Employers: “Don’t ditch ‘Mickey Mouse’ degrees”

While education cuts may appear to threaten drastic consequences for so-called ‘Mickey Mouse’ degrees, employers in the creative services industries say that the performance of these graduates are top-notch.

“Employers recognise that the employability of graduates is not solely dependent on vocational training, but is equally dependent on training graduates to think critically about the industries in which they will be working,” says the higher education think-tank Million+.

Meanwhile Trevor Morris, former CEO of Chime Communications Public Relations Group, the UK’s largest PR group, says: “If, for example, you study a PR degree, you prove you are serious about it, you know what it is about and you show commitment to the industry. Given the impact of the creative industries on society it would be extraordinary not to study them at university.”

According to Sally Feldman, head of University of Westminster School of Media Arts and Design, it’s no accident that the media studies graduates progress to relevant jobs. They are acquiring skills and experience as well as academic education. “While their chums that are doing science related subjects are still stuck with lectures, seminars and tutorials,” he says, “they are making films, designing fashion, creating music, negotiating, pitching ideas and selling their work.”

Third year media student at Westminster, Diana Paroiu, says: “Throughout my degree, I studied theory modules, which helped me understand the media industry and practical modules that improved my critical thinking and writing skills. I now feel confident to apply for any job in the media industry.”

According to Million+ the UK has the largest creative sector in the EU and “relative to GDP, probably the largest in the world”. It says the creative industries account for 7.3% of the economy – comparable in size to the financial services industry.

This article was written by Westminster PR, a group of final year PR students who raise awareness and campaign on socially important issues while also promoting study at Westminster University.