or demanding but I don't think marine biology will be one of them.
Also, graduates may change career several times- she may move into a field later where not only her skills but also her knowledge of marine biology or science in general will help her.
University gives students a chance to make their own way in life, organise themselves without teachers organising everything for them, find out more about themselves- their strengths, weaknesses, interests etc, make contacts for later life.
Of course there are some courses which on the face of it seem to be much less useful or demanding but I don't think marine biology will be one of them.
I come across this situation on the odd occasion nowadays, but I see nothing wrong with it. If anything, I'd give the student full marks for ingenuity - as a biochemistry professor who has had some considerable involvement in marine biology, I can't think of a better course for her to pursue her interest in diving. She will achieve an academic degree plus experience in her hobby without the cost of the latter to herself. Diving is expensive - it was a hobby of mine for a few years.
Marine Biology courses in the UK are taught at centres of very high academic excellence and the demands on the student are high. Many years ago, I was involved with Hatfield Polytechnic which taught a BSc in Applied Biology. The Head of Department had been brought up yards from where I was born, we had gone to the same school and many of his lecturers were from nearby towns. Anyhow, Hatfield was recognised year in, year out as having one of the top Marine Biology courses in the UK with loads of practical time out on the North Sea. The poly was up there with the likes of Bangor University, not bad when you consider how far inland Hatfield is!
As others have said, the days of working in your chosen academic discipline have long gone
Marine Biology courses in the UK are taught at centres of very high academic excellence and the demands on the student are high. Many years ago, I was involved with Hatfield Polytechnic which taught a BSc in Applied Biology. The Head of Department had been brought up yards from where I was born, we had gone to the same school and many of his lecturers were from nearby towns. Anyhow, Hatfield was recognised year in, year out as having one of the top Marine Biology courses in the UK with loads of practical time out on the North Sea. The poly was up there with the likes of Bangor University, not bad when you consider how far inland Hatfield is!
As others have said, the days of working in your chosen academic discipline have long gone
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