University / College ?

[chrisrwilliams]

I was curious, if you went to university/college (or are attending in the near future), what degree/program did you take? What kind of job did you get out of it?

[heyseuss]

I was curious, if you went to university/college (or are attending in the near future), what degree/program did you take? What kind of job did you get out of it?

There's a thread on this about 3 or 4 pages back. Everyone says what degrees they got or are getting.

Me personally, never enrolled but I've been to many classes with friends. Even took an exam once in my friend's chemistry class once. Also lived on a campus while in a basketball training camp and I snuck into a few classes there as well. Oh yeah, and I went to a film school. As for jobs, there really isn't a direct correlation, people just think there is. Your skills and interests aren't defined by a set curriculum. There are only a small handful of jobs out there that require uni/college, yet there are millions of jobs that claim to require a degree, however, it doesn't matter what the degree is or where it came from.

[exp3000]

Im going to my first year in York University, Toronto, Canada for Chemistry, but i am probably going to switch to Biotechnology later. First day of classes tomorrow... woohoo... :(.. i dont know if i should be excited or sad.

[chrisrwilliams]

Im going to my first year in York University, Toronto, Canada for Chemistry, but i am probably going to switch to Biotechnology later. First day of classes tomorrow... woohoo... :(.. i dont know if i should be excited or sad.

That's cool man, what kind of job are you trying to get out of it?

[oliviakay]

I'm getting a Mass Communications degree from Miami University, oh and minoring in French

I wanna work for animal planet. I've worked at the zoo a few summers ago, and I hope to get an internship this summer with their marketing communications dept. And then from there, try to hook things up with Discovery. We'll see. Maybe go out to cali and marry Jeff Cannata...I mean YOU NEVER KNOW.

haha

[zombierin]

Sheridan College
Film

[masherscf]

I'm a bum.

[qualmcon]

I'm a bum.


You must be a smart bum...you know because of that PhD degree and all ;)

[tokenuser]

You must be a smart bum...you know because of that PhD degree and all ;)You need to know something about PhDs ... they know a lot about a very VERY small subject specialty.

[heyseuss]

You need to know something about PhDs ... they know a lot about a very VERY small subject specialty.

My sister just got hers. She never left school. She did 20 yrs of uni. :eek:

[masherscf]

You need to know something about PhDs ... they know a lot about a very VERY small subject specialty.

I think of it as turning over a particular rock. It's not that you have to be brilliant to do it. You just have to do it.

[tokenuser]

I think of it as turning over a particular rock. It's not that you have to be brilliant to do it. You just have to do it.A great professor (that we got to know socially - and is now retired) one told my wife that getting a PhD was like climbing a mountain. It takes a lot of time, and of the 10 paths presented only one will get you there. Unfortunately you don't know which path will take you to the top, so sometimes there is a lot of back tracking and trying something new.

[eddielee]

I'm not in university yet, but my advice to you is be open about your career choices. My uncle was a lawyer, a pretty successful one, but he didn't enjoy what he was doing. Now he owns a restaurant, where he earns half of his previous salary but he loves his job. Your major/degree doesn't matter as much as you may think.

[exp3000]

That's cool man, what kind of job are you trying to get out of it?

Not 100% sure, but i am going towards research, i am thinking something like incorporating computers and biology, like making programs that simulate a human cell to do tests on. im not sure exactly what though, im just gonna go with the flow, see where it takes me.

[rroethel]

im 2 days into my senior year in high school and im already all stressed out. college apps, resumes, college and scholarship essays, SAT/ACT tests, ect. plus i do the acting in the school drama and musical every year since freshman year. and this year i applied and got accepted to the long island high school of the arts. so to say the least ill be busy. but im not entirely sure what to go for, the musical theatre, business, or computer science. ****ing school.

[masherscf]

I'm not in university yet, but my advice to you is be open about your career choices. My uncle was a lawyer, a pretty successful one, but he didn't enjoy what he was doing. Now he owns a restaurant, where he earns half of his previous salary but he loves his job. Your major/degree doesn't matter as much as you may think.

Indeed, your degree/major will count for less if you focus too much. You'll go farther and make more money in the long run if you do what you love. A career is much more than a paycheck. In order to find what you really love, you'll have to look around.

[scigrex14]

Right now I am going to RPI for Cognitive Science. RPI is one of the few universities in the country to offer a bachelors in Cognitive Science.

[masherscf]

Right now I am going to RPI for Cognitive Science. RPI is one of the few universities in the country to offer a bachelors in Cognitive Science.

Is Troy is an armpit of a town? At least they have a great brew-pub there.

[tokenuser]

Right now I am going to RPI for Cognitive Science. RPI is one of the few universities in the country to offer a bachelors in Cognitive Science.Good luck. I had to backdoor CogSci into my Computer Science degree back in the late 80's/early 90's. I picked up enough subjects to effectively minor in it, but it was in no way a formal program.

[tectec]

I spent just over 2 years studying computer science at UC Irvine. I needed to take a little time off from the insanity of it all. College was a great time though. I just realized I was more interested in classes that weren't computer science / math related. I took some pretty cool classes on the drug trade, patent law, european history, etc. That was when I realized I needed to step back and think about what I really wanted. A couple years later I ended up going to culinary school. I recently graduated and I couldn't be happier.

[saqibnk]

Texas A&M University
Accounting/Finance

[amccann]

I too am a Finance major. I'm attending the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

[mrpopular]

Delta College.

Majoring In Broadcasting, hmm maybe in a few years I can work at Revision3.

[dgilbert]

Got a degree in Biology/Earth Sciences back in '97.
I'm currently a Software Development Manager - in an industry that has no relevance to my degree.

What *any* degree is good for though, is showing that you knew how to think, study, and solve problems - skills valuable in any career.

[tokenuser]

What *any* degree is good for though, is showing that you knew how to think, study, and solve problems - skills valuable in any career.Unless it was a degree in liberal arts :rolleyes:

< ducks, covers, and hides behind science degree :) >

[geekluv]

It's taken me a while to get into the swing of things, but I'm currently finishing my AA and then moving on to get my Bachelors in Communications/journalism. I'm striving for a career in video game journalism. Not a lofty goal but a fun one. I've been working for years in insurance admin and I need a change.

[dgilbert]

Unless it was a degree in liberal arts :rolleyes:

< ducks, covers, and hides behind science degree :) >

So I guess I should change it to any B.Sc degree? ;)

[mara11jade]

Film degree from Rochester Institute of Technology...

Interned at Fox Searchlight and now work there... also work at Apple.

[ramshaw]

I'm beginning my Law degree on the 14th of this month at Northumbria University, UK.

[milamber_cubed]

I did my degree at the University of Manchester (UK) in Physics with Theoretical Physics. Liked the place and the student existence so I stayed there to do a PhD in Grid Security (in the Particle Physics group, weirdly enough - I'm not a fan of the subject). Haven't quite finished my PhD thesis yet and have until the end of the month to do so... :eek:

I am currently working a the University of Leeds as a "Grid Computing Support Officer" and do some dev work, some user support and even some sysadmin-ish work for our systems. Keeps me busy and pays the bills better than I thought my first job would.

Now I really need to work on that thesis.....

[masherscf]

We call that an ABD. "All but dissertaion"

[milamber_cubed]

We call that an ABD. "All but dissertaion"

That seems to accurately describe my activities outside of work these days. TRS is a good example of how I pass the time.

[irishpunk]

I'm a Communications major focusing on Mass Media with a minor in Theatre Arts. Way I look at it with Mass Media and Theatre combined I've sort of got a film major going. And I hope to either do radio work, make films which is what I really want to do and as a side thing I'd like to get into podcasting about my interests which strangely enough the rad show already covers-movies, games.

[cabster21]

I'm studying Computing for Intelligent Systems at Robert Gordon Uni. Although they have cancelled it, so I have to switch to the 3rd year of a related course. I plan on going into the oil industry. Seeming as I'm in Aberdeen Scotland. I will not be doing a PhD or even my honors. I enjoy some parts of being a student, but hate the lack of money etc, and that’s with a job.

My advice would be, seriously think about what sector you want to work in. Don't just sign up to something because you think you're good at it, do it because you enjoy it. And could happily spend 8-12 hours a day doing it. Then look at the jobs that interest you, and pay attention to the qualifications required, and then find the best course, which would qualify you for an array of jobs. You see too many people leaving Uni and then realizing their degree counts for jack shit.

[mikeyj10]

Right now I am going to RPI for Cognitive Science. RPI is one of the few universities in the country to offer a bachelors in Cognitive Science.


And one of the many Hockey Schools to get it's ass handed to it every year by Clarkson.

last edit: Hey have fun on the hockey lines this year.

[rickweasel]

I became a massage therapist but as i went on i learn i dont like to touch people. So now i am moving on to Graphic design or film. I still know massage people. i just have a few clients now.

[yourestillmycaesar]

I spent just over 2 years studying computer science at UC Irvine. I needed to take a little time off from the insanity of it all. College was a great time though. I just realized I was more interested in classes that weren't computer science / math related. I took some pretty cool classes on the drug trade, patent law, european history, etc. That was when I realized I needed to step back and think about what I really wanted. A couple years later I ended up going to culinary school. I recently graduated and I couldn't be happier.

UCI! :D I'm starting at UC Irvine in 20 some odd days. For the time being, I'm a History major. But I keep finding things that I love. Film and theatre and design and art history and architecture being some of those things. >.<

As for a career, with my current major, I'm thinking of adding a broadcasting minor and going down the History Channel route. Or becoming a teacher with an Art History minor.

all in all, I'm still not sure what I want.

[jafarykos]

I went to Texas Tech. I studied Physics, Chemistry & Mechanical Engineering the first few years with the goal of landing an internship at NASA. I landed the internship at NASA and left school for 8 months to do that. I decided my "life long dream" wasnt exactly what I thought it would be and declined the additional semesters that most NASA interns follow up with.

From there, I switched to Computer Science and eventually took a year off school to follow independent game development. This was hard.

I smartened up some, and finished up my BS degree in Computer Science with Honors in 2005. Since then I've been doing web development, which is what I've been good at all along and am working on what I'm hoping to be a very nice start-up web property.

My advice looking back is to approach college as what it truly is. College is a time for learning and self exploration. College isn't just going to class and passing tests. That's the easy part. This is a time in your life when you can take some risks and challenge yourself, an opportunity most people give up when they enter the work force.

If I had it all to do over again, I'd still go to college, but I'd go to more parties and try to start more businesses.

[rickweasel]

UCI! :D I'm starting at UC Irvine in 20 some odd days. For the time being, I'm a History major. But I keep finding things that I love. Film and theatre and design and art history and architecture being some of those things. >.<

As for a career, with my current major, I'm thinking of adding a broadcasting minor and going down the History Channel route. Or becoming a teacher with an Art History minor.

all in all, I'm still not sure what I want.

UC Irvine is where i am planning to go. I still need to finish up a few classes before i get my General done at OCC. I really want to work in radio...or film. I hear chapman is the best of the best for film but to damn expensive.

[tokenuser]

UCI! :D I'm starting at UC Irvine in 20 some odd days. Its where my wife got her MS and PhD :) ... and I worked in the Research Park for awhile.

[tectec]

UCI! :D I'm starting at UC Irvine in 20 some odd days. For the time being, I'm a History major. But I keep finding things that I love. Film and theatre and design and art history and architecture being some of those things. >.<

As for a career, with my current major, I'm thinking of adding a broadcasting minor and going down the History Channel route. Or becoming a teacher with an Art History minor.

all in all, I'm still not sure what I want.

You've got plenty of time to find out what you really want.

Since you mentioned broadcasting, you might want to check out the schools radio station KUCI (kuci.org (http://www.kuci.org)). Yeah, a lot of the time the music they play sounds like dying cows but theres definitely an interesting mix of music and talk shows and you could get some time on the air after passing the training course.

[chrisrwilliams]

I'm at a crossroad right now, I really don't know what to do. I have two options:

Get a BA in Communication Studies (then hopefully make it a Masters)

or

Get a BA in Arts and Business

I guess they're both considered liberal arts -- not exactly the number one thing someone looks for when they're hiring. Worried as hell I won't be able to get a good paying job. Thing is I'm a hard worker, very hard, I just happen to like the arts, the creative thrill behind it all.

I originally wanted to do computer science, but I dislike mathematics so much - numbers, repetition it's just dull to me.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[tectec]

My advice looking back is to approach college as what it truly is. College is a time for learning and self exploration. College isn't just going to class and passing tests. That's the easy part. This is a time in your life when you can take some risks and challenge yourself, an opportunity most people give up when they enter the work force.

a guy named Patrick Combs wrote a really inspiring book called "Major In Success" which was all about getting the most out of the whole college experience to prepare yourself for that dream job in the real world. I'd highly recommend it for those who are just beginning the whole college experience.

[cerilia]

Kettering University
Computer Engineering

[aerodash84]

I got a degree in Media Production and New Technology from Northern Michigan University. Now I'm waiting to hear back more on Tiger Direct. Did some work in broadcasting and don't know if I want to go into it any more. Unless someone from Revision 3 reads this and has an opening for a writer/producer/host willing to move. Cause I'd love to do a show like TRS or Diggnation.

[tamtamg]

microbiology
university of maryland

[geekluv]

I'm at a crossroad right now, I really don't know what to do. I have two options:

Get a BA in Communication Studies (then hopefully make it a Masters)

or

Get a BA in Arts and Business

I guess they're both considered liberal arts -- not exactly the number one thing someone looks for when they're hiring. Worried as hell I won't be able to get a good paying job. Thing is I'm a hard worker, very hard, I just happen to like the arts, the creative thrill behind it all.

I originally wanted to do computer science, but I dislike mathematics so much - numbers, repetition it's just dull to me.

Anyone have any suggestions?

I get what you're saying. My parents never sent me to college and I went back on my own as an adult with the mindset that I'd better go for something that's going to land me a good paying job. As I got older I realized that, although money is always nice, I would get more satisfaction from doing something I enjoy. (I'm sleepy so hopefully this is coming out right!)

I took a semester to try a few different classes in things I might be interested in: multimedia, programming, writing, etc. I was surprised at the results. If you can swing it, might be worth a shot to help you sort it out?

[freshair]

UCSB.
Pre-Major Communications.

[-mk-]

B.S.B.A. x2 in Marketing and Computer Information Systems from Appalachian State University.

Currently working as a Systems Analyst/Project Manager.

Working on M.A. in Communication Studies focusing on Organizational Communication and Technology at UNC-Charlotte.

My $.02 - don't stress out about what to choose so much, as long as you enjoy the program. You can switch gears, add on, etc., and most degrees look good across different fields/industries.

[cal0301]

I'm on my last semester at Colorado State University getting a Graphic Design Degree. I plan on working at a print shop in Denver for a couple of years just for experience. Who knows what I'll do after that I'm still kind of deciding on what kind of job I want to do in design.

[thebritishguy1]

University of Cincinnati for Computer Engineering, Oh ya!

[oliviakay]

University of Cincinnati for Computer Engineering, Oh ya!
We're practically neighbors!

[heyseuss]

I'm on my last semester at Colorado State University getting a Graphic Design Degree. I plan on working at a print shop in Denver for a couple of years just for experience. Who knows what I'll do after that I'm still kind of deciding on what kind of job I want to do in design.

Pickel Barrell !!!!!!

[gglynn00]

Me, I have a Bach in Social Studies...It's a teaching degree...I am starting to work on my MBA in Project Management after I fufill some Pre-req's to get into the program...I absolutley hated teaching so I got a job as an accountant for a natural gas company...quadruple the pay of what I was making as a teacher, get to travel and buy everything I every wanted for my son...

[guagloves]

Winona State University, possible Journalism or Advertising degree

[deadnoob]

Binghamton University in New York. Majoring in mechanical engineering.

[kewlrats]

I attended College for Creative Studies (CCS) in Detroit and got a degree (BFA) in Product Design. I minored in Graphic Design and Fine Arts. I'm currently a car designer as well as dabbling in web design on the side and as a hobby.

[cbotwell]

Currently at University of Arkansas - Major in Journalism Advertising and Public Relations - Minor in Marketing

Hopefully i can find a job at some company's marketing/ad/pr department, or i might just go for whatever i can get that sounds the most fun.

[kiko3642]

... Rutgers and will be graduating with a BA in English at some point.

[satori]

University of Guelph - Bachelor of Science
Ryerson Polytechnic - Accounting Diploma
University of Toronto - Bachelor of Arts

When I was done I had a job in Architecture that really didn't pay well... it didn't pay well enough that I was $7000 in the hole at the end of it. I was offered a job in 1993 here in Canada just as the monopoly on telecom was being broken up. I worked for the same Telecom company (it was bought resold, bought, resold several times) for 10 years. I now work for a larger Telecom company and I really enjoy it. I work as a Project Manager on new product launches.

[jimmyjtn]

University of Cincinnati for Computer Engineering, Oh ya!

nice dude.

Wentworth Institute of Technology for Computer engineering also.
There are a lot of jobs available for computer engineering majors. I know at my school the computer engineering kids can apply to IT jobs, electrical jobs, programming jobs. Its pretty open. We stole tons of electrical engineering co-op jobs leaving them with little to choose from. GO Comp Eng!

[buenosdias]

Western Kentucky University for Television Production! #1 School of Journalism & Broadcasting in the country woot woot!

TRS need any Camera operators?

[deegraww]

School of hard knocks...

[orchyre]

Texas State University

Currently a sophomore, but going all the way for a PhD in Psychology.

[batwang]

There was community college and the University of Oregon some time ago - the idea was to get a Bachelors in Philosophy. My own convictions about getting into debt stopped me when the money ran out and scholarships/grants were not forthcoming (go figure.) Shortly thereafter was onsite PC repair and sales while writing my (ex)girlfriend's sociology and, uh,
everything else papers in exchange for sexual favors. Yes, that DID raise a red flag, but I liked writing the papers. Her GPA was excellent and my stress level was fairly low....

Now that I'm active duty, I'm far too lazy to do much more than certifications (A+, MCSE, Basic EMT, etc.) I don't really care about. But when I get out, I will be the "Lazlo" of whatever university I end up at. Thank you, Montgomery GI!

[kickarse]

I never went to a University or College, I have no formal certification. Straight out of High School I was employed by UMASS for 4 years as a Head (and lone) Computer Technician for 14 state offices that was supportive of over 250 staff, about 230 computers and 6 servers.

Currently I am a Systems Admin for a Hospital in the area. I beat out about 12 other face to face applicants (and about 200 others) with many more years of experience and degrees in the field. As well as formal certifications like A+, Network+, MCSE, ACICS, Security+, MCP, MCSA, DCSE, Linux+, CCNA. I have not one certification in any field. My boss, the IS Director, said he hired me because he thought I would meld well with everyone. It surprised me too.

[masherscf]

I guess I'll play along.

BS. Physics, Mathematic minor Norwich University
MS. Mathematics, UVM
Ph.D. Mathematics, University at Albany.

Assistant professor, someplace in the northeast US.