PoetPhilosopher
Veteran Member
I see.
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What was your college Major?
- Thread starter PoetPhilosopher
- Start date
I see.
PoetPhilosopher
Veteran Member
To weigh in, I may not be to that point, yet. That point where philosophically, I am both humbled and curious.
Then you are ready, young padwan!
I was that kid who would have picked all the majors more or less. Ended up with was a formal education that mostly consisted of art, biology (emphasis on botanicals, conservation biology, ecology), psychology, and philosophy. Informally, definitely have an equivalent of a Pagan studies something or other given how much anthropology and religion I smashed my face into while new to Paganism. I guess you could count the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids as formal education in a mystery tradition, just not university - and it is a very different type of learning.
Still work at university, so still get to go to nerdy seminars and the like from time to time. But if that work - plus the OBOD stuff - has taught me anything? All life experience has value. Our culture is just better or worse at articulating that value for some things than for others. I used to be really obsessed with book learning and formal education. Now? Now I am honestly just bored with it. I've learned more about trees communing with them as a Druid than I did studying botany through formal education. Part of that is a problem with how things are taught, granted; the sciences have a real problem of being devoid of "soul" so to speak. The best botany class I ever took was ethnobotany - which stops teaching just the boring facts and gets into our relationships with the botanical world. We need more of that in education. More synthesis, more cross-disciplinary things, making connections, finding meaning. Just memorizing botanical names - which I've done - is boring and pointless without contextual meanings.
Still work at university, so still get to go to nerdy seminars and the like from time to time. But if that work - plus the OBOD stuff - has taught me anything? All life experience has value. Our culture is just better or worse at articulating that value for some things than for others. I used to be really obsessed with book learning and formal education. Now? Now I am honestly just bored with it. I've learned more about trees communing with them as a Druid than I did studying botany through formal education. Part of that is a problem with how things are taught, granted; the sciences have a real problem of being devoid of "soul" so to speak. The best botany class I ever took was ethnobotany - which stops teaching just the boring facts and gets into our relationships with the botanical world. We need more of that in education. More synthesis, more cross-disciplinary things, making connections, finding meaning. Just memorizing botanical names - which I've done - is boring and pointless without contextual meanings.
I majored in BS.
Buncha Stuff, of course, but none of it formal.
I'm an awfully informal person.
Buncha Stuff, of course, but none of it formal.
I'm an awfully informal person.
Since you are a programmer now, do you think you should pursue an online degree in programming or AI? Those would be widely available me thinks.
PoetPhilosopher
Veteran Member
I have an Associates in Art and have some hands on experience in programming and AI. The last job I worked, claimed that the job could be used as a reference in AI and robotics fields.
I'm guessing a college degree in it, though, could warrant myself being paid more money, though.
Was all of this offline? How long did each of these degrees take? Even if some of them are online or evening based degrees, that is extremely impressive. What motivated you to go for these?
You may consider an online or evening class based degree. I think they help. Assuming you are somewhere in US or Europe, there should be enough opportunities to explore.
Started with a Bachelor's in Psychology.
Entered a graduate program in Industrial/Organizational Psychology but dropped it after a year because I hated it.
Eventually earned a Master's in Healthcare Administration.
Part of me would like to go back for more; perhaps a Master's in Social Work or doctorate in Psychology? We'll see.
I remember when I started my first job in my field post graduation with a BS...all the knowledge I had gained in my major got me through about three weeks on the job...if I had been a better student, it might have gotten me to five weeks...
The fact that I had two skills (I could write, and I could take good pictures) got me in the door during a recession in the field ahead of a lot of better and more experienced peers in the journalism school at U of I.
The fact that I had two skills (I could write, and I could take good pictures) got me in the door during a recession in the field ahead of a lot of better and more experienced peers in the journalism school at U of I.
Secret Chief
Veteran Member
There's a lot of it about!
I chose my degree based on interest, nothing to do with vocational considerations. Likewise, I do not regret my choice.
Some full time, some part time.
The bachelor's take 3 years full time or 5(ish) part time. Masters take 2 full or 3 to 4 part time.
My work, to quote for certain jobs you need letters to stand a chance of winning the job. Had we not have sold the company id probably be doing a PhD now.
In some cases previous quals reduced the first year.
PoetPhilosopher
Veteran Member
To expand further on what I'm doing currently though, I do freelance programming sometimes. Ideally, what I want to do is write and test shaders. However sometimes, to take on additional work, I'll have to take on other commissioned tasks, such as fixing bugs, which is general programming.
However, I've taken on a bit of a different approach, lately. I've written some software which kind of automates parts of what I do. I've realized that this makes things much, much easier for me. Perhaps a little too easy, to the point where I have too much free time.
confusedenoch
New Member
BS in Mechanical Engineering, Master's in Nuclear Physics.
It was actually my interest in nuclear fusion that lead me to the concept of elemental transmutation of Mercury into Gold, which in turn lead me to religion, mythology and controversial theories about the ancient civilizations therein.
I found it highly interesting (and still do) that Mercury and Gold are only one electron/proton/neutron apart, so realistically if you wanted to create Gold you'd use Mercury to do so...
It was actually my interest in nuclear fusion that lead me to the concept of elemental transmutation of Mercury into Gold, which in turn lead me to religion, mythology and controversial theories about the ancient civilizations therein.
I found it highly interesting (and still do) that Mercury and Gold are only one electron/proton/neutron apart, so realistically if you wanted to create Gold you'd use Mercury to do so...
vulcanlogician
Well-Known Member
Then you are ready, young padwan!
My sentiments exactly.
A BSc in computer science, and currently considering a master's either in physics or AI.
PoetPhilosopher
Veteran Member
I wanted to write a quick note to say that I find this thread inspiring in terms of all the education that members have sought to pursue, as well as all the degrees they have accomplished.
It actually makes me want to pursue a bit more in terms of education, too.
It actually makes me want to pursue a bit more in terms of education, too.
There's a lot to be said for self-teaching. After you hit a certain point (post-grad) it is mostly about self-driven learning anyway. That's something I always tell my students who are thinking about graduate school so they don't think it's like an extension of undergraduate education. It is very much not - way less emphasis on coursework and way more emphasis on contributing something to your field of study through novel research or innovation. Or at least that's how it is in the sciences.