Posted on May 15, 2015
What's the most useful or least useful degree or diploma you ever earned?
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Looking back over your life, you have a diploma and probably a degree of some sort under your belt. While any education is good to have, let's face it. Some degrees or diplomas are more useful to your career than others. What was the MOST useful diploma or degree you ever received? What was the LEAST useful? Is there a degree you want to earn?
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Responses: 14
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Obviously my least useful was my high school diploma. What a joke that was. I'd definitely like to go back and get a Master's in aerospace engineering though. I imagine that will be useful if I decide I want to be a test pilot.
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CH (MAJ) William Beaver Actually all have been useful. Education is what you make it. If you are there because you want to be, you have a different focus than if you are there because have to be. That said, my most useful Degree for my career as an Army Leader was my Masters of Counseling and Organizational Behavior I received before I worked at West Point.
Most useless class ever... Classical Music Appreciation - Undergraduate Elective requirement.
Most useless class ever... Classical Music Appreciation - Undergraduate Elective requirement.
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COL Vincent Stoneking
I've got to second what COL Charles Williams said - it is all what you make of it.
My BA in History was immensely useful. It disciplined my thinking, taught me to write well, and broaden my perspectives. Oh, and it allowed me to be commissioned. And was fun.
My AAS in Computer Programming, and the AAS in Database Management, contributed directly to my competence in computer programming and IT in general, leading to several promotions.
My MSM set the conditions for me to get selected for LTC and BN Command.
My MBA set the conditions for my promotion to an executive position with my civilian employer, strengthened my resume, and gave me a much better systems thinking appreciation of "how the world works." Hopefully, when I come off my current tour, it will help me promote.
The degree that most violated my expectations, however, was the MSM. It was all big picture and very little/none "how to be a proficient manager". With hindsight, the issue was with my expectations. However, I managed to get that in a few other places including 2 yearlong professional development programs (with no academic standing, but a big deal with my state employer), so it all worked out.
My next one will be a Masters in Strategic Studies. It has already been very helpful in further understanding systems thinking, organizational dynamics, and "how stuff works."
If I continue past that, the next will likely be a PhD in organizational/institutional psychology or something closely aligned. This may add credibility in my "retirement" as an organizational leadership consultant/personal leadership coach. Or history, if I win the lottery. ;-)
My BA in History was immensely useful. It disciplined my thinking, taught me to write well, and broaden my perspectives. Oh, and it allowed me to be commissioned. And was fun.
My AAS in Computer Programming, and the AAS in Database Management, contributed directly to my competence in computer programming and IT in general, leading to several promotions.
My MSM set the conditions for me to get selected for LTC and BN Command.
My MBA set the conditions for my promotion to an executive position with my civilian employer, strengthened my resume, and gave me a much better systems thinking appreciation of "how the world works." Hopefully, when I come off my current tour, it will help me promote.
The degree that most violated my expectations, however, was the MSM. It was all big picture and very little/none "how to be a proficient manager". With hindsight, the issue was with my expectations. However, I managed to get that in a few other places including 2 yearlong professional development programs (with no academic standing, but a big deal with my state employer), so it all worked out.
My next one will be a Masters in Strategic Studies. It has already been very helpful in further understanding systems thinking, organizational dynamics, and "how stuff works."
If I continue past that, the next will likely be a PhD in organizational/institutional psychology or something closely aligned. This may add credibility in my "retirement" as an organizational leadership consultant/personal leadership coach. Or history, if I win the lottery. ;-)
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I'm currently in the clinical psychology pathways course, which is a seemingly better program than the degree in criminal justice I earned.
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I'm told, but do not know for a fact, that a criminal justice degree is the least academically rigorous degree that a person can obtain and still be called a degree. A criminal justice degree, however, at least has some applicability in the private sector. I'm not sure the same can be said for 16th Century French Literature or other like degrees.
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TSgt Christopher D.
^^ COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM. While my degree isn't in 16th Century French Literature, it is a Liberal Arts degree. My only saving grace is the tag "East Asian Linguistics."
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I have a criminal justice degree and unless you work in the field it is worthless. I ended up going back for a business degree. Dry material, but something from every class could be applied to real life
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