Choosing your school degree is something that can be very difficult. You can choose one that is helpful or one that won’t get you much of a career. Here are the 10 least valuable undergrad degrees that you should avoid.
Advertising
Some may see being in advertising like being in the show Mad Men. However, getting a degree in that area might set you up for an agency job, but that’s about all it can do. If you want to work in advertising for a corporation, you’ll most likely need an education that reflects their industry.
Criminal Justice
A lot of people get inspired by the shows they see on television, which is why they want to go into criminal justice. But going into this field doesn’t necessarily mean you will be getting the bad guys like they do on TV. There are a limited number of jobs in criminal justice and the ones you can get will probably be done sitting at a desk.
Anthropology and Archaeology
Everyone wants to be as cool as Indiana Jones. The reality is, that maybe a handful of people will get to live the successful life of an anthropologist or an archaeologist. Most people who are in this field end up getting jobs at museums (which isn’t a bad thing, museums are wonderful). But if the life of adventure is one you want to lead, it might be a rare chance for you to get to an excavation site.
Art History
Art history is a major that doesn’t do much for you unless you specifically go into a job for that degree. You might have a passion for old art, but that won’t really translate into a job. You can become an art appraiser or work in a museum. There isn’t much wiggle room with this degree, making it one of the hardest degrees to get a job in after school.
Creative Writing
Being a creative writer means you could write the next great American novel. Or you could be a writer without a job. Creative writing sounds like a glamorous career but you could end up being jobless and not able to find a writing job because you don’t have the training to do other types of writing. It is recommended to get a specialized writing degree like journalism so you can have some income while you are writing your novel.
Culinary Arts
The only way a culinary degree will be transferable when you graduate is if you specifically want to go into the culinary field. If you don’t work hard to become that master chef, you could just be cooking food at home. A lot of the skills learned during culinary school do not transfer into anything else job-wise.
Education
Education should seem like a lucrative degree because everywhere needs teachers, right? Well, this could be more of a challenge than you would think. You need to specialize in what area of education you want to be in, whether it be early childhood, special education, or secondary education. If you just have a general education degree, then you won’t be as desired to hire because schools want to know what area you specialize in. You might have to get a Masters degree as well.
Entrepreneurship
Being an entrepreneur sounds like a great way to be your own boss. But getting a degree in that is not necessarily a good idea. You will have all the know-how to start a business but you won’t have the experience. It would make more sense to get a business degree and get some business experience before going into your own venture.
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Video or Photographic Arts
Wanting to be a photographer or videographer is a dream for many people. However, going to school for this dream is a waste of time and money. A lot of people with this degree already had the talent to be good at their jobs and didn’t need to go to school to learn the skills for it.
Read More: How an Art Degree Can Unlock Your Career Potential
Music
When it comes to music, either you have it or you don’t. You can go to school and get more training in music, but that doesn’t always mean you will get the career of your dreams when you graduate. A lot of music jobs are far away and few in between. And the ones you will get won’t pay you well at all.
Read More: The 10 Most Valuable Undergrad Degrees