Constantly Belittled Because of Major (PhD, computer science, skills, degrees)
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I am a freshman in college (coming up on the end of my second semester).
I am currently a History/Geography double major, and while I love what I am studying (and doing well in it), everytime I tell someone what I am majoring in they tell me I will never get a job, I am wasting my education, etc...
Thing is that I do not want to study something I absolutely hate simply because that is how to get a job. I am lucky enough that my parents are helping me pay and I have a generous amount of scholarships/financial aid and I do not have to take out any college loans. My parents are 100% behind me persueing my interests in college BTW, my father especially (he got a degree in a subject he despised just to get a job, and by the time he graduated he could not stand to work in said field).
I am interested in moving on to graduate school eventually, possibly in University administration/ Public administration/ International Affairs/ History/ geography. I wouldn't be opposed to going on to get a PHd eventually as well. I am very interested in Government, education and politics (I am from DC and in High School I had an internship at a government agency), and could definitely see myself working in the government to some degree.
Anyway, I am not asking whether or not this is a good choice of majors, I know neither History or geography is a very markettable degree, I just wanted to know whether you believe I should just scrap my plans and major is something else the is more marketable, but is boring and much more challenging to me.
Knowing this forum, I am probably going to get **** for saying this, but you should do what you are good at and enjoy. Also look for internships in your field and do research on grad school.
As an English Lit major, who is in the process of obtaining a Masters of Science in Professional Writing, I let whiny nay-sayers motivate me. The more I hear my degrees aren't substantial, transferable, or marketable, the more I feel I have something to prove. Some I guess let it deter and defeat them, but not all of us are meant to be techies or major in the more standard math and sciences.
My programs have been tiny. My classes sizes personal and intimate. Personally, I'd take that any day over the alternative, just because It MAY afford me more options after I graduate.
Anyway, I am not asking whether or not this is a good choice of majors, I know neither History or geography is a very markettable degree, I just wanted to know whether you believe I should just scrap my plans and major is something else the is more marketable, but is boring and much more challenging to me.
I am just wondering here, why History is not a very marketable degree vs. some of the other liberal arts degrees out there...I mean, I saw a list on Payscale I think and it said that people with History degrees, made much more over time than people with English, Political Science, and other degrees. Is that not so?
I am a freshman in college (coming up on the end of my second semester).
I am currently a History/Geography double major, and while I love what I am studying (and doing well in it), everytime I tell someone what I am majoring in they tell me I will never get a job, I am wasting my education, etc...
Thing is that I do not want to study something I absolutely hate simply because that is how to get a job. I am lucky enough that my parents are helping me pay and I have a generous amount of scholarships/financial aid and I do not have to take out any college loans. My parents are 100% behind me persueing my interests in college BTW, my father especially (he got a degree in a subject he despised just to get a job, and by the time he graduated he could not stand to work in said field).
I am interested in moving on to graduate school eventually, possibly in University administration/ Public administration/ International Affairs/ History/ geography. I wouldn't be opposed to going on to get a PHd eventually as well. I am very interested in Government, education and politics (I am from DC and in High School I had an internship at a government agency), and could definitely see myself working in the government to some degree.
Anyway, I am not asking whether or not this is a good choice of majors, I know neither History or geography is a very markettable degree, I just wanted to know whether you believe I should just scrap my plans and major is something else the is more marketable, but is boring and much more challenging to me.
Unfortunately, unless you are a science and math person, there are no more guaranteed job majors. Business is no better than history these days, and even law school grads aren't landing jobs. I think history is better than English, though, especially if you have a career path in mind. I think if you start now with internships and networking in the DC area and figure out what kinds of skills you need for those jobs, then you have a decent chance of getting one. Some study abroad, some international policy classes wouldn't hurt either. It won't be easy going, but in this economy I think you have as good a chance as anyone else that isn't a computer science major. Which is to say, maybe not that great a chance, but there is probably nothing better anyway.
But do not under any circumstances interpret any of that to mean that you should go on to grad school later. Don't do that. Not unless it's part of a job path you are already on and pretty much guaranteed to pay off.
Unfortunately, unless you are a science and math person, there are no more guaranteed job majors. Business is no better than history these days, and even law school grads aren't landing jobs. I think history is better than English, though, especially if you have a career path in mind. I think if you start now with internships and networking in the DC area and figure out what kinds of skills you need for those jobs, then you have a decent chance of getting one. Some study abroad, some international policy classes wouldn't hurt either. It won't be easy going, but in this economy I think you have as good a chance as anyone else that isn't a computer science major. Which is to say, maybe not that great a chance, but there is probably nothing better anyway.
But do not under any circumstances interpret any of that to mean that you should go on to grad school later. Don't do that. Not unless it's part of a job path you are already on and pretty much guaranteed to pay off.
Do what you want because you will always be intrinsically motivated. Just know that you will have to be VERY GOOD at what you do to consistently be hired. In addition, be sure you know how to network if you really want to work in government. Connections are key to employment these days because those in hiring positions don't want to waste their time and money on bad hires. They'd rather bet on someone they (or someone they trust) know(s).
As for those who are so rude as to make judgments about your major, I say take the high road. Those comments say much more about them than you anyway.
If you really want a "comeback," the only thing I've found that calls them on their comments but is not TOO confrontational is to say, "Wow, I'm kind of surprised you would say that to me." Then just stand there and let them try to wiggle out of it.
I have a Liberal Arts degree and minored in history. I went to college to study what I was interested in. Not everyone can be an engineer (or whatever). Study what you are interested in, do well and enjoy college. My last alum magazine had an article about a multi-millionaire business owner who graduated with a degree in philosophy. A "good" degree does not guarantee success and a "worthless" degree does not guarantee life in the soup line. I would not and could not study something I was not interested in.
Geography is one of the most employable degrees in the country right now (especially with a touch of programming, scripting, and web development). These people do not know what they are talking about.
A History/Geography double-major is extremely impressive btw. That means you can reconcile two very different world views.
A History/Geography double-major is extremely impressive btw. That means you can reconcile two very different world views.
Where do people get these ideas?? It means he took a bunch of courses in two popular subjects, along with thousands of other young adults. A college degree means virtually nothing as far as what you can or can't do or even what you know. Today, it's little more than a right of passage and a handful of electives that have been shown to add up to almost no actual knowledge at all. And that's true for most majors, unless there is some demonstrable skill that accompanies them (i.e. computer programming), and then you'd still have to demonstrate it before being hired.
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