Of the 1,563,000 bachelor’s degrees conferred in 2007–08, the greatest numbers of degrees were conferred in the fields of business (335,000); social sciences and history (167,000); health sciences (111,000); and education (103,000). At the master’s degree level, the greatest numbers of degrees were conferred in the fields of education (176,000) and business (156,000). At the doctor’s degree level, the greatest number of degrees were conferred in the fields of health professions and related clinical sciences (9,900); education (8,500); engineering (8,100); biological and biomedical sciences (6,900); psychology (5,300); and physical sciences (4,800).
In recent years, the numbers of bachelor’s degrees conferred have followed patterns that differed significantly by field of study. While the number of degrees conferred increased by 32 percent overall between 1997–98 and 2007–08, there was substantial variation among the different fields of study, as well as shifts in the patterns of change during this time period. The number of bachelor’s degrees conferred in the combined fields of engineering and engineering technologies was 4 percent higher in 2002–03 than in 1997–98 and rose 8 percent between 2002–03 and 2007–08. The number of engineering and engineering technologies degrees conferred in 2007–08 was about 12 percent higher than the number conferred in 1997–98. The number of degrees conferred in the health professions declined by 18 percent between 1997–98 and 2002–03, but then rose 56 percent between 2002–03 and 2007–08. Similarly, the number of degrees conferred in biological sciences decreased by 8 percent between 1997–98 and 2002–03, but then increased by 30 percent between 2002–03 and 2007–08; and the number conferred in the physical sciences declined by 7 percent between 1997–98 and 2002–03 but increased by 22 percent between 2002–03 and 2007–08. Some technical fields experienced a contrasting pattern. After an increase of 106 percent between 1997–98 and 2002–03, the number of degrees conferred in computer and information sciences decreased by 33 percent between 2002–03 and 2007–08. Other fields with sizable numbers of degrees (over 5,000) that showed increases of over 30 percent between 2002–03 and 2007–08 included security and protective services (54 percent) and parks, recreation, and leisure studies (40 percent).
http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=37
Do we really need degrees in Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies?
LOL! I'd bet a lot of those people are the ones looking for landscaping (lawn and yard work) right now with this economy. Those Liberal Arts degrees encompass a lot of job titles but they're still LA degrees.