That STEM degree.

[Kraenen]

You could call Psych a STEM field, because it has the same qualities (or is it actually one?)

[Celista]

You could call Psych a STEM field, because it has the same qualities (or is it actually one?)

It depends on whose definition you are using. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STEM_fields

Many organizations in the United States follow the guidelines of the National Science Foundation on what constitutes a STEM field. The NSF uses a broader definition of STEM subjects that includes subjects in the fields of chemistry, computer and information technology science, engineering, geosciences, life sciences, mathematical sciences, physics and astronomy, social sciences (anthropology, economics, psychology and sociology), and STEM education and learning research. Eligibility for scholarship programs such as the CSM STEM Scholars Program use the NSF definition.

[Ryme]

Anecdote time: I have undergraduate degree in Maths, without it, there is no way I would be employed where I am. I develop programs that standardise financial data from sources around the world, it has almost nothing to do with anything I did on my undergraduate degree, but it pays way more than almost anything that does.

My degree, hopefully, demonstrates an ability to think in an abstract and logical manner, it opens the doors to more than the specific knowledge it gave me.

[Kuntantee]

Engineering degrees are still good, at least in where I live. None of my friends is unemployed and working in their own fields. Salaries could be much better tho.

[Deleted]

Do you think it particularly helps that I don't wanna get into biglaw and want to help those who cannot afford legal representation?

Just be a crooked bastard like Saul Goodman.

[Zdrasti]

PhD in STEM from top tier univ. Have STEM related job. Had a very very very hard time landing said job. Nearly ran out of money trying, and would have been forced to give up and work something like retail.

Most of my peer group has managed to land STEM related jobs, but it wasn't easy for any of them. My peer group also is not representative of the larger STEM PhD community. Since we had a hard time... I can only imagine how rough it's been for everyone else.

[Rhine101]

My opinion based on personal research while a Biotech major?

Depends.

Take Engineering. Engineering isn't a degree. There is Bio engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering etc. Not all of those have good job prospects. And Biology? Yeah you are smart, but what can you do with a B.S. in Bio? In the science field you pretty much need a Masters to be competitive for entry level jobs. You know how many "Bachelor's required (with 2/8 years benchwork) or Masters preferred" I saw while job searching?

The best bet is a Math degree. If you get a degree in math, you can basically learn the ropes to so many other jobs. The hardest part of many jobs is the math required. If you have that done you can just focus on the easier (more fun) aspects of the job/degree. If you have spent your time studying complex and sometimes abstract and difficult to understand maths then you basically proved to anyone wondering that you are rather brilliant. You can be a math teacher/professor, or transition easily into almost any science. You can also easily go business in finance or accounting.

Basically, you can decide where the money is or what makes you happy and go from there.

Oh, last thing. STEM is popular now. Supply and demand. Not saying everyone is getting an Engineering degree. I am just saying that more are getting it now than 10 years ago.

[Independent voter]

There is the whole problem with everyone having a degree these days, probably a word for it, degree bloat? It's almost as if the typical person has a four year degree.

People who ask my advice, I tell them to get a four year degree, any four year degree, history, English, art whatever's easier.

A lot of human resource types want you to have a four year but they don't really care what kind of four year degree. They just used the four year degree thing to get rid of the non-degreed types up front.

Why spend all that time in a lab when you could be out partying?

[Deleted]

There is the whole problem with everyone having a degree these days, probably a word for it, degree bloat? It's almost as if the typical person has a four year degree.

Couldn't agree more, and I think it's a huge problem. Having a degree at this point is largely comparable to what having a high school diploma was in the 70s or 80s. It's not really an "advantage", just a requirement. This is also why I think something needs to be done about the cost of them, if they're required they need to be publicly funded. This thing about giving new graduates $50k+ of student loan debt to start their career is absurd.

People who ask my advice, I tell them to get a four year degree, any four year degree, history, English, art whatever's easier.

A lot of human resource types want you to have a four year but they don't really care what kind of four year degree. They just used the four year degree thing to get rid of the non-degreed types up front.

Why spend all that time in a lab when you could be out partying?

This is the part where I sort of disagree and where I do think STEM degrees matter. Some of the degrees you mention are exactly what you imply, completely interchangeable. I feel the same way about my first degree, marketing didn't teach me anything a bit of common sense wouldn't cover already. They're really just there to cover the basic "must have a degree" requirement. Instead of encouraging this though, I think this "requirement" should be illegal. You don't need a 4 year degree to do data entry, or answer phones, or fill out reports. In the same way as you can't make "must be able to lift 150lbs" a job requirement where you would never need to do such a thing, I don't think it should be legal to require a degree where it is clearly not needed.

The difference with most STEM degrees in my mind is that they do generally teach skills that are specific to a profession. Engineering generally teaches the skills engineers need, Comp Sci generally teaches the skills programmers/IT people need, etc. They are also less interchangeable; jobs that require a biology degree are generally not going to be suited to someone with a civil engineering degree. That being said, a lot of specific STEM professions also require post-grad degrees, so again, the Bachelors is just a starting point and should be publicly funded as it's become a basic educational requirement.

[spanishninja]

Isn't the most important part of an advanced STEM degree the smug satisfaction of knowing you're better than everyone else?

meh, if that is all you want then you go into humanities, get a degree in a piece of crap field that's not economically viable, and then spend the rest of your life attending parties bragging about being the most knowledgeable deadbeat in the room when it comes to 18th century Scandinavian art.

[Annoying]

Isn't the most important part of an advanced STEM degree the smug satisfaction of knowing you're better than everyone else?

No, no, it's the amazing paychecks.

[Tradewind]

A master's degree in any field will pretty much guarantee you Canadian citizenship. Bonus points if you've taken a couple of French classes.

Any field? Not quite, but it certainly helps for a lot of them.

A masters in pottery for example. Likely won't cut it.

[Tradewind]

This is just anecdotal, but for me personally, having a Computer Science Degree was helpful in finding my first job. However, after working in the industry, most employers do not really care if you have one.

IT in general is such an anomaly. Because the actual people working and managing that shit, know that the whole thing isn't about having a degree or pieces of paper. It's about innate skill, problem solving, and willingness to learn. Also how good at google you are.

But the people doing the first step, the HR people don't know fucking shit. The "do you have X diploma/degree/certificate" is for their benefit only just to thin out the herd a bit. Hiring practices are terrible.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Isn't the most important part of an advanced STEM degree the smug satisfaction of knowing you're better than everyone else?

That is an incredibly short lived pleasure that vanishes as soon as you meet the first fuckwit from marketing or project management... most learn that probably before they even have a degree, because you encounter those two kinds of people already during internships and student jobs in the field.

[Annoying]

Assembly(AT&T syntax x86)

Heathan! Recant and convert to Intel syntax or burn! I used to teach compilers, and made all the students learn X86_64. I made all the examples in Intel syntax, so it's burned into my eyes.

...and where you live.

That has to be pretty important. I don't get a whole lot of that in the middle of the desert. I get some cross-company poaching attempts, but those are all pretty expected in the contracting world. Contractors shift around parent companies, and revenue sources depending on how the govt changes things up.

[Independent voter]

and where you live.

Yeah, Silicon Valley there's like 5 jobs for every person. Where I'm at there's like 5 people for every job.

Course they want "full stack" developer types.

Another thing is immigration. H1B holders from China and India compete for a lot of these jobs, good thing there's enough jobs to go around.

[Rhine101]

But the people doing the first step, the HR people don't know fucking shit. The "do you have X diploma/degree/certificate" is for their benefit only just to thin out the herd a bit. Hiring practices are terrible.

I think this is the reason a lot of people need degrees to do some shitty desk job. HR people suck. I hate em. I think that (in a perfect world) HR folks would at least have a solid background in whatever position they are interviewing for. All these genius tech giants that sprung up from the 90's? None of them had IT or CS degrees. Now you are saying I need one to just get an entry slot?

or worse. I need a 4 year degree to file paper and answer a phone? Holy shit what major is that? Bachelors Being Alive with a minor in Basic Human Skills

[Maltah]

Do they really consider a master in "something with media" a bonus point? <<

Considering the way Canada is eating up American media companies, I'd say it's probably a bonus.

[Tailswipe]

I didn't struggle to find work with my electrical engineering degree, so yes, it was worth it. From keeping track of my former class mates most have ended up in proper engineering jobs as well.

[poser765]

Isn't the most important part of an advanced STEM degree the smug satisfaction of knowing you're better than everyone else?

Yeah I've seen that smug air of superiority a couple of times from people with STEM degrees. Unfortunately for them they are not better than me.