# Majors **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 9, 2011, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393 "2011-07-09T09:28:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/21 "2011-07-11T13:28:10Z")
My opinion on higher education is that it should be personally rewarding. I understand that other people view college as direct preparation for the labor force, but I spent four years in college because I wanted to learn. I wanted to think philosophically about big questions of human nature, read important books, and talk about those sorts of things with other people. I majored in sociology at a university that required a very broad core curriculum, and I also took electives in music, history, math, political science, and art. (In fact, at my alma mater, there aren’t an “practical majors.” Only liberal arts.) My husband also went to school there. 15+ years after graduation, and we’ve both done just fine in the work place. For what it’s worth, our parents funded our college educations completely. We plan to do the same for our children. I certainly hope our kids can major in whatever interests them, rather than something that trains them for a specific entry level job. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/22 "2011-07-11T13:48:35Z")
> [@BetsQ](#): > > My opinion on higher education is that it should be personally rewarding. I understand that other people view college as direct preparation for the labor force, but I spent four years in college because I wanted to learn. I wanted to think philosophically about big questions of human nature, read important books, and talk about those sorts of things with other people. I majored in sociology at a university that required a very broad core curriculum, and I also took electives in music, history, math, political science, and art. (In fact, at my alma mater, there aren’t an “practical majors.” Only liberal arts.) My husband also went to school there. 15+ years after graduation, and we’ve both done just fine in the work place. > > For what it’s worth, our parents funded our college educations completely. We plan to do the same for our children. I certainly hope our kids can major in whatever interests them, rather than something that trains them for a specific entry level job. QFT! ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/23 "2011-07-11T14:51:56Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > It was an example and there are majors that are equally as useless as that. I brought it up because others did as an example. Which majors are equally as useless as the ones you’ve made up? Which majors would you ban? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/24 "2011-07-11T15:39:33Z")
> [@BetsQ](#): > > I understand that other people view college as direct preparation for the labor force… That’s certainly not how the colleges view themselves. Edit: I know that you know that, but a lot of people don’t, and it’s worth pointing out. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/25 "2011-07-11T15:42:01Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > So, law schools should only accept the amount necessary to keep the field going. How many is that actually? My opinion is that people should be able to study whatever major they like and schools should provide whatever major they think people want to study. Competition and the market will typically decide which ones are most valuable. How can any governing body possibly determine how many workers should be in any particular profession, let alone predict what will be needed in 4 years? They can’t. And don’t give me this “18 year olds are not mature enough to make these decisions”. The smart ones are. And the good schools do a pretty good job of weeding out the dumb ones. And even the dumb kids eventually figure out what they want to do for a living. Really the entire premise of the OP is silly and based on some strawman of “liberal arts majors are unemployable”. Is there anyone here who actually knows any liberal arts majors who graduated and never found a job after years (other than those who avoided doing so on purpose)? ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/26 "2011-07-12T00:28:17Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > And don’t give me this “18 year olds are not mature enough to make these decisions”. The smart ones are. And the good schools do a pretty good job of weeding out the dumb ones. And even the dumb kids eventually figure out what they want to do for a living. The dumb one figure out eventually… but not at eighteen and not after spending tens of thousands on a useless piece of paper. What is the harm in providing better guidance? _Snip_ > [@msmith537](#): > > Is there anyone here who actually knows any liberal arts majors who graduated and never found a job after years (other than those who avoided doing so on purpose)? Yes, many of my classmates including myself. Do you want to see all my rejection letters? Sure, liberal arts grads can get jobs which don’t require a degree, but that doesn’t speak highly of the degree’s market value. ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/27 "2011-07-12T00:47:34Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > You know, even if this hypothetical major in sonnets _existed_, I’d dispute the assumption that it would be useless. Four years of intense, focused study of the nuances of language? Sounds like pretty awesome training for almost any career involving writing – and there are plenty of such careers, and a chronic shortage of graduates who can use language effectively and gracefully. > > Now, I will say that majoring in a language-intensive field doesn’t _guarantee_ that you’ll learn to write well, and there are students – and I’m thinking of one of my advisees in particular – who really are wasting their time majoring in English. But honestly, I suspect these people would be wasting their time no matter _what_ they majored in. Most of the time, skills and character count more than the specific course of study. I’m going to be honest here. I know I’m get shit for it, but I think English majors are useless in general. Even if you go into publishing, you’d probably be better off with a business major and an English MINOR. If you’re an American and you’ve been through the American school system, I’m assuming you should know how to speak, write, and read English. In other countries do they do things like this? I.e. in France do people actually major in French? Knowing there’s a country of people who are just like them and speak the language since birth? This seems very American and very stupid. ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/28 "2011-07-12T00:51:15Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > Do you really want to live in a world where adults are not _allowed_ to purchase a good or service because “they” (who is they?) have decided they don’t have the wisdom to make a sound choice? I mean, of all the tragically stupid financial decisions people make, I’m not sure that picking a less-applicable major even comes in the top ten. > > Now, I agree that you shouldn’t major in a subject just because it was your favorite class in high school, or because you hate it slightly less than anything else. But there are plenty of people who have a degree in English or what have you and do just fine. Many of us are teachers, but there’s plenty of other professions out there where the ability to think and write clearly is a huge asset. > > Furthermore, I wouldn’t regret my English degree even if it never played a direct role in my professional career again. The skills I learned as a humanities major have strengthened my marriage, my professional career, and I have high hopes that they will strengthen my skills as a parent. It’s how I learned how the world really works–not just how to do something. It’s enriched my whole life. I can’t imagine living without an aesthetic sense: it’s where joy comes from, and I learned that as a humanities major. > > Now, I had peers who didn’t get any of that. They went to school for four years and read a bunch of books, and probably would have been better off majoring in nursing or engineering. But the idea that I should have been denied the chance to have the single most transformative experience of my life because they didn’t have the intelligence or the work ethic to take advantage of it is just silly. > > That said, I’d advise any kid pursing a humanities major to have some sort of post-graduation plan: a teaching certificate, good internships, or plans for professional school. But I’d never say “You are not allowed to do this.” Good points. However, I don’t really know how to fix this problem. I think it’s just a lot of people who don’t belong in college or aren’t ready for it. I want to suggest a gap year, but that doesn’t seem to work in America. Most who don’t immediately go to college never finish it. There’s something wrong with this, but I’m not sure what… ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/29 "2011-07-12T00:52:43Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > I’m going to be honest here. I know I’m get shit for it, but I think English majors are useless in general. Even if you go into publishing, you’d probably be better off with a business major and an English MINOR. If you’re an American and you’ve been through the American school system, I’m assuming you should know how to speak, write, and read English. In other countries do they do things like this? I.e. in France do people actually major in French? Knowing there’s a country of people who are just like them and speak the language since birth? This seems very American and very stupid. You might want to learn what an English major actually involves before you go criticizing it… ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/30 "2011-07-12T00:54:01Z")
> [@BetsQ](#): > > My opinion on higher education is that it should be personally rewarding. I understand that other people view college as direct preparation for the labor force, but I spent four years in college because I wanted to learn. I wanted to think philosophically about big questions of human nature, read important books, and talk about those sorts of things with other people. I majored in sociology at a university that required a very broad core curriculum, and I also took electives in music, history, math, political science, and art. (In fact, at my alma mater, there aren’t an “practical majors.” Only liberal arts.) My husband also went to school there. 15+ years after graduation, and we’ve both done just fine in the work place. > > For what it’s worth, our parents funded our college educations completely. We plan to do the same for our children. I certainly hope our kids can major in whatever interests them, rather than something that trains them for a specific entry level job. The second part is where you differ from many. If you can afford it and not end up debt, I won’t care if your major is how to use a shovel. There comes a difference when your major is useless and you paid for it or WORSE got into debt. I am saddened by people who paid more money for a degree than they’ll make from it. ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/31 "2011-07-12T00:57:44Z")
> [@Dave\_Hartwick](#): > > Which majors are equally as useless as the ones you’ve made up? Which majors would you ban? I think English majors in general are pretty useless in most cases if one is a native speaker. Computers. Not so much useless, but good luck getting a job with that. Theater/acting/performing arts (whatever they call it) majors. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/32 "2011-07-12T01:40:29Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > I think English majors in general are pretty useless in most cases if one is a native speaker. You don’t seem to know what an English major is… > [@](#): > > Computers. Not so much useless, but good luck getting a job with that. I… wait, what? > [@](#): > > Theater/acting/performing arts (whatever they call it) majors. Well, the career path here can certainly be tough, but I think that’s rather well known and rarely unconsidered by those who choose to pursue it. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/33 "2011-07-12T01:49:59Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > Computers. Not so much useless, but good luck getting a job with that. Which four year schools offer a major in computers? ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/34 "2011-07-12T02:21:51Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Which four year schools offer a major in computers? To my knowledge almost all of them. Two schools that are less than an hour away from where I live offer majors in Computer Science. ETA: One is a university and one is a college. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/35 "2011-07-12T02:32:37Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > To my knowledge almost all of them. Two schools that are less than an hour away from where I live offer majors in Computer Science. > > ETA: One is a university and one is a college. So you don’t know what an English major involves, and you don’t know the difference between computers and computer science, and you think you’re qualified to say which majors are useful? On what grounds? ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/36 "2011-07-12T02:40:02Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > So you don’t know what an English major involves, and you don’t know the difference between computers and computer science, and you think you’re qualified to say which majors are useful? On what grounds? So, what is the difference between computers and computer science? You, by the way you judge me, know every thing there is to know about every major. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/37 "2011-07-12T02:45:46Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > If you’re an American and you’ve been through the American school system, I’m assuming you should know how to speak, write, and read English. Have you not met many Americans or something? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/38 "2011-07-12T02:45:59Z")
BTW, yes, other countries do offer majors (or their post-secondary equivalents) in their “native” languages. Because an English major is not studying (necessarily) the structure and grammar of English. They may, but that is also something that linguistics study. They also study the literary works, the origins of the language, the changes through time, the different literary periods. Courses in that general area require some critical thinking, some comparison. Understand the different layers and meanings of the work (poem, short story, novel, etc.), and correlate them perhaps with what the social climate was at the time it was written. And all the above is: First, probably just part of what you do in an English major. Second, applied to all other languages. And this I know first hand, since I did a minor in Portuguese. And yes, Brazilian universities offer majors in Portuguese, French universities in French, various Latin American countries in Spanish, etc. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/39 "2011-07-12T02:51:03Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > So, what is the difference between computers and computer science? You, by the way you judge me, know every thing there is to know about every major. Academic advising is one of my informal responsibilities, so yes, I do have to know at least something about most majors. I may not know everything, but I do know the basics. The reason I’m “judging” you is because you don’t seem to know anything, and if you’re going to declare that a given major is useless, you had damn well better not be completely misinformed about what it involves. As for computer science, I can’t give a better answer than Wikipedia does: > [@](#): > > Computer science or computing science (abbreviated CS) is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems. Computer scientists invent algorithmic processes that create, describe, and transform information and formulate suitable abstractions to model complex systems. > > Computer science has many sub-fields; some, such as computational complexity theory, study the properties of computational problems, while others, such as computer graphics, emphasize the computation of specific results. Still others focus on the challenges in implementing computations. For example, programming language theory studies approaches to describe computations, while computer programming applies specific programming languages to solve specific computational problems, and human-computer interaction focuses on the challenges in making computers and computations useful, usable, and universally accessible to humans. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393/40 "2011-07-12T02:51:29Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > So, what is the difference between computers and computer science? You, by the way you judge me, know every thing there is to know about every major. A degree in computer science is focused on programing. This is different from other degrees, such as MIS, that focus on computer applications, or EE, that (among many other things) might prepare someone for technical design. An English degree is most often a degree in English Literature, which involves studying how language is used to create art. Less often, English Rhetoric, which involves studying how language is used persuasively. Programs also exist that focus on technical writing and creative writing, both of which are often lumped under “English”. All these majors involve extensive work in learning to construct organized, reasoned arguments supporting one’s position. They all involve almost no time dealing with the technical aspects of speaking the English language. Do you really believe that all native speakers of English use the language with equal ability? Have you never known a strong communicator or a weak one? Those are skills that can be learned. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/majors/588393.md?page=3)