Are degrees any good?

[prole art threat]

I dont have one but are they any good apart from looking nice on your cv?

Surely, degrees is just another part of the link in the strategy to keep us shackled and stupid whilst making us think we are 'educated' and 'free'?

[scubadiver]

I think it has to be on an individual basis. A degree isn't to everyone's taste.

If a person wastes three years just to have a good time and get pissed every weekend doing a degree studying "the history of magic" then I do wonder.

It isn't so much to look good on a CV but a person has to show it was worthwhile for what they want to do in a career.

[prole art threat]

[TimmyG]

i think i got more in terms of life experience than actual education during my time at uni. which is still very valueable and worthwhile.

i did learn quite a lot of stuff i wouldn't have learnt if i hadn't gone to uni. and the spare time you have to do your own research on things, which you wouldn't normally have working 9-5, is great if you put it to good use.

so er.. .yeah degrees. quite good. could be better though. in terms of lectures and learning, i didn't really feel very challenged a lot of the time. and the times it was challenging i just didn't understand the significance of what lecturer was talking about at all. but i still learnt some good stuff.

didn't help me get a job though (depsite trying very hard). i'm self employed now!

[prole art threat]

Some say that further education courses are actually designed to make you unlearn or forget everything that they teach you. Any thoughts?

[Dr Hemp]

I certainly think it is a strategy of New Labour to encourage people into further education, as this is a sure way to get people into debt at a young age. Once you are in debt, in many ways they have already got you and anyone doing a degree course these days will leave owing at least £20,000 and in many cases much more.

I do think the 50% figure that Bliar talks about is not realistic, and devalues degrees, but as I said, his policy is more about making sure people are in debt at a young age, rather than providing universal education.

I gather you'll earn more money if you train to be a plumber or electrician than what most university leavers get, as there's a big shortage of these professions. I personally couldn't be bothered to do further education, I set up companies instead, which anyone can do, degree or no degree.

I'm sure university education is a good thing, but I'm concerned that they are trying to get too high a percentage of school leavers into uni, which devalues degrees and puts people into debt. The drop out figures for higher education are also at record levels.