The question of specialisation

The cut-throat competition for employment in good firms has pushed students into a dreaded dilemma. Quite a number of students and educators feel that an honours degree helps gain an edge over those who opt for the regular tri-major courses at the undergraduate level. But how far is this true?   

An honours degree constitutes an in-depth study on a single subject towards the
final year, whereas the tri-major scheme gives weightage to three subjects which may be poles apart. But there have been relatively few students opting for the Honours degree in Bangalore as of late.

   “Life is unpredictable and so, I wanted a bigger boat to get me through it. I am currently pursuing my BA in journalism, english and psychology. Personally, I didn’t feel the need to take up an Honours degree as I thought it would have narrowed down my career options,” says Jagdish Kumar Sha, a final-year student of MS Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce. “Think of a computer that is unable to multi-task. It wouldn’t be of much use unless it’s the very best at its only programme,” he adds.

“Although my college does not offer an Honours degree, I am very happy with the course and curriculum that is being provided to me. I want to pursue a career in marketing back in South Korea after I finish with the course here,” says Hyelim Nam, a third-year BBM student of St Joseph’s College of Commerce, who hails from Seoul.     
On the contrary, there are those who feel that it is better to opt for an Honours degree as it is valued much more than a regular course. Rochelle Alford, a student at Christ University, who is pursuing BA Honours in psychology, opines that the interest of an individual plays a major role in taking a decision on the matter. “I started off with psychology, sociology and economics. It was entirely my decision to take up Honours in psychology because I could relate to it best. Sociology was very boring and repetitive for me. A tri-major degree allows a student just two papers in each of the subjects in a semester, thereby not providing as much knowledge on the subjects. However, an Honours degree requires a student to start from scratch and learn almost everything about the chosen field of study,” she says.

Opting for a combination of different subjects at the undergraduate level does have its advantages. Avinash Kamal, a second-year student of St Joseph’s College of Arts and Science, is pursuing his BSc in physics, mathematics and electronics. “It is inevitable to feel monotonous at some point of time, if a student only concentrates on a single area of study. There are times when we get stuck with a topic that needs some more time and patience to be understood fully. A change of subjects is always refreshing.

Electronics was a totally new subject for me. The combination gave me a broader outlook on the sciences. I think the employers of today would prefer a person with all-round knowledge and practicality, rather than someone who is proficient at just one field of work,” he opines.     

While an Honours degree may stand as proof of academic diligence and entitle a job seeker to a higher pay scale, it may not provide as much insight into the practical capabilities and personality of the individual.

   On the other hand, a person who has a non-Honours degree could be screened
out at the very first stage of a hiring process. The decision to be taken here is indeed a tough one.