• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

Why do Arts Degrees cost less? (1 Viewer)

flaganarchy

Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2009
Messages
256
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Question stands. In comparison to Commerce or Medicine? Why is that.... is it cause we are enlightened human beings? That's my theory...
 

witide

Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
439
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
Probably don't use as many resources/equipment, and there are so many students.
 

spence

Active Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2006
Messages
1,640
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
^ What he said but also because it generally doesn't lead to high salaries I think is a part of it, because things like law and commerce cost the same to teach, but are more expensive as they generally lead to high salaries
 
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Messages
447
Location
Melbourne
Gender
Female
HSC
2007
I'm not sure about them making it cheaper because it leads to low salary jobs???
Most of the difference is in use of equipment/technology - all you need for most arts subjects is a lecture theatre and some tute rooms, wheras science requires practical labs and microscopes etc etc etc which are all incredibly expensive. You will find on your uni bill that each subject costs a different amount, and this depends upon what equipment they use.
 

spence

Active Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2006
Messages
1,640
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
I'm not sure about them making it cheaper because it leads to low salary jobs???
Most of the difference is in use of equipment/technology - all you need for most arts subjects is a lecture theatre and some tute rooms, wheras science requires practical labs and microscopes etc etc etc which are all incredibly expensive. You will find on your uni bill that each subject costs a different amount, and this depends upon what equipment they use.
But law and commerce also just require a lecture theatre and tute rooms, and yet they are in the highest band for student contributions.
 

jb_nc

Google "9-11" and "truth"
Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
5,391
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
HECS bands are arranged according to earning 'potential' unless they are national priorities.
 

SAVAK

Banned
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
546
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
stop beating around the bush, its a shit degree.
 

SylviaB

Just Bee Yourself 🐝
Joined
Nov 26, 2008
Messages
6,909
Location
Lidcombe
Gender
Female
HSC
2021
Much less contact hours also, though probably could count that as resources.
 

moll.

Learn to science.
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
3,545
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
Question stands. In comparison to Commerce or Medicine? Why is that.... is it cause we are enlightened human beings? That's my theory...
It's cause people with arts degress don't earn much more than an unqualified bum, so they can't pay the HECS fees back. So the government mandated that the fees should be lower.
 

moll.

Learn to science.
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
3,545
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
Because their degree doesn't leave them specifically qualified for anything, or if it does, it's a low-paying career, such as translators or historians.
 

bwendan

Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
37
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
I have done a bit of research on this topic, regarding government policy on higher education. If you are referring to the cost born by CSP students, then the answer is that there really isn't any coherent reason. The Government sets a cap on the student contribution amounts, but most universities always charge the cap amount anyway. The system you see now is just piles of ad-hoc and sometimes inconsistent government decisions over the last 30 or so years.

Some links:
Andrew Norton Blog Archive What do higher education subsidies achieve?
http://www.cis.org.au/issue_analysis/IA105/IA105.pdf
http://www.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres...3/16862/AttachmentA_AccessEconomicsReport.pdf
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top