Foo - Life after college degree?

I'm going back to college after a few years hiatus (I can afford it now). I was wondering if anyone knows of a site that explains what various 4-year degree programs mean in the real world? Of course, there are obvious ones, in the sciences and such...but what about the more liberal studies? There are lots of things that interest me, but I have no idea what kind of practical application they can yield post-graduation. My cousin is graduating with a degree in Philosophy in May, and he has no idea what he's going to use it for -- it'd be nice to not find myself in that position in a couple years.

How about engineering? Most of that stuff is practical.
In terms of liberal studies, does stuff like math, accounting, etc count?

The ones I'd be interested in --

History (american, european) -- be a history teacher, or work in a museum -- what else does a History degree get you?

Anthropology (cultural, social) -- I've taken a few classes in the past, but where does this land in the jobforce? Can't need that many archaeologists.

Philosophy -- ??? Sit around and contemplate being unemployed.

Looking through college brochures, I see other similiar variants that sound like I'd enjoy the classwork.

I'm going to do some research and speak with an advisor. I like cultural/social studies, and I'd want to work in my field...I'm just drawing a few blanks when I try to picture the job market. I want to pursue a degree in a field that I enjoy, but I need to be practical about it.

I've been working in IT for three years, and I'm bored out of my mind. Engineering and applied sciences may be over my head -- math beyond first-year Calculus will make my brain explode. I don't really care how much money I'd make, so long as there'd be some major-related job after graduation. Teaching sounds nice, but I'd like to know there are other options.

More often than not you will will be working in something other than what you studied by the time you are 30. Out of college I spent 5 years as a Chemist, 5 years in accounting ( boring ) and the past 18 in IT doing development and design of infotmaion systems, which I still find challanging and fun.

ewww.. your gonna be poor

be a shrink! those dudes are rich as hell. plus you can hypnotize people into giving you their money. which will make you even richer!

i say, you could rule the world with such a degree!

Commercial Real Estate is where the money is. Half the brokers I know haven't even been to college.

I was dumb enough to get a degree in Commercial art. I make a good living, but almost everything I know either came from raw talent or self-taught computer skills.

Find the job you REALLY want, then figure out what degree will get you there the best.

I wanted to do medical research (and be part of a startup) so I picked biomedical engineering.

Merton Slackenery here wants to sleep in his office all day so he wants to be a physics prof.

And NO, I am not in it for the money. I would be a lawyer if I wanted money. Although going to law school so I never have to pay a lawyer sounds appealing :).

You could get a job in the philosophy factory.

More often than not you will will be working in something other than what you studied by the time you are 30. Out of college I spent 5 years as a Chemist, 5 years in accounting ( boring ) and the past 18 in IT doing development and design of infotmaion systems, which I still find challanging and fun.

You mean there is hope for us chemistry geeks?

Slackenery here wants to sleep in his office all day so he wants to be a physics prof.

Tenured prof...

Tenured prof...

Good point. You do have to bust your butt for the first years until you get tenure, and if they don't tenure you then its back to square one. Not for me.

ewww.. your gonna be poor

be a shrink! those dudes are rich as hell. plus you can hypnotize people into giving you their money. which will make you even richer!

i say, you could rule the world with such a degree!

This is both profound and insightful, however, the reality is that shrinks end up trying to help teenagers who like bubbles and don't want to do their homework. BTW their parents don't ususally pay the bill for this discouraging work. Burn-out rates generally make the job market good at the entry level. :D

i can offer my own experience...

i got an undergraduate degree in history and worked as a journalist for several years until i got a teaching position at a university journalism school. i found that i enjoyed teaching so much -- and missed history -- that i took advantage of a fees waiver to do my m.a. now, with the m.a. done, and another year of journalism behind me, i'm going to do my phd. i found that i have a real love of history, and that i really want to teach...

Go to film school. Visual arts/sciences are the fastest growing sector in every major industry on the planet.

55/Rad
Film School Grad - 1982

History (american, european) -- be a history teacher, or work in a museum -- what else does a History degree get you?

You could write books.


Anthropology (cultural, social) -- I've taken a few classes in the past, but where does this land in the jobforce? Can't need that many archaeologists.

Not many archaeologists doing anthropology.


Philosophy -- ??? Sit around and contemplate being unemployed.

I wait tables, therefore I am.


I've been working in IT for three years, and I'm bored out of my mind. Engineering and applied sciences may be over my head -- math beyond first-year Calculus will make my brain explode. I don't really care how much money I'd make, so long as there'd be some major-related job after graduation. Teaching sounds nice, but I'd like to know there are other options.

I don't know if it's the same over there, but here there's a severe shortage of tradesmen coming through. Builders, plumbers and electricians are naming their price and have a three week waiting list. I'd suggest electrician over plumber; electricity may be dangerous, but at least you'll never have to handle ****.

Sociology might be another option. I'm not sure what jobs you might find with that, but my intro sociology teacher always claimed there were lots. I'm afraid I can't really say much about those studies beyond what you've already figured out. As for philosophy...

Consider a nursing degree. If I were going back to school that's what I'd persue.

Nursing isn't just changing bedpans either! OR nurses make good money and IMO have a very interesting (although somewhat stressful depending on the DR) job. Plastic surgeons usually have several OR type nurses around to assist with in clinic day surgeries.

When I was in high school and considering med school (before I found out what the American medical system was really like) one of the nurses I met tried to convince me that it was a far better career. Sorry, just had to add something because I have a cousin in nursing school right now.

I'm going back to college after a few years hiatus (I can afford it now). I was wondering if anyone knows of a site that explains what various 4-year degree programs mean in the real world?
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My two cents: just get a solid education in whatever gets you intellectually stimulated. Really, very few people get a degree and then actually work in the field they got their degree in. I was trained as a physicist (masters degree, PHD dropout). I am now working in software development.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a liberal arts degree. If you take it seriously, the things you learn will carry over to anything you attempt.

I just hired a recent Liberal Arts grad who minored in Philosophy and didn't think twice about it. He is a smart guy, and a thinker, which is why the philosophy appealed to him. He had great grades from a good school and is looking to hook up with a small company that will teach him the ropes and give him a chance to find out what he is really good at. We are a great fit for the guy!

I can do more with a person with that kind of an attitude than not. My guess is that he will go far. ;)

Nursing isn't just changing bedpans either! Plastic surgeons usually have several OR type nurses around to assist with in clinic day surgeries.

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Nurses working for plastic surgeons have GREAT fringe benefits too, take a close look during your next visit (actually it's hard not to take a close look) ;)

Nursing isn't just changing bedpans either!

That's quite true. My mom was an RN when she worked. My sister has a BS in nursing and working on her Masters in Nursing and her husband is a nurse as well. It's very a very interesting line of work. If I weren't such a computer geek or if I ever consider retraining I'll be looking into it.

Go to the collage placement office and look at who's hiring and for what. That should give you an idea of what's out there. Then you can pick something you like. I suspect a liberal arts degree means practiceing saying "Would like fries with that". That may be just around here though.

Joe

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I suspect a liberal arts degree means practiceing saying "Would like fries with that".
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That is really just a myth. I seriously doubt that very many intelligent articulate liberal arts majors end up permanently in menial careers-- at the beginning, yes, but they don't stay there.

The OP mentioned looking for a site that dealt with degrees and careers. I would recommend:
The College Board Career Browser http://www.collegeboard.com/apps/careers/index
U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/emp/

That being said, I pay no attention to data and statistics regarding employment outlooks or in-demand degrees. IMO, you will be best served by sticking with your talents, and pursuing your dreams - not a degree or a paycheck. If you are good at what you do, and love your chosen field, you are already a success.

I could never plan 4 to 6 years into the future, myself. If you follow a chosen path, and perform well, doors will open and opportunities will present themselves. There are millions of folks who have careers that are only tangentially (if at all) related to their degrees. Most jobs opportunities arise from networking and professional relationships. The degree won't get the job for you, that all depends on your ambition and integrity.

Commercial Real Estate is where the money is. Half the brokers I know haven't even been to college.

Very true. My father (although he has a degree) made an awful lot of money in the 27+ years he was in commercial real estate. The downside of that, however, was payment on a strictly commission basis (extremely high stress) and 80-90 hour weeks, 52 weeks a year.

I'll mirror what a lot of others have said here; get a degree you're passionate about. 10 years after graduation, it's highly likely you won't be employed in a field directly related to your degree, unless it's something specialized like education, etc.

Good luck! :)

Find the job you REALLY want, then figure out what degree will get you there the best.

I wanted to do medical research (and be part of a startup) so I picked biomedical engineering.

Merton Slackenery here wants to sleep in his office all day so he wants to be a physics prof.

would you stop harrasing me? crap! (i woulda said something else but little asterisks are very offensive aparently).

i won't just sleep. i'll smash things too! and zap them!

Don't knock Liberal Arts! My wife has a Liberal Arts degree followed by several teaching credentials.

She teaches Special Education and needs a very broad base of knowledge to best help her students. I'm amazed at what she knows. She's one of the smartest people I've ever known.

www.phdcomics.com

That's where the Slackenerny reference comes from. Anyone that doesn't know what a post-doc is yet claims they want to be a prof. is suuuch an easy target. Sorry man.