Professional or Not, Every Course Matters

 

My roommates and I were having a conversation when, out of the blue, there was a disruption in the flow of the conversation. An argument erupted, which led to us having two opposite parties. Now, what could have stopped the flow of the conversation? The argument was wrapped around the question, “WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME IF MY COURSE IS A PROFESSIONAL COURSE OR NOT?”

Ever since that incident, many questions and enquiries have surfaced in my mind. Questions like:

Why are the cut-off marks higher for certain courses than the other?

Why is the tuition fee higher for certain courses than the other?

Why are certain courses more glorified than others in society?

In this article, I will delve into this topic and loosen its attachments.

A professional course is a program studied in the university for a certain period of years, to gain knowledge and practical and specific skills required for a particular profession or industry and leads to licensure or certification. Examples include medicine, law, nursing and accounting. 

A non-professional course is also a program that is studied for a certain period of years, it focuses more on broad knowledge in a field and offers a more general education. They are more scholarly and intellectual. Examples include degrees in sociology, history and sciences.

What are the differences between a professional course and a non-professional course?

A professional course often leads directly to jobs in their respective fields, such as a medical degree, which is a pathway to becoming a doctor, while non-professional courses offer more flexibility in career choices, unlike its counterpart which is fixed. It gives students the opportunity to explore different career choices which include teaching, research, marketing and so on.

A professional course is more expensive because it includes additional resources such as laboratory fees, practical training, instruments and so on. Its counterpart does not require any form of equipment or intensive practical training. 

For non-professional courses, it delves into theory, principles, and concepts. It encourages students to think critically and use their perceptions. In contrast, its counterpart is designed to prepare students for a particular career and teach them skills relevant to that field.

Why then do students feel triggered when you tell them their courses are not professional? I mean, the word “professional” causes a lot of controversy. Society is a major contributor to such discrimination. They have prioritised professional courses as courses with a secure future. When you are done, you don’t have to go seeking a job, you are a job yourself. In a scenario where a child is shrewd in mathematics, you see the parent planning out the future into becoming a doctor or an engineer. The ego that comes with being called mama doctor; or mama engineer largely contributes. 

 A lot of people are not aware that every sector of the economy is important and contributes its quota towards society’s development. For example, a qualified teacher who applies proven teaching methods and techniques to his/ her job raises individuals who are both morally and academically inclined or those involved in farming and production to provide high-quality food produce for consumption and the list abounds. Not everyone will become a doctor or an engineer.

People need to be enlightened about this issue. This is one of the major reasons societies are not thriving as some sectors are neglected. The aftermath of this effect is being seen and felt. Society should not tag one’s discipline as a discipline with no direction, nor should parents pressure their children into making decisions detrimental to their lives. What is most important is your contribution and impact to society and doing that which you love to do. People like Chinua Achebe who studied English and Literature used his writing to change society.

The term “non-professional courses” does not suggest a bad meaning to it but because of what society has perceived and defined it to be. In developing countries, all these are taken into consideration as no sector is neglected.