Are Studies Degrees the Worst College Degrees?

[LevelUP]

Examples: Gender Studies, Environmental Studies, Film Studies.

Is any studies degree the worst college degree you can get?

[Alpha]

If you hope to go to Medical School then they may not be the best choice.  If you hope to become a multimillionaire then they might not be the best best choice.  What is best and what is worst is entirely a values-based decision that hinges largely on your goals.  If your goal is to become a movie critic then Film Studies might be the best choice.  If your goal is simply to make as much money as possible then perhaps not.

[freeloader]

No. Performing and fine arts degrees are worse. Don’t get me wrong, there aren’t a lot of job adverts asking for a gender studies or African-American studies major BUT these degrees are loaded with social science and humanities courses. The skills one learns in one of these degrees—being able to write effectively and persuasively, analyze and interpret, speak informatively and persuasively, etc—do have value in the marketplace. Arts degrees offer little of that as part of the typical curriculum. Now, that said, I have a friend with a music degree who is a neurosurgeon and Yale Medical School grad. But it wasn’t his understanding of counterpoint that got him there.

[spohara]

If we're talking about pure ROI, they probably aren't great. You can google worst ROI degrees and there is always an article. Studies, fine arts, theatre, education, criminal justice are consistently among the bottom. But there are a lot of people who want to be police officers or teachers so they get the respective degrees, and a "fill in the blank" studies degree may get you to where you'd like to be. Or it might just be a box check type degree where your experience is what matters.

[bjcheung77]

Most "studies" degrees will get you the check the box for admissions or employment purposes that just requires a degree. I wouldn't say they're the worse, they will get you in the door. Many have changed careers or professions and ladder up to a Masters in some other subject area they want to further go into... I see no issue with these degrees "IF" you're moving forward to a Masters in another specialty.

[Vle045]

I have always felt that my Sociology degree was useless. I went and added a Paralegal Studies certificatae which led directly to a job as a legal assistant.

I am not sure how any of it led to where I am now….. Special Education Data Specialist.