Degree

[Lemon Drop]

What is the most versatile degree to have?

[Dunearhp]

Edit: <Flippant>A degree of common sense.</Flippant>

Failing that, probably one of the pure sciences.

It depends on your focus and goals. Science won't help you become an accountant.

Nowadays they require a specific degree to let you in the door in a lot of cases. It's a pain, not everyone wants to be a specialist.

[panda]

I think mathematics is a very versatile degree.

[panda]

Physics, too.

[Lemon Drop]

Too bad my P is very strong...

(Um, ew, didn't sound good.)

But, yeah....I'm having a hard
time making a career decision.

Hell, I can't pick one thing, let
alone specialize.

I'm a buffet sort of person....so I
kinda wanted a degree that could
let me hop around a bit if I felt the
urge. So maybe a business degree...

[Architectonic]

What about some sort of business/engineering double degree?

[Dman]

Is this a trick question?

business administration for crying out loud

how versatile is a science degree? all those science companies hiring people left and right?

as for engineering, most of the students in business graduate school were engineers, what does that tell you

Edit - I like architectonic's idea, that seems best, but kind of cheating the question since it is two degrees

[eyebyte_atWork]

All degrees paint you in a corner somehow - Do what interets you for a while then modify your direction as time goes on.
I started in physics - got the BS, then headed for civil eng, ended up in software development. I know people also in software dev who started with a BS in psychology.

[coffeezombie]

Business is more versatile than engineering, but I think engineering is pretty useful too. I'm always seeing job openings for engineers. I'm guessing that the engineers are going to business school because they are dissatisfied with their job once they do become engineers, not because they can't find work.

Public Administration is another degree that I've seen that has some versatility to it. Note that I don't find any of these fields to be particulary enjoyable to study, though.

[Dman]

Business is more versatile than engineering, but I think engineering is pretty useful too. I'm always seeing job openings for engineers. I'm guessing that the engineers are going to business school because they are dissatisfied with their job once they do become engineers, not because they can't find work.

Yeah, see my edit on that earlier post. For practical purposes I think that would be the best, although a pretty rigorous schedule in school. I think the engineers mostly realized that they couldn't rise above a certain level of management, even still in the engineering departments, without a business degree.

[eyebyte_atWork]

I'm always seeing job openings for engineers. I'm guessing that the engineers are going to business school because they are dissatisfied with their job once they do become engineers, not because they can't find work.



More like there's a glass cieling on earnings without becoming management - and when you reach the top at 35 - you wanna keep climbing. MBA programs are all about more money.

[Nighthawk]

I think the engineers mostly realized that they couldn't rise above a certain level of management, even still in the engineering departments, without a business degree.
That's pretty much my situation now, except I have no desire to move into management. So ... I guess I can remain content where I am, or look for some lateral movement.

[coffeezombie]

That's funny. The engineering firm I worked at let engineers move quite easily into project management, actually being able to submit proposals themselves and win work for the firm, with a share of profits going to them. No business degree required. Perhaps most engineering firms do not work that way, though. I have no idea.

[eyebyte_atWork]

That's funny. The engineering firm I worked at let engineers move quite easily into project management, actually being able to submit proposals themselves and win work for the firm, with a share of profits going to them. No business degree required. Perhaps most engineering firms do not work that way, though. I have no idea.


Must be a smaller firm - the larger the corporation gets - the larger the gap becomes between the technical staff and management. You are lucky - and thats the reason at one time I chose civil engineering

[Dman]

yes, talking about upper management, not project management.


More like there's a glass cieling on earnings without becoming management - and when you reach the top at 35 - you wanna keep climbing. MBA programs are all about more money.

bingo

[coffeezombie]

yes, talking about upper management, not project management.
Project managers where I worked pulled in 70K+ a year. How much do people really need to make? lol I'd be happy living off of 45K for the rest of my life, especially if I had a wife making that much too.

[Dman]

Project managers where I worked pulled in 70K+ a year. How much do people really need to make? lol I'd be happy living off of 45K for the rest of my life, especially if I had a wife making that much too.

not bad for proj mgrs, but still chump change. It never gets much higher than that until you get to upper/senior

you always think you'd be happy with "X" dollars a year, until you get to "X" and realize you want more

Consume, consume, consume...

[coffeezombie]

Consume, consume, consume...
That's how it is for most people, I agree. And that is why Communism will never work, unfortunately.

[Dman]

That's how it is for most people, I agree. And that is why Communism will never work, unfortunately.

Well, seriously, if you decide to have kids, all of a sudden you're shelling out 15k a year in childcare, not to mention medical insurance, clothes, food, larger vehicle to accomodate the family, etc.

then you got college tuition for junior, retirement savings for you and the missus, you want a nice vacation once in a while, inflation kicks in, your house is getting too small for your family, neighborhood and schools are going downhill, need to move to a nicer area, blah blah blah

[mgb]

What is the most versatile degree to have?

http://hocks.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/4012480.jpg

Gets you through all the tough interviews. It's who you know that gets you the foot in the door.

[Hustler]

Statistics.

[waxwing]

What is the most versatile degree to have? I'd say 45.

[eyebyte_atWork]

Project managers where I worked pulled in 70K+ a year. How much do people really need to make? lol I'd be happy living off of 45K for the rest of my life, especially if I had a wife making that much too.

Sorry to hear that - no offense - and I don;t mean to step on your dick or anything - but around 70K? WTF!? A year and a half ago I was making six figures developing. Project managment starts at around just under six figures from what I have seen and I currently make more than the 70K figure just for showing up everyday. I could make more if I would travel. From what I have seen an MBA allows you to break te ceiling at 125k+ per year (Texas rates).

[eyebyte_atWork]

http://hocks.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/4012480.jpg

Gets you through all the tough interviews. It's who you know that gets you the foot in the door.


Too goddamn funny.

[eyebyte_atWork]

Well, seriously, if you decide to have kids, all of a sudden you're shelling out 15k a year in childcare, not to mention medical insurance, clothes, food, larger vehicle to accomodate the family, etc.

then you got college tuition for junior, retirement savings for you and the missus, you want a nice vacation once in a while, inflation kicks in, your house is getting too small for your family, neighborhood and schools are going downhill, need to move to a nicer area, blah blah blah


Ooooh - yeah - the woman you marry will always want to move to a "better" location - whatever that is and completely drench you in debt. I do not care where you live before - she will ALWAYS want to change that shit.

Girls - please chime in with your thought on the matter.

[eyebyte_atWork]

Too goddamn funny.

But it wont save you on your car insurance... lol

[jread]

Public Administration is another degree that I've seen that has some versatility to it. Note that I don't find any of these fields to be particulary enjoyable to study, though.

This is what I'm majoring in. It's basically a business degree for the public sector. I've been working in local government for 8 years and plan on doing so until I retire, so I figured this was the best "all-around" degree for me to get. I also want to go into graduate study in urban planning and many say that a bachelor's in P.A. is a good preparation.

[vacant space]

Commerce/x or Law/x. Knowledge of business and law has to be useful sometime, somewhere even in your personal life. Great backup.

P.S. x = something you actually find interesting to sustain you through the gruelling study.

[Hypnos]

My physics degree has been versatile, given all the interesting job offers I've received. Moreso when I finish my PhD.

But "versatile" means different things depending on what you generally like to do.

[Serotonin]

I'd say 45.

Actually pi/4

http://www.otd.tstu.ru/direct1/bilet/matem/2-2001/Image233.gif

:lol: :nerd:

[INTrPosr]

I would say MHR (Masters of Human Relations). As for undergraduate, social science degrees seem to be versatile.....economics, sociology, psychology, any degree that shows you have some knowledge of dealing with people in general.

[Zarathustra]

Physics, too.

I can't see how a degree in physics would be very versatile. What on earth could you do with a physics degree besides... well, physics. That said, many courses will take physics graduates simply because it has such a good reputation (deservedly) as a discipline.

[panda]

I can't seem how a degree in physics would be very versatile. What on earth could you do with a physics degree besides... well, physics.
I hope you're joking. The education you receive in studying physics is invaluable in any number of careers.

[Zarathustra]

Well I'm not really sure how many areas a physics degree would be useful in. Engineering maybe, but still - although it might be nice to understand general principles you still have to get down to the nitty-gritty. I honestly can't think of many - give some examples. Maybe you are right.

[Zarathustra]

For the most versatile degrees I would be thinking of the following.

English (or insert your native language here) - Everyone Speaks it

Mathematics - Can't get by without some (but less versatile than english due to the fact that many careers only need a certain competence in mathematics e.g. accountancy)

Then again, now that I think of it, many careers only need a certain competence in English... But I still think it is more versatile than mathematics as it can help in any field in which discourse and/or communication skills are important.

[Hypnos]

I know physics undergrads who are now:

* engineers (electrical and mechanical, mostly)
* strategy consultants
* entrepreneurs
* computer scientists
* professional gamblers
* medical doctors
* professional musicians
* professional writers

I don't know any politicians or lawyers, but I'm sure they're out there.

In addition, I know PhDs who are:

* Scientific consultants
* Financial analysts
* Corporate CEOs
* High-level bureaucrats

The question is, how much does a physics education add to the career of someone who might already be pretty smart? I'd say the discipline to really understand things, criticize one's self, and get things done in a messy world.

A math degree (esp. applied math) is similarly versatile, perhaps minus the engineering avenues.

[Zarathustra]

Yes, of course anyone who has a physics degree will be generally bright by default and could go on to do all sorts of different things, should they see fit. However, this holds true for all sorts of degrees - or probably any degree. My question is just how much will the actual physics help in any career - not 'thinking critically' 'information analysis' etc. How much use, for example, would knowing how to test e=mc2, which presupposes some fairly advanced physics, be to anything outside physics?

Of course, I agree with your point partially, but it is a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. Anyone who has a physics degree will be able to think clearly and so will be suited to a large number of careers. But how much the actual content of the discipline can be applicable is open to doubt. Same, perhaps even more so, with philosophy. Yes, it helps you to think critically but who wants to know about Logical Positivism besides philosophers?

[Hypnos]

Physics is useful at a technical level only for physics and advanced engineering applications. A bit more distant are financial analysis, simulation and technical consulting.

However, by the same standard, most education is worthless. When was the last time an office tool thought about the limit of sequences, or chiasmus as a figure of syntax?

The real value of education is in giving you some basic tools which allow you to bootstrap forward. The end product is not someone who is competent in a particular field, but someone who can quickly become competent at many things. You tell me which is more valuable in this economy, or for doing interesting things in general.

[sbw]

Yes, of course anyone who has a physics degree will be generally bright by default and could go on to do all sorts of different things, should they see fit. However, this holds true for all sorts of degrees - or probably any degree.

I wouldn't think this applies to everyone, because it seems that admissions standards have been going down for longer than I've been alive, and more dumb people are consequently attending college.

Scott

[Zarathustra]

I wouldn't think this applies to everyone, because it seems that admissions standards have been going down for longer than I've been alive, and more dumb people are consequently attending college.

Scott

I meant anyone who has completed a degree.

[eyebyte_atWork]

I hope that the answer that was conveyed here is that it really does not matter what degree you have as long as you are doing something you like to do...

but if you have to choose the most powerful, coolest degree path available -

then Physics (or Applied Math) is the way to go.

[sasapurdue]

i don't know the answer to the original question but i can tell you what it isn't -- biology.

[Birdsnest]

First find out what your local colleges offer as degrees and do one thats most likely to be hired in your area. Or where ever you want to live, get a paper with job ads to see the which jobs are being offered. Also you can go to the Dept Of Labor and ask what jobs have highest growth in next 5 years. Chose one that you can stand. I do agree with Business Administration, and then major in Bus Adm-Accounting, Marketing or Management. Accounting is quiet and respectable if you can get used to numbers, & it develops some SJ thinking, not natural for intps, but sometimes useful. Definitely take a career interest aptitude test. Ask people that work in your choices what the best and worst things are about their jobs. Go visit people that are in that field to see if you would like it or hate it before taking classes in it.

[Lee]

Scientology