Useless degrees

I commute. An hour on the train each way every now and then (at most twice a week). Means I get to live in london. Which is probably bad for my overall studies.

I think I might have to go up there.

Train fare= £50 return
Flat= £40 per week

I just finished my undergraduate studies in Brighton while living in London for the last 1.5 years of the course.. I also had a job in Brighton, which was good as I ended up being in Brighton during "office hours" for days I had to split between work and lectures, bad for days when I just had to go to work..

It wasn't too bad, but certainly not ideal. Lots of stress getting there for early exams, hard to pop back to campus for random things after hours..

My commute was about 2:15 hr door to door each way, which is workable, but there's no way I'd do anything further!

The time is not a big deal, as it was easy to study on the trains, but the biggest problem is the high cost of rail travel - so painful.

I'm very much looking forward to my masters course which is about a 15-20min away by bike!

Remember you get a young person's rail card if you're in full time education regardless of your age. That's 1/3rd off.

hmm. Useful.

But surely I would have to be there everyday if I go full time?

Not necessarily, depends how much "contact time" the course involves, and how it's distributed over the course of a week.

If you classes are Mon, Tues, Wed, it might be worth renting a flat/room up there for just staying over Sun/Mon/Tues nights.

contact them for distance learning biznezz.

hmmm.

Well, I've emailed the university to try and find out what the course hours are like for both full and part time.
The part time is rather appealing as it's only £900 a year, and I might get to stay in London.

Not necessarily, depends how much "contact time" the course involves, and how it's distributed over the course of a week.

If you classes are Mon, Tues, Wed, it might be worth renting a flat/room up there for just staying over Sun/Mon/Tues nights.

I think that's extremely unlikely, but I'd be happy to be proved wrong. It seems quite simple--if you do it part-time, it should be possible to stay in London. If you do it full-time, it won't.

Wahey... I've finished. Passed with Merit my MSc in Computer Science.

This means I can finally join the rank of those with useless degrees.

Oh, and I must thank you all, without this debate (this specific thread) I wouldn't have flippantly signed up for the degree at the 11th hour.

Sorry, but an MSc in Computer Science isn't useless.

Well done btw.

Congrats!

Wahey!
Congratulations.

Only 5 more years and tens of thousands of pounds until i join you.

Well done forum overlord. :)

congrats vb!!

looking back doing my phd in exercise physiology was fun, but after working in science for 7 years i'm ready for a change. meh!! everyone has phd's these days.

going to move back to melb and be unemployed.

Nice one VB.

I studied Theory at Oxbridge, got me nowhere.

Nice one, DK. MSc Mandem in da house! Braaap braaap!

Congrats VB!

Excellent. Congratulations!

Thanks all.

I'm a bit bewildered by it, it doesn't change a thing for me as I'm already working at a high level within the industry it would open doors for me. The hope is that long-term it will help prevent me from stagnating or leaving the industry, but now I have it I cannot know for sure that having it makes a difference.

Check your bank balance, there'll be a difference there.

Useless degrees - depends how you measure its effects. A degree isn’t just a means to an end – it can satisfy your interest in something other than your career path, or be done for no other reason than you fancy another challenge.

I’d rate personal fulfilment higher than career ambitions, and if you’ve got that, having completed a degree, then it’s been far from useless.

Check your bank balance, there'll be a difference there.

My fees were still below the £3,300 mark and I paid it off as I went through, using the money saved each month from having paid off being married to now pay for the degree.

In real terms doing the degree didn't affect my take-home each month, but ending the degree did cause it to increase.

I still haven't paid off my MSc. Hopefully the institution where I'm doing my PhD doesn't find out.

shit, just remembered once i go back to aus, i have to start paying off my undergrad. doh!!!!