Comments on: Why your arts or science degree may have been a waste of time

By: Gerry Hatrick, OAP

Gerry Hatrick, OAP — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:26:40 +0000

Mind you, I was unemployable with a first class degree in pure and applied mathematics. I ended up getting jobs as a programmer, so I never understand these thigns when Maths come up so high.

I hope I don’t smell that bad!

By: Andrew Norton

Andrew Norton — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 04:21:35 +0000

For the record, clearly the success of a degree cannot be measured only in occupational or financial terms. My Graduate Winners report last year showed that demand for higher education cannot be explained just in financial terms. Georgia is correct on the purposes of this short article.

Margo - In 2011 people with humanities PhDs had 90%+ professional and managerial employment, so your older son’s prospects should improve significantly.

By: Gavin Moodie

Gavin Moodie — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 04:17:14 +0000

HELP debt is not a problem.

The Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education portfolio budget statement for the 2012-13 budget reported that 16% of new HELP debt was not repaid in 2010-11. From the average change in new debt not repaid over the previous 3 years the Department estimates that the proportion of new debt that will be unpaid will be 17% in 2011-12 and 18% in 2012-13.

While this is increasing, perhaps as HELP is being expanded for vocational students who earn lower incomes than higher education students and thus are less able to repay their loans, the Department projects HELP repayment levels to remain high.

Commonwealth of Australia (2012) Budget – portfolio budget statements 2012-13 Budget relates paper no. 1.13 – Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education Portfolio, page 101.

By: Margo

Margo — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 03:05:55 +0000

While I trust that my sons, both in their early 20s with Hons degrees from ANU, are ‘making the world a much more interesting place’, I would also prefer that they be able to support themselves. Older son, with a 1st in History, is currently pursuing a PhD because there were no suitable jobs on offer. Younger son, with a degree in Sociology, couldn’t even get a call-back for entry-level public service positions and is now doing essentially manual labour in big-box retail. Both are of the (sadly mistaken?) view that their entry into the workforce should give some recognition to their academic achievements.

By: Georgia

Georgia — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 02:13:45 +0000

Saugoof - I think Andrew’s point is that humanities graduates are, on average, less likely to earn above the $49 000 p.a threshold at which HECS repayment becomes compulsory. Of course the “success” of education can’t simply be measured by the monetary returns it provides through later employment. The issue here is that a substantial portion of students never pay off their loans - or even worse, are never able to.

By: Daniel Young

Daniel Young — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 02:01:52 +0000

I’m with Saugoof. The answer to the question “Was their higher education an unsuccessful investment?” should not be measured only in financial terms.

I have a Science and IT degree, and now that I can afford it I’m going back to study humanities and get a more rounded education. It’s a shame it has to be this way.

By: Saugoof

Saugoof — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 01:36:13 +0000

A humanities degree is wasted because you do not end up in a “professional” or “managerial” position? I’m sorry but this totally fails as an assessment of whether a degree course was worth doing. Many humanities students end up as authors, film makers, painters, and tonnes of other jobs that wouldn’t be in either of those categories and yet I would still see them as being successful.

This article seems to equate success purely with what you’re pay ends up being. Few humanities students would give pay rates as a motivation for doing a degree.

As someone who did a science degree, I’m really glad there are so many humanities students who make our world a much more interesting place.