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Ask HN: Which of your degrees was most difficult/required the most intelligence?

2 points by modzilla ↗ HN
I have had numerous discussions with peers about which area of study was the most difficult/required the most intelligence to achieve a degree-level of knowledge.

There are many (understatement) ways to measure difficulty/intelligence and unfortunately people with the most narrow collegiate/academic/etc. focus often have the most closed minded view on the topic. What are the experiences of people who have multiple degrees – especially with minimal subject overlap.

Notes:

• By degree I mean degree or equivalent degree-level of structured knowledge acquisition. Also, I am referring to various levels of degree – Minor, Undergrad, Masters, PhD., etc.

• I am using difficult/required intelligence/etc. in the broadest sense possible. I am interested in other ways people might measure or quantify the challenges required to obtain a degree level of knowledge in any field.

3 comments

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modzilla
My degree level areas of knowledge:

• BS Computer Science (including 6 masters level courses)

• BA Graphic Design Minor – The Minor was officially added the year after I graduated, I met all of the equivalent requirements but do not have an official minor.

In both areas I have have continued to take structured action to improve upon my skills and increase my knowledge.

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What was more difficult?

•Overall my computer science courses were more challenging in a mathematically academic sense – especially in the courses where I had the lowest levels of prior knowledge.

The graphic design program I was in was more challenging in the realms of self evaluation and critical feedback. Objective observation/evaluation/criticism were larges components in early GD classes. Evaluating the quality of CS homework is extremely clear – so clear it can usually be evaluated programmatically. This is not the case in a subjective medium like graphic design.

davidcelis
Asking what sort of degree requires more intelligence is kind of a misguided question. Intelligence depends on the task at hand. A degree in physics doesn't require more intelligence than a degree in anthropology, or vice versa. They require different types of intelligence. Intelligence is just the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. To say that one task requires more intelligence than a task in a different area of knowledge isn't a great comparison.
modzilla
Apparently, the last bullet point in this post was either not read by you or not clear enough. I am interested in first hand comparisons in the difficulty various degrees.

I am absolutely certain that certain things I have done are easier or harder than other things I have done. Some tasks clearly require more intelligence than others. For example, folding clothes requires little intelligence compared to getting any degree (based on my measure of intelligence). In a less clear sense degrees are not all the same difficulty and require different levels of intelligence (hence this question and my curiosity).

I am wondering: Given your measures for intelligence/difficulty, share what parts of various degrees were more difficult for you.

Also, share how you are measuring your intelligence/difficulty.

These are the complex topics that I am curious about.

TLDR; I am interested in first hand comparisons of getting different degrees.