How Common Is Multiple Fields of Study?

[Carborendum]

We're familiar with "areas of specialty".  I have found that it is somewhat common for people to have many fields of study (including hobbies) that people will do for fun as well as for utilitarian application.  What I'm looking at right now is a separation of the fields that usually require "Formal Study and Training" vs "Youtube University" (YU) type training.  I've become a YU graduate for several household and automotive applications.  But I am, of course, limited by the available tools.  I can't spend $10,000 for proper cranes and automotive computers, for example.  And I also don't have certain government certifications (such as state inspection certificate).  But as far as the knowhow and skillset, I have them.  I'm sure many people do.

I am wondering about the level beyond that.  How common is it for people to be able to converse and carry their own in multiple fields that YU simply won't do it--those fields where formal training and experience are essential to becoming an expert?  But somehow they've achieved it by studying on their own with some modest level of practical experience.

Have you know people who can do so in (as an example) four fields or more?

For the purposes of this investigation, I'm NOT talking about someone who is simply "broadening" their own field (e.g. a doctor expanding into multiple fields of medicine).

Edited January 8, 2021 by Carborendum

[Just_A_Guy]

Carb, I don’t have anything useful to add; but this I’ll be watching this thread with interest and just wanted to thank you for bringing it up.

[Fether]

4 hours ago, Carborendum said:

We're familiar with "areas of specialty".  I have found that it is somewhat common for people to have many fields of study (including hobbies) that people will do for fun as well as for utilitarian application.  What I'm looking at right now is a separation of the fields that usually require "Formal Study and Training" vs "Youtube University" (YU) type training.  I've become a YU graduate for several household and automotive applications.  But I am, of course, limited by the available tools.  I can't spend $10,000 for proper cranes and automotive computers, for example.  And I also don't have certain government certifications (such as state inspection certificate).  But as far as the knowhow and skillset, I have them.  I'm sure many people do.

I am wondering about the level beyond that.  How common is it for people to be able to converse and carry their own in multiple fields that YU simply won't do it--those fields where formal training and experience are essential to becoming an expert?  But somehow they've achieved it by studying on their own with some modest level of practical experience.

Have you know people who can do so in (as an example) four fields or more?

For the purposes of this investigation, I'm NOT talking about someone who is simply "broadening" their own field (e.g. a doctor expanding into multiple fields of medicine).

admittedly I do t fully understand what kind of comments are being looked for, but I know on the business level you can be extremely successful with nothing more than a YU degree. On a personal level, I know someone who got a degree in marketing and another person that paid $1000 for a marketing course from YT. The person who went to YT is fairly successful after less than 6 months after buying the course. The person with the actual degree is struggling to find related employment.

[JohnsonJones]

Well, it depends on what you consider as multiple fields of expertise.  What do you consider being an expert or qualified?

You normally see several students at a university with double majors (and very rarely, but occasionally, the triple major).  They will graduate with a Bachelors for each of majors that they complete the requirements for. 

You normally do not see the same for those going for a Masters or Ph.D, though there are occasionally a few that try and one or two that may succeed in doing so who are not habitual students that no one knows how they make a living.

If a Bachelor's qualifies one to work in that field, than I suppose that would qualify in your book.

Something a little more common (especially for those coming from the Military) are those who have gone to college and gotten a two year degree or gotten certification in trades.  Thus, someone may be fully qualified as an electrician or perhaps a Paramedic (for example, from their time in the military, though I understand that they have to requalify for EMT and Paramedic outside, which is a bogus thing for the medical profession to do to our fine military members) and then after a while decide to get a four year degree at a university.  More common are those who worked in automotive repair and got their certifications for certain specialized types of repair work or got certifications in computer arenas and then went on to get another degree at the University. 

If for example, the individual above was a fully certified auto mechanic (enough that they could start and run their own shop if they wished) and then got a degree in mechanical engineering, and then got their P.E. they would be qualified to not just create and oversee the creation of a vehicle (if that was the line of work they got into), they could also get down dirty and repair the vehicles themselves in their own shop!!!    Or, perhaps the computer network and security certified individual then also gets a computer engineering degree, not only can they work in the office helping to design various parts and portions in regards to computers and technology, they could also know the soft ware and be the IT guy perhaps!!!

Or, you could get variations (perhaps its the computer engineer that could also run a shop repairing his co-workers cars in the meantime and making even more money doing that then computers...or a mechanical engineer that builds robots but knows enough that he could run the IT department for the company instead if he so desired!).