For me choosing what to do a degree in was one of the most difficult decisions I had to make in Sixth Form. I knew I wanted to go to uni, study further and even had an idea of the universities I wanted to apply to, but no idea what to study.
It’s a big decision. In England, it is the subject you will be studying for the next 3/4 years and you want to get it right. However, my main advice would be: don’t let the pressure of picking a degree/major push you into making a decision.
You can change, you can swap, you can even finish your degree and go back to do something different. Yes it’s nice to know exactly what you want to do from day 1 and have a long term goal, but if you try something and don’t like it you don’t have to stick with it.
DO what makes you happy!
With that being said, here are some things to consider and tips to help you make a decision:
- What do you enjoy at the moment? Write down a list of the things you find interesting, enjoy learning about and would like to know more about. This is the question that really helped me find my degree course. I was doing subjects I enjoyed and wanted to learn more about each of them. After looking at courses that involved these subjects I found the perfect course for me.
- Do you have a future career in mind? If you know what you would like to go into in the future, this can really help make your decision. Some jobs require a particular degree. For example, if you want to be a doctor you’ll have to study medicine. So if you have a job in mind, looking at what qualifications you need to do for it is a good starting point.
- Look at the courses universities offer. Go onto the websites and find out more about the courses that sound interesting to you. Have a look at the course content; if you’re someone who doesn’t like a lot of exams have a look at the percentages of coursework compared to exams. There are lots of courses that are much more vocational/practical/coursework based, which are perfect for those who want to carry on learning with as little exam stress as possible.
- Go and visit universities. This gives you the perfect opportunity to ask students and lecturers about the courses you might be interested in. You can ask them specific details about what you’ll study and get a good idea of whether it’s right for you.
- Ask for advice. Teachers/friends/career advisors/family can all help guide you in finding a degree. Discussing your interests and getting help to find a degree that matches up with them can be really useful.
When making the decision, take your time. Even if you have a degree in mind, make sure you check out all the details of the course for the universities you’re applying for. A physics degree at one university isn’t always the same as at another. I hope this helps you in making a decision and feel free to leave any questions in the comments below!
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