expected to have classes for 7 hours straight with no break?

The_One_Who

If the class doesn't fit into your timetable then that is on you to change it. I would have liked to have done a couple of classes, but there was a clash, so I couldn't. What are you wanting the university/college to do?

minerva_windsong

sh1305 wrote: »

I think everyone is expected to do 40 hours a week. I know I was - hence only having 12 hours contact time.

Oh no, I knew that - it was more in response to someone further up the thread in response to students who moan about doing eight hours of lectures per week, as in they might not be in lectures but they're doing other equally important things towards their degree (and I presumed it referred to arts students because no way did the scientists at my uni have that little contact time!). What I was trying to say was that 40 hours can manifest itself in many different ways.

lizzie_b

If you're doing a course in tourism, can I just ask what sort of hours you expect to be working in the tourism industry?? xxxx

littlepinkstars44

lizzie_b wrote: »

If you're doing a course in tourism, can I just ask what sort of hours you expect to be working in the tourism industry?? xxxx

No idea, not sure if i want to work in tourism really.

eklynne

littlepinkstars44 wrote: »

No idea, not sure if i want to work in tourism really.

So why are you doing a tourism degree? It's attitudes like that which are currently giving students a bad name for being at Uni, using taxpayers money getting pointless degrees that won't find them jobs!

moggylover

eklynne wrote: »

So why are you doing a tourism degree? It's attitudes like that which are currently giving students a bad name for being at Uni, using taxpayers money getting pointless degrees that won't find them jobs!

To be fair though, that is hardly the fault of the students. They didn't decide that so many subjects should become "degrees" instead of vocational and college courses, and it isn't the students and young people that brought about a situation where employers seem to want a degree in something or other before offering a job as an office junior.

There were lots of other ways into many a profession in my day (teaching just for an instance) but these seem to have gone now in the supposed endeavour for "academic excellence across the nation":(

Oldernotwiser

eklynne wrote: »

So why are you doing a tourism degree? It's attitudes like that which are currently giving students a bad name for being at Uni, using taxpayers money getting pointless degrees that won't find them jobs!

There's no reason that degrees should lead into jobs, although one would expect a degree in Tourism to do so.

eklynne

moggylover wrote: »

To be fair though, that is hardly the fault of the students. They didn't decide that so many subjects should become "degrees" instead of vocational and college courses, and it isn't the students and young people that brought about a situation where employers seem to want a degree in something or other before offering a job as an office junior.

There were lots of other ways into many a profession in my day (teaching just for an instance) but these seem to have gone now in the supposed endeavour for "academic excellence across the nation":(

I think you're picking me up wrong. a degree in tourism is surely specific to the tourism industry, no? It's not like a history degree which can be fairly general and not necessarily career focused. You wouldn't start a degree in teaching and declare halfway through that you didn't want to have a future in the profession would you?

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

There's no reason that degrees should lead into jobs, although one would expect a degree in Tourism to do so.

I agree that not all degrees should (be expected to) lead to jobs. I think the OP has chosen a commercial degree whilst not really being that concerned that her future lies in that area. I find it easy to understand why people would construe this as being a pretty poor attitude and approach to higher education, particularly in Scotland where students fees are being paid by the taxpayer. It's not my opinion, but I can see why people get frustrated.

atypical

eklynne wrote: »

You wouldn't start a degree in teaching and declare halfway through that you didn't want to have a future in the profession would you?

I'm part way through a vocational degree but have decided now that it's not for me. That doesn't mean I'm going to be useless, I've just decided I want to work in a different industry. I can still apply the skills I've learned elsewhere.

eklynne wrote: »

I think the OP has chosen a commercial degree whilst not really being that concerned that her future lies in that area.

I think your criticism is that some people are picking specific degrees because they 'sound fun' in the prospectus without doing any of the research into what it actually entails.

The lack of conviction in the OPs post ("no idea") might suggest they're one of these.

Oldernotwiser

eklynne wrote: »

You wouldn't start a degree in teaching and declare halfway through that you didn't want to have a future in the profession would you?

.

Actually, this happens to many people. The sensible ones finish the course because at least they be will graduates, even if they have to look at ways to use their skills outside that vocational area.