You can do a Maths degree without Further Maths. There a few universities that require FM but most dont. Have a thorough search. Maths degrees are very different. Possibly look into things like Data Science or degrees offering stats but no mechanics. Have a look at Lancaster. I know they used to offer a course without Mechanics and their first year used to be 3 subjects Maths, Stats and anoher subject of your choice.
Some universities accept 2 sciences for a neuroscience degree. Keele is one that doesnt require Biology or Chemistry and accepts Maths and Psychology as 2 sciences.
Spend the next few months attending open days and subject talks. That might help you find the right course for you.
Some universities accept 2 sciences for a neuroscience degree. Keele is one that doesnt require Biology or Chemistry and accepts Maths and Psychology as 2 sciences.
Spend the next few months attending open days and subject talks. That might help you find the right course for you.
The majority of grad schemes for the majority of roles don't care what subject you studied.
Unless you have a specific interest in a particular specialist role, there's no need or benefit in trying to pick one subject over another.
If you end up applying to the same accountancy grad scheme as everyone else it won't matter whether you studied theoretical quantum biology or underwater basket weaving as the degree is just a tick box.
Your "employability" comes from yourself, not your degree subject.
Unless you have a specific interest in a particular specialist role, there's no need or benefit in trying to pick one subject over another.
If you end up applying to the same accountancy grad scheme as everyone else it won't matter whether you studied theoretical quantum biology or underwater basket weaving as the degree is just a tick box.
Your "employability" comes from yourself, not your degree subject.
Original post by spliced
Thank you for your response! The thing is my dream Unis have been UCL & KCL, and so I feel like i’d be missing out if I didn’t apply to those (As I wouldn’t be able to apply to them if i did maths or neuroscience). I know the Uni choice isn't everything but it does matter to me. And with neuroscience specifically, regardless of the entry requirements, I still don’t think I have a strong enough scientific background to pursue a straight degree in it. So im highly considering neuroscience & psychology Bsc at KCL as i meet the requirements for it aswell. As with maths, it would be a degree I would pursue purely for employability- It’s not necessarily something I have a passion for, and I definitely have to work harder for it than my other subjects in order to do well. Should I just try for maths anyways for the security, or go and pursue psychology? I just don't want to regret my decision. I will look at subject tasters/talks- thank you for your advice!
Just a warning UCL and Kings are very much in demand and are issuing loads of rejections. Students are applying to London universities just because of their location. Universities like Bath, Exeter, Lancaster and Warwick are every bit as good and dont suffer the London effect. There are many other excellent universities outside of London so dont fall for it or the Russell Group hype as it is meaningless.
In terms of Maths places like Bath and Lancaster are better than Kings.
(edited 11 months ago)
Top unis such as oxford offer foundation maths degree. Makes your course a year longer but this extra year also makes your BEng a BEng with honours
Original post by spliced
I’ve been going around in circles and doing non stop research on degrees/careers and still feel so stuck/lost. I have always had a strong academic background, and am capable in both STEM and the arts/humanities, (naturally I am more creatively inclined though), but just have never had a direct career path in mind. I’ve looked at a lot of job fields, and many do not require a specific degree (such as marketing, accounting, IB etc)
So my question is, what degree would be the most useful/set you up well regardless of what field you may go into? This is for jobs which don’t need a specific degree (as obviously I wouldn’t be able to enter the med field with an english degree).
Or would it just be better to go with a degree subject you know you will enjoy/do well in?
The original plan for me was to go into psychology, but I have been feeling so deflated and put off from all the posts from people who say psych is not valuable at all and most graduates end up in low paying jobs that you don’t even need a degree for. I always thought that it was one of the most versatile degrees, as it offers an opportunity to actually pursue a psych career (which I know is an extremely long and hard process), or go into other fields as it provides you with skills in both stats and essay writing. There are so many areas psychology can be applied to like tech, economics etc so considering this, why is it still looked down upon so much?
The field that interests me the most though is cognitive neuroscience. I like the mixture of computings/maths and psychology, and would love to pursue research in the future, but of course money is also highly important. If I wanted to go down this route, I would take a masters after Uni.
I would've considered a more mathematical degree, but I literally only do maths at a level (no further maths, physics, computer science or core sciences) so I cannot pursue this at a top uni.
Would I be able to pursue a career in a tech related field with a psychology degree? I was thinking of getting some tech certs whilst I was at Uni.
Or what degree would be universally beneficial for me? I want to be realistic and know what the best route would be in order to make a stable (ideally high) income. If money wasn’t a problem I would be pursuing something art/design related as that is where my natural abilities lie, as well as finding a way to also pursue an area relating to cognition.
I have genuinely been researching extensively for weeks and it has taken over my life (which is down to me being an over thinker probably), I just want to be able to make a final decision and set myself on a path without any doubt or regret.
Sorry this is so very long. But any advice would be greatly appreciated.
So my question is, what degree would be the most useful/set you up well regardless of what field you may go into? This is for jobs which don’t need a specific degree (as obviously I wouldn’t be able to enter the med field with an english degree).
Or would it just be better to go with a degree subject you know you will enjoy/do well in?
The original plan for me was to go into psychology, but I have been feeling so deflated and put off from all the posts from people who say psych is not valuable at all and most graduates end up in low paying jobs that you don’t even need a degree for. I always thought that it was one of the most versatile degrees, as it offers an opportunity to actually pursue a psych career (which I know is an extremely long and hard process), or go into other fields as it provides you with skills in both stats and essay writing. There are so many areas psychology can be applied to like tech, economics etc so considering this, why is it still looked down upon so much?
The field that interests me the most though is cognitive neuroscience. I like the mixture of computings/maths and psychology, and would love to pursue research in the future, but of course money is also highly important. If I wanted to go down this route, I would take a masters after Uni.
I would've considered a more mathematical degree, but I literally only do maths at a level (no further maths, physics, computer science or core sciences) so I cannot pursue this at a top uni.
Would I be able to pursue a career in a tech related field with a psychology degree? I was thinking of getting some tech certs whilst I was at Uni.
Or what degree would be universally beneficial for me? I want to be realistic and know what the best route would be in order to make a stable (ideally high) income. If money wasn’t a problem I would be pursuing something art/design related as that is where my natural abilities lie, as well as finding a way to also pursue an area relating to cognition.
I have genuinely been researching extensively for weeks and it has taken over my life (which is down to me being an over thinker probably), I just want to be able to make a final decision and set myself on a path without any doubt or regret.
Sorry this is so very long. But any advice would be greatly appreciated.
With a Psychology degree, you could do the ACA (ICAEW) qualification and the average salary is close to £150,000 a year!!!
You don't even need A-Level Maths, only 2 or 3 A-Levels and 3 GCSEs as well.https://careers.icaew.com/how-to-become-a-chartered-accountant/aca-modules
You can study the Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business without any qualifications. All you have to do is register with the ICAEW and get issued a candidate number. CFAB papers are the 6 multiple choice 1.5 hour exams:
ACCOUNTING
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION
PRINCIPLES OF TAXATION
ASSURANCE
BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY & FINANCE
LAW
Then you can become a Part Qualified Accountant on a salary of £18,000 - £30,000 a year. You would then progress to PROFESSIONA LEVEL exams.
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
AUDIT AND ASSURANCE
TAX COMPLIANCE
TAX BUSINESS PLANNING
BUSINESS STRATEGY AND TECHNOLOGY
Then your salary would reach between £25,000 and £35,000 a year.
Finally you can sit the ADVANCED LEVEL papers:
CORPORATE REPORTING
STRATEGIC BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
CASE STUDY
Once qualified you will earn £45,000 to £55,000 a year.
Certificate Level exams are done at a centre authorised for ICAEW exams. London Bridge is popular for a Kaplan centre and one in Islington, here in London, but they are located in all major cities of England and Wales. The exams are multiple choice and last 1.5 hours each and the pass mark is just 55 marks out of 100 marks.
Professional Level exams are between 2.5 to 3 hours and some are even Open Book type of examination. They are all Computer Based Exams as well, just like the Certificate Level exams.
The Advanced Level exams are also Computer Based Exams, but 3.5 hours each and the Case Study is 4 hours.
You can also sit the CTA Chartered Tax Adviser exams in Taxation of Owner Managed Businesses and Corporates.
Taxation of owner managed businesses route
This route is designed for students specialising in the tax affairs of owner-managed or private businesses from the start of their training.
To achieve the ACA and CTA qualifications students must successfully complete:
14 of the 15 ACA modules – not the Professional Level Business Planning: Taxation;
CTA Advanced Technical examination: Taxation of Owner Managed Businesses
CIOT Professional Responsibilities & Ethics examination (this must be passed before entering for the final CIOT examination);
either an additional CTA Advanced Technical examination, CTA Application and Professional Skills Case Study or one CIOT ADIT exam. Find out more on ADIT at tax.org.uk/adit; andthe professional development, ethics and professional scepticism and practical work experience components of the ACA and CTA. This includes completing the CIOT exams.
https://www.icaew.com/learning-and-development/aca/aca-employers/routes/aca-cta-joint-programme/taxation-of-owner-managed-businesses
The salary is £300,000 a year average in London after 15 to 20 years as a Partner.
lol 
Original post by spliced
I’ve been going around in circles and doing non stop research on degrees/careers and still feel so stuck/lost. I have always had a strong academic background, and am capable in both STEM and the arts/humanities, (naturally I am more creatively inclined though), but just have never had a direct career path in mind. I’ve looked at a lot of job fields, and many do not require a specific degree (such as marketing, accounting, IB etc)
So my question is, what degree would be the most useful/set you up well regardless of what field you may go into? This is for jobs which don’t need a specific degree (as obviously I wouldn’t be able to enter the med field with an english degree).
Or would it just be better to go with a degree subject you know you will enjoy/do well in?
The original plan for me was to go into psychology, but I have been feeling so deflated and put off from all the posts from people who say psych is not valuable at all and most graduates end up in low paying jobs that you don’t even need a degree for. I always thought that it was one of the most versatile degrees, as it offers an opportunity to actually pursue a psych career (which I know is an extremely long and hard process), or go into other fields as it provides you with skills in both stats and essay writing. There are so many areas psychology can be applied to like tech, economics etc so considering this, why is it still looked down upon so much?
The field that interests me the most though is cognitive neuroscience. I like the mixture of computings/maths and psychology, and would love to pursue research in the future, but of course money is also highly important. If I wanted to go down this route, I would take a masters after Uni.
I would've considered a more mathematical degree, but I literally only do maths at a level (no further maths, physics, computer science or core sciences) so I cannot pursue this at a top uni.
Would I be able to pursue a career in a tech related field with a psychology degree? I was thinking of getting some tech certs whilst I was at Uni.
Or what degree would be universally beneficial for me? I want to be realistic and know what the best route would be in order to make a stable (ideally high) income. If money wasn’t a problem I would be pursuing something art/design related as that is where my natural abilities lie, as well as finding a way to also pursue an area relating to cognition.
I have genuinely been researching extensively for weeks and it has taken over my life (which is down to me being an over thinker probably), I just want to be able to make a final decision and set myself on a path without any doubt or regret.
Sorry this is so very long. But any advice would be greatly appreciated.
So my question is, what degree would be the most useful/set you up well regardless of what field you may go into? This is for jobs which don’t need a specific degree (as obviously I wouldn’t be able to enter the med field with an english degree).
Or would it just be better to go with a degree subject you know you will enjoy/do well in?
The original plan for me was to go into psychology, but I have been feeling so deflated and put off from all the posts from people who say psych is not valuable at all and most graduates end up in low paying jobs that you don’t even need a degree for. I always thought that it was one of the most versatile degrees, as it offers an opportunity to actually pursue a psych career (which I know is an extremely long and hard process), or go into other fields as it provides you with skills in both stats and essay writing. There are so many areas psychology can be applied to like tech, economics etc so considering this, why is it still looked down upon so much?
The field that interests me the most though is cognitive neuroscience. I like the mixture of computings/maths and psychology, and would love to pursue research in the future, but of course money is also highly important. If I wanted to go down this route, I would take a masters after Uni.
I would've considered a more mathematical degree, but I literally only do maths at a level (no further maths, physics, computer science or core sciences) so I cannot pursue this at a top uni.
Would I be able to pursue a career in a tech related field with a psychology degree? I was thinking of getting some tech certs whilst I was at Uni.
Or what degree would be universally beneficial for me? I want to be realistic and know what the best route would be in order to make a stable (ideally high) income. If money wasn’t a problem I would be pursuing something art/design related as that is where my natural abilities lie, as well as finding a way to also pursue an area relating to cognition.
I have genuinely been researching extensively for weeks and it has taken over my life (which is down to me being an over thinker probably), I just want to be able to make a final decision and set myself on a path without any doubt or regret.
Sorry this is so very long. But any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hi! I can appreciate that feeling of being lost, I felt the same way when I was doing my A-levels where my many interests and not knowing what career direction I wanted to pursue made it difficult when applying to university and UCAS.
Like you, I enjoy both humanities, science, and art subjects, and took one of each at A-levels (Geography, Physics and Art). I applied unenthusiastically to study Geography, not because I didn't enjoy it (I definitely did!), but because I wanted to do more than just the one subject. Fortunately, later in the year I applied to the course I am on now where I am able to get a taste for different subjects in our discipline modules, including ones that are entirely new to me (for example, one option in my first year was actually neuroscience, and another contemporary art or ethnobiology), and build skills through the method modules. The same way you seem to appreciate the combination of learning both stats/maths and written skills, I liked the fact this was possible on my degree in Interdisciplinary Problems and Methods where I have taken mini-modules in Natural Language Processing, but also Social Science Research or Storytelling, likewise piers have looked at Data Science or Thinking Through Writing.
I cannot say which degree is most useful for your situation, or speak in terms of income, but I can share my experience so far in the two years on my course.
I chose to do this course because I was, and perhaps still am to some degree, uncertain about my career direction. I too had hoped for a more versatile degree, and for me, found this at the London Interdisciplinary School where we are looking at approaching real-world problems that we are passionate about, integrating different perspectives. Being on this course has opened my eyes to fields I didn't know about before, both in studying them or in listening to people talk about their own journeys, and developed my interest in those areas I am most passionate about.
In my opinion, enjoyment is definitely an important factor to consider, even if it may seem that you could pursue a degree that you may not enjoy whilst studying it, university is rewarding beyond this - being able to enjoy what you learn or do in the time is an important aspect to me. University is a whole experience in itself; from the people you meet, to the things you take part in alongside your studies. This is especially the case on my course where connecting with others and trying new things is encouraged, and as my second year went on I found myself focussing entirely on the course work and less on the talks, events, career considerations, and even social activities etc that were happening, and whilst this is what suited me at the time, I certainly feel I missed out as a result.
I also resonate with the desire to do something you might do 'better' at; when I have found my course difficult (compared to how others seem to be finding it - which in itself is not the case), I found myself longing to do things that may be 'easier' or come more 'naturally' to me, but I also know there is a reason I didn't pursue those courses at the time and I also don't think I would find it as rewarding as I do when I get through it. Of course you cannot expect to enjoy it 100%, all of the time, but to me it makes a difference.
I full understand the overthinking, stepping into the unknown can be daunting. I hope this helps
Original post by spliced
I’ve been going around in circles and doing non stop research on degrees/careers and still feel so stuck/lost. I have always had a strong academic background, and am capable in both STEM and the arts/humanities, (naturally I am more creatively inclined though), but just have never had a direct career path in mind. I’ve looked at a lot of job fields, and many do not require a specific degree (such as marketing, accounting, IB etc)
So my question is, what degree would be the most useful/set you up well regardless of what field you may go into? This is for jobs which don’t need a specific degree (as obviously I wouldn’t be able to enter the med field with an english degree).
Or would it just be better to go with a degree subject you know you will enjoy/do well in?
The original plan for me was to go into psychology, but I have been feeling so deflated and put off from all the posts from people who say psych is not valuable at all and most graduates end up in low paying jobs that you don’t even need a degree for. I always thought that it was one of the most versatile degrees, as it offers an opportunity to actually pursue a psych career (which I know is an extremely long and hard process), or go into other fields as it provides you with skills in both stats and essay writing. There are so many areas psychology can be applied to like tech, economics etc so considering this, why is it still looked down upon so much?
The field that interests me the most though is cognitive neuroscience. I like the mixture of computings/maths and psychology, and would love to pursue research in the future, but of course money is also highly important. If I wanted to go down this route, I would take a masters after Uni.
I would've considered a more mathematical degree, but I literally only do maths at a level (no further maths, physics, computer science or core sciences) so I cannot pursue this at a top uni.
Would I be able to pursue a career in a tech related field with a psychology degree? I was thinking of getting some tech certs whilst I was at Uni.
Or what degree would be universally beneficial for me? I want to be realistic and know what the best route would be in order to make a stable (ideally high) income. If money wasn’t a problem I would be pursuing something art/design related as that is where my natural abilities lie, as well as finding a way to also pursue an area relating to cognition.
I have genuinely been researching extensively for weeks and it has taken over my life (which is down to me being an over thinker probably), I just want to be able to make a final decision and set myself on a path without any doubt or regret.
Sorry this is so very long. But any advice would be greatly appreciated.
So my question is, what degree would be the most useful/set you up well regardless of what field you may go into? This is for jobs which don’t need a specific degree (as obviously I wouldn’t be able to enter the med field with an english degree).
Or would it just be better to go with a degree subject you know you will enjoy/do well in?
The original plan for me was to go into psychology, but I have been feeling so deflated and put off from all the posts from people who say psych is not valuable at all and most graduates end up in low paying jobs that you don’t even need a degree for. I always thought that it was one of the most versatile degrees, as it offers an opportunity to actually pursue a psych career (which I know is an extremely long and hard process), or go into other fields as it provides you with skills in both stats and essay writing. There are so many areas psychology can be applied to like tech, economics etc so considering this, why is it still looked down upon so much?
The field that interests me the most though is cognitive neuroscience. I like the mixture of computings/maths and psychology, and would love to pursue research in the future, but of course money is also highly important. If I wanted to go down this route, I would take a masters after Uni.
I would've considered a more mathematical degree, but I literally only do maths at a level (no further maths, physics, computer science or core sciences) so I cannot pursue this at a top uni.
Would I be able to pursue a career in a tech related field with a psychology degree? I was thinking of getting some tech certs whilst I was at Uni.
Or what degree would be universally beneficial for me? I want to be realistic and know what the best route would be in order to make a stable (ideally high) income. If money wasn’t a problem I would be pursuing something art/design related as that is where my natural abilities lie, as well as finding a way to also pursue an area relating to cognition.
I have genuinely been researching extensively for weeks and it has taken over my life (which is down to me being an over thinker probably), I just want to be able to make a final decision and set myself on a path without any doubt or regret.
Sorry this is so very long. But any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hi there,
I'm a student at Lancaster University and I studied a Natural Sciences BSc which sounds like it could be a good fit for what you mentioned. Natural Sciences degrees tend to vary by university, so it's definitely worth having a look around to see what course is right for you. At Lancaster, the degree is very flexible, you can choose 3 pathways out of a possible 21. The subjects range from psychology, biology, physics, maths, computer science, engineering, earth sciences, and more, so there are many different possible combinations! The complete list of different pathways is in the brochure which can be found here - https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/natural-sciences/ . Also, for the maths pathway/degree, Further Maths is not a requirement for the course so you would definitely be able to study the maths. You could therefore study psychology and maths, with another subject too if you wanted. You can look outside of the sciences for this subject so it would be possible for you to study an art/design pathway as well as psychology and maths
I have loved the degree, and have started studying a Mechanical Engineering Masters since that ended up being my favourite subject of my Natural Sciences undergraduate. One thing that is quite challenging with the degree is studying subjects in three different departments. It definitely advances time management skills because deadlines for the subjects can sometimes fall at similar times. If you are organised and plan ahead, I found this to be very manageable and even enjoyable! I actually preferred switching between the different ways of working and having a variety of learning types throughout my degree.
I also found that it helped me when applying for placement years as it showed that I could apply myself to different types of work. I did my placement year with the Environment Agency, helping with flood modelling and also some of the mechanical engineering projects. A natural Sciences degree set me up really well for this.
Overall, I would say follow what you enjoy. Although money is important, this is what you will be studying/pursuing for at least a few years, and potentially much longer, so go with what you are passionate about.
I absolutely loved the degree and if you have any questions, just let me know!
-Bethan (Lancaster University Student Ambassador)
Original post by spliced
I’ve been going around in circles and doing non stop research on degrees/careers and still feel so stuck/lost. I have always had a strong academic background, and am capable in both STEM and the arts/humanities, (naturally I am more creatively inclined though), but just have never had a direct career path in mind. I’ve looked at a lot of job fields, and many do not require a specific degree (such as marketing, accounting, IB etc)
So my question is, what degree would be the most useful/set you up well regardless of what field you may go into? This is for jobs which don’t need a specific degree (as obviously I wouldn’t be able to enter the med field with an english degree).
Or would it just be better to go with a degree subject you know you will enjoy/do well in?
The original plan for me was to go into psychology, but I have been feeling so deflated and put off from all the posts from people who say psych is not valuable at all and most graduates end up in low paying jobs that you don’t even need a degree for. I always thought that it was one of the most versatile degrees, as it offers an opportunity to actually pursue a psych career (which I know is an extremely long and hard process), or go into other fields as it provides you with skills in both stats and essay writing. There are so many areas psychology can be applied to like tech, economics etc so considering this, why is it still looked down upon so much?
The field that interests me the most though is cognitive neuroscience. I like the mixture of computings/maths and psychology, and would love to pursue research in the future, but of course money is also highly important. If I wanted to go down this route, I would take a masters after Uni.
I would've considered a more mathematical degree, but I literally only do maths at a level (no further maths, physics, computer science or core sciences) so I cannot pursue this at a top uni.
Would I be able to pursue a career in a tech related field with a psychology degree? I was thinking of getting some tech certs whilst I was at Uni.
Or what degree would be universally beneficial for me? I want to be realistic and know what the best route would be in order to make a stable (ideally high) income. If money wasn’t a problem I would be pursuing something art/design related as that is where my natural abilities lie, as well as finding a way to also pursue an area relating to cognition.H
I have genuinely been researching extensively for weeks and it has taken over my life (which is down to me being an over thinker probably), I just want to be able to make a final decision and set myself on a path without any doubt or regret.
Sorry this is so very long. But any advice would be greatly appreciated.
So my question is, what degree would be the most useful/set you up well regardless of what field you may go into? This is for jobs which don’t need a specific degree (as obviously I wouldn’t be able to enter the med field with an english degree).
Or would it just be better to go with a degree subject you know you will enjoy/do well in?
The original plan for me was to go into psychology, but I have been feeling so deflated and put off from all the posts from people who say psych is not valuable at all and most graduates end up in low paying jobs that you don’t even need a degree for. I always thought that it was one of the most versatile degrees, as it offers an opportunity to actually pursue a psych career (which I know is an extremely long and hard process), or go into other fields as it provides you with skills in both stats and essay writing. There are so many areas psychology can be applied to like tech, economics etc so considering this, why is it still looked down upon so much?
The field that interests me the most though is cognitive neuroscience. I like the mixture of computings/maths and psychology, and would love to pursue research in the future, but of course money is also highly important. If I wanted to go down this route, I would take a masters after Uni.
I would've considered a more mathematical degree, but I literally only do maths at a level (no further maths, physics, computer science or core sciences) so I cannot pursue this at a top uni.
Would I be able to pursue a career in a tech related field with a psychology degree? I was thinking of getting some tech certs whilst I was at Uni.
Or what degree would be universally beneficial for me? I want to be realistic and know what the best route would be in order to make a stable (ideally high) income. If money wasn’t a problem I would be pursuing something art/design related as that is where my natural abilities lie, as well as finding a way to also pursue an area relating to cognition.H
I have genuinely been researching extensively for weeks and it has taken over my life (which is down to me being an over thinker probably), I just want to be able to make a final decision and set myself on a path without any doubt or regret.
Sorry this is so very long. But any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hey!
I’m Oliver and am currently a third year in natural sciences at Lancaster. I also had a big dilemma when choosing university options having interests in chemistry, biology and maths while also wanting to keep my options open.
For me Natural sciences has offered a great deal of flexibility and allowed me to follow my specific interests as they've developed throughout my degree. I started out studying pathways in physical chemistry, synthetic chemistry and biochemistry before dropping physical chemistry in second year and now focussing on a project in synthetic chemistry. The ability to choose most of your modules each year (from second year onward) really allows you to tailer your degree to your passions.
Coming towards the end of my degree now I feel I have a broad range of knowledge that would stand me in good stead in and science related career. As Bethan mentioned in a previous post, there is also to option to take up to 25% of your degree in a non-science subject which would give you an even wider breadth of experience.
Hope that is helpful and best of luck with your decision 😊Feel free to ask me any other questions if you have any
Oliver (Student Ambassador)
Original post by spliced
I’ve been going around in circles and doing non stop research on degrees/careers and still feel so stuck/lost. I have always had a strong academic background, and am capable in both STEM and the arts/humanities, (naturally I am more creatively inclined though), but just have never had a direct career path in mind. I’ve looked at a lot of job fields, and many do not require a specific degree (such as marketing, accounting, IB etc)
So my question is, what degree would be the most useful/set you up well regardless of what field you may go into? This is for jobs which don’t need a specific degree (as obviously I wouldn’t be able to enter the med field with an english degree).
Or would it just be better to go with a degree subject you know you will enjoy/do well in?
The original plan for me was to go into psychology, but I have been feeling so deflated and put off from all the posts from people who say psych is not valuable at all and most graduates end up in low paying jobs that you don’t even need a degree for. I always thought that it was one of the most versatile degrees, as it offers an opportunity to actually pursue a psych career (which I know is an extremely long and hard process), or go into other fields as it provides you with skills in both stats and essay writing. There are so many areas psychology can be applied to like tech, economics etc so considering this, why is it still looked down upon so much?
The field that interests me the most though is cognitive neuroscience. I like the mixture of computings/maths and psychology, and would love to pursue research in the future, but of course money is also highly important. If I wanted to go down this route, I would take a masters after Uni.
I would've considered a more mathematical degree, but I literally only do maths at a level (no further maths, physics, computer science or core sciences) so I cannot pursue this at a top uni.
Would I be able to pursue a career in a tech related field with a psychology degree? I was thinking of getting some tech certs whilst I was at Uni.
Or what degree would be universally beneficial for me? I want to be realistic and know what the best route would be in order to make a stable (ideally high) income. If money wasn’t a problem I would be pursuing something art/design related as that is where my natural abilities lie, as well as finding a way to also pursue an area relating to cognition.
I have genuinely been researching extensively for weeks and it has taken over my life (which is down to me being an over thinker probably), I just want to be able to make a final decision and set myself on a path without any doubt or regret.
Sorry this is so very long. But any advice would be greatly appreciated.
So my question is, what degree would be the most useful/set you up well regardless of what field you may go into? This is for jobs which don’t need a specific degree (as obviously I wouldn’t be able to enter the med field with an english degree).
Or would it just be better to go with a degree subject you know you will enjoy/do well in?
The original plan for me was to go into psychology, but I have been feeling so deflated and put off from all the posts from people who say psych is not valuable at all and most graduates end up in low paying jobs that you don’t even need a degree for. I always thought that it was one of the most versatile degrees, as it offers an opportunity to actually pursue a psych career (which I know is an extremely long and hard process), or go into other fields as it provides you with skills in both stats and essay writing. There are so many areas psychology can be applied to like tech, economics etc so considering this, why is it still looked down upon so much?
The field that interests me the most though is cognitive neuroscience. I like the mixture of computings/maths and psychology, and would love to pursue research in the future, but of course money is also highly important. If I wanted to go down this route, I would take a masters after Uni.
I would've considered a more mathematical degree, but I literally only do maths at a level (no further maths, physics, computer science or core sciences) so I cannot pursue this at a top uni.
Would I be able to pursue a career in a tech related field with a psychology degree? I was thinking of getting some tech certs whilst I was at Uni.
Or what degree would be universally beneficial for me? I want to be realistic and know what the best route would be in order to make a stable (ideally high) income. If money wasn’t a problem I would be pursuing something art/design related as that is where my natural abilities lie, as well as finding a way to also pursue an area relating to cognition.
I have genuinely been researching extensively for weeks and it has taken over my life (which is down to me being an over thinker probably), I just want to be able to make a final decision and set myself on a path without any doubt or regret.
Sorry this is so very long. But any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hi @spliced,
Looks like you’re giving this a lot of thought! The main thing to do is try and not put too much pressure on yourself, if you’re enjoying something you should perhaps pursue that in a degree or some sort of further education to start off with.
Having the ability to study at a top university isn’t everything, you can focus more on learning and living comfortable in other universities to focus properly and successfully. You say you’re mostly into maths, psychology and computing, I’d say attend as many open days as you’d like relating to these courses and see what they include in terms of content. You might find some relate to one another and may have some aspects where you can be creative! It’s hard to research these sorts of things until you actually go and speak to students or course leaders.
The first thing I would do is find some universities that interest you and seem most comfortably suited to your lifestyle at the moment - that’s the most important thing (get the foundations right). Then I’d find out what courses they offer, if they include the one you’re interested in, go and attend an open day! There’s no point rushing into these things when you’re not sure, this could lead to you not enjoying yourself and putting yourself under even more pressure in the future. You’ll find that if you’re good at something you enjoy, the income and opportunities will come naturally later on so try not to make money the priority at this point! That may be easier said than done but, from my experience, money being the main factor to studying a degree has a big impact on mental health and wellbeing as a young-adult.
Wishing you all the best, and I hope you find all the answers you need soon!
Ellie
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