We asked ChatGPT to roast the most popular degrees today

At Study International, we love and hate ChatGPT. We think it is useful to sieve through massive troves of data but gives too many people an easy way out to learning how to write (and missing out on the beauty of English language).

But we didn’t know it could be funny.

Humour comes from character and charisma — or rizz — and we did not think the AI chatbot had it in them.

That is, until we saw it roasting Instagram feeds and funnier still, when we got them to throw some real shade on the most popular degrees today.

The most popular degree subjects, and what ChatGPT thinks of them

It’s not the first time we’ve roasted something… or someone. In fact, we’ve written up a piece about the degrees with the most annoying graduates before.

This time, we’re letting ChatGPT take the reins – again, all in good fun! Buckle up because some of these may strike a chord or two (ouch). 

Business administration 

“The “I Want to Be a Boss” Degree.”

“Oh, so you want to be a CEO, huh? Well, why not just skip the middleman and get a degree in ‘Delegating 101’ and ‘PowerPoint Mastery’? Just remember, there’s a fine line between ‘networking’ and ‘schmoozing,’ but don’t worry, you’ll learn that in your ‘Networking for Dummies’ class.”

Snarkiness aside, it’s true – business remains one of the most popular degree subjects today, with 34% of university students pursuing it, according to this study. 

Job prospects also look positive, as the US Department of Labour predicted that top executive jobs for business administration majors will grow 5% over the next few years. Management analyst positions will fare even better, with a staggering 22% increase during the same time period.

So network away!

Psychology

“The ‘I Took a Quiz and Now I’m an Expert’ Degree.”

“You’re basically paying thousands of dollars to diagnose your friends with disorders after every breakup. But hey, at least when someone says, ‘I feel like you’re judging me,’ you can smugly reply, ‘No, I’m just observing your behavioural patterns.’ Enjoy being everyone’s go-to therapist at parties!”

Psychology has indeed boomed as one of the most popular degree subjects in recent years. According to a report, psychology often ranks in the top five most popular university majors worldwide. The same report states that the US Bureau of Labour Statistics predicts psychology jobs to increase by 20%, spurred by the need for senior care, war veterans, autism, and other mental-health-related cases. 

But even if psychology isn’t the end-game, it’s still a very marketable degree. You gain transferable skills such as writing, communicating, research skills and understanding human behaviour, which will serve well in different employment settings. Unfortunately, in the meantime, you are indeed everyone’s go-to therapist. 

Computer Science

“The ‘I Talk to Machines Because People Are Too Confusing’ Degree.”

“So you spend four years (and countless sleepless nights) learning how to talk to computers in hopes that one day, they might talk back? It’s cute how you think the real world will be impressed by your ability to speak fluent Python when most of them still struggle with their email settings.”

ChatGPT once again hit the nail on the head with this one. Computer science is one of the most popular degree subjects and career paths for introverts, and they do indeed spend most of their time tinkering around with software and data. 

But it pays extremely well, with median annual salaries of US$104,610. Plus, people suck anyway!

Nursing

“The ‘I’m a Glorified Pill Dispenser’ Degree.”

“Kudos to you for choosing a career that’s both underpaid and overworked! Enjoy your future filled with patient complaints, bedpan duty, and the realisation that, no, you won’t be looking as glamorous as the TV nurses who save lives while having the perfect hair. But hey, at least you’ll always have job security, right?”

Maybe the “glorified pill dispenser” part is a little harsh, but almost every nurse will have their fair share of patient complaints and the rest. One nurse we spoke to said that a patient threatened to punch her just because the hospital didn’t offer free TV.

But undeniably, nursing is one of the most popular degree subjects, reflecting today’s high demand for healthcare professionals. The US government projects over 200,000 new nursing positions annually from 2021 to 2031, so we suppose ChatGPT wins this round. Hmph. 

Education

“The ‘Those Who Can’t, Teach’ Degree.”

“Congratulations on choosing a profession where your salary will rival that of an overworked, underpaid babysitter. Remember, you’re not just shaping young minds — you’re also mastering the fine art of tolerating endless parent-teacher conferences and finding creative ways to stretch your budget to afford glue sticks.”

We LOL-ed a little at this one. If “Abbott Elementary,” a sitcom about a group of dedicated, passionate, yet underpaid teachers in a public school, was anything to go by, it just proves that ChatGPT hit the mark yet again. Sigh.

The world always needs more teachers, and classroom professionals are in high demand and short supply. But the profession is facing stagnant wages and stressful work environments, which may not appeal to aspiring educators. 

Engineering

“The ‘Let Me Calculate That for You’ Degree.”

“You’re spending years solving problems that don’t actually exist in the real world, just so you can design things that people will inevitably blame you for when they break. Get ready for a future of explaining to everyone why you’re not that kind of engineer when their Wi-Fi goes out.”

Aha – we got you, ChatGPT. Engineers do, in fact, spend years solving existing problems, and anticipating eventual ones. In fact, it’s stimulating and rewarding!

Engineering is not only one of the most popular degree subjects in the world, but it’s also one of the most respected. And the best part is the big bucks it brings – today’s mechanical engineers are bringing home US$99,500 to US$165,370 a year.

English

“The ‘I Love Books But Hate Money’ Degree.”

“So, you’ve decided to major in reading books and writing essays about those books. Good luck finding a job that doesn’t involve either asking, ‘Do you want fries with that?’ or explaining why Shakespeare is still relevant while your peers are buying houses with their STEM salaries.”

Ouch. While English remains a popular degree, it’s also looked down upon. Some even go so far as to call it a “useless degree”. 

Yes, English degrees do lead to a lot fewer certain career paths compared to those in engineering or healthcare. But there must be a reason why it remains one of the most popular degree subjects; it is versatile, with plenty of different avenues that can be explored and enjoyed. 

As a commenter on this Reddit post says, “All liberal arts degrees are useful and will get you good jobs, but you’re probably not going to be doing English. However, the ability to write clear and concise text goes a long way in many industries.”

Call for the Return of Political Science Meme Culture
byu/EthanMoralesOfficial inPoliticalScience

Political science

“The ‘I Plan to Change the World (But Will Probably End Up Complaining on Twitter)’ Degree.”

“You’re here to study how governments work so you can eventually join the ranks of people who make sure they don’t. Get ready for a lifetime of arguing with strangers on social media and the crushing realisation that real politics is far less glamorous than binge-watching The West Wing.”

This may be a bit hard to argue against, as we’ve previously complained about political science students being some of the most annoying graduates to deal with. We even called it the backup plan of academia.

In reality, these students end up having the last laugh, taking home a median salary of US$128,020. 

Communications

“The ‘I Want a Degree, But I Don’t Want to Work That Hard’ Degree.”

“Ah, the degree for those who like the idea of college but not the whole ‘studying’ part. You’re basically mastering the art of talking and writing — skills you presumably learned in kindergarten. But hey, at least you’ll know how to craft the perfect email to HR when you realise your entry-level job doesn’t pay nearly enough.”

Once again, the communication degree suffers from uninformed slander. But the skills from a communications degree have become increasingly relevant in a world grappling with new technologies, such as artificial intelligence. Interest has spiked too – undergraduate enrolments grew 5% in 2019-2021, while postgraduate enrolments grew by 72% over the same period. 

And hey, man. Jobs today aren’t paying nearly enough, and that’s a fact. It’s not our fault hardly anyone appreciates a good communications graduate with like, a million skills. 

I make meme#memes #artmemes pic.twitter.com/f7b9fIJNeC

— Andrea Lim (@Your_Pal_ALywoo) June 18, 2020

Arts

“The ‘Starving Artist’ Degree.”

“Ah, so you’ve decided to spend thousands of dollars learning how to make art that you’ll eventually try to sell on Etsy for US$20 (if you’re lucky). Your parents must be thrilled knowing you’ve chosen a career where ‘exposure’ is considered valuable currency. But hey, at least you’ll have a killer portfolio and a deep understanding of how misunderstood you are.”

Despite dim career prospects and the highest unemployment rates in history, art and related creative majors are still in demand. After all, this is the age of digital media, and there is always room for more digital artists, multimedia professionals, and graphic designers.

Seriously, there’s only so much Canva can do. 

University of California’s Berkeley Campus reported a 121% increase in its Division of Arts and Humanities between 2021 and 2022, while Arizona State University boasted over 4,000 students in the same department. So chin up – even with AI platforms like Midjourney, nothing can ever replace a real artist’s magic. 

Journalism 

“The ‘I Want to Write, but Not in a Novel Kind of Way’ Degree.”

“Congratulations, you’ve chosen a career where you’ll be overworked, underpaid, and blamed for everything wrong with the world. You’ll learn the fine art of crafting clickbait headlines and get used to hearing the phrase, ‘Fake news!’ yelled at you by strangers. But don’t worry — you’ll be keeping the dying art of print media alive… for as long as it takes to find a better job.”

Okay, this one hurt a bit. Maybe a lot. But hey, take it from us, the experts in the field. It’s really not that bad. 

Similar to an English degree, journalism is both popular and looked down upon. Nothing too bad with the degree in general, but most people are unaware that journalism degrees are versatile and can make money – top journalists bring home a median of US$91,000.