Following different drummers:
Philosophy degree not marketable, but worthwhile
By Frank Shaw
Of th« Emerald
In a time of poor economy
when jobs are few and far bet
ween, many students go the
safe route of getting a
business degree, or a physics
degree, something “mar
ketable.”
But not philosophy majors.
“A philosophy degree is not
particularly marketable,” ad
mits William Davie, acting
head of the philosophy depart
ment, “but marketability ought
not be the motivation of get
ting a degree.”
Interest is the reason
students should want a
philosophy degree, he says.
And a philosophy degree is
more useful than it appears at
first glance, Davie says.
It is excellent preparation
for law or political science a
‘‘great background study.”
Students learn to read difficult
material closely and carefully
and learn how to study and
write about difficult material,
he says.
“It (philosophy) can prepare
you for a lot of activities,” he
says, citing an example of a
student who received a high
paying job in the federal
government after graduating
with a philosophy degree.
Arnulf Zweig, a philosophy
professor, agrees that interest
should be the main justifica
tion for seeking a philosophy
degree.
“I couldn’t stop doing
philosophy,” Zweig says. He
says there’s nothing quite like
teaching philosophy.
"It’s a joy to introduce peo
ple to ideas.”
But he says there’s more to
philosophy than just fun.
“Philosophy does help peo
ple learn how to reason, how
to analyze a problem,” he
says. His best student last
year is now working on com
puter languages.
Chris Anderson, a junior ma
joring in philosophy and
economics, picked philosophy
“because that’s what I’m in
terested in.”
Although Anderson agrees
a philosophy degree is “im
practical,” he says that was
not a factor in his decision.
"You can’t go out and apply
your philosophy degree like a
business degree — you can’t
market it,” he says, “but I’m
not going to take something
simply because I’m afraid I
won't be able to get a job.”
Many different areas are en
compassed by philosophy,
Anderson says, including law,
economics, politics and
religion.
“Philosophy teaches you
how to think,'’ he says.
During his 14 years of
teaching philosophy Davie
says the same “small but
significant” number of
students have been interested
in philosophy. They “follow
their nose” to find out what
they’re interested in.
Davie says the saddest
thing he sees is students who
take a philosophy class for the
first time in the winter or spr
ing of their senior year and
then realize it is something
they were really interested in.
“It’s sad that someone only
appreciates what their
educaton could have been,”
he says.
Lngiish major otters a solid analytical background
By Linda Mutch
Of the Emerald
If the faucet drips once more, it may
drive you insane. It's 3 a.m., and all that'?
missing is an introduction to your poetry
paper. Only the faucet dripping, the clock
ticking, your pen scratching punctuate
the silence.
As you begin your introduction for the
fifth time, suddenly you let your pen cap
ture the sounds, and they flow into your
paper. When you re-read the paper six
hours later, you are amazed you were able
to relate a dripping faucet and ticking
clock to James Wright’s peotry. And a
week later, you are even more amazed to
find that your professor loved it.
You are an English major, drawn to your
studies by perhaps a simple love of words
and an appreciation of good literature, a
joy for writing and a desire to excercise
your imagination.
"The number of career-oriented English
majors is small,” says George Wickes,
head of the University English depart
ment. “Typically, students don’t know
what they want to do with an English ma
jor, especially in their first two years.”
Since 1972 there has been a decline in
the number of English majors at the
University. In 1972, 612 students (5 per
cent of ttfe total number of
undergraduates) were enrolled as English
majors. By 1978, the number dropped to a
low of 360, and in the fall of 1982, English
majors numbered 379, about 3 percent of
the undergraduate student body.
“Students are more vocationally
oriented now,” Wickes says. “Today’s
eeonomic squeeze has brought about this
change in focus. In the 1970s the country
was more prosperous, and students were
more politically active, more involved in
protest.”
This vocational orientation is reflected
in the continually growing number of
students enrolled in computer science
and business administration. In 1972,
1,582 undergraduates were enrolled in the
business college, 2,290 were enrolled by
1977 and 2,793 — 23 percent of the stu
dent body — by 1982.
The number of computer majors has
doubled twice in the past ten years. In
1972, 101 undergraduates were enrolled.
By 1978 it had jumped to 250 and then 499
in 1982.
Mike Kroetch, a senior in creative
writing, sees values in an English degree
that outweighs the economic advantages
of marketable majors such as business
and computers.
“Marketable degrees offer a com
parative advantage in the initial job
market after graduation,” Kroetch says.
“Unfortunately, such fields and jobs tend
to be packaged in a predictable manner
which doesn’t allow the flexiblity possi
ble with an English degree.
“I see the English degree as a long term
investment which will accumulate value
with time, one that requires the develop
ment of critical abilities. It gives you a
perspective, a chance to for individual
opinion. For me this is important.”
Wickes says the value unique in
disciplines such as English and history is
that they teach people how to write pro
perly, to construct and substantiate
arguments and to read analytically.
Qualities such as these, Wickes says,
are what make English majors attractive
to law schools and upper management of
business and industry.
“Med schools often show an interest
as well. They like liberal arts majors, but
there is a catch in that students must also
fulfill pre-med requirements,” Wickes
says.
Bobbi Partney, an English major and
peer adviser, says that real estate agen
cies, research companies and manage
ment training divisions often prefer
liberal arts majors because the analytical
skills they acquire give them more flex
ibility than what results from more
specialized skills acquired by business
majors.
"These businesses want problems
evaluated qualitatively as well as quan
titatively,” Partney says.
She points out one problem for English
majors is learning how to develop a
resume that adequately reflects the skills
acquired in English.
“It's difficult to respond to the ‘career
objective’ portion of a resume. English
majors often have no set career in mind
and are more open to a range of
possibilities. It’s difficult to narrow
creative and innovative qualities of a
liberal arts background to one career
objective.”
Join us for lunch!
Don’t let our name fool you.
The once-private rooms of the faculty club’s Collier
House are now open to anyone who is hungry.
Enjoy lunch outdoors on our deck
MODERATELY PRICED SALADS,
SANDWICHES, HOMEMADE SOUP.
The Faculty Club
The Big Yellow House at 13th and University.
11:30-2:00 Weekdays
Banquet facilities available for parties,
wedding receptions, and meetings.
fib
ft
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OREGON
ELECTRIC STATION
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Jazz Depot
Tues. thru Sat.
In the Jazz Room
Specials on Oregon Wines
All Tonic Drinks $1.00
485-4444
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Downtown Eugene
JOIN THE FUN!
Take your
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Parents
Weekend special
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Good with current fee card jf/
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and dealers Throughout
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Deadline 21, 1983
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