In recent months, the for-profit education sector has come under fire from government officials and other critics for the kinds of jobs that its graduates may (or may not) get after graduation. After all, say the critics, why should taxpayers help line the pockets of stockholders when graduates from many of these for-profit schools can’t find work in their field even after graduation?

But is this true? Like everything, it depends.  Depends on the subject, the student, and the economy.

The for-profit sector points out that many graduates of non-profit schools also can’t find jobs in their chosen fields. This is true too. But maybe these graduates simply don’t expect to.

At least, that’s what this article, “Master’s in English: Will Mow Lawns“  from the Chronicle of Higher Education seems to suggest.

Graduate students in business and science, no matter what kind of school they go to, are usually in school to gain skills they can use outside of academia. But PhD students  in subjects like English or Philosophy seek  highly competitive faculty positions at universities — the very heart of academia. And many of these students have paid for school out of private grants or public loans. Where, asks the for-profit sector, is the outrage  about these students?

The answer, according to the Chronicle article, could be that these students simply are not outraged. They knew in advance the job market would be tough and that they may be forced to work in a different field altogether, at least for a while.

But they say their higher degrees are giving them knowledge and skills that will prepare them for a wide variety of work, even if it’s not behind ivy-clad walls.