someone said:
BTW, in Canada, Pardons are of questionable value as they do not erase a criminal record.
Not true.
If you're eligible, you should get a pardon. If you are successful, your record becomes sealed and doesn't show up on criminal record checks. But if you ever commit another crime, it gets opened up and goes back on your file (and you may not be able to get another pardon).
In the past the RCMP used to do extensive checking before they would grant a pardon. Now it's much more of an administrative task unless you have a serious conviction. The RCMP doesn't investigate you, they just check to see if you meet all the criteria for receiving a pardon. You can get all the info on pardons from the RCMP website.
As to the OP's question about the value of a social science degree, don't listen to anyone who wise cracks and tells you it's worthless except for being a teacher or politician. Getting a university degree show that you have the ability to get into university, the commitment to complete it, and (usually) the reading & writing skills necessary to write university papers.
I know many managers who look for social science degrees as a form of insurance that the person they're hiring can string together sentences and write in a professional manner. It's a definite benefit.
Many people with science degrees are all but useless at communication. The difference between a science degree and an arts degree is that an arts degree is not (usually) as focused on one particular thing.
I remember my parents telling me to get a university degree if for no other reason than to develop critical thinking skills. They were absolutely correct. And more than anything else, that's what I value most from my years spent in university.
