'More than ever before' now studying Sci/Tech in Blighty
Achieved at grim cost in law, media & biz students, tho
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University admissions statistics reveal that more students than ever before in Blighty have enrolled on courses in science and engineering this year. Unfortunately this progress has been achieved at a grim cost, as far larger numbers of young people have as usual chosen to study law, business, management, psychology - and computer science.
The figures released this week by admissions service UCAS show that no fewer than 477,277 applicants have now had a place confirmed at university or college this year, an overall increase of five per cent over 2008.
In particular, the number of students studying maths is up 7.6 per cent to 6,908; physics is up seven per cent to 3,559; biology up two per cent to 4,664; and mainstream engineering subjects generally saw increases of several per cent. However, the number of students doing chemistry was down by three per cent to 3,885.
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), in charge of funding academic boffinry in these fields, was pleased to see increases in new talent.
"The UK is world leading in science and engineering research and it's great to see more students choosing to study subjects in these areas," said EPSRC boss-prof Dave Delpy. "It reflects the positive impact that science and engineering has on our society and we must encourage students to continue this tradition."
A poll conducted for the Young Scientist Centre indicated that science is now the most popular subject at school, too, and that an increased number of children plan on taking science and maths at A Level.
Plenty of grounds for rejoicing, then, for all those keen to see old Blighty excel in science and technology into the future.
But there was grim news today as well. According to the EPSRC and UCAS "More students than ever before" are now to commence "science and engineering related" studies. However, as is usual in British society, far more have chosen the comparatively easy, slick, bullshit-laden subjects seen as routes to personal success - or at least a paying job.
The most popular subject of all was law, with no fewer than 17,346 youngsters accepted - as many as maths and the three main sciences put together. No fewer than 21,315 will now study either Management or Business. A horrifying 15,327 are to read Psychology, and tens of thousands more young feet will set out down the roads to hell signposted "Design Studies", "English", "Sports Science" and "Combinations within Business and Admin Studies".
Journalism and Media Studies, while not yet attracting five-figure student bodies, surged worryingly - up by 15.7 and eight per cent to 2,675 and 5,141 respectively.
That's an awful lot of young lives thrown away.
Also way up high along with law, "design", business studies and psychology was another hotly-disputed subject. The fourth most popular degree course in the land this year, attracting a horde of 11,328 students (up by fully seven per cent), was Computer Science.
Whether that means another 11,000-odd pukka tech wizards to add to the ranks of the real engineers and scientists, or just a fresh legion of semi-skilled code monkeys with delusions of grandeur... that's a debate we'll leave for the comments. Keep it clean, and remember that the business-studies guys are the true enemy. ®
COMMENTS
Re: Message to Oliver Jones
AC, I think your words are misguided. If ever there was someone who had ever given up before they had begun then Oliver Jones is that person. There is not a cat in hells chance that anyone who wrote that comment could succeed on their own at anything, I wouldn't even trust him to make a cup of tea without guidance.
Count me in with Aristotles slow and dimwitted horse with about 10 years more experience and the same work/rest ratio.
@MinionZero
What a complete load of twaddle, you are confusing arrogance and confidence, the woe is me attitude of Oliver Jones and the grasp the bull by the horns attitude of the dimwitted horse. Furthermore, any contractor who was confrontational, which is what I assume you mean by "play them at their own game", with the person who had hired them would soon be out of a contract.
>Be your own boss. Be free. Without a boss, it becomes your money, your time, your way...
Why don't you and OJ just get a flat and do it, there's obviously some form of utopia out there that comes to those who think they deserve it.
@ Oliver Jones.
Laughable commentary.
Seems to me that the only one who has kept you in your current malaise is you. If you seriously believe that being pimp will be more rewarding that prostitute in an IT sense then you are probabaly just not good enough.
I've been contracting for 15 years without any issues, have made a shit load of money and regularly take breaks of up to 3-6 months to enjoy life. Never in all that time have I seen a pimp manage that.
Good luck blaming everyone else though. You'll realise one day that you can run away from everything but yourself.
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