Earning a degree just to satisfy one's curiosity

I have a TV in my gym and put it on the military history channel while lifting weights sometimes

 

I have taken some courses just for the sheer pleasure or desire to know more.

The most recent was the Vampire in Literature and Film at Harvard Extension the first time they offered it.

I like vampires (not the Twilight breed) and I have always been fascinated with the numerous portrayals in literature and even film-- so I thought it would be interesting to see what HES would say about the matter.

I enjoyed the class and learned quite a bit.

 

MC I have a home gym with a smith machine, bench press, numerous dumbbells, curl bars, and an elliptical bike.
It has mirrors and a flat screen TV so that I can watch music channels or things like military history while I workout.
I then kill two birds with one stone. I learn more about history and get a workout. Plus, its good for intensity to see all that artillery put to good use while working out.

 

wow 18 degrees! that's a lot !

I don't know, I would prefer to become an expert in one field, and really accomplish something in that field, maybe publish a book, it would give me more satisfaction than collecting more degrees. you are right, if one wants to learn, he/she will learn. We have libraries, and the internet, knowledge is free in this age!

I like history too, but I love philosophy, I keep looking for philosophy degrees, I will probably do BA philosophy along with my masters, but Im gona be very slow. I read on the side anyway.

 

Sounds like a good plan Egyptian is kind of more understood (or used to be) because of their TV and film production. However, Syrian drama nowadays is more prominent. The accent spoken in North African countries is difficult except for Egyptian, and for the countries around Syria they speak also a smiliar accent, and the region around the Arab Gulf they also have an almost common accent. I met a dutch girl who was doing PhD in Syrian drama, and her Arabic was good, but she moved to Syria for that (not safe now). Good luck, enjoy the challenge!

 

If you can afford it, both in terms of finances and time, it's fine. There are many things you can do with your money and time. You could travel, participate in sports, volunteer, etc. Pursuing degrees is one of them. Only you can decide how you want to spend your finite time and resources on this earth. For the majority of people, pursuing courses just because they enjoy them is not an option. They don't have the extra money. Even if they do have the money (or if they can get free courses), they still don't have the time. They have to spend their time working, raising kids, etc. For the rare few who can do it, more power to them.

 

That's a great question. I think a lot of people get degrees out of 'curiosity' because they have the time, money, and enough interest that they'd like to pursue it. Who knows, maybe this 'curiosity' will turn into a career or side business? I think this is one thing to consider if you feel like you have enough interest in a subject or field or you don't feel strongly about your current degree and profession. It's important to remember that you can continue your lifestyle as it is all the while taking online classes and eventually receive a degree in your 'curiosity'.

 

I think a lot of people don't have time to do productive things because they fill their time with unproductive things.
I hear it all the time. "I would work out but I just don't have the time".
The next day they will talk all about the 5 hour NFL game they watched on Sunday.

 

Education for the sake of knowledge alone. Now there's a novel idea! Being knowledgeable about the world we live in should not be solely contingent on economic outcomes. Personal development is often intangible and unmeasurable, but is there anybody who thinks that ignorance is superior? Book burning is an icon of a dictatorship for a reason.

Learning, however, is not the sole province of universities and public libraries are powerful depositories of knowledge. The latter are free and set up for the curious. I think degrees are about intellectual challenges, not curiosity, like mountains are for climbers. They are a symbol of achievement and status, not curiosity. If you want to be tested and can afford it why not? It is little different from an endurance race, except you are using your mind.
If you are merely curious, a library visit is a lot cheaper and just as useful.

 

This is why I think we should grad level courses that can be CLEPed out of. It would reduce student loan debt which is at epidemic levels in the US.

 

For me, along the path to my degree I hope to learn something but don't really expect to(not much anyway), simply because it will be for employment purposes only. Now I do hope to add some stuff in there that is actually of interest to me so I can make myself learn rather than absorb-test-forget. I understand both sides of the coin here, and both sides are correct. If you want to learn and want someone's help that has a better understanding than yourself to help guide you....this is a great reason for taking the classes. If not....www. or local library, etc, pretty simple? It is your money and time, noone can tell you how to utilize them or if it is a good idea or not.
I would like to eventually pursue a higher education in something more "likable" once I complete my undergrad. I am 40 now and I definitely have some areas of interest I would like to further explore once I get the serious stuff out of the way.

That's my .01cents, combined the earlier poster's change.

 

I agree, to a point. I think this would work, but only if it were set up similar to University of London, where in addition to answering questions on a test, you also would also be required to write essays in response to questions. Of course, these essays would then have to be graded by someone...

 

If I had unlimited time and money, I would pursue one or two graduate degrees (or perhaps graduate certificates) just to learn more about the subject in an academic setting. Potential degrees on my "just hit the lottery list" include: linguistics, dutch language and culture, sociology and history. I would place psychology and public health on this list, however, there is a good chance that I'll pursue a degree in one of these subjects regardless of my financial situation.

 

Interestingly enough, I've considered earning one of their history MA's for similar reasons. I am in the final phase of a doctorate and have no "career use" for the degree but I love history and it does add to my preaching when I routinely give background information. I have a few dollars of veterans education benefits that I could use and at their tuition rates it would affordable. It's sad to me that the joy of learning has had to take a back seat to career utility in higher education...