Choosing the right course

Still thinking about which degree to study? Find yourself sitting there thinking 'What degree should I do?' Well, it's not always easy to choose a degree. If you're trying to decide, think about the things you're interested in, where you'd like to study and what you could do as a career after graduating. From science to surfing, you can find a degree in something you love.

Although some people know they want to be - a doctor, a musician, or an engineer - from a young age, not everybody knows what to study at university. And not everybody knows what job they want to do afterwards, either. We've already covered choosing a career, but this week we're going to look at choosing a degree.

Do something you love

Essentially, you should choose something you think you’re going to enjoy studying for the next three or four years. Because if you don’t enjoy studying a subject, chances are you’re not going to enjoy doing that every day as a job either. Choose a subject that will keep you interested and something that you'll love, even after years of studying.

If you're unsure about what you enjoy studying, there may be an interest outside of school and college that you're passionate about. For example, you may love sport and in that industry there are lots of areas that could suit you - from sport business and management, to sport science and coaching - there are loads of universities offering courses that can match something you enjoy.

Not just a degree

An important factor to consider, is that your degree will go towards helping you to get a job in the future. So, when deciding, have a look at the opportunities available while you study that could help elevate your career prospects. Lots of degrees offer a work placement year, where you can go and study in your chosen industry, giving you hands-on experience and something extra for your CV. A lot of universities have links with industry, which can also get your foot in the door.

One really good thing about university is that you learn a lot of transferable skills during your studies that can be applied to a range of different jobs. So, when you’re looking at which degree you want to study, check out the skills you’ll learn - these could help you get a job in a variety of fields.

Also, there are lots of different types of degree to think about that might shape what choice you make. Take a look at What are the different types of degree? for more insight into this.

A place to thrive

And it's not just the degree you need to decide, it's also where you want to study. You may need to consider that if you have your heart set on studying somewhere in particular but they don't offer the degree you want, maybe have a look at some other options. Perhaps look at similar degrees that align to your career goals, consider commuting, or have a look at other subject areas. Equally, if there are courses you like in different places, research the location of the university to find out where you might be happiest, which is more affordable, and is easy to travel home from.

Research, research, research

Getting information about what to study and where you can study is available right at your fingertips. UCAS is your first port of call for finding all undergraduate courses offered in the UK. You can then look at the universities' websites where there will be more information - everything from what you can study, the module information, career options and more.

Here's some helpful links around Solent

Browse subjects and view courses You can explore the range of subjects and courses on offer and use our comparison tool if you're stuck between choices.

Virtual tours If you can't make it on to campus, take a virtual tour of facilities and accommodation.

Graduate stories Hear from graduates about what studying at Solent is really like, and how it helped get them into their career.

Facilities Check out the facilities on offer here at Solent.

Visit an open day

Once you have narrowed down what you're most interested in, it's recommended to visit a university open day. At open days, you’ll be able to meet staff and students as well as explore the campus and see the facilities. This will help you get a feel for whether or not the course is right for you.

Further advice

There are lots of university focussed websites that can help give you an insight into your choice of course and university.

The Student Room provides open forums to chat with other students thinking about uni, as well as students already studying who can tell you all about what their curse is really like.

Unibuddy at Solent Likewise, at Solent we have a dedicated unibuddy platform, where you can chat to students and staff with any questions you have about studying and more.

WhatUni is a great overall resource, and this article in particular, can also help you to think about what course you might pick for university.