Monday 26 August 2019

Finding a University Course - Keep an Open Mind!

Over the last 15 years there has been a surge in the number of universities as many of the traditional polytechnic colleges have converted to University status and many Further Education colleges now offer undergraduate degree courses. As a result of this change, the number of degree courses on offer has risen sharply, giving students a much wider choice of university courses. So, has finding a university course become easier, or actually more difficult?

Courses at universities range from the traditional academic courses such as Economics, History and Medicine, to the modern day vocational courses such as golf course design, agriculture and sports science. So you would think that finding a course shouldn't be too big of a problem. The best place to find a solution to a problem is within the problem itself, so the best way to choose your course is to decide where you want to be at the end of it. Some students are fortunate enough to have already decided that they want to be a doctor, a lawyer, or a pharmacologist, and so will look at the best universities offering medicine, law or pharmacology to find their university course.

Others, however, are not so fortunate, and go to university because they have done A-Levels and feel like they should, or don't want to get a job right away and so wish to continue their studies. Or, they just wish to keep their options open and find a university course which allows them to keep studying whilst deciding what to do. Finding the right course for these people isn't so simple, mainly because of the increase in choice, so a good place to start is to decide on a town or city, or a group of them. It would seem pointless finding the perfect university course for you in a city 200 miles away if you plan on living at home!

You will also need to consider the job prospects which will come about from the university course you have chosen. You may not have an idea what you want to be by your mid-20's, but you may well know what you don't want to be doing, so think carefully about how you go about finding a university course that is right for you. If you are looking at going into business or sales after you have completed your degree, or want to do a postgraduate degree such as a doctorate, then fortunately there are thousands of course choices which will fit the bill. Any general social studies degree like economics, history, RE or politics will stand you in good stead for the future if you are met with certainty.

Finally, don't sweat on finding the perfect university course for you! The majority of students either do not know what they want to be when they leave university, or do know and subsequently change their minds. University is a time for learning about yourself as much as it is about learning a particular course, so stay open minded and remember to ask the advice of others when trying to find a university course.

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