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What are generally thought as the hardest degrees?

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How about defining the hardest degree as the one in which the smallest proportion of the population would be capable (even if they worked really, really hard for three years) of getting a 2.2 in.

Nice idea. I would probably say mathematics at Cambridge.

I'm a physicist but I would be more comfortable about getting a 2:1 in any humanities than I would in a pure mathematics course. Of course, if I were actually doing any sort of maths course I'd be able to take the applied maths options and it'd be trivial. But I think that for the common man, pure mathematics is the most difficult subject to relate to.

Relative to mathematics, physics is easy. It's just the stuff that we see around us. You can relate to it.

Ultimately, to turn a phrase, difficulty is in the eye of the beholder.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 81

mucgoo

Original post by Indeterminate

Ha, if a law degree is hard then how can it be that the A-level in that very subject is considered undesirable by the top universities?

Just saying.

A-levels are often nothing like the Uni courses which share the name.

Reply 82

Imog

Original post by Indeterminate

Ha, if a law degree is hard then how can it be that the A-level in that very subject is considered undesirable by the top universities?

Just saying.

Because A level law has hardly anything to do with a law degree generally.

Reply 83

User990473

Original post by Indeterminate

At A-level, I'd imagine that you apply the law to certain situations (fictitious of course). You might even evaluate the law. Don't you do that at uni? Isn't it an extension of this kind of thing?

I just asked my mum about this and she replied

"No. For the first few weeks of my law degree the lecturers kept reminding us to "Forget everything you think you know from A Level". Since I didn't study law at A Level I had no idea what they were talking about but there seemed to be a trend in that those who took A Level Law were struggling with the initial bit of the course."

Reply 84

Indeterminate

Original post by Occams Chainsaw

Even if law is harder at university, which you'd expect it to be, the A-level course hardly sets the bar high.

Reply 85

User990473

Original post by Indeterminate

Even if law is harder at university, which you'd expect it to be, the A-level course hardly sets the bar high.

You seem to be missing the point.

Reply 86

Architecture-er

Original post by aspirinpharmacist

How did I forget architecture?! My friend's doing it at Dundee and she was telling me about her workload when I went home at Christmas. It's a lot more than me and compared to my flatmates I've got a frustratingly large amount of work.

It's ok, I still love you :jumphug:

Reply 87

flying plum

Original post by Indeterminate

At A-level, I'd imagine that you apply the law to certain situations (fictitious of course). You might even evaluate the law. Don't you do that at uni? Isn't it an extension of this kind of thing?

The reason that law isn't desired by law departments (or at least, certainly ours) is that it offers students a false level of confidence. When I'm marking, I often find students with a basic knowledge of issues we haven't yet covered applying those principles, rather than a rigorous treatment of the issues we have because they think they know some extra knowledge. And it can be hard to get them to learn 'properly' sometimes, as they think they 'already know it'. At A-level, you are taught some basic principles, but there isn't enough depth or knowledge, case law, or complexity of the issues. You are left with quite a simplistic understanding of the law that effectively has to be 'untaught'.

Reply 88

Lewk

Original post by oli_G

I hate it when people use the example of a few bad GPs they know as some kind of evidence that doctors are all incompetent and stupid. -_-

Oh trust me, I have been through more than a 'few' doctors. I rarely go anymore, I have never found a GP to be better than the helpful people and the many resources of the internet. And the funny thing is, whenever I ask for health advice on the internet, people usually do give advice but follow it with ".... but i'm no medical proffessional so don't take what I said as fact.". And if they were a medical proffessional...? I'd probably ignore them. :tongue:

And anyway, every time I come to a GP with a problem - they do exactly what I do. They go and tap away at their system or they get their drug dictionary out. Sometimes I've even had to give them hints on what to look up. I even (correctly) diagnosed myself with scabies once after a doctor had idly dismissed my itching as being dry skin. Really? Rashes, dry skin? Honestly, some GP's are painfully slow and incompetent. I know there are some good ones (rarely) but the majority are absolutely awful and it's a shame what the state of the NHS is.

The only reason I would go and see a Doctor now is to get a prescription drug or something else that I obviously can't sort out myself (i.e if i had a lump). There really is very little reason to go if you have any issues relating to mental health, which GP's are extremely incompetent with yet are very reluctant to refer you to appropriate services who will know better. And I'll never forget that locum doctor one time who prescribed me temazepam as a FIRST LINE treatment for sleep problems back in my first year of uni. She was awesome.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 89

Howbeit

Original post by Indeterminate

Ha, if a law degree is hard then how can it be that the A-level in that very subject is considered undesirable by the top universities?

Just saying.

Because it's no representation of the degree course... just like psychology isn't.

My list would probably include Physics (it just DOESN'T make sense!!), Mathematics, Medicine, Law etc...

I may be biased saying Law but it isn't easy... some of the concepts are truly difficult to decipher and the sheer amount of content to remember is enormous... I studied psychology first year and then changed to law... I had absolutely no idea just how much of a doss psychology was compared.

Reply 90

mel c:)

I am applying to study maths degrees as well as maths and music-will have to choose between the two. At A-level I am studying maths, further maths, physics and music as well as having lessons and residential courses as part of my piano scholarship, and after my degree I am planning on studying for a masters in piano performance at the royal college of music.

Having studied both extremely scientific subjects and humanities(I also tried to do German A-levels but it wasn't possible to fit in the lessons because my subjects are spread between four sixth forms), I know that both ends can be tough. However, I've seen the work that physics applicants put in in comparison to what I have to, and would say it's much harder to get into the top universities for maths than physics.

Having been through auditions for RCM, RAM and RNCM for piano performance, and knowing that conservatoire degrees are a year longer than basically all degrees except for medicine and the like, I would also say that music performance(classical and jazz really, from what I've heard from classical singers pop has a significantly lower standard) is ONE of the hardest. I don't think it's recognised as such though, and it's difficult to get an offer because you definitely need good contacts in the conservatoire as well.

There are still so many other tough subjects, but it depends on what you do with them-studying multiple languages from across the world is difficult if the languages are unrelated, and also if they're so similar you get mixed up(try learning Spanish after Italian! It's SO confusing!). If you do French and Spanish though, it's not as difficult.

Reply 91

TheBigJosh

Languages! I do Chinese, and it's no walk in the park....

Reply 92

Noble.

Thanks for bumping this nonsense

Reply 93

natninja

Original post by 3nTr0pY

You can relate to it?? bloody lucky... I can't relate to tensors...

Reply 94

Alex_Jones

Original post by Indeterminate

Ha, if a law degree is hard then how can it be that the A-level in that very subject is considered undesirable by the top universities?

Just saying.

Ah common sense logic :rolleyes:

Reply 95

flying plum

Original post by Indeterminate

Take stuff like A-level fashion, sociology, etc. My point is true in all these cases so, yes, it is "common sense logic" :smile:

In my opinion, sociology is not an easy subject to study, but is often more leniently marked, which is unfortunate because a perfectly solid (and interesting) acadmeic subject acquires a reputation as 'soft'. I'm speaking at University level here - I never studied it at A Level.

Secondly, fashion degrees (and A Levels) generally are assessing something other than 'academic' ability. As such, they are viewed differently on graduation, but just as a maths degree would be pretty pointless if you wanted to go into a creative industry, fashion (and other such qualifications) have their role and place.

Next point?

Reply 96

Gingerdom

As a Maths and Physics student, I would say that the hardest degrees would be something like Medicine and Economics before they are changing at a extremely fast rate. The Humanities have a much larger work load (They have a hell of alot more essays and extra reading than I have) But if you are very good at essay then that wouldn't be a problem.
So in conclusion it depends on the skills on the student, but because of the continuous nature of the degree I would say a degree like Medicine and Economics.

Reply 97

Kutta

Sciences are the hardest in my opinion. then its subjects like Engineering, History and Law. I don't understand why people hate non-traditional subjects, if someone is willing to spend 9000 a year on a course they want to do, then whats the problem?

Reply 98

itspossible

No one has mentioned veterinary medicine? All the learning of medicine, but you have to understand the concepts so fully that you can translate everything you know about one species to another! Whilst half realising that a lot of the anatomy is the same, you have to recognise and remember how and why each animal is different. The "why" is the conceptually difficult part :wink:

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Reply 99

sorafdfs

It's hard to say, because they seem to try and level the playing field as much as possible. Maths and engineering look harder on the surface, but a lot of the work is split over several assignments and exams, and some resits aren't capped, whereas essay subjects will have modules dependent upon one exam with the resit capped at 40%.