The Myths, Ifs and Truths about the Value of a University Degree

By Cathy Keates and Jennifer Sipos

For anyone working with clients who are trying to decide whether to pursue a university education or, with clients who already have a university degree and don’t know  what to do with it, it may be helpful to be able to explain some of the myths, ifs and truths about the value of a university degree.

At York University, the Career Centre and the Faculty of Arts partner regularly to help students understand how to make the most of their university experience and to clearly understand how to value the endless career possibilities open to them once a degree is complete.

Most often, working through the “myths” and “ifs” can help people discover the great “truths” about the value of a university degree.

Myths

1. A university degree is just a piece of paper, or some letters (eg BA, MSc etc) on your resume. The piece of paper and letters that represent a university education also signal the successful completion of a life-changing experience that includes the development of critical thinking and learning skills.

2. A university degree is not enough – you need to go on to college to get real job training. This commonly held myth is easily contradicted by the evidence that a university degree provides key skills valued by all employers. These foundational skills, though not always job specific (such as how to operate particular office equipment, or other workplace-specific tasks) are the general skills that are so highly valued in the current workplace including problem solving, critical thinking and teamwork skills, as well as being able to appreciate a diversity of ideas and people.

Ifs

1. If you study history you are preparing for jobs in history. The reality is that academic majors are not limited to specific professions. Many disciplines have “related” occupations, but university training provides the preparation needed for a wide range of career fields. For example, studying history may lead to a career directly related to history, such as museum curator, or history teacher. However, the skills required to successfully complete a history degree, can also uniquely connect with an individual’s personality, values, interests and experiences, leading to exciting and unique career paths, outside of obvious “history” related areas.

Truths

1. University graduates enter the labour market with great success. Most Canadian universities have graduation employment rates over 96%.¹ Employers recognize the value of the fundamental skills earned as part of a university degree and prefer to hire university educated employees.

2. University graduates understand career possibilities by the time they graduate, but also understand the need for experience, personal growth, maturity and change. It is because the university experience uniquely combines intellectual stimulation, personal growth, social opportunities and career development that so many graduates look back on their university years as “some of the best years of their lives.”

It is hard to describe, and impossible to really quantify the value of a university degree. Beyond the evidence of the successful employment rates of university graduates, most, if not all university grads will tell you that they value their degree for several reasons. The personal transformation that occurs through the experience of studying and learning gives individuals the confidence to self-manage their careers in an uncertain labour market and the ability to better meet the demands and challenges of life.

¹Labour Force Survey 2000, Statistics Canada

Recommended Resources:

Two books by Faculty of Arts professors John A. Dwyer and Thomas R. Klassen:
1. A practical guide to getting a great job after University
2. Flourishing in university and beyond

Some other thoughts on the value of a university degree at “Train Your Brain”
www.trainyourbrain.ca/english/supporters/supporters.html

Searchable database of Canadian university programs from the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
www.aucc.ca/can_uni/search/index_e.html

Resources for guidance counsellors from the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
www.aucc.ca/publications/resourcesfor/guidance_e.html

Jennifer Sipos is the Manager of Communications and Public Relations in the Faculty of Arts at York University.  Ms Sipos is responsible for developing annual strategic communications initiatives to enhance student recruitment, alumni, faculty and media relations and, the public profile of the Faculty of Arts.    

Cathy Keates is the Associate Director of the Career Centre at York University. She oversees the team of staff who create and deliver career development and job search support services to students, in person and online, including the award winning Career Cyberguide.