unpopular opinion s/o Bmom's post

*Barbie*

this will probably piss at least one person off...

i think that majoring in English is pointless - what can someone actually do with an English degree, other than teach English or make asinine remarks on professional writers? It's just self-perpetuating BS. 

no sour grapes here - i took several English classes as electives in college (the Engineering school had writing requirements as part of accreditation) and got As in all of them. simple grammar and spelling mistakes annoy the hell out of me in professional situations.

I would lump English in with things like art history and underwater basket weaving. (Come to think of it, underwater basket weaving would be a handy skill to have if Atlantis was found.)

*Candi*

I feel this way about degrees in Communications. I have 2 friends that majored in that and had a hard time getting a job and idkwtf they do really.

**O-Face**

I don't understand "communication" either.  But hell, I'm a "business management" major so yeah.

nicoleg1982

Well consider me not pissed the hell off.    I majored in English Lit.  I still have a few classes to finish... one day.  But my issues are not the topic here.  I take no offense, b/c what you're saying is partially true.  My long term goal is to edit.  You know I love telling a btch they're wrong.

baconsmom

I was an English major - and I agree with you. 

I picked it because I was good at writing and grammar, and I thought I HAD to go to college. Yeah. That worked out well - I dropped out after my fourth semester. All I managed to do was bore myself for two years and rack up a bunch of student-loan debt. It was pointless. 

Heffalump

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_unpopular-opinion-bmoms-post?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:47Discussion:aae875f6-784e-42ee-8ba4-a2a6718b1ff4Post:e2939196-aa37-4b6b-9311-f7940f2d97f7">Re: unpopular opinion s/o Bmom's post</a>:
[QUOTE]Well consider me not pissed the hell off.  :)  I majored in English Lit.  I still have a few classes to finish... one day.  But my issues are not the topic here.  I take no offense, b/c what you're saying is partially true.  My long term goal is to edit.  You know I love telling a btch they're wrong.
Posted by nicoleg1982[/QUOTE]
I was just thinking that in a different life, I would have majored in English and become an editor.  Like Jackie O.

hmonkey

not all english majors become editors.  okay, i did, but not everyone i know.

in my senior year study group alone, there are now two doctors, three lawyers, an actor, two writers, a librarian, a carpenter, museum archivist, and a psychologist.

and at least one art history major i know worked on a project for the sistine chapel, and a studio art major is a surgeon at chicago memorial.

zsazsa-stl

Spoken like an engineer, Barbie.  Don't worry, you aren't expected to understand.

*Barbie*

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_unpopular-opinion-bmoms-post?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:47Discussion:aae875f6-784e-42ee-8ba4-a2a6718b1ff4Post:6a4d7187-42fe-45f9-89a3-f164d4a94d13">Re: unpopular opinion s/o Bmom's post</a>:
[QUOTE]not all english majors become editors.  okay, i did, but not everyone i know. in my senior year study group alone, there are now <strong>two doctors, three lawyers,</strong> an actor, two writers, a librarian, a <strong>carpenter</strong>, museum archivist, and a psychologist. and at least one art history major i know worked on a project for the sistine chapel, and a <strong>studio art major is a surgeon at chicago memorial.</strong>
Posted by hmonkey[/QUOTE]

<div>all of these required further education beyond a BA or MA in English or Arts- you can major in basically anything and go to law or medical school. (or apprentice yourself in a trade)</div>

*Barbie*

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_unpopular-opinion-bmoms-post?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:47Discussion:aae875f6-784e-42ee-8ba4-a2a6718b1ff4Post:f7fa5c73-a09a-4ac7-ac0a-14a9da469fdf">Re: unpopular opinion s/o Bmom's post</a>:
[QUOTE]Spoken like an engineer, Barbie.  Don't worry, you aren't expected to understand. :)
Posted by zsazsa-stl[/QUOTE]

<div>
</div><div>one of my chemical engineer buddies always used to joke she was just going to drop out of engineering an become an english major - she's in school now for patent law. </div>

GBCK

if you're going on to do something beyond the bachelor's it makes much more sense.

I have a major in English...really
but the MARKETABLE major is my one in biology :-)

hmonkey

barbie, i actually think you are being pretty narrowly focused here. 

although you do need an advanced degree to become a lawyer, doctor or librarian, surely your bachelor's degree, and the skills you acquired to earn the degree, somehow helped you get into that program. 

english majors don't just sit around, read and write -- there's actually analytical skills, critical thinking and problem solving skills.  the ability to read and write clearly, concisely and cogently come is handy in life, regardless of actual employment. 

your issue seems not to be the degree, but that english majors don't contribute to society by producing something.  is that it?

zsazsa-stl

I had an English major roommate who let it be known that he thought my degree program (accounting) was a huge joke because all accountants do is type on a calculator, right?  Any idiot can do that with or without a degree.   I told him that any idiot could also sit around and read books and then talk about them.

I don't think you can understand the nuances of any field of study until you are in it - thus the need for selecting a field of study instead of everyone just getting a general education and then moving into any career they choose.

hmonkey

btw, while watching the movie "speed" my engineering brother and architecture sister got into a huge fight over whose fault it was that the bridge was not completed.  was it an engineering issue or an urban architecture issue?

ultimately, i think they both blamed the union.

Lauriac

I have an engineering degree (Civil) and I'm working in marketing and project management. People like to hire engineering majors because they're "problem solvers" and can "think outside the box."

One of my BMs was a French Lit major and now she's going to school to be a PA.

JoyTate1

I was a letters major in school.  It is a completely useless undergrad degree.  It is only obtained as a foundation for law school/grad school.  I think in this day and age, most undergrad degrees are kind of useless on their own.  You get a psych degree-well you need a masters at least to practice.  You get a zoo degree-you are probably going to go on to Med School or some grad program like epidemiology.

TheDuckis

Whatever, guys. I majored in Television, Radio and Film. I'd have been better off with an English degree.

6fsn

Brushes off my paper science degree.  I will never mock anyone else's major.

(I feel the need to note it is an ABET accredited chem e program.)

LMAO- at hmo.  You know it was the union.

baconsmom

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_unpopular-opinion-bmoms-post?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:47Discussion:aae875f6-784e-42ee-8ba4-a2a6718b1ff4Post:5fe58f1c-08a8-418d-b592-c25d5e00981b">Re: unpopular opinion s/o Bmom's post</a>:
[QUOTE]english majors don't just sit around, read and write -- there's actually analytical skills, critical thinking and problem solving skills.  the ability to read and write clearly, concisely and cogently come is handy in life, regardless of actual employment.  your issue seems not to be the degree, but that english majors don't contribute to society by producing something.  is that it?
Posted by hmonkey[/QUOTE]

<div>My university wasn't stellar, admittedly, but I learned all those skills in middle and high school. You should be able to think critically, solve problems, and communicate effectively before you get a HS diploma - this shouldn't take a bachelor's degree. The fact that that's what most liberal arts bachelor's programs consist of is a ding against them, not for them. </div>

*Barbie*

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_unpopular-opinion-bmoms-post?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:47Discussion:aae875f6-784e-42ee-8ba4-a2a6718b1ff4Post:067ca5b3-822a-4759-a331-803eaebed44d">Re: unpopular opinion s/o Bmom's post</a>:
[QUOTE]Brushes off my paper science degree.  I will never mock anyone else's major. (I feel the need to note it is an ABET accredited chem e program.) LMAO- at hmo.  You know it was the union.
Posted by 6fsn[/QUOTE]

<div>i think ANYONE needs basic English (reading comprehension/writing) skills to get far in any kind of professional field (many engineering/science/tech folks are lacking in this area) - i just can't see a strict focus on this, especially as a career. </div><div>
</div><div>hell, I'm a bioengineer (also from an ABET accredited program) who works in purchasing for a major chemical company - the director of our group grabs all of the engineering/tech folks with good people skills he can find because he wants people who are good problem solvers that can brainstorm solutions. </div><div>
</div><div>I'm in 100% agreement - blame the union, (and the govt. I'm sure the govt. got everything tied up in red tape, and the union guys didn't get the work done on schedule. )</div>

baconsmom

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_unpopular-opinion-bmoms-post?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:47Discussion:aae875f6-784e-42ee-8ba4-a2a6718b1ff4Post:3550ac83-9476-4a09-be1a-d039ed0b59d2">Re: unpopular opinion s/o Bmom's post</a>:
[QUOTE] I'm in 100% agreement - blame the union, (and the govt. I'm sure the govt. got everything tied up in red tape, and the union guys didn't get the work done on schedule. )
Posted by *Barbie*[/QUOTE]
You know it warms my cockles when I read things like this. 

hmonkey

[QUOTE]In Response to Re: unpopular opinion s/o Bmom's post : i think ANYONE needs basic English (reading comprehension/writing) skills to get far in any kind of professional field (many engineering/science/tech folks are lacking in this area) - i just can't see a strict focus on this, especially as a career. 
Posted by *Barbie*[/QUOTE]

people who major in english may not be looking into doing englishy things as a career.  some do; a lot do not.  i think this is true for every major -- it may be what interests you in colege and gets you a degree, but not what you want to pursue as your life's work.