We asked you to think about what subjects school or college never teach but are invaluable in your working life. We get to know the national curriculum inside out, but do we come out knowing much about the real working world? As ever we asked you to be as sensible or as stupid as you like.

It was hardly surprising that the qualifications available from the University of Life would mainly be of a management nature. You are after all young, aspiring, driven urbanites. 4 major subject areas were found -Personal, Financial, Home, and Sexual. Would a course in each of the following when you were younger have improved your life?

The Personal Management Course

Good manners and common sense ('can you teach common sense?') cost nothing but are apparently lacking amongst many. So a module on how to interact socially could be valuable.

Our favourites (among…..well loads - I lost count!):
Everyday Module

'Common Sense, Manners & Decency BA (Hons)'

'It seems most people would be improved by a course in "Common Sense and Manners". It might stop the idiots who like to push their way onto the Tube before the passengers have got off, or those who think that everyone wants to listen to their music.'

'School should teach us how to get on with other people. There's too much bullying, harassment, discrimination, etc. So a qualification in being nice to other people would be great.'

'"How to get on with other people: The basics of interpersonal relationships" I think that learning the appropriate way to act around other people would really help people to survive in the non-educational world. Experience in dealing with different types of people is the number one thing to learn, above all else, in my opinion!'

Work Module

'How to deal with Office Politics'

'People skills - how to deal with working with awkward people'

'Learn to bullshit - it gets you to the top!'

'How to get on with people who don't like you but you have to work with'

'It would be useful to have a couple of sessions in office politics and dealing with difficult clients!'

The Financial Management Course

It almost feels as though we are being offered money on a daily basis, take out a loan, apply for a new credit card, extend your overdraft, fancy a mortgage. Getting hold of it is easy, using it wisely, well, sometimes isn't.

Financial Skills Module

'Ok so its boring - BUT - personal finances - mortgages, tax and the like...it's a very important part of life where we could potentially get ripped off if we aren't financially savvy.'

'Lessons on mortgages, dealing with solicitors, how important a pension is and other such financial issues would have been invaluable.'

Handling Credit Module

'The ultimate qualification would be Financial Planning. When you get to Uni, or start working full time you are bombarded with offers of credit in the forms of overdrafts, loans and credit cards. They are very tempting but should come with a health warning. The majority of 18 year olds I know would snap up the chance to obtain a credit card and spend it on non-essential items. Put Financial Planning on the UOL syllabus!!!'

'Being taught about how to live within your means would be a good survival course. I think everyone at some point has overspent and with the amount of people declaring themselves bankrupt in today's society, a course designed to show you how to look after your money and still enjoy life would be great'.

The Home Management Course

There are many aspects to this, all of which you need some idea about. Glyn from Big Brother was cited a number of times as someone who typifies the young person who could do with taking this course.

'A degree in Household Maintenance'

'How to do jobs around the house like rewiring plugs and hooking TV aerials up as I can't shout Dad forever!'

'The stupid things like how to shave, how to sew, what is a weed as opposed to a flower'

'Household skills-cooking, ironing, DIY etc - think Glyn of Big Brother fame! '
'I don't think that schools teach enough life skills these days - I mean just look at that prat Glyn on big brother! 18 and hardly cooked anything, he couldn't even boil an egg! What happened to teaching practical stuff like cookery, woodworking, DIY, needlecraft etc? I've learnt from experience, but so many kids these days are losing out from learning something truly useful.'

The Dating & Sexual Management Course

We all seem to think we know what we are doing whilst dating and when in relationships but it all has to be picked up as you go along. Would specific modules in enhanced loving make for a happier and more peaceful society?

Dating Module

'GCSE in Dating, with a special focus on how to dump someone amicably'

'The lessons of love and romance. There are no rules, guidelines on how to conduct yourself with the opposite sex and it would be very useful to know how they think, how to act around them'

'The rules and application of dating. I never seem to have any success and find the barrage of information in the media confusing, as it often tends to be contradictory. Should you open doors, should you as the man pay? On one hand it is meant to be gentlemanly to do so, on the other some see it as chauvinistic. Where do blokes stand these days?'


Relationship Module

'A course for guys on how to deal with woman - dating, relationships etc. All you got at school was the mechanics.'

'How to read people's minds'

'The ability to understand the opposite sex in terms of an alarm system - when to get out of the way and when to keep your mouth shut!'

Finally, would this module ensure that everyone has a smile on his or her face?

The Sex Module

'I think the ultimate course would be the inter-course course - I expect everyone would sign up!'

'Sexual Interaction - a short course equipping the student with all the basic knowledge to give and receive extreme sexual gratification'