Year 12 studying politics, maths and economics at alevel
Hi, I’m currently doing my alevel and am unsure as to what I should do at uni. I really like the idea of KCL/LSE but I’m aiming for AAB, AAA at a stretch. I like the sound of social science and international relations but i don’t know whether I’d find the IR reading too difficult to understand. I also don’t really know if social science would be a good route for me as I’m not sure as to how well respected it is. Help please???
(edited 1 month ago)
Hi @Roxanafar
With IR, universities do not assume any prior knowledge so the university will help you at the start with how to read papers and write essays etc. I highly recommend you choose a subject you are interested in rather than based off whether it is well-respected. Any degree can be useful. What really helps with getting a job is during your time at university, getting work experience or an internship, as this is what employers look for. I recommend you look at the modules of the courses you are interested in and see if you find them interesting.
With your A levels, you could do something like PPE or Politics and Economics. I study PPE and I still do IR modules as part of it. You also get the chance to do more mathematical elements as part of the Economics side of it, so if you wanted to have more of quantitative aspect to your degree as well, that might also be worth considering.
Hope this helps,
Gulcin
Student Ambassador
With IR, universities do not assume any prior knowledge so the university will help you at the start with how to read papers and write essays etc. I highly recommend you choose a subject you are interested in rather than based off whether it is well-respected. Any degree can be useful. What really helps with getting a job is during your time at university, getting work experience or an internship, as this is what employers look for. I recommend you look at the modules of the courses you are interested in and see if you find them interesting.
With your A levels, you could do something like PPE or Politics and Economics. I study PPE and I still do IR modules as part of it. You also get the chance to do more mathematical elements as part of the Economics side of it, so if you wanted to have more of quantitative aspect to your degree as well, that might also be worth considering.
Hope this helps,
Gulcin
Student Ambassador
Original post by GEUoS
Hi @Roxanafar
With IR, universities do not assume any prior knowledge so the university will help you at the start with how to read papers and write essays etc. I highly recommend you choose a subject you are interested in rather than based off whether it is well-respected. Any degree can be useful. What really helps with getting a job is during your time at university, getting work experience or an internship, as this is what employers look for. I recommend you look at the modules of the courses you are interested in and see if you find them interesting.
With your A levels, you could do something like PPE or Politics and Economics. I study PPE and I still do IR modules as part of it. You also get the chance to do more mathematical elements as part of the Economics side of it, so if you wanted to have more of quantitative aspect to your degree as well, that might also be worth considering.
Hope this helps,
Gulcin
Student Ambassador
With IR, universities do not assume any prior knowledge so the university will help you at the start with how to read papers and write essays etc. I highly recommend you choose a subject you are interested in rather than based off whether it is well-respected. Any degree can be useful. What really helps with getting a job is during your time at university, getting work experience or an internship, as this is what employers look for. I recommend you look at the modules of the courses you are interested in and see if you find them interesting.
With your A levels, you could do something like PPE or Politics and Economics. I study PPE and I still do IR modules as part of it. You also get the chance to do more mathematical elements as part of the Economics side of it, so if you wanted to have more of quantitative aspect to your degree as well, that might also be worth considering.
Hope this helps,
Gulcin
Student Ambassador
Thank you !
Original post by Roxanafar
Hi, I’m currently doing my alevel and am unsure as to what I should do at uni. I really like the idea of KCL/LSE but I’m aiming for AAB, AAA at a stretch. I like the sound of social science and international relations but i don’t know whether I’d find the IR reading too difficult to understand. I also don’t really know if social science would be a good route for me as I’m not sure as to how well respected it is. Help please???
Hi!
I’m currently studying International Relations, and while the readings can feel a bit challenging at times, there’s no need to worry since there’s lots of support available. Tutorials and seminars are great for breaking things down, and you can always use office hours to go over anything confusing one-on-one with your lecturers.
Do you have any specific career paths in mind? If not, that’s totally fine and I'd recommend studying something that you enjoy! A social science background can give you plenty of transferable skills like research, critical thinking, and communication that are valued in a wide range of industries. However, as Gulcin mentioned, it’s important to be proactive and gain experience outside of your degree, whether that’s through internships, volunteering, or extracurricular activities.
I hope this helps, and best of luck with your decision!
-Szara
I really like the idea of KCL/LSE
Just remember that you go to University to study a degree subject not a University.
And 'London' doesn't mean better - however you think you can measure that - or that you will actually like being at either of those Universities.
You may need to look beyond London and beyond just IR to find the subject right for you :
Politics and International Relations | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol
BA (Hons) or BSc (Hons) in Communication, Media and Culture and Politics (joint honours) at Oxford Brookes University
BA (Hons) Social Sciences | Glasgow Caledonian University | Scotland, UK
Just remember that you go to University to study a degree subject not a University.
And 'London' doesn't mean better - however you think you can measure that - or that you will actually like being at either of those Universities.
You may need to look beyond London and beyond just IR to find the subject right for you :
Politics and International Relations | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol
BA (Hons) or BSc (Hons) in Communication, Media and Culture and Politics (joint honours) at Oxford Brookes University
BA (Hons) Social Sciences | Glasgow Caledonian University | Scotland, UK
Original post by Roxanafar
Hi, I’m currently doing my alevel and am unsure as to what I should do at uni. I really like the idea of KCL/LSE but I’m aiming for AAB, AAA at a stretch. I like the sound of social science and international relations but i don’t know whether I’d find the IR reading too difficult to understand. I also don’t really know if social science would be a good route for me as I’m not sure as to how well respected it is. Help please???
Hi @Roxanafar,
It’s completely normal to feel unsure about what to study at university 😊 What really matters is choosing a subject you enjoy and that aligns with your future goals.
Here are a few things you may wish to consider when making your decision:
•
What do you enjoy? Think about the subjects that genuinely interest you. Could they lead to a future career?
•
Explore career options. It might help to work backward by visiting job sites and graduate roles to see where different degrees can take you.
•
Research the course content. If you’re worried about the reading in International Relations, review module breakdowns to see what fits your strengths. Remember, universities are there to support you, and you're there to learn!
•
Use subject guides. UCAS has some great resources to help you explore different courses and the industries graduates go into.
Most importantly, choose a course that interests you 😊
I hope that this helps! If you have any questions, we’re happy to help.
Best wishes,
Clare
Admissions
Oxford Brookes University
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