'Mickey Mouse’ degrees should be kicked into touch

Royal Society of Chemistry ^ | 11 Feb 2010 | Richard Pike

[neverdem]

‘Mickey Mouse’ degree courses should be swept away, and priorities in university education and research should reflect the challenges facing the country over the forthcoming decades.

No longer should the government be paying 18-year-olds to start courses on celebrity journalism, drama with waste management, or international football business management. These courses should be kicked into touch, especially at a time when the UK is desperately short of funding research into Alzheimer’s and other diseases of ageing, alternative energy sources and wider, more effective health care provision, all of which depend on leading-edge work in the fundamental sciences.

Massive cuts in the science budget have already been announced in this country at a time when President Barack Obama is seeking $66bn, an increase of 5.9% over 2010 levels, to address the strategic priorities on the other side of the Atlantic.

The number of undergraduates studying chemistry, physics, biology and mathematics here had stayed relatively constant over many decades, and the enormous expansion witnessed in tertiary education was largely in the non-science sector. This sector, too, played a vital role in the development of the country, and our future relies on exploiting the synergies provided by a workforce with a wide range of skills, but we now need some realism over the way ahead.

We need a population with an enduring set of skills, such as an understanding of the physical world around us, literacy and communication, numeracy, how to function and continue to learn in a complex society, and above all creativity, rather than an ability to satisfy some ephemeral demand that in ten years time will be viewed as a curiosity.

To take a leaf out of the US’s book, that means that science must not be cut in the same proportion as other subjects at university, but its central role for the future of this country recognised, and funding effectively ‘ring fenced’, so that in effect it becomes a more dominant component.

This is not a question of pleading a special case; such a move is essential if we are all to enjoy the lifestyle we have become accustomed to, and to ensure that we are prepared for the changes that will affect us all in the future.

[Little Ray]

Dunno.
At Furman, we had a course called Western Civilization. Lasted three semesters. Combined Art, Literature, and History trying to put them all in context. Best course I ever had (and I had some GOOD ones!).

If they had added a little “pro-Western jingoism” to it, it would have been even better. And it would be a great class for anyone - liberal arts, science, whatever, to take.

Oh, and I was a Comp Sci (Math) major.

[Clemenza]

In America, employers seek employees with a narrow set of skills/specialization, especially in the current job market. This is not true in much of the rest of the world, btw.

[A Strict Constructionist]

“Even if we throw out the stupid degrees (as we should), we shouldn’t throw out all courses that aren’t math and science.”

I think we are in the 95+ range of agreement. I agree with you completely on your statement. It is when we make these areas majors and therefore degree candidates that I have a problem. Most of these areas should be one course taught in the History or Anthropology or some other appropriate department.

The arts are traditional Liberal Arts areas and should remain. A traditional Liberal Arts degree is not a waste IMHO. Society would be the poorer without it as the Sciences and Engineering need tempering.

[grey_whiskers]

You speak great wisdom.

Consider yourself *highly* commended, sir.

Cheers!

[grey_whiskers]

Jobs programs for liberal arts majors; as in the old Mag Magazine spoof of a college bulletin, in which one of the professors is pleading, "Won't someone PLEASE take conversational Eskimo?"

Cheers!

[grey_whiskers]

And I also disagree with most people here (so it seems—I hope I’m wrong) that “left-brained” jobs are the only legitimate ones. It bugs me to no end when people take a dump on, say, arts education, then moan about the poor quality of and lack of conservative values in today’s arts and entertainment. If you want more conservative artists, support their education—don’t tell them to “get a real job” instead.

Aha! Now we see the violence inherent in the system!

Help, help, she's being repressed!

Cheers!

[grey_whiskers]

descent = decent

That would depend on the attractiveness gradient, wouldn't it?

Or the forces of gravitational vs. sexual attraction, simple hormonic motion, degenerate modes, and the rest...

Cheers!

[SunkenCiv]

No longer should the government be paying 18-year-olds to start courses on celebrity journalism, drama with waste management, or international football business management.

Thanks neverdem. Meanwhile, the UK discontinues classical studies and other "liberal" arts, and in the US the leftists, unchastened by the unravelling of their global warming conspiracy (for which all of them should hang), continue to attack the educational system.