College: Gender Studies - Part Deux

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by Locutus of Bored, Mar 21, 2013.

  1. Locutus of Bored

    Locutus of Bored Yo, Dawg! I Heard You Like Avatars... In Memoriam

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    Unfortunately the previous thread turned into something else entirely, so in fairness to hxclespaulplayer, I'm starting this thread to allow people to address his original question. I will also copy over some of the posts that addressed his question.

    Please keep any remarks on how you might feel about feminism in general to yourself and purely stick to the discussion of the value of a Gender Studies degree. Thank you.

     
  2. Locutus of Bored

    Locutus of Bored Yo, Dawg! I Heard You Like Avatars... In Memoriam

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    Here are the posts that addressed the OP's question from the previous thread. I edited out a few comments relating to the tangent discussion that developed over there, so hopefully people will pardon me for that, but I wanted to stick to the original subject here. If I missed anyone's post, I'm sorry.

     
  3. sidious618

    sidious618 Admiral Admiral

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    Gender Studies is an interesting field. It's sad that because there's not one specific job market for it that people end up overlooking the area. I had a professor in college who had an MA in gender studies and at a high school reunion she said she taught Gender Studies which caused the person she was talking to to say, "Why would anyone take that? Where's the money in it?" It's a sad view of education, I think.
     
  4. SmoothieX

    SmoothieX Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I think that would actually be an interesting course, and that's from a math and science guy who hated social sciences in college.

    I'm 33 and divorced, so I could use a pointer or two.
     
  5. hxclespaulplayer

    hxclespaulplayer Captain Captain

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    I've been to three lectures so far (just turned up, as most of my friends are girls, I wanted to see what a mostly-female attended course was like), without even reading the texts, and I seem to be able to quite easily grasp all the concepts put forward. The lecturer must have noticed me taking many more notes than anyone else, or was impressed by me attending as if I were an actual college student.

    I'm not much of a guy-ish guy, and most friends tell me that they "don't have to act like a guy" around me, I'm kind of treated like an honorary woman - I seem to be entrusted with a lot of personal stuff even with casual-ish friends, and they're comfy with doing things around me that they admit they wouldn't around other guys. Not trying to toot my own horn or anything, just showing a bit of my background and why I seem to take to the course like a duck to water.
     
  6. Tora Ziyal

    Tora Ziyal Vice Admiral Admiral

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    ^Then go for it! Like others have mentioned, education in any subject you're interested in is worthwhile for the knowledge, critical thinking skills and enjoyment.
     
  7. Iliana Malek

    Iliana Malek Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    If you are going to teach in the field, or you have the time and money to pursue it simply out of interest, then go for. Otherwise, it sounds pretty useless.
     
  8. Captain_Nick

    Captain_Nick Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Well, why not after all? It's really important to enjoy what you're studying. I'd be curious to hear what they teach in Gender Studies. Maybe even curious enough to sit in on some lectures at my uni. Hmm.
     
  9. hxclespaulplayer

    hxclespaulplayer Captain Captain

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    Women tend to take up less space than men. If there are spare seats either side of a guy, he'll tend to sprawl out. A girl will sort of remain in her own personal area. Apparently the phrase "you throw like a girl" is due to a girl using up this less space, using less space to throw.

    White women tend to believe in the concept of a "universal sisterhood" however other ethnicities find this offensive, as they have additional barriers on top of being a woman, due to their skin color.

    Gender is not something we are, but what we "do" - within social constraints.
     
  10. Kelthaz

    Kelthaz Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I have to disagree with the idea that you should study something that you enjoy. This isn't the United Federation of Planets. You need a job and income to get by in this world. Spending 4 years of your life and going into debt to get a degree that will leave you flipping burgers at the end of it isn't a good investment.

    And that's what an education is. It's an investment. Yes, it's important to study something that will lead you to an enjoyable career after graduation, but that's not the same thing as studying something that you enjoy. Do some research and try to find a way to leverage your degree into a career (perhaps by getting a Masters degree), but if the numbers don't add up I strongly suggest taking something less interesting.
     
  11. Avon

    Avon Commodore Commodore

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    ^ i don't agree with that. i took a less interesting course with better chance of employment, got so bored, depressed and fed up with it that i quit half way through and started a fun interesting course. this leaves me with an extra year and a half's worth of debt.
     
  12. Kelthaz

    Kelthaz Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    ^ Well, it's a balancing act of course. There's hundreds of different degrees out there. Taking something that's less interesting (but still enjoyable) that has better job prospects is the better way to go.
     
  13. Captain_Nick

    Captain_Nick Vice Admiral Admiral

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    That is why I said it is important to study something you enjoy. All study is hard, and if you have no interest in or passion for what you are working towards, you will probably fail. At the very least, you won't actualise your full potential.
     
  14. Scout101

    Scout101 Admiral Admiral

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    1000% this. Way too many people taking what's fun and interesting, or easier and doesn't conflict with social life, and then end up with 250k in loans and no job prospects, or in a degree field that will NEVER earn enough to pay the loans off.

    Great and fulfilling, but stupid. it's the 'we're all special and unique little artists' thing, where you can be whatever you want and follow your dreams. Sure, works for some, but at some point it's time to be an adult and realize you gotta pay the bills, so a degree in basketweaving isn't going to be a good choice, even if it's your passion and your teacher is amazing. Unless you've got a hook up to get paid to DO that, or enjoy the starving artist lifestyle, it's not bright to pay to learn to do that. Go get a degree that results in a potential job, and take the basketweaving course as an elective for fun/enrichment.
     
  15. Avon

    Avon Commodore Commodore

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    250,000 loans wtf? thats insane!! is that in america?

    adding in my extra wasted year i'll end up with under £20,000 debt and even that seems like a lot to me.
     
  16. Scout101

    Scout101 Admiral Admiral

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    Without too much of a stretch, yeah. Spend 4 years in a private college, and you're looking at $55k-60k a year after room and board. $220-240k right there. Assuming there are no more price increases (yeah, right!) and you don't need an extra semester or year, and you're pretty close to $250k, maybe more.

    How much of a factor scholarships are depends on all kinds of things, but generally, a lot of this is just buried in loans, pretending that's just as good as financial aid.

    If you don't have a job that will support paying BACK those loans, not overly smart to go to college for that career in the first place. Unlike credit cards, houses, etc. you can't just declare bankrupcy and default on these loans, you're stuck with them. You can delay paying them for a while, but the interest is running, so it just gets worse.

    Even if, after savings and scholarships, you only end up paying half, that's still $125k to pay off, so the degree had better be worth it, and to a high-paying field in demand.