31st January 2011, 01:49 PM
good questions -
BUT - a degree should be MORE than vocational training - there MUST be room for 'pure' academia (ie knowledge for knowledge sake) - archaeology is excellent degree for The General Enquirer....a broad science, history and cultural perspective is surely the main transferable aspect of archaeological degrees?....
Despite the renewed efforts of the Con-Dems to make education a purely industrial/commercial enterprise, the value of the humanities and 'pure' knowledge MUST be defended....
....tempting though it is, lets not turn degrees into half-baked attempts at vocational training at the expense of Genuine Education.
Does this justify the cost to the graduate? >>> clearly the whole Higher Education process is too costly > specific to archaeology...this is even worse!
Fundamentally...are there enough jobs?, if not then ANY degree in ANY sector will have dubious cost-benefit calculation....
I was lucky i guess - i did not have high fees - there was reasonable chance of job - there were fewer applicants - possession of a degree was not so important for work......
But most beneficial was having volunteer experience ( even prior to my degree )
You want to do archaeology? - find some and start doing it...you can NEVER just do it for the money.
My advice to prospective and recent graduates?
OPPOSE this government - FIGHT cuts - RESIST greed
make this a country that is FIT to do archaeology in.
BUT - a degree should be MORE than vocational training - there MUST be room for 'pure' academia (ie knowledge for knowledge sake) - archaeology is excellent degree for The General Enquirer....a broad science, history and cultural perspective is surely the main transferable aspect of archaeological degrees?....
Despite the renewed efforts of the Con-Dems to make education a purely industrial/commercial enterprise, the value of the humanities and 'pure' knowledge MUST be defended....
....tempting though it is, lets not turn degrees into half-baked attempts at vocational training at the expense of Genuine Education.
Does this justify the cost to the graduate? >>> clearly the whole Higher Education process is too costly > specific to archaeology...this is even worse!
Fundamentally...are there enough jobs?, if not then ANY degree in ANY sector will have dubious cost-benefit calculation....
I was lucky i guess - i did not have high fees - there was reasonable chance of job - there were fewer applicants - possession of a degree was not so important for work......
But most beneficial was having volunteer experience ( even prior to my degree )
You want to do archaeology? - find some and start doing it...you can NEVER just do it for the money.
My advice to prospective and recent graduates?
OPPOSE this government - FIGHT cuts - RESIST greed
make this a country that is FIT to do archaeology in.