Over half of young people are now going to university. Official figures show that in the 2017-18 academic year, a record 50.2 per cent of English 17- to 30-year-olds participated in higher education. We have achieved the goal Tony Blair set in 1999, but does this mean that having a degree is losing its value?
There are over 30,000 different courses and degrees offered by UK universities and colleges. Some of them are quite ridiculous and it does make you wonder why anyone in their right mind would pay nine grand a year to study such niche and seemingly pointless subjects. And will an employer take a degree like Floral Design seriously? University isn’t for everyone, and perhaps the focus should be on making university accessible and – shock horror – affordable. Simply expanding the number of courses and places to the point that the majority of young people end up going to uni is counterproductive and means people are forking out thousands of pounds for a degree which they probably don’t need to achieve what they want to achieve in life.
For your amusement, TechRound has compiled a list of the top ten wackiest and most ridiculous degrees out there:
1. Surf Science and Technology
Type of course
Foundation degree (FdSC) – 3 years
Where you can study it
Cornwall College (Part of the University of Plymouth)
What is it?
The study of surfing, of course, posing as a science degree. And of course this degree is offered in Cornwall! Sadly, “practical surfing is not part of the course.”
2. Viticulture and Oenology
Type of course
BSc (Hons) – 3 years
Where you can study it
Plumpton College
What is it?
Quite the mouthful, ‘Viticulture and Oenology’ is essentially the study of wine. Sounds wonderful. Plumpton College have a whole department dedicated to wine and the course teaches you all about the science of grape-growing and wine-making.
3. Floral Design
Type of course
Foundation degree (FdA) – 3 years
Where you can study it
University Centre Myerscough
What is it?
“An introduction to the commercial aspects of floral design at a professional standard”, this online foundation degree course involves the professional study of flowers, including professional floristry techniques, business management, and research methods for the design industries. Basically, the study of flowers… you can’t help but laugh.
4. Horology
Type of course
BA (Hons) – 3 years
Where you can study it
Birmingham City
What is it?
Well, horologists at Birmingham City Uni devote their time to – the study of time! This involves exploring the theory behind clocks and watches and the art and science of time measurement. It sounds very abstract…
5. Cities
Type of course
MA – 1 year
Where you can study it
Central Saint Martins
What is it?
Well, I guess it’s in the name… but thinking back to my GCSEs, isn’t the study of cities just one topic of Human Geography? Given it’s an MA, I suppose we can let them off for the nicheness.
6. Hand Embroidery
Type of course
BA (Hons) – 3 years
Where you can study it
University for the Creative Arts (UCA)
What is it?
Some sort of sewing, I guess? Can’t you teach that to yourself using YouTube videos? The course is supposedly ‘world-renowned’ so maybe I shouldn’t be so derisive…
7. Psychology of Fashion
Type of course
BA (Hons) – 3 years
Where you can study it
London College of Fashion
What is it?
Cool? Edgy? The people who study this degree definitely have choppy haircuts, several piercings and smoke lots of weed. But how useful is this degree? To succeed in the world of fashion, what you need is creativity, drive and a banging portfolio, not a woolly degree in the Psychology of Fashion.
8. Communications
Type of course
BA (Hons) – 3 years
Where you can study it
This course is actually offered by 111 different universities and colleges in the UK.
What is it?
This one is a source of ridicule because it is so vague. It’s for students who have no idea what they want to do with their lives – in which case, should you really be going to uni? All employers are looking for good communicators, but this is a skill you can develop without spending three expensive years at university.
9. Puppetry Design and Performance
Type of course
BA (Hons) – 3 years
Where you can study it
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
What is it?
The first UK degree in puppet theatre, this Bachelor’s degree teaches you all about puppetry – if you see yourself as the next Kermit the Frog, this could be the degree for you. It is a specialist study area of theatre practice, and admittedly, graduates have been known to find work at the Royal Opera House, Royal Ballet and London 2012 Olympic Ceremonies.
10. Stand-Up Comedy
Type of course
MA – 1 year
Where you can study it
University of Kent
What is it?
This Master’s programme at the University of Kent enables students to develop their performance skills and theoretical understanding of stand-up comedy. Essentially, it teaches you how to be funny. Last time I checked, you can’t learn that from a university degree, but maybe I’m wrong.
