A-level Option Help!

I am taking my GCSE exams in the upcoming months, and my application for A-level options is due in shortly.
I was wondering if anybody had any advice or information on the options I am considering taking, and which career routes/university degrees I would benifit most from, depending on the subjects I choose.
I am certain on History. My other options are; English Lit, Religious Education, Physcology or Media Studies. I can only take 4 of the subjects, yet am very uncertain on which ones.
I am thinking about careers in Law and Goverment/Politics.
Any help would be highly appreciated!

Reply 1

emiloujess

20

Original post by Abbie2201

I am taking my GCSE exams in the upcoming months, and my application for A-level options is due in shortly.
I was wondering if anybody had any advice or information on the options I am considering taking, and which career routes/university degrees I would benifit most from, depending on the subjects I choose.
I am certain on History. My other options are; English Lit, Religious Education, Physcology or Media Studies. I can only take 4 of the subjects, yet am very uncertain on which ones.
I am thinking about careers in Law and Goverment/Politics.
Any help would be highly appreciated!

I'd say History, Psychology, English Lit and Media :smile:

I can only talk specifically about Psychology as a subject though. It is hard not gonna lie but very interesting! Also don't listen to anyone who tells you Media is an easy subject and a guaranteed A, it's not. I take Film Studies and have really struggled with it - my friends take Media and they say it's worse than film. But the coursework does take relief off a little because it's worth 50% (or was though I don't honk the spec has changed for that subject)

Whatever you decide best of luck :smile:

Reply 2

Padc

2

I'd say you've got pretty good choices there, it's probably best to exclude media studies though, Law is very competitive and Media Studies is seen as 'soft' so it probably won't do you any favours when applying to Univsersity. Apart from that, study what you enjoy, for anything like Law/politics/international relations, there's no set subjects, just gets broad range of things you'll be interested in studying! :smile:

Do politics!!

From those subjects, History and English Literature are very good choices, as they are both relevant facilitating subjects. Of the others, I'd say Religious Education and Psychology would be the better options - Media Studies is generally seen as 'soft'. Something like Government and Politics would also be helpful I think :smile:

Reply 5

emiloujess

20

Original post by Leviathan1741

From those subjects, History and English Literature are very good choices, as they are both relevant facilitating subjects. Of the others, I'd say Religious Education and Psychology would be the better options - Media Studies is generally seen as 'soft'. Something like Government and Politics would also be helpful I think :smile:

Original post by Padc

I'd say you've got pretty good choices there, it's probably best to exclude media studies though, Law is very competitive and Media Studies is seen as 'soft' so it probably won't do you any favours when applying to Univsersity. Apart from that, study what you enjoy, for anything like Law/politics/international relations, there's no set subjects, just gets broad range of things you'll be interested in studying! :smile:

Have you ever done Media/Film Studies? Trust me there are so many useful things that you can write about in your PS. For example in my PS I wrote about my coursework I'd done which investigated how Reagan's ideologies were reflected in 1980s action movies. There are so many things in both subjects which you can apply to your uni course. Plus it is so not easy 😂

Reply 6

username2088165

20

Original post by emiloujess

Have you ever done Media/Film Studies? Trust me there are so many useful things that you can write about in your PS. For example in my PS I wrote about my coursework I'd done which investigated how Reagan's ideologies were reflected in 1980s action movies. There are so many things in both subjects which you can apply to your uni course. Plus it is so not easy 😂

I haven't, no. I wasn't suggesting that it was an easy subject :redface:

Reply 7

emiloujess

20

Original post by Leviathan1741

I haven't, no. I wasn't suggesting that it was an easy subject :redface:

In my eyes as long as you can relate it to your course it's okay 😂 Sorry I do get quite defensive when people say it's soft or easy haha

Reply 8

username2088165

20

Original post by emiloujess

In my eyes as long as you can relate it to your course it's okay 😂 Sorry I do get quite defensive when people say it's soft or easy haha

It's cool, no worries :smile:

Reply 9

Naomi 2709

11

English Lit and RE are quite good A levels to take on. I do history and RE and find them really enjoyable. Does you school/college do Politics? With a career set on law it might be good to do. Media Studies is quite difficult with a lot of coursework. I would say only take on one coursework subject as English lit also involves coursework

Reply 10

celloel

20

Original post by emiloujess

Have you ever done Media/Film Studies? Trust me there are so many useful things that you can write about in your PS. For example in my PS I wrote about my coursework I'd done which investigated how Reagan's ideologies were reflected in 1980s action movies. There are so many things in both subjects which you can apply to your uni course. Plus it is so not easy 😂

It's simply what Universities view (some do see courses like Media/Film as soft subjects). I'm doing ICT, which is seen as a soft subject at a few Universities, but that doesn't necessarily mean I think it's an easy A*.

Reply 11

Balor

10

Much of the advice offered above is good. Broadly, you should study whatever you think you will find most engaging. English literature and history provide a solid enough core that you won't be enormously disadvantaged by choosing media studies, or indeed anything else. Law applicants are forged in many different fires, and both English literature and history will be among the more commonly studied subjects :smile:

Reply 12

NotMolly

2

Original post by Abbie2201

I am taking my GCSE exams in the upcoming months, and my application for A-level options is due in shortly.
I was wondering if anybody had any advice or information on the options I am considering taking, and which career routes/university degrees I would benifit most from, depending on the subjects I choose.
I am certain on History. My other options are; English Lit, Religious Education, Physcology or Media Studies. I can only take 4 of the subjects, yet am very uncertain on which ones.
I am thinking about careers in Law and Goverment/Politics.
Any help would be highly appreciated!

Have you looked into common subjects needed for those kinds of degrees?

I know that not many sixth forms offer Politics as an A-Level, and many universities see Media Studies as a "soft subject". I have also heard that for most psychology courses you do not even need the subject at A-Level.

As has been suggested, I'd recommend History and English Literature as they are facilitating subjects. If you're unsure on a course then you definitely need to choose subjects that are useful for a range of courses.

Keep in mind the workload of History and English (essays galore), and you need to choose things you enjoy otherwise you'll really struggle when revising.

I study psychology and although it is interesting it makes my hand hurt :frown:

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 13

eviebrizzle

16

doing my GCSE's and want to go into politics/internatonal relations. I've done a bit of research and you don't need set subjects. I'm doing geography, psychology, sociology and RS and was told they were good so your subjects seem along the right lines! I don't think the whole fciliatating/ 'soft' thing is so relevant as my headtecher and a professional careers person told me to do what I could get the best grades in as that's more important than a 'strong' subject you do badly in and hate!

Hope this helps... just what I've been told!

A-level Option Help!

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