The Student Room Group

Having second thoughts about my masters degree

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone is or has been in a similar position. I've recently started studying for a master's degree in Politics but four weeks in and I'm starting to have some serious doubts as to whether I've made the right choice.
I'm a very indecisive person anyway but I had the same feeling when doing my undergraduate degree in Creative Writing and English Language but I carried on and finished the degree anyway. I don't want to feel like I've made the wrong choice again.
There are some elements of my degree that I really like but I don't think it's enough to warrant a whole degree. On the one hand, I feel a degree in Politics would be really beneficial and could help me professionally more than my undergrad degree but on the other hand, I don't want to carry on and either end up failing or have the course completely destroy my mental health. I'm really stuck and I don't know who to talk to about this issue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

x
Trust your gut instinct and listen to what your feelings are telling you. :smile:
But remember that it is fine to ensure that your health, self-esteem and standard of living are not being sacrificed to accommodate the demands of an intensely stressful or hostile academic environment.
Original post by sophia_a
Hello,

I was wondering if anyone is or has been in a similar position. I've recently started studying for a master's degree in Politics but four weeks in and I'm starting to have some serious doubts as to whether I've made the right choice.
I'm a very indecisive person anyway but I had the same feeling when doing my undergraduate degree in Creative Writing and English Language but I carried on and finished the degree anyway. I don't want to feel like I've made the wrong choice again.
There are some elements of my degree that I really like but I don't think it's enough to warrant a whole degree. On the one hand, I feel a degree in Politics would be really beneficial and could help me professionally more than my undergrad degree but on the other hand, I don't want to carry on and either end up failing or have the course completely destroy my mental health. I'm really stuck and I don't know who to talk to about this issue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

x

I think if your gut is telling you it's not right, then it's best to admit that now then in the summer when you're trying to slog through a masters dissertation.

I guess you need to compare:
- why you chose Politics in the first place
- how you think you would feel after dropping out
- how you think you would feel if you didn't drop out
- what will you do next if you do drop out
Original post by sophia_a
Hello,

I was wondering if anyone is or has been in a similar position. I've recently started studying for a master's degree in Politics but four weeks in and I'm starting to have some serious doubts as to whether I've made the right choice.
I'm a very indecisive person anyway but I had the same feeling when doing my undergraduate degree in Creative Writing and English Language but I carried on and finished the degree anyway. I don't want to feel like I've made the wrong choice again.
There are some elements of my degree that I really like but I don't think it's enough to warrant a whole degree. On the one hand, I feel a degree in Politics would be really beneficial and could help me professionally more than my undergrad degree but on the other hand, I don't want to carry on and either end up failing or have the course completely destroy my mental health. I'm really stuck and I don't know who to talk to about this issue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

x

As @londonmyst and @PhoenixFortune have both said, it's really important not to ignore your feelings but, at the same time, you don't want to make a hasty decision and need to consider your next steps carefully.

English and Creative Writing and Politics are two quite different degree programmes so it might be helpful to think about what attracted you to study them both in the first place, as well as what you enjoyed/didn't enjoy about your undergraduate degree. In terms of thinking about your current masters programme, why do you feel the course is the wrong choice? In what way is the programme not what you expected? Thinking about your own expectations can be helpful when it comes to getting to the bottom of what exactly is wrong - and I think it would be a good idea to try and discover that before you rush to take your next steps.

I'd strongly recommend that you talk to a personal tutor or trusted course tutor about how you are feeling. They'll be honest with you about the course and how it is likely to progress, which will help you make a more informed decision about whether to continue.

You might also want to consider speaking to your university's Student Support team - they might be able to put you in touch with a non-academic counsellor/advisor who can help you examine your indecision and help you to think about what steps you might want to take next, as well as how to evaluate and make decisions with more confidence going forwards.

Finally, if you decide this Masters course is not for you, speak with your university Careers Service to get some support and guidance about your next steps. They'll help you think about whether an alternative course of study is best, or whether there are other options such as apprenticeships that might suit your goals better.

The main thing you should remember is that whilst whether you continue with your Masters or not has to be your decision, it isn't one you need to take alone - there's support out there from academic and pastoral advisors, the careers team, and support services, all of whom will have dealt with students in similar situations to your own and can help you to think about your options and make the right decision for you.

Hope that helps.

Amy :smile:

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