what to study for university

3

im a student who is applying for univeristies this october however im still not sure what to study, i dont really enjoy the subejcts im taking, i have two options either art or psychology. but to be honest i really dont know what is better to take i feel as im more capabale of art however i dont want to study it for 3 years straight. With psychology i feel as if im going to really start to hate it as it is already quite tedious and long when studyign it for a level, howver i love the idea of me taking a theory subject but still i feel my passion for psychology isnt really there. i really dont know what to do. i had a slight passion at the beginning of college for psychology but alevel has really dragged it out of me, i feel as i really want to take it like i love the idea of me studying it but idk if i will actually enjoy it, i hope this makes sense its werid to understand sorry

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 1

AnaaaElec

15

Original post

by zoelucia

im a student who is applying for univeristies this october however im still not sure what to study, i dont really enjoy the subejcts im taking, i have two options either art or psychology. but to be honest i really dont know what is better to take i feel as im more capabale of art however i dont want to study it for 3 years straight. With psychology i feel as if im going to really start to hate it as it is already quite tedious and long when studyign it for a level, howver i love the idea of me taking a theory subject but still i feel my passion for psychology isnt really there. i really dont know what to do. i had a slight passion at the beginning of college for psychology but alevel has really dragged it out of me, i feel as i really want to take it like i love the idea of me studying it but idk if i will actually enjoy it, i hope this makes sense its werid to understand sorry

Have you thought about taking a gap year? You still have y13 to go, and can probably understand what you prefer a lot better by the end of that. Despite what teachers say, you don’t need to have it all figured out by October - gather all your options and think about what you need to find out to make a decision, e.g. workload, modules, or even if an apprenticeship might be right for you. Then take time to find out each of those factors and make an informed decision in as much time as you need. Get the grades you need to make all these things an option and you can spend next year thinking about what next.

Reply 2

MindMax2000

Universities Forum Helper

22

Original post

by zoelucia

im a student who is applying for univeristies this october however im still not sure what to study, i dont really enjoy the subejcts im taking, i have two options either art or psychology. but to be honest i really dont know what is better to take i feel as im more capabale of art however i dont want to study it for 3 years straight. With psychology i feel as if im going to really start to hate it as it is already quite tedious and long when studyign it for a level, howver i love the idea of me taking a theory subject but still i feel my passion for psychology isnt really there. i really dont know what to do. i had a slight passion at the beginning of college for psychology but alevel has really dragged it out of me, i feel as i really want to take it like i love the idea of me studying it but idk if i will actually enjoy it, i hope this makes sense its werid to understand sorry

im still not sure what to study, i dont really enjoy the subejcts im taking,
If you're not sure, then don't. Things you should bear in mind:

•

600/800 odd careers don't strictly require a degree

•

No one ever says that you need to have a degree; they're not GCSEs

•

Under the ELQ policy, you get student loans for your first bachelor's, first master's. and first PhD; if you have qualifications equivalent or lower than these (see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/student-finance-to-be-radically-transformed-from-2025) under the NVQ framework (see: https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels), you won't get access to student loans unless it's in the exemption list until 2025 (but might be subject to change). Be careful of what you study.

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Unless your degree is required for the specific role that you want to do e.g. degree in nursing for nursing, architecture degree for architect, law degree for law, etc., the employer generally doesn't care which subject you did. This is usually because you don't really pick up any specific tangible transferrable skill that employers value or if you do, they don't help the business that much.

•

You can often apply for a job that accept degrees from any subject or does not require a degree in the first place with a degree in any subject, even if the degree was originally for specific career paths e.g. you can apply for accountancy with a degree in paramedic science.

With psychology i feel as if im going to really start to hate it as it is already quite tedious and long when studyign it for a level
Psychology at degree level is more of the same at A Level. If you don't like it at A Level, you won't like it at degree level.

i love the idea of me taking a theory subject
Depending on what subjects you did you can do:

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Maths and statistics

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Economics and MORSE

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Philosophy

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Theoretical physics

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Anthropology

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Classics

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History

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Law

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Politics

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Theology

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Sociology

From the above, maths, economics, physics, classics will require specific A Level subjects. History is a borderline case as some unis require History A Level and some don't. You should be fine applying for degrees in the other subjects.

i feel as i really want to take it like i love the idea of me studying it
Psychology degrees are required if you want to become a clinical psychologist (as well as going into psychological academic research). It's not required to become a therapist, but it can help.

If you want to know which sort of careers will require specific degrees, let me know.

Reply 3

normaw

Volunteer Section Leader, Clearing and Applications Advisor

20

Original post

by zoelucia

im a student who is applying for univeristies this october however im still not sure what to study, i dont really enjoy the subejcts im taking, i have two options either art or psychology. but to be honest i really dont know what is better to take i feel as im more capabale of art however i dont want to study it for 3 years straight. With psychology i feel as if im going to really start to hate it as it is already quite tedious and long when studyign it for a level, howver i love the idea of me taking a theory subject but still i feel my passion for psychology isnt really there. i really dont know what to do. i had a slight passion at the beginning of college for psychology but alevel has really dragged it out of me, i feel as i really want to take it like i love the idea of me studying it but idk if i will actually enjoy it, i hope this makes sense its werid to understand sorry

Many degree courses don't require specific subjects so you could pick a course that isn't one of your current A levels. For example, linguistics, law, anthropology, politics, philosophy, sociology, speech and language therapy, social work, urban planning and design, etc., etc. Go to a few uni websites and scroll down the list of courses, and read through the course descriptions for any that take your interest.

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studywithus/ugstudy/See_all_courses.html
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/undergraduate
https://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/

Book some uni open days and attend the subject talks for a range of courses. You will soon work out what does and doesn't interest you. And as said above, you can take a gap year to work out what you really want to do. :smile:

A good careers resource: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/

Reply 4

McGinger

20

Art therapist/art psychotherapist | Health Careers

Art/Psychcology- BA Art and Psychology - 2024/25 (reading.ac.uk)
Education/Psychology - Education with Psychology BA (Hons) (bath.ac.uk)
Childhood Studies - BSc Childhood Studies | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol

Reply 5

H1L12

1

Original post

by zoelucia

im a student who is applying for univeristies this october however im still not sure what to study, i dont really enjoy the subejcts im taking, i have two options either art or psychology. but to be honest i really dont know what is better to take i feel as im more capabale of art however i dont want to study it for 3 years straight. With psychology i feel as if im going to really start to hate it as it is already quite tedious and long when studyign it for a level, howver i love the idea of me taking a theory subject but still i feel my passion for psychology isnt really there. i really dont know what to do. i had a slight passion at the beginning of college for psychology but alevel has really dragged it out of me, i feel as i really want to take it like i love the idea of me studying it but idk if i will actually enjoy it, i hope this makes sense its werid to understand sorry

Hey,
I'd like to offer some advice that I believe could be helpful.
Consider taking a gap year before starting your degree. This will give you the time to fully prepare yourself.
Mentally: During this year, you can assess your mental well-being. If there are any areas you feel need improvement, you can begin laying the groundwork to strengthen your mind. This way, you'll be as equipped as possible to handle whatever university throws your way.
Personal Experience: I wish I had taken the time to pause and not let anxiety dictate my decisions. Whenever you feel anxiety creeping in, take a moment to reflect on all the amazing things you've accomplished and the passions that drive you.
Consider making a list of the type of person you want to become, the impact you'd like to have on the world, and how you'd like to grow as an individual.
I'm currently studying Interior Architecture & Venue Design (BA Hons), which is both challenging and rewarding. I chose this path because I wanted to make a difference in psychology through spatial design. I had a background in Art and Design from college but didn't want to commit to a full architecture degree. Based on my experience, I can only speak to the course I'm studying, but my degree covers the following areas and can lead to careers in:

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Interior Design: Interior Designer, Furniture Designer

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Venue Design: Urban Planner/Town Planner

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Interior Architecture: Interior Architect, Theatre/Film Set Designer, Model Maker

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Graphic Design: Graphic Designer, Illustrator

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Various Design Practices: Art Teacher (Note: A PGCE would be required)

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Digital Design: Digital Model Maker, CAD Draughtsperson/Designer

I hope this information is helpful.
Good luck with whatever you decide! I’m sure you’ll do great. x

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