The 13 Most Useless Majors? Why We Need Them Anyway

Posted By: Melissa Kennedy In: Furthering Your Education

There's been a lot of debate and controversy about whether or not college is worth the investment. The way that this is determined is by looking at the number of students who have earned degrees and then tracking their earning potential. The question that researchers are trying to answer is whether having a degree actually causes people to earn a significantly higher amount of money than those who don't have a degree or who have decided to go to a trade school or get a two year degree.



The problem with this is that the studies are calculating the value of education by looking at earning potential, rather than the benefit of being educated. It makes me wonder, isn't a college education valuable because it teaches critical thinking, exposes people to new ideas and creates a society of critical thinkers?



A recent report by the DailyBeast listed the 13 most useless degrees, here they are:

 

1. Fine Arts
2. Drama and Theater Arts
3. Film, Video and Photographic Arts
4. Commercial Art and Graphic Design
5. Architecture
6. Philosophy and Religious Studies
7. English Literature and Language
8. Journalism
9. Anthropology and Archeology
10. Hospitality Management
11. Music
12. History
13. Political Science and Government

The question is, should students be discouraged from pursuing these majors? Don't we, as a society, need people who are creative, forward thinking and artistic? Even if the student doesn't end up working in their field of study, haven't they still come away with valuable skills?



What do you think? Do you think these fields of study are useless? Please share your thoughts in the comments.