Usefulness of a specialised degree? (2 Viewers)

[Xayma]

Originally posted by Giant Lobster
Can aerospace be combined with science?

Only physics and maths, Calculon had a post in ME2 about it.

 

[Giant Lobster]

Its sort of a childhood dream of mine to get a PhD... from the comments above it seems like not many people come out with more than an undergrad degree. Is that true? Will I be above the vast majority if I manage to achieve my PhD dream?

I know theres no aerospace industry in Australia... another childhood dream of mine is to work for NASA... but I guess thats too ambitious to aim for now. I'd prolly want to work for some American company that makes planes n stuff...

My question now is, if I do aerospace, will my degree be recognised in America, and worldwide? Cos seeing as how the cutoff's 99.3, I think its safe to say the graduates from Aus are like... best of the best of our country, but it would be a huge shame if the degree is "humbled" overseas

 

[Giant Lobster]

Originally posted by braindrainedAsh
I've had the exact same thoughts as you.... I'm doing a BA in Communications (Journalism) at UTS.... I worked my ass off to get in, the UAI was very high. But at the end of the day, I will just walk away with a BA.....

hmm, now that you're in uni, have you found out anything else regarding the difference btn ur specialised BA and a normal BA? As in, when you graduate with ur degree, you can be a journalist whilst normal BA ppl cant right?

 

[Ziff]

Originally posted by Giant Lobster
hmm, now that you're in uni, have you found out anything else regarding the difference btn ur specialised BA and a normal BA? As in, when you graduate with ur degree, you can be a journalist whilst normal BA ppl cant right?

Wrong! A journalism degree will equip you with the technical aspects of being a journalist. For journalism a BA is actually more beneficial as it shows that you have a wide-general knowledge (which is essential for a journalist) and that you have the required skills. Down at ANU Explore Arts Day an ex-BA honours student who now works with the Canberra Times was telling us how a BA (Honours) from ANU is looked upon more favourably exactly because of the wide-ranging skills and knowledge obtained. Doing Political Science in a BA better equips you for Political Journalism than a Journalism degree. International Relations with languages equips you better for Foreign Correspondent work than a Journalism degree.

 

[Xayma]

Originally posted by Giant Lobster
My question now is, if I do aerospace, will my degree be recognised in America, and worldwide? Cos seeing as how the cutoff's 99.3, I think its safe to say the graduates from Aus are like... best of the best of our country, but it would be a huge shame if the degree is "humbled" overseas

Well I know that the normal aeronautical engineering degrees are recognised world wide so I dont see why this one wouldn't be.

 

[TheKey]

Originally posted by Ziff
Wrong! A journalism degree will equip you with the technical aspects of being a journalist. For journalism a BA is actually more beneficial as it shows that you have a wide-general knowledge (which is essential for a journalist) and that you have the required skills. Down at ANU Explore Arts Day an ex-BA honours student who now works with the Canberra Times was telling us how a BA (Honours) from ANU is looked upon more favourably exactly because of the wide-ranging skills and knowledge obtained. Doing Political Science in a BA better equips you for Political Journalism than a Journalism degree. International Relations with languages equips you better for Foreign Correspondent work than a Journalism degree.

why would people then go for arts (journalism) then? There has to be something that gives the specialised courses an advantige otherwise who would do it. Since arts (journalism) has higher cutoff than Arts there must be something there..same with aero has higher cutoff than mechanical...maybe since less people do these specialised courses the uni may arrange them to find work placements..

i remember a friend telling me there was only 20 or so people in aero-space class or maybe it was mechatronics engineering at USYD.

 

[Raiks]

Originally posted by Ziff
A BA with honours in which you're majoring in something useful such as languages, journalism, international relations etc and not something that's worthless like sociology is regarded highly. Not to mention that employers are starting to once again look at more generalist degrees such as the BA because it's the skills they want so they can mould the employees to their own needs (not to mention that people do not tend to hold the same career for very long any more).

Sociology isn't worthless, many government departs such as health, the productivity commission and the like desire such backgrounds in their departmental research, a lot of sociology is important in qualitative economic research. Remember that theres a lot of jobs around that people don't think about or even know exist.

Something is only as valuable as a person values it... some people see it as worthless while others can look at the same thing and see it as a prized commodity...

 

[braindrainedAsh]

Journalism degrees are not just about journalism.... we do a wide range of social/historical/cultural studies to supplement our study of journalism. For example at the moment I do a media studies subject, a cultural studies subject, a political/historical subject and a journalism subject.

It still has that broad arts education as part of the degree, it is just that journalism is your major. Plus UTS has such a good reputation for their journalism program because it combines theory and general learning with subjects that focus on professional practise.

You can't say a BA is more beneficial when a journalism course is a BA lol.....they have all the same elements, except instead of majoring in say, English, you can major in journalism instead. That's the difference.

And when I graduate I will know how to write news stories, work in radio, television, online or print journalism (we specialize in two of the areas). If I try hard and am determined, I should walk away with a portfolio of published work from my time at uni, and hopefully some work experience and connections with people in the industry, which are the kind of things that you can't usually get from just a normal BA.