Original post by labyr5nth
No idea what degree to do.
Doing FM, maths, econ a level
Want to do a placement yr aswell
Want to go Russel group
Don't know what Want to do in future smth along those lines
Doing FM, maths, econ a level
Want to do a placement yr aswell
Want to go Russel group
Don't know what Want to do in future smth along those lines
No idea what degree to do.
The sort of degrees you're eligible for include:
•
Maths and stats
•
Economics and MORSE (because of the maths)
•
Computer science and software engineering
•
Biological mathematics
•
Finance, financial mathematics, financial engineering, and actuarial science
•
Some radiography degrees
Then you're eligible for degrees that accept 3 A Levels in any subjects:
•
Anything in business expect for financial mathematics and actuarial science (for obvious reasons)
•
Law
•
Anthropology
•
Archaeology
•
Sociology and criminology
•
Most psychology degrees
•
Some degrees in creative writing and English literature
•
Dance
•
Drama and theatre
•
Nonquantiative economics degrees
•
Education
•
Theology
•
Politics
•
Philosophy
•
Linguistics
•
Agriculture
•
Some art and design degrees, including architecture
•
Some geography degrees (usually ones with emphasis on human geography)
•
Some history degrees
•
Some nutrition degrees
•
Film
•
Game design
•
Hospitality and events management
•
Property and urban planning
•
Journalism
•
Media studies
•
Nursing
•
Paramedic science
•
Social work
•
Policing
Do note, the only degrees that are required or are useful in their respective fields are economics (ideally at the postgrad level at least and it's a quantitative degree), actuarial science (even if you don't need it), journalism (TCIJ), property (RICS accredited), urban planning, nursing, paramedic science, social work, policing, nutrition, architecture, psychology, nutrition, and education.
Want to do a placement yr aswell
Most Russell Group unis are focused on research oriented degrees, so placement years aren't that common. It would also depend on the specific degree that you choose to do.
Don't know what Want to do in future smth along those lines
I think it's better to start with what you want in a job and what you need in a job. Also address your values and what you always wanted to do.
Original post by MindMax2000
No idea what degree to do.
The sort of degrees you're eligible for include:
Then you're eligible for degrees that accept 3 A Levels in any subjects:
Do note, the only degrees that are required or are useful in their respective fields are economics (ideally at the postgrad level at least and it's a quantitative degree), actuarial science (even if you don't need it), journalism (TCIJ), property (RICS accredited), urban planning, nursing, paramedic science, social work, policing, nutrition, architecture, psychology, nutrition, and education.
Want to do a placement yr aswell
Most Russell Group unis are focused on research oriented degrees, so placement years aren't that common. It would also depend on the specific degree that you choose to do.
Don't know what Want to do in future smth along those lines
I think it's better to start with what you want in a job and what you need in a job. Also address your values and what you always wanted to do.
The sort of degrees you're eligible for include:
•
Maths and stats
•
Economics and MORSE (because of the maths)
•
Computer science and software engineering
•
Biological mathematics
•
Finance, financial mathematics, financial engineering, and actuarial science
•
Some radiography degrees
Then you're eligible for degrees that accept 3 A Levels in any subjects:
•
Anything in business expect for financial mathematics and actuarial science (for obvious reasons)
•
Law
•
Anthropology
•
Archaeology
•
Sociology and criminology
•
Most psychology degrees
•
Some degrees in creative writing and English literature
•
Dance
•
Drama and theatre
•
Nonquantiative economics degrees
•
Education
•
Theology
•
Politics
•
Philosophy
•
Linguistics
•
Agriculture
•
Some art and design degrees, including architecture
•
Some geography degrees (usually ones with emphasis on human geography)
•
Some history degrees
•
Some nutrition degrees
•
Film
•
Game design
•
Hospitality and events management
•
Property and urban planning
•
Journalism
•
Media studies
•
Nursing
•
Paramedic science
•
Social work
•
Policing
Do note, the only degrees that are required or are useful in their respective fields are economics (ideally at the postgrad level at least and it's a quantitative degree), actuarial science (even if you don't need it), journalism (TCIJ), property (RICS accredited), urban planning, nursing, paramedic science, social work, policing, nutrition, architecture, psychology, nutrition, and education.
Want to do a placement yr aswell
Most Russell Group unis are focused on research oriented degrees, so placement years aren't that common. It would also depend on the specific degree that you choose to do.
Don't know what Want to do in future smth along those lines
I think it's better to start with what you want in a job and what you need in a job. Also address your values and what you always wanted to do.
thank you so much for the insights! I want a good pay and a good earning straight after graduation. I was looking at degrees eg in University of Warwick I found an accounting and finance bachelors (3yrs) and a 1 year placement which seems like a dream. however ur right about Russel group unis being more research bases that's probably why most don't offer placements. so if I really want a placement would I have to opt for non-russel unis then? would you say a placement is even that worth it if it means I can't study in a Russel group uni? I'm planning to do a masters aswell after along with part time work
Original post by labyr5nth
thank you so much for the insights! I want a good pay and a good earning straight after graduation. I was looking at degrees eg in University of Warwick I found an accounting and finance bachelors (3yrs) and a 1 year placement which seems like a dream. however ur right about Russel group unis being more research bases that's probably why most don't offer placements. so if I really want a placement would I have to opt for non-russel unis then? would you say a placement is even that worth it if it means I can't study in a Russel group uni? I'm planning to do a masters aswell after along with part time work
I want a good pay and a good earning straight after graduation
Good luck with that. It's super competitive to get onto a high paying grad scheme. If money is your only criteria, you're going to struggle.
I found an accounting and finance bachelors (3yrs)
Why? It's going to be easier if you just do the professional accounting qualification right after A Levels as opposed to doing a degree. You would also get relevant work experience if you just go straight into the job (again, right after A Levels) or do a degree apprenticeship. This is going to be cheaper and quicker than doing a degree.
so if I really want a placement would I have to opt for non-russel unis then?
I would say you would have a better chance of this via non-Russell Group.
would you say a placement is even that worth it if it means I can't study in a Russel group uni?
In placement years, you find your own placements. In other words, you get 1 year to find a place to work. They aren't normally arranged for you by the uni.
On the other hand, one of the reasons why top end unis are so popular with recruiters is because of the network that they have. A lot of the students there are "prequalified" because they have demonstrated that they can work hard, get good results, and are rubbing shoulders with key people. If you can demonstrate this without going to a Russell Group uni, then I think you're just as good provided that you go out of your way to show this.
Many non-Russell Group graduates do get jobs; it's not like companies only hire Russell Group graduates.
Russell Group originally meant that the unis selected by the Russell Group meet a certain standard in quality of research. It never meant how good the uni is for graduate prospects. If you decide to pursue a PhD or go into academic research, then the Russell Group brand is more relevant. It just so happens that a lot of the unis in the Russell Group are top quality unis who attract top students. Recruiters as far as I know don't particularly care whether you come from a Russell Group uni or not (unless the role is in research), but more so whether you're a top quality job candidate.
I'm planning to do a masters aswell after along with part time work
Why do you want to do a master's? A master's degree is typically to provide you with the necessary skills to go into research. There are only a few exceptions where they are required for specific jobs, but those are specifically for the particular jobs and not for to say you're a quality job candidate. These jobs include those in architecture, engineering, nursing, economics, life sciences.
If you're only doing a master's to just get a master's, you're wasting time and money.
There are only a few valid reasons to do a master's:
•
You intend to go into research
•
You intend to study a specific subject because of your passion for it with no firm expectations of getting a job
•
You intend to switch careers and go into a field where a degree is necessary e.g. some areas in healthcare
•
The regulatory and promotional prospects for the specific role that you're in specifically require a master's degree in order to qualify for more senior roles e.g. nursing, engineering, architecture.
Original post by labyr5nth
thank you so much for the insights! I want a good pay and a good earning straight after graduation. I was looking at degrees eg in University of Warwick I found an accounting and finance bachelors (3yrs) and a 1 year placement which seems like a dream. however ur right about Russel group unis being more research bases that's probably why most don't offer placements. so if I really want a placement would I have to opt for non-russel unis then? would you say a placement is even that worth it if it means I can't study in a Russel group uni? I'm planning to do a masters aswell after along with part time work
I'm only on applicant this year as well but I've been told uni of bath is quite good for their placement year schemes.
Original post by MindMax2000
I want a good pay and a good earning straight after graduation
Good luck with that. It's super competitive to get onto a high paying grad scheme. If money is your only criteria, you're going to struggle.
I found an accounting and finance bachelors (3yrs)
Why? It's going to be easier if you just do the professional accounting qualification right after A Levels as opposed to doing a degree. You would also get relevant work experience if you just go straight into the job (again, right after A Levels) or do a degree apprenticeship. This is going to be cheaper and quicker than doing a degree.
so if I really want a placement would I have to opt for non-russel unis then?
I would say you would have a better chance of this via non-Russell Group.
would you say a placement is even that worth it if it means I can't study in a Russel group uni?
In placement years, you find your own placements. In other words, you get 1 year to find a place to work. They aren't normally arranged for you by the uni.
On the other hand, one of the reasons why top end unis are so popular with recruiters is because of the network that they have. A lot of the students there are "prequalified" because they have demonstrated that they can work hard, get good results, and are rubbing shoulders with key people. If you can demonstrate this without going to a Russell Group uni, then I think you're just as good provided that you go out of your way to show this.
Many non-Russell Group graduates do get jobs; it's not like companies only hire Russell Group graduates.
Russell Group originally meant that the unis selected by the Russell Group meet a certain standard in quality of research. It never meant how good the uni is for graduate prospects. If you decide to pursue a PhD or go into academic research, then the Russell Group brand is more relevant. It just so happens that a lot of the unis in the Russell Group are top quality unis who attract top students. Recruiters as far as I know don't particularly care whether you come from a Russell Group uni or not (unless the role is in research), but more so whether you're a top quality job candidate.
I'm planning to do a masters aswell after along with part time work
Why do you want to do a master's? A master's degree is typically to provide you with the necessary skills to go into research. There are only a few exceptions where they are required for specific jobs, but those are specifically for the particular jobs and not for to say you're a quality job candidate. These jobs include those in architecture, engineering, nursing, economics, life sciences.
If you're only doing a master's to just get a master's, you're wasting time and money.
There are only a few valid reasons to do a master's:
If your reason for doing a master's doesn't fit in with any of the above, then you don't have a valid reason to do a master's.
Good luck with that. It's super competitive to get onto a high paying grad scheme. If money is your only criteria, you're going to struggle.
I found an accounting and finance bachelors (3yrs)
Why? It's going to be easier if you just do the professional accounting qualification right after A Levels as opposed to doing a degree. You would also get relevant work experience if you just go straight into the job (again, right after A Levels) or do a degree apprenticeship. This is going to be cheaper and quicker than doing a degree.
so if I really want a placement would I have to opt for non-russel unis then?
I would say you would have a better chance of this via non-Russell Group.
would you say a placement is even that worth it if it means I can't study in a Russel group uni?
In placement years, you find your own placements. In other words, you get 1 year to find a place to work. They aren't normally arranged for you by the uni.
On the other hand, one of the reasons why top end unis are so popular with recruiters is because of the network that they have. A lot of the students there are "prequalified" because they have demonstrated that they can work hard, get good results, and are rubbing shoulders with key people. If you can demonstrate this without going to a Russell Group uni, then I think you're just as good provided that you go out of your way to show this.
Many non-Russell Group graduates do get jobs; it's not like companies only hire Russell Group graduates.
Russell Group originally meant that the unis selected by the Russell Group meet a certain standard in quality of research. It never meant how good the uni is for graduate prospects. If you decide to pursue a PhD or go into academic research, then the Russell Group brand is more relevant. It just so happens that a lot of the unis in the Russell Group are top quality unis who attract top students. Recruiters as far as I know don't particularly care whether you come from a Russell Group uni or not (unless the role is in research), but more so whether you're a top quality job candidate.
I'm planning to do a masters aswell after along with part time work
Why do you want to do a master's? A master's degree is typically to provide you with the necessary skills to go into research. There are only a few exceptions where they are required for specific jobs, but those are specifically for the particular jobs and not for to say you're a quality job candidate. These jobs include those in architecture, engineering, nursing, economics, life sciences.
If you're only doing a master's to just get a master's, you're wasting time and money.
There are only a few valid reasons to do a master's:
•
You intend to go into research
•
You intend to study a specific subject because of your passion for it with no firm expectations of getting a job
•
You intend to switch careers and go into a field where a degree is necessary e.g. some areas in healthcare
•
The regulatory and promotional prospects for the specific role that you're in specifically require a master's degree in order to qualify for more senior roles e.g. nursing, engineering, architecture.
Oh okay wow this has totally changed my pov... I'm very academically driven (grade 9s in gcses and a* predicted in a-levels) so naturally I will go to uni and my parents will force me to get a degree. But in this scenario you're saying a degree in finance won't be worth it (and especially something like a master's cuz that's intended for research based jobs etc). So I've just checked and there r specific qualifications for accounting and finance stuff like CIMA and AAT n they seem more direct. So maybe I should change my career path if it doesn't seem suitable for university? What about economics but I don't think graduates earn that well. Oh I'm not too sure I thought my subjects would allow me to do a bachelors degree in the finance sector and after a placement I'll be offered jobs etc but someone who hasn't gone uni and git the a* but with relevant finance qualifications and experimece or an apprenticeship may stand out..what about something like a degree apprenticeship then?
Original post by labyr5nth
Oh okay wow this has totally changed my pov... I'm very academically driven (grade 9s in gcses and a* predicted in a-levels) so naturally I will go to uni and my parents will force me to get a degree. But in this scenario you're saying a degree in finance won't be worth it (and especially something like a master's cuz that's intended for research based jobs etc). So I've just checked and there r specific qualifications for accounting and finance stuff like CIMA and AAT n they seem more direct. So maybe I should change my career path if it doesn't seem suitable for university? What about economics but I don't think graduates earn that well. Oh I'm not too sure I thought my subjects would allow me to do a bachelors degree in the finance sector and after a placement I'll be offered jobs etc but someone who hasn't gone uni and git the a* but with relevant finance qualifications and experimece or an apprenticeship may stand out..what about something like a degree apprenticeship then?
Also I found this
With University
Higher starting salaries: Graduate roles in finance often start at £30,000-£40,000 in the UK, with faster progression in careers like investment banking or financial consulting.
Long-term earning potential: Many top finance positions (e.g., fund managers, CFOs) require or favor a degree.
Original post by labyr5nth
Oh okay wow this has totally changed my pov... I'm very academically driven (grade 9s in gcses and a* predicted in a-levels) so naturally I will go to uni and my parents will force me to get a degree. But in this scenario you're saying a degree in finance won't be worth it (and especially something like a master's cuz that's intended for research based jobs etc). So I've just checked and there r specific qualifications for accounting and finance stuff like CIMA and AAT n they seem more direct. So maybe I should change my career path if it doesn't seem suitable for university? What about economics but I don't think graduates earn that well. Oh I'm not too sure I thought my subjects would allow me to do a bachelors degree in the finance sector and after a placement I'll be offered jobs etc but someone who hasn't gone uni and git the a* but with relevant finance qualifications and experimece or an apprenticeship may stand out..what about something like a degree apprenticeship then?
But in this scenario you're saying a degree in finance won't be worth it (and especially something like a master's cuz that's intended for research based jobs etc).
"Worth it" is such an insulting phrase. A degree in any subject is a credible academic qualification in any regard. A degree at the end of the day is a degree, and it's a noteworthy accomplishment. Saying something is not "worth it" is very rude to graduates.
If you intend to go into academic research in finance, then by all means you should get a degree in finance. However, if you want to only work in the financial industry, then you're barking up the wrong tree.
So I've just checked and there r specific qualifications for accounting and finance stuff like CIMA and AAT n they seem more direct.
Yeah. If you speak to any finance professional or accountant, they would tell you that you would need a professional qualification specific to the role that you want to apply for, not a degree. You can't be an insurance broker for example, if you only have qualifications in accounting or mortgage advisory for example. Even for something as diverse as accounting, certain professional qualifications only allow you to work in specific capacity e.g. you can't act as a financial accountant with CIMA, and you can't offer tax advice with just an AAT (I think). The qualification needs to be specific to the role.
There are only 4 undergrad degrees in the country that would provide any sort of exemption (not accreditation) towards professional qualifications. These would be specific to financial services.
Then you get a whole host of accounting degrees that would provide exemptions towards papers of accounting qualifications, should you pick the right modules.
So maybe I should change my career path if it doesn't seem suitable for university?
Again, what career path is that? There are some careers that will require a degree, and some very specific degrees, so I wouldn't make broad generalisations as this.
And there's the case where should you realise that you don't want to pursue the specific career path that you were on, you can later pivot to something more towards your liking. For example, if you started off in medicine but then later decided it's not for you (complete waste of other people's time and money by the way), you can then use the degree in medicine to go into jobs that ask for degrees (or none at all) in any subject e.g. finance, accounting, business, civil service, or any of the 600+ different careers that ask for A Levels or less.
What about economics but I don't think graduates earn that well.
It depends on what you intend to do with the degree. Do you intend to be an economist? If so, you can earn pretty well (£65k+) if you get the job. Do you intend to become an accountant? Then you're going to be looking at £30k+ salary. Do you intend to become a teacher? Then you're looking at £25k+ salary. Do you intend to be a waiter? Then you're looking at a £13k+ salary.
If you haven't caught on yet, employers don't pay you because you have specific qualifications or degrees. That would be stupid and make zero business sense. You get paid based on the value you bring to the table and the role that you fulfil. If you bring zero value to the job, they will throw you out. If you are able to generate 10x what they pay you, you would be welcomed with open arms. Your degree and qualifications mean squat other than meeting regulatory requirements.
If you demand employers to pay you just because you have a degree in a certain subject, you would come across as entitled and incredibly stupid. If anything, employers would pay you for your relevant skills and experience specific to the job, because they would expect you to achieve something similar to what you have accomplished before. These 2 things are probably more valuable to employers than what academic subject that you have studied.
Having said that, some roles would expect you to have done a degree in some relevant subject in order to proceed with the job e.g. I very much doubt that you would be accepted for a role in say nursing if your undergrad degree was in English Lit; or I would very much doubt you would get a job in engineering or science if your undergrad was in economics.
I thought my subjects would allow me to do a bachelors degree in the finance
The only required A Level subject for some degrees (by the pickiest unis) in finance is Maths (with FM being a strong preference). Your subjects are fine for this.
As ajj2000 has said though, you don't need a degree in finance to get onto finance grad schemes. Most employers with finance grad schemes accept people with degrees in any subject. What is common though, is that a lot of the people that do make it onto the schemes tend to have high grades, fit a certain profile, know certain people, and go to certain universities. The least thing in common is their choice of subject at degree level.
in the finance sector and after a placement I'll be offered jobs
Entry level professional qualifications in finance typically don't require you to have prior qualifications. Those that do only tend to ask for A Levels in any subject (specifically in accounting and possibly actuary). The only exceptions to these are the CFA (which requires a degree and within 2 years of graduation) and possibly the CQF qualification (for quants). If you want to go into say stock brokering, insurance, mortgages, financial advice, etc. you typically don't need any prior qualifications to do the professional qualifications. If you specifically want to do banking, you don't even need qualifications.
Placements would make you stand out if you can get onto them. Work experience of more than 6 months (and ideally at least a year) would make you stand out from the competition who are likely going to have next to none.
If you have zero experience, your academic qualifications would only amount to a tick in a box (if you have high enough grades) in their shortlisting process. They will judge you based on your personality, aptitude, how you work, passion for the job, etc.
who hasn't gone uni and git the a* but with relevant finance qualifications and experimece or an apprenticeship may stand out..
If the role specifically requires a relevant professional qualification that you can take without any further qualifications, then having that qualification would make you stand out from the competition since a lot of candidates wouldn't have done anything nearly as much as you would have done. For example, if you intend to work in cloud computing, having a professional cloud computing qualification (by say AWS) would make you stand out from a lot of people who have applied for the same role (even computer science graduates).
Where relevant, you can put together a portfolio of work that you can talk about (or even showcase, depending on the role). If not, you can talk about something that is indirectly relevant, since it's better than nothing. For example, if you intend to go into fund management, you can talk about a portfolio that you have put together with your own money (e.g. £2000) to see how much return you have made.
what about something like a degree apprenticeship then?
I have mixed feelings regarding degree apprenticeships, but they do get your foot in the door.
The good things:
•
They get you experience
•
You get to work in the role
•
You get paid for studying and working
•
The skills, experience, and knowledge you gain are directly relevant to the role
•
The skills, experience, and knowledge that they give you are not always transferrable to different roles, and not always to other companies
•
You don't get as a wide of breadth of knowledge as you would do if you did a degree in the subject
•
The skills, experience, and knowledge are often specific to the company and the specific role that you are assigned to
•
If you're the umpteenth employee in the company, you're not likely going to be assigned roles or knowledge that you would either like or be as varied. More than likely, you would be allocated something that the company needs having but is an inconvenience to everybody else. (However, this is likely to be the case for any company for most jobs, not just apprenticeships.)
•
With some companies, the idea of a degree apprenticeship is you getting the entry level job and then being assigned to do the same professional qualification that you would have done if you have not gone into the apprenticeship. Some of these qualifications only take 300 hours (which is more or less 2-3 months i.e. one summer).
•
Degree apprenticeships can oftentimes be as competitive as getting an entry level job (if not more) i.e. it can end up being not that much different.
•
Some apprenticeships don't train you properly and expect you to just be able to do the job e.g. if you're the right quality of candidate, you should be smart enough to figure it all out; if you're not, then you shouldn't be hired in the first place. Having said that, it's expensive and time consuming to train people, which is why there are so few entry level jobs and apprenticeships.
However, I am not the best person to talk about degree apprenticeships, so you're better off asking someone else.
If you want the complete overview of what the job requirements are for different careers, consider looking at the job profiles on the following sites:
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/explore-careers
https://www.careerpilot.org.uk/job-sectors/sectors
https://life-pilot.co.uk/job-sectors/sectors
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles
Again, I don't know what sort of job you want. If you can be more specific, it would definitely help narrow down the 800+ different careers that you can go into.
(edited 1 month ago)
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