Unsure what course to apply to for uni, pls help!!

I’m applying to uni for next year, hopefully aiming for Edinburgh - I got AAAAA at highers (I’m a Scottish student), in English, maths, French, art & design and classical studies. I’m doing Advanced art (expressive) and advanced English this year alongside higher history and modern studies.

My issue is that I’m so stuck on what I want to do, I’ve narrowed it down to a few ideas but I can’t keep my mind set on one and I feel like I’m focusing on all the bad sides. Here’s what I’ve thought of:

Psychology - I think I’d like it, and I like the idea of getting into educational or clinical psych. However I’m hesitant to aim for that because I know it means doing the doctorate - and I’m not sure if I want to dedicate so many more years to that; maybe I would, but if I wasn’t to go for the doctorate I feel like I’d be extremely limited for job options. Also I know it’s science heavy, which I’m not entirely opposed to however I’m less experienced with it as my subjects in school focus on humanties.

Law - I think I’d like being a solicitor and I’m admittedly attracted to the vocational nature of the degree and the pay afterwards. I have good grades and subjects to get into it - however I do realise it’s highly competitive and getting into Edinburgh would be difficult. I just worry that it’s too intense a course for me, plus I’m quite hesitant to have to constantly do presentations and debates in such a rigorous and intense classroom environment.

History/classics/ancient history - I enjoy history, especially ancient history as I find it interesting (most of the time). However I worry that doing a history degree is a waste of time if I’m not willing to become a history teacher, I do like the idea of becoming a museum/gallery curator but I know that’s very niche. I’d also probably enjoy pivoting to publishing or media, however personally I like to have an end goal and with history I feel as if I don’t really have that.

Other honourable mentions are interior design or architecture, but I decided against them because I’d rather not rely on a folio to get me in to something, plus I have no experience with CAD or anything so i feel like my folio would be lacking a little.

I’d really appreciate anyone’s advice, I’m willing to consider other courses too if there’s maybe a better fit! I’m just kind of stressed because I need to decide soon, get a work placement sorted (maybe) and while everyone else seems to have a career goal in mind, I just can’t decide.

Reply 1

mike23mike

You may be taking the subjects too literally. Lots of people study psychology or history at uni and then move on to do other jobs. Both degrees can be interesting to study in their own right but it does not naturally follow that you need to carry on in that line after your graduate.

I know of a student who studied Spanish at Edinburgh uni and then went on to do a Masters in Project Management and Innovation and then took up a graduate trainee position with Rolls Royce. She did not become a Spanish teacher or take up a career that had anything to do with Spanish.

Reply 2

ivoryyroses

Original post

by mike23mike

You may be taking the subjects too literally. Lots of people study psychology or history at uni and then move on to do other jobs. Both degrees can be interesting to study in their own right but it does not naturally follow that you need to carry on in that line after your graduate.
I know of a student who studied Spanish at Edinburgh uni and then went on to do a Masters in Project Management and Innovation and then took up a graduate trainee position with Rolls Royce. She did not become a Spanish teacher or take up a career that had anything to do with Spanish.

Do you think so? I originally had thought psychology was pretty good as an idea because I thought it would link to quite a lot, but then I’ve seen so many people say without further training it’s practically unemployable which admittedly really put me off

Reply 3

Stepho_xx

I’m an ancient history student and it’s ok to feel like this and I do agree you’re focusing on a little bit the bad sides (which is completely understandable) . I can only talk from my side as a current student studying classics and ancient history but one thing I know from helping out with open days is that careers are actually quite wide with the degree and yes you might not be able to apply the direct knowledge but a lot of the analysis and research skills you build on especially in the classics and ancient history degree as sometimes you have to spend hours to find one source are transferrable to a bunch of different careers.

I have a professor who did a classics degree and originally went into accounting before they decided they’d prefer academics. I also know of people who doing stuff like volunteering in local archives and museums to get their foot into curation. I also know someone who did classics and has gone on to become a barrister. From my experience and accounts I have heard the actual skills in a degree like history/ ancient history are very transferrable to a bunch of careers so it’s ok to go into it with no career goal. I’m about to go into my final year of BA and I’d say only a quarter friend group have a career plan at this so it is normal.

I’d also recommend reaching out to student societies quite a few unis have academic based societies usually run by students who do relevant degrees to a subject so maybe speak to them about their experience!
I hope this semi first hand account helps!