Useless college/university degrees

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: rshaw125
Not PE , Sociology, lawn care etc.


The "Lawn care" curriculum is actually quite challenging and has good career opportunities.
At MSU: University and College Requirements (41 credits)

Writing, Rhetoric and American Cultures (WRA) - 4 credits
WRA 110-150
Integrative Studies in Arts and Humanities (IAH) - 8 credits
IAH 201-210
IAH 211-241
Integrative Studies in Social and Behavioral Sciences (ISS) - 8 credits
ISS 200-level
ISS 300-level
PLB 105 Plant Biology - 3 credits
PLB 106 Plant Biology Laboratory - 1 credit
CEM 141 General Chemistry - 4 credits
CEM 143 Survey of Organic Chemistry - 4 credits
CEM 161 Chemistry Laboratory I - 1 credit
MTH 116 College Algebra and Trigonometry - 5 credits
EC 201 Introduction to Microeconomics - 3 credits

Departmental Requirements (49 credits)

CSS 110 Computer Applications in Agronomy - 2 credits
CSS 178 Golf Turf Irrigation - 2 credits
CSS 181 Pesticide & Fertilizer App Tec - 3 credits
CSS 210 Fundamentals of Soil and Landscape Science - 3 credits
CSS 232 Introduction to Turfgrass Management - 4 credits
CSS 262 Turfgrass Management Seminar - 1 credit
CSS 267 Turfgrass Practices - 2 credits
CSS 269 Turfgrass Strategies - 2 credits
CSS 272 Turfgrass Soil Management - 2 credits
CSS 292 Management of Turfgrass Weeds - 3 credits
CSS 330 Soil Chemistry - 2 credits
CSS 340 Applied Soil Physics - 2 credits
CSS 350 Plant Genetics - 3 credits
CSS 360 Soil Biology - 3 credits
CSS 382 Turfgrass Physiology - 2 credits
CSS 470 Soil Resources - 3 credits
CSS 492 Professional Development Seminar II - 1 credit
CSS 493 Professional Internship - 3 credits
ENT 364 Turfgrass Entomology - 3 credits
PLP 366 Turfgrass Pathology - 3 credits
One of the following courses (3 credits):
HRT 361 Applied Plant Physiology - 3 credits
PLB 301 Introductory Plant Physiology - 3 credits

Electives (27 credits)...........

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I agree completely , some time in the field ( a year ) as an apprentice would have saved me a TON of money, and I'd probably be in a better spot as I am now.

I would have learned just as much ... and not just how it works in theory, how it *really* works and have 4 years of experience under by belt to boot!

Unfortunately, that isn't the way it works. I need this expensive slip of paper in order to get my foot in the door.

Then, there's the issue of where your expensive slip of paper is from.

I have a SUNY degree - it's a State University. I've been on a few interviews where I was laughed at for not having a more expensive private eduction. Really kills your spirit when you're laughed out of an interview because you have a public education.

 

[doitmyself]

Many students graduate doing the minimum course requirements.

Most of my student employees graduate with 2 or 3 summer's worth of work in their field of study (internship/summer job), have already joined a professional organization/society, and practice "career networking".

Like most things, college is only as good as the effort put into it. But, I agree that our education system is messed up in many ways.

 

[kb01]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
I have a SUNY degree - it's a State University. I've been on a few interviews where I was laughed at for not having a more expensive private eduction. Really kills your spirit when you're laughed out of an interview because you have a public education.

I'm kind of surprised to hear that, especially in regards to the SUNY schools.

In my field, it's generally the big state schools that have the most well known faculty and the real research going on. The little, prestigious private schools, while they have great teachers are at a massive disadvantage when it comes to research and publications.

 

[kb01]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself


The "Lawn care" curriculum is actually quite challenging and has good career opportunities.
At MSU: University and College Requirements (41 credits)


That's pretty much the reason why I take the "worthless degree" accusations with a grain of salt.

That curriculum sounds like a typical bachelor's program, with a range of requirements in various fields of the humanities, sciences, and math, but then a concentration in a specific field for the last year or two of the program -- It's definitely not the same thing as some kind of unaccredited "Bachelors of Lawn Care (BLC)" with 60 credits of "Weed-whacking 101".

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: kb01
Originally Posted By: Miller88
I have a SUNY degree - it's a State University. I've been on a few interviews where I was laughed at for not having a more expensive private eduction. Really kills your spirit when you're laughed out of an interview because you have a public education.

I'm kind of surprised to hear that, especially in regards to the SUNY schools.

In my field, it's generally the big state schools that have the most well known faculty and the real research going on. The little, prestigious private schools, while they have great teachers are at a massive disadvantage when it comes to research and publications.

I was very surprised myself. For what I do, and the area I'm in ... I went to THE school (even though it's 35 miles away ...).

I graduated with people that fill every hospital, university, lawyer's office, etc in the city.

However, one of the interviews was at a Private University and the other was a hospital.

 

[Loobed]

Originally Posted By: morris
how about. under water up side down back handed Barovian basket weaving.


I was going to take that class, but it was already full. Maybe next semester.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: kb01


I'm kind of surprised to hear that, especially in regards to the SUNY schools.

In my field, it's generally the big state schools that have the most well known faculty and the real research going on.


Me too.

My SUNY school AAS degree is what has gotten me to the interview stage of the great jobs that I've had.

My present employer had just come from a job fair at the school I had graduated from. That's what made my resume stand out from the stack. Almost 16yrs later, I'm still there. FWIW, in 1990, that AAS degree, room, board, meals was about $14K.

Joel

 

[bigmike]

Many times people ask me why did I obtain the degrees I have and my answer is usually 1) it trained me to think, analyze, and problem-solve and 2) they were difficult fields.

I have 2 undergrad degrees, one in math and and another in statistics along with a minor in computer science.

After being in the professional world a number of years, I decided to go back to school and I'm currently working on a masters in instructional design in technology.

I've learned if you want to really round out your resume, you'll probably need some sort of professional license or certifications as well.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: kb01
Originally Posted By: Miller88
I have a SUNY degree - it's a State University. I've been on a few interviews where I was laughed at for not having a more expensive private eduction. Really kills your spirit when you're laughed out of an interview because you have a public education.

I'm kind of surprised to hear that, especially in regards to the SUNY schools.


nahh....we were at a Christmas party at my wife's employer when the topic of universities came up. My wife has a degree from The Ohio State University. All the T-sippers (UTexas)sneered in derision at that.
The message I received from that was that the quality of education is directly proportionate to the excellence of the sports programs.

As for my school? We have an excellent wheelchair basketball team....but no football. Must be a terrible place to learn.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

The football team where I went was horrible.

 

[javacontour]

My college football team would probably have lost to my high school football team

Originally Posted By: Miller88
The football team where I went was horrible.

 

[joaks]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: kb01
Originally Posted By: Miller88
I have a SUNY degree - it's a State University. I've been on a few interviews where I was laughed at for not having a more expensive private eduction. Really kills your spirit when you're laughed out of an interview because you have a public education.

I'm kind of surprised to hear that, especially in regards to the SUNY schools.


nahh....we were at a Christmas party at my wife's employer when the topic of universities came up. My wife has a degree from The Ohio State University. All the T-sippers (UTexas)sneered in derision at that.
The message I received from that was that the quality of education is directly proportionate to the excellence of the sports programs.

As for my school? We have an excellent wheelchair basketball team....but no football. Must be a terrible place to learn.


I'm glad I didn't go to texas then. I'm a PhD student at Ohio State and can't come into the lab to do cancer research on a Saturday because of football.

 

[tribocessive]

Loobed, the world is available to you. Have confidence in your skill set-your ability to grow, learn and adapt. We are the luckiest people who have ever lived. There is an obligation to make the world a better place. Find motivation. The world's future problems will center around reconciling concerns about energy and environment. There is your opportunity. I am talking about a degree in tribology or chemistry. The future is not plastics. It is bioesters.

 

[Cutehumor]

I have a co-worker who has a degree in hospitality management. she worked in the banking industry until it crashed. she started working with us last year.

 

[wander2039]

Don't know about everyone else but I'm going to tell my boys to hit the road and see the world for at least a year before any continued education. Hopefully it will give them a better understanding of what they want to do. Way to many people I know either regrets their degree or has the wrong one. My parents basically forced me into mine and while I was good at it what I'm doing now I enjoy so much more!

 

[CourierDriver]

It was 1964, went off to college, did poorly. Did not do well in High School . In 66 went boating with the Navy for four years. That was all it took. I went back to college, make A's and B's. I was a different person. Where was that kid in High School? LOL

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: kb01
Originally Posted By: Miller88
I have a SUNY degree - it's a State University. I've been on a few interviews where I was laughed at for not having a more expensive private eduction. Really kills your spirit when you're laughed out of an interview because you have a public education.

I'm kind of surprised to hear that, especially in regards to the SUNY schools.

In my field, it's generally the big state schools that have the most well known faculty and the real research going on. The little, prestigious private schools, while they have great teachers are at a massive disadvantage when it comes to research and publications.


+1

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
My college football team would probably have lost to my high school football team

Originally Posted By: Miller88
The football team where I went was horrible.


LOL true. I was in a top 10 program in my field, but the football team wasnt on TV or pulling in big bucks. Life went on on saturdays, though it was fun to watch.

 

[Dave Hess]

JHZR2,

Where did you go to college ?