'Mickey Mouse’ degrees should be kicked into touch

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

[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.