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Sample essay 57: 
Studying business or science related subjects at university level is more important that arts 
related courses like literature. 
Do you agree or disagree? 
When considering tertiary level education, there is a school of thought that believes that 
studying more concrete topics such as commerce, physics or biology is more valuable to 
society than spending time focussed on novels and other literary subjects. However, this 
argument is flawed for a number of reasons as will now be presented. 
Although certain fields of study lead more directly into a position of employment, university 
education is valuable not only for the education learned but also as an indication that the 
person has the ability to learn, and as such it is irrelevant whether it is a career based course 
of study or something more intangible, like the arts. It suggests to potential employers that 
person can learn new skills, and this is often as important as what is already known. 
Moreover, those that complete an arts related degree could potentially go on to be writers, 
poets or playwrights, for example, and thus contribute to society in a cultural form rather 
than financially or technologically. The opinion that the writer is of less worth than the 
scientist is very biased, especially when it comes to a contribution to society. 
Admittedly, there is the point that science and business related education can financially 
benefit a country, whereas art and literature does not offer the same value economically. 
However, a country's wealth is not calculated in financial terms alone. 
In sum, therefore, both types of education offer advantages to the country, so neither 
should be preference over the other as both have a degree of value to society. 
(259 words) 

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