Are you "Reading" or "Studying" your subject at university?

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Reply 20

aeterno

Neither. I'm procrastinating :sigh:

Spoiler

Reply 21

NutellaLatte

It may sound pretentious, but you can't doubt that it definitely sounds much classier to say "reading" opposed to "studying"

Reply 22

LennyB83

I read chemistry at the university of Surrey. But, as many have said above, undergraduates in humanities, arts and languages tend to refer to the time they've spent on their educational endeavours prior to graduating as 'reading'.

Post graduation, I believe the correct description of a student's actions to be, 'researching'. A PhD student is a researcher more than anything else.

But couldn't those of us graduates in the sciences describe our time as undergrads as 'practising'? Not 'studying' or 'reading', but 'practising'?

"I'm practising chemistry at the university of Surrey."

"I'm reading chemistry at the university of Surrey."

"I'm studying chemistry at the university of Surrey."

Obviously, this is how doctors of medicine describe their careers. So I'm probably completely wrong. I just wanted to ask and see the response.

Reply 23

Howard

"Reading Classics at Magdelen"

Sounds incredibly pompous. It reminds me of Bamber Gasgoine on University Challenge (showing my age)

Reply 24

tazarooni89

They're both fine.

Though perhaps people with a posh accent and demeanour are more likely to be able to get away with saying "reading" without sounding like they're just being pretentious, but more like they're probably just used to hearing everyone say it that way.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 25

username638250

Original post by Howard

"Reading Classics at Magdelen"

Sounds incredibly pompous. It reminds me of Bamber Gasgoine on University Challenge (showing my age)

Not really...and it's Magdalen (Oxford) and Magdalene (Cambridge) :wink:

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Reply 26

Dalek1099

The correct word is Studying as it is not necessarily true that you will do reading when you do a degree, it is very likely that you will but you can pass some degrees without reading(mainly Science and Maths) but its probably best you do read around your subject-even if you do read as part of your degree it is only 'part' of your studying and the term reading implies something that you can do at home and there is no need to go to University to do it.When you are watching lectures and working in tutorials and support classes you are not reading your subject, reading is just part of the preparation you do independently at University.

Reply 27

LannaBanana

I can tell you that no one who studies at a Scottish university says 'reading'. I'm studying English, or I'm doing English. If I said 'reading' it would sound too pretentious up here. I don't think that's necessarily the same case for universities down south. But it does sound really posh to our ears. :tongue:

Reply 28

scrotgrot

In practice, only students at Oxbridge (or at a push maybe other very prestigious or ancient universities) are allowed to say "read", just like only they are allowed to say "went up" and "came down". The only time I can imagine a pretend university using it is in official addresses and correspondence, and it would always be egregious for a student to use it.

I like Lonely Goatherd's differentiation between reading as an undergrad and studying as a postgrad. After all, undergrads don't know the subject and are just "reading" about it, that's the conceit, and they don't get academic recognition as a graduand until they do their first bit of "studying" and submit a dissertation.

I would also suggest, without a lick of evidence, that you can't read a numerate or practical vocational degree. Arts, humanities, social sciences, law, maybe medicine you read.

(edited 8 years ago)

I say studying

Original post by scrotgrot

I like Lonely Goatherd's differentiation between reading as an undergrad and studying as a postgrad. After all, undergrads don't know the subject and are just "reading" about it, that's the conceit, and they don't get academic recognition as a graduand until they do their first bit of "studying" and submit a dissertation.

I would also suggest, without a lick of evidence, that you can't read a numerate or practical vocational degree. Arts, humanities, social sciences, law, maybe medicine you read.

I did actual novel research in my undergrad, with the help of my supervisor and his phd student.

Why can't you read a numerate degree? :confused:

Reply 31

Howard

Original post by yl95

Not really...and it's Magdalen (Oxford) and Magdalene (Cambridge) :wink:

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LOL! Fair point! I'm just a UCLan and OU graduate so don't know about these things!

Reply 32

L'Evil Fish

It just sounds right for some.

I'm reading Natural Sciences but I'm studying architecture

I'm reading law but I'm studying psychology

Reply 33

username638250

Original post by Howard

LOL! Fair point! I'm just a UCLan and OU graduate so don't know about these things!

It was meant light heartedly...

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Reply 34

driftawaay

Study. reading sounds so formal and academic

Reply 35

username1560589

It depends on how pretentious I feel at the time.

Reply 36

El Salvador

'Reading for' is what it says on the Bod card, so why not?

Also to the people disagreeing with the use of 'read' because you are not just 'reading': So if you're doing a PhD, would you be upset with both 'doctor' and 'philosophy' in the term?