Switching degree courses in between second and third year

They only give out student loans for up to 4 years, so if after your first year you want to change course and start again you can do that but after your second your pretty stuck. I know some universities let you sort of go from one subject in one year to another in another year e.g you could start off with a history degree and end up with a politics degree. ask if you can do that or even just switch to a joint honours.

I'm currently in my second year in a Physics degree in University of Leeds. Unfortunately it's taken me this long to realise where my lack of motivation to apply myself to this degree stems from, I'm really not that into it! In all honesty I feel like the only reason I picked it is because of how great the career prospects are on paper. I have just taken my end of year 2 exams and am not confident at all about marks and I'm supposed to be sitting my January exams in august since i broke my wrist over Christmas 2016.

I am seriously considering changing degree courses to something in Philosophy or Psychology because it's much more streamlined to my interests.

I wanted to know how difficult it's been for people in the past to do this and start over on a new degree and if anyone's got any stories of people they know who have gone through a similar process and how difficult it was for them.

Cheers, Luis Dorn

Plenty of people change at the end of their first year, but it's unusual to change after the end of the second. The main reason for this, as has been alluded to, is funding - was your original degree 3 or 4 years? The likelihood is that you will be a year short of funding (3 years for original degree +1 'gift' year, - 2 years already taken, -3 years of 'new' degree = -1) - you'd have to self fund the first year of your new course.

I'm currently in my second year in a Physics degree in University of Leeds. Unfortunately it's taken me this long to realise where my lack of motivation to apply myself to this degree stems from, I'm really not that into it! In all honesty I feel like the only reason I picked it is because of how great the career prospects are on paper. I have just taken my end of year 2 exams and am not confident at all about marks and I'm supposed to be sitting my January exams in august since i broke my wrist over Christmas 2016.

I am seriously considering changing degree courses to something in Philosophy or Psychology because it's much more streamlined to my interests.

I wanted to know how difficult it's been for people in the past to do this and start over on a new degree and if anyone's got any stories of people they know who have gone through a similar process and how difficult it was for them.

Cheers, Luis Dorn

Thanks for the reply, the degree I'm currently on is a 3 year Physics with Astrophysics course.

You say I would have to self fund my first year, so would that be the £9,000 tuition fees??? There's no chance in hell i'm going to be able to fund that.

((guess i'm voting corbyn))

What reality check pointed out that you have a funding issue. the time to move is the end of year 1 as now you are at degree-1 and they will expect you to self fund year 1. Do you have a spare £10 lying around? You can ask your uni if they will let you change it into a joint and that is up to them.

It'll probably be £9,250 by that time - and not just self-funding that: you wouldn't be entitled to any maintenance loans/grants or help from your university's funds as a self-funded student. So you'd be looking at needing abut £21,000 in total to fund the year. Of course, only SFE can actually tell you exactly what your position is with regards to funding, but on the information you've given here, you're one year of funding short and no compelling personal reasons or anything to gain that year back.

I think the previous suggestion of seeing whether you could combine your final year's study of physics with something more to your liking is possible - though I suspect this probably isn't possible for just the final year. Have you spoken to your tutor/course leader about any of this?

Cheers for the reply, I might have a tenner but im not sure about 9 big ones.

What would be the difference in degree if I were to change it to a joint honours? I'm not very clued up on the different types of degree.

You would have to convince a uni to let you do one and that it was physics + whatever else you chose. Some unis are more flexible and have a more extensive joint honours program than others Maybe lok up and see who is in charge from the website plus you will also need to speak to your tutor and the intended department..

It might not be possible. Your best chance would be with your current uni.

I've had a phonecall with the Philosopy department at leeds and there might be a possibility of moving to a Joint Honours in Physics and Philosophy, thanks for the advice!

Thanks for the reply, the degree I'm currently on is a 3 year Physics with Astrophysics course.

You say I would have to self fund my first year, so would that be the £9,000 tuition fees??? There's no chance in hell i'm going to be able to fund that.

((guess i'm voting corbyn))

It'll probably be £9,250 by that time - and not just self-funding that: you wouldn't be entitled to any maintenance loans/grants or help from your university's funds as a self-funded student. So you'd be looking at needing abut £21,000 in total to fund the year. Of course, only SFE can actually tell you exactly what your position is with regards to funding, but on the information you've given here, you're one year of funding short and no compelling personal reasons or anything to gain that year back.

I think the previous suggestion of seeing whether you could combine your final year's study of physics with something more to your liking is possible - though I suspect this probably isn't possible for just the final year. Have you spoken to your tutor/course leader about any of this?

Self funded students due to previous study are eligible for a maintenance loan.

Thanks for that. Does that apply to all self-funded students, i.e. ELQ self-funders?

What would be the difference in switching to a joint honours course?