Choosing your university and course is a big decision, and one that might affect your future career and the rest of your life. Before you start exploring specific courses that are offered by different universities, it’s a good idea to start with the general subject you are interested in or want to study. For some people, this might be an easy decision and pretty clear, especially if you have made up your mind when it comes to the career that you want to get into in the future. But for others, it might not be such an easy decision. With so many university courses to choose from it can quickly get overwhelming. Here are some questions to ask to help you decide on the right course for you.
Is the Subject One You Have Already Studied?
When it comes to finding uni courses and deciding which one you want to do for your university degree, there are going to be options for courses in subjects you might be familiar with already, and some that are new to you. When you are trying to find a course you like and exploring courses at university to possibly apply to, one of the best things to ask is whether or not you want to continue studying a subject you are studying at A-level or equivalent right now, or have studied and enjoyed in the past. Be honest with yourself and consider if you are interested enough in the subject to study it for a further three to four years and find out how it might differ at university compared to A-levels or GCSE. Check out the courses Stirling University offer to find university courses Scotland in subjects that you like. Stirling University offer a wide range of undergraduate courses in subject areas that you may already be familiar with including history, biology, English, business studies, and more.
Do You Have a Specific Career Idea in Mind?
Some people go to university with a specific future career in mind, and if this sounds like you then your career aspirations may be what drives your choice of degree subject. Perhaps you’ve recently done work experience in an industry that you weren’t aware of before and really enjoyed it. Or maybe you have wanted to be a nurse, a teacher, or a journalist for as long as you can remember. Consider how the subject you want to study at university is viewed by the industry that you want to work in. For example, if you want to become a journalist, you can get into this role with lots of different degrees. On the other hand, if nursing is your career goal, you will usually need to get a degree in nursing. Consider how much work experience you have and if you have enough to determine if this is really the right career for you. It’s a good idea to try and get some more work experience before you make your final decision as jobs can often be quite different in real life compared to what you see in the media.
Do You Want to Learn Something New?
University also gives you the chance to learn something new and get into a subject that you have never studied before. You do not always have to have A-levels in the same subject to get into a university degree in a specific subject. For example, perhaps you have recently gotten an interest in psychology or philosophy but did not study these subjects at A-level. You should still be able to get onto the university degree of your choice provided that you meet the minimum number of UCAS Tariff points required by the university. If this sounds like you, then do plenty of research to make sure that the subject is what you expect it to be. Speak to a careers advisor, do some online research, and spend some time going through the course modules in detail to make sure that this course is going to match your expectations once you get started.
Choosing the Right Course
Once you have a better idea of the general subject that you want to study at university, whether it’s something you’ve done before, something new, or something that you are going to need to get into your chosen career path, the next step is to see what courses are on offer in your subject. There are often courses that you can choose to get into a specific field or specialty area. For example, if you are interested in biology, you might want to do marine biology, or animal biology if you are more interested in these areas than others. Remember that courses with the same name might be very different based on the university you attend, and that your choice of course might have an impact on the number of universities that are available for you to apply to.
Choosing the right university course for you is often one of the biggest decisions you’ll make about your career. Keep these tips in mind to find the course that is the ideal fit for you and your goals.