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I think the terms "liberal arts degree" and "STEM degree" have taken de facto definitions a bit different than their exact (dictionary) definition.
As for hiring, specific majors are generally listed. A pharmaceutical company may list a biology degree as a requirement and there really is no concern if it is a liberal arts or STEM degree.
But, in conversation, I think most people know what is being implied when they say "liberal arts degree" or "STEM degree"
I think the terms "liberal arts degree" and "STEM degree" have taken de facto definitions a bit different than their exact (dictionary) definition.
As for hiring, specific majors are generally listed. A pharmaceutical company may list a biology degree as a requirement and there really is no concern if it is a liberal arts or STEM degree.
But, in conversation, I think most people know what is being implied when they say "liberal arts degree" or "STEM degree"
Most people don't have a college degree, so most people probably don't know much about college majors in general. I've lost count of how many studies have shown that most Americans can't find X country on a map even though that country is currently in the news.
Most people don't have a college degree, so most people probably don't know much about college majors in general. I've lost count of how many studies have shown that most Americans can't find X country on a map even though that country is currently in the news.
I doubt he's referring to people who don't have degrees in the first place. I suspect the STEM vs LA degree debate (non-stem LA) is primarily between degree holders.
I doubt he's referring to people who don't have degrees in the first place. I suspect the STEM vs LA degree debate (non-stem LA) is primarily between degree holders.
If you go by the "educated" people on this forum, they don't even understand accreditation. They repeatedly assume that some schools are unaccredited or not regionally accredited when it only takes a few seconds to conduct a search. I have no faith in the college advice that comes out of this forum. I participate in education-focused forums (not the one offered by City-Data) where accreditation and the categorization of the liberal arts are easily understood.
The term "Liberal Arts" no longer refers to the trivium and quadrivium. Now it's a much less well-defined term but generally includes the humanities and social sciences. Or any field other than the visual and performing arts in which a paper hat will be required upon graduation.
The term "Liberal Arts" no longer refers to the trivium and quadrivium. Now it's a much less well-defined term but generally includes the humanities and social sciences. Or any field other than the visual and performing arts in which a paper hat will be required upon graduation.
I still say it has become an odd political term for "fields with high unemployment or underemployment right now". That's why people who use the term pejoratively like to exclude liberal arts fields that have good employment prospects.
If you go by the "educated" people on this forum, they don't even understand accreditation. They repeatedly assume that some schools are unaccredited or not regionally accredited when it only takes a few seconds to conduct a search. I have no faith in the college advice that comes out of this forum. I participate in education-focused forums (not the one offered by City-Data) where accreditation and the categorization of the liberal arts are easily understood.
I suspect most people don't care enough to google it, especially where there are google monkeys (I'm one myself at times) who will spend the time. But, there's also quite a bit of material inserted into these conversations intended to obfuscate a position that is relatively simple. I'm sure the reasoning there is stratified and quite personal from one poster to the next.
I personally don't put much weight into college advice that comes out of these forums. What's important or not is if a person actually wants a career in science, or technology, or engineering, or medicine. If a potential student wants to understand what it is to be a successful scientist, engineer, computer scientist, et al it's best to go to the source and learn first hand vs conversing with people outside these fields or those who are unsuccessful in general imo.
I still say it has become an odd political term for "fields with high unemployment or underemployment right now". That's why people who use the term pejoratively like to exclude liberal arts fields that have good employment prospects.
The BLS already parses fields to such a degree, and some incorrectly imo, that it's strange we have these "general" distinctions.
"In an October 9, 2008 phone interview with National Public Radio (NPR) and October 14, 2008 TV interview with Inside Edition, Prasher reported that he was unable to find a job in science, his life savings had run out and that he was working as a courtesy shuttle bus driver for a Toyota dealership in Huntsville, Alabama at $8.50 an hour."
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