A Forbes Public Service Announcement: The 17 Most Useless College Majors (Avoid! Avoid! Avoid!)

[AviatorShades]

They both have their pros and cons.

I love the social sciences, but they don't really exist in the modern west. Our social science curriculum is censored, PC nonsense where half of the formative work in a given field is trivialized because it's too offensive for the adult babies in attendance. On the other hand, you can finish more quickly and less time in school means more time building connections in the real world (the real source of $$$).

Technical degrees can be very overrated. Most of the skills aren't learnable in a lecture format so you end up learning online while paying traditional tuition, the softwares/methods tend to be very outdated, and the "hot" degree careers have hot demand because of 80-hour weeks and extreme turnover rates while the most flexible hardly care if you have a degree.

Yet the bar has been lowered so much and there is so much financial aid available, not attending at all is giving away an easy opportunity. It's the new high school.

In hindsight I would have studied whatever I enjoyed, finished as quickly as possible and focused on building connections. Other than lots and lots of statistics I never really used any university-derived quantitative skills professionally. I learned everything else in my free time.

 

[Ruprecht]

Relevant for this discussion: Prince 2 takes 40 hrs to complete and once you're at the level where it's applicable, the employer typically pays for it. Leading me back to my previous point how project management shouldn't be taught to undergrads, just like undergrads don't need courses on strategic management. Learn how to properly write a business case, much more useful for an undergrad.

I did a one semester first year PM course as part of computer science degree. It was based on Prince2, but in terms of assignments the majority of the course was actually on the documentation.

Spoiler

Project Definition – Complete, relevant, well defined, adequate depth, represents the given scenario, project objectives are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound (SMART)
Project Approach – Considers a range of solutions, project approach has been selected which maximizes the chance of achieving overall success for the project
Business Case – Follows PRINCE2 template, complete, relevant, well defined, adequate depth, represents the given scenario, options clearly identified and discussed
Project Mgt Team Structure & Role Descriptions – Represents PRINCE2 structure, complete, relevant, roles and descriptions are valid and adequately represent the given scenario
Quality Mgt Strategy Follows PRINCE2 template, complete, relevant, well defined, adequate depth, represents the given scenario
Configuration Mgt Strategy – Follows PRINCE2 template, complete, relevant, well defined, clearly identifies how, and by whom, the project’s products will be controlled and protected
Risk Mgt Strategy – Follows PRINCE2 template, complete, relevant, well defined, adequate depth, represents the given scenario, includes a risk register/analysis
Communication Mgt Strategy – Follows PRINCE2 template, complete, relevant, well defined, adequate depth, represents the given scenario, thorough stakeholder analysis
Project Plan & Controls - Follows PRINCE2 template, complete, relevant, well defined, adequate depth, represents the given scenario, plan is achievable, shows Gantt chart, resources required & major products, tolerances provided

Plenty of Gantt charts and UML diagrams.

I think the subject was mostly included for the courses group work and communications requirements.

 

[ObsoleteSoul]

17 College Majors That Report Higher Underemployment
Don't be tricked into allowing yourself to believe that you can be a useless human being and still have enough value to feel safe or secure in that decision. Don't try to save the world. You end up useless that way. Look out for #1. Reject more profitable careers only if you find them personally intolerable as a day-to-day burden.

Some of these are obviously useful, such as "Criminal Justice worker", "Health Care Administrator" and "Educator", but the reason they're showing up is that they have become overpopulated with too many useless people, and are therefore less likely to want you.

That's it. Those are my "words of wisdom" to Generation Z Sherdoggers. They probably lack wisdom, but that doesn't make them wrong.

1. P.E. (Physical Education) Teacher
   
2. Human Services (i.e. social service workers)
   
3. Illustrator
4. Criminal Justice worker
   
5. Project Manager*
6. Radio/Television & Film Producer
7. Studio Artist
8. Health Care Administrator
9. Educator (i.e. Teacher)
   
10. Human Development & Family Studies (i.e. more social service workers)
    
11. Creative Writing (i.e. Writer)
    
12. Animal Scientist
13. Exercise Scientist (i.e. Personal Trainer)
    
14. Health Scientist
15. Paralegal
    
16. Theatre (i.e. Actor/Actress/Playwright/etc.)
    
17. Art Historian

*This is the only one that sticks out because I swear I'd seen this recently on some "Most Profitable" lists. Maybe it's hard to find a job, but once you do, it puts you in the 1%. Same situation faced by the big hitters in the "Health Care Administrator" field.

I'm a project manager, and I'm sure as hell not in the 1%. I like it, and I want to read more about it. Thanks.

 

[GORETAURO]

17 College Majors That Report Higher Underemployment
Don't be tricked into allowing yourself to believe that you can be a useless human being and still have enough value to feel safe or secure in that decision. Don't try to save the world. You end up useless that way. Look out for #1. Reject more profitable careers only if you find them personally intolerable as a day-to-day burden.

Some of these are obviously useful, such as "Criminal Justice worker", "Health Care Administrator" and "Educator", but the reason they're showing up is that they have become overpopulated with too many useless people, and are therefore less likely to want you.

That's it. Those are my "words of wisdom" to Generation Z Sherdoggers. They probably lack wisdom, but that doesn't make them wrong.

1. P.E. (Physical Education) Teacher
   
2. Human Services (i.e. social service workers)
   
3. Illustrator
4. Criminal Justice worker
   
5. Project Manager*
6. Radio/Television & Film Producer
7. Studio Artist
8. Health Care Administrator
9. Educator (i.e. Teacher)
   
10. Human Development & Family Studies (i.e. more social service workers)
    
11. Creative Writing (i.e. Writer)
    
12. Animal Scientist
13. Exercise Scientist (i.e. Personal Trainer)
    
14. Health Scientist
15. Paralegal
    
16. Theatre (i.e. Actor/Actress/Playwright/etc.)
    
17. Art Historian

*This is the only one that sticks out because I swear I'd seen this recently on some "Most Profitable" lists. Maybe it's hard to find a job, but once you do, it puts you in the 1%. Same situation faced by the big hitters in the "Health Care Administrator" field.

yeah, project managers are in every real company

i heard there is a bit of a demand for paralegals as well

oh, and i know someone with a art history degree.....don't bother with that for sure

Project Manager makes sense. You don't need a degree in it because you can get certified in it later in your career. And frankly being a project manager is going to be industry specific anyway.

I'm a certified project manager because I wanted to treat legal work like projects and bill them differently. Being certified made it easier to understand how to do it. Plus it helps with my project based clients when I draft their contracts.

My boy is a chemical engineer and he's a project manager for an oil company since part of his job is overseeing the constructing of oil rigs. No generic project manager degree is going to substitute the need for the baseline education in a specific field before you can apply project management skills to it.

yeah, like get the PMP

 

[Thunderflash500]

So, let me guess, "useless" is one dimensional here in the sense as unlikely to assist you to make money.

I would view this from a slightly different angle that it should be described as such. That way "useless" can be measured against something specifically and the article would have merit.

Well going in debt for a job that dOesn't exist and for a degree that teaches you nonsense is not just useless it's a burden on your life. So yea you're right they should clarify. It's not useless, it's actually extremely damaging and crushes people.

 

[luckyshot]

Im a chemistry major... I really hope I can find a job after college without having to do more school.

My brother is a Chemist.

On the downside, he had to get his PhD and move to Abu Dhabi to find work.

On the upside, he is making fucking bank.

 

[Gunny]

Lol at educators being on the list. Most public school teachers near me who've spent a few summers to get their masters degree are making +$80,000 with full benifits and 14 weeks of paid vacation every year.

 

[Unknown Pleasures]

Well going in debt for a job that dOesn't exist and for a degree that teaches you nonsense is not just useless it's a burden on your life. So yea you're right they should clarify. It's not useless, it's actually extremely damaging and crushes people.

You seem like a real artist... who paints with a very broad brush.

 

[PolishHeadlock]

17 College Majors That Report Higher Underemployment
Don't be tricked into allowing yourself to believe that you can be a useless human being and still have enough value to feel safe or secure in that decision. Don't try to save the world. You end up useless that way. Look out for #1. Reject more profitable careers only if you find them personally intolerable as a day-to-day burden.

Some of these are obviously useful, such as "Criminal Justice worker", "Health Care Administrator" and "Educator", but the reason they're showing up is that they have become overpopulated with too many useless people, and are therefore less likely to want you.

That's it. Those are my "words of wisdom" to Generation Z Sherdoggers. They probably lack wisdom, but that doesn't make them wrong.

1. P.E. (Physical Education) Teacher
   
2. Human Services (i.e. social service workers)
   
3. Illustrator
4. Criminal Justice worker
   
5. Project Manager*
6. Radio/Television & Film Producer
7. Studio Artist
8. Health Care Administrator
9. Educator (i.e. Teacher)
   
10. Human Development & Family Studies (i.e. more social service workers)
    
11. Creative Writing (i.e. Writer)
    
12. Animal Scientist
13. Exercise Scientist (i.e. Personal Trainer)
    
14. Health Scientist
15. Paralegal
    
16. Theatre (i.e. Actor/Actress/Playwright/etc.)
    
17. Art Historian

*This is the only one that sticks out because I swear I'd seen this recently on some "Most Profitable" lists. Maybe it's hard to find a job, but once you do, it puts you in the 1%. Same situation faced by the big hitters in the "Health Care Administrator" field.

I never heard of Project Manager as major before. My buds that are in that field all have engineering degrees.

 

[luckyshot]

Lol at educators being on the list. Most public school teachers near me who've spent a few summers to get their masters degree are making +$80,000 with full benifits and 14 weeks of paid vacation every year.

Nationwide, average salary for a public school teacher is about 45k.

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/All_K-12_Teachers/Salary

To get to 80k as a teacher with a master's degree, you'd have to be in a high paying (and therefore, high cost of living) state and have 15-20 years of experience.

 

[Swing]

I can't figure out a good reason to get a degree in education unless someone is planning on teaching little kids. If someone wants to teach high school, they'll be able to get certified in something with a wide variety of degrees. Plus that leaves teaching as an option rather than a projected career choice.

 

[SouthoftheAndes]

Teaching isn't bad if you move abroad and learn other languages or are already speak them. Literally tons of opportunities.

Nothing gained by being unemployed, either, if you end up surviving those five years.

If you survive and are able to live and feed yourself and enjoy your life that is a win to me.

Im a chemistry major... I really hope I can find a job after college without having to do more school.

I hope so to man/woman.

Science majors tend to better people in general compared to some other majors at least I'd say on average.

 

[SouthoftheAndes]

Really the best bang for your buck is an engineering of some sort.

But the highest ceilings are in finance.

A lot of elite schools don't have great business programs but have solid economics programs. A lot of bankers have economic backgrounds.


Finance major doesn't guarantee shit.

But if you look at what the elites in finance can make it blows everyone else out of the water. Outside of starting your own mega profitable business or inventing something amazing.

 

[loyalyolayal]

Sports sciences is really that unprofitable?

 

[Cirris]

I'm surprised that any of the gender,ethnic,sociology degrees weren't on the list.

 

[PoundForPound]

Im a chemistry major... I really hope I can find a job after college without having to do more school.

If you're okay with working in unrelated stuff to chemistry, or just being some bench monkey then you'll be happy.

 

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

For some weird reason I always get apprehensive reading lists like this, then I remember that I've been finished university for 6 years, and I'm a lawyer, so none of this information should be of any concern to me anymore.

 

[Satsui Ryu]

Kind of surprised paralegal is up there. You won't be big ballin' doing it, but there is a good amount of opportunity for steady work doing it. Also,some type of criminal studies background is helpful if you plan on going in to law enforcement.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

There are way more jobs in art history than people might realize. You just gotta be willing to move around for em.

Art history is a great field, but there are a lot of dumbasses who major in it from my experience. I'm sure it waters down the stats, because then those dumbasses have trouble getting jobs.

 

[PrinceOfPain]

Lol, project managers are the most useless creatures in the world if they don't have a pre-existing skill-set that project management is meant to complement.
They actually have a negative value; shit gets done quicker and more smoothly without their involvement.