Choosing what degree to study is exciting, but it’s natural to feel uncertain too. You’ll typically spend 3-4 years studying your chosen course, and your degree will open doors for you in your future career, so it’s important to think carefully about your decision. To help you decide on your next steps, these are our top tips for how to choose what university degree to do.
Self-reflect – what are your interests and strengths?
In your education up until now, you might have been used to studying multiple subjects, but at university you’ll usually specialise in one or two subjects to develop a deeper understanding, knowledge and skill set.
Given this, have a think about which subjects you'd enjoy devoting all your study time to. You might have a hobby you enjoy in your free time, but it might lose its appeal if you study it full time, in which case it's probably best to keep it as a hobby.
Don’t forget to consider your strengths, too – no one enjoys getting grades that are worse than they’d hoped for! You’ll also want to pass your degree modules to ensure you can progress within the course and ultimately graduate successfully.
If you find something you both enjoy and are good at, that's the sweet spot!
Look to the future – what career would you like?
Looking to the future can be daunting, especially if you’re still in school, sixth form or college, but you won’t be expected to have your entire career mapped out at this stage. However, some careers like physiotherapy and teaching have specific degree requirements, so considering your career goals can help narrow down your choices.
Explore your options
Once you have a better understanding of your interests, strengths and career goals, it’s time to explore the subjects available. Dig into the prospectus and course webpages of the universities you’re interested in – you might be surprised by the range of subjects you can specialise in.
At the University of Cumbria, we offer everything from Midwifery and Paramedic Science to Geography, Mechanical Engineering, Illustration, and more! Download our prospectus here to explore our courses in more detail.
Do you meet the entry requirements? If not, all is not lost!
While you're there, check out the entry requirements for the courses that pique your interest, and compare these to your actual and expected qualifications.
If you don’t quite meet the entry requirements of your chosen course(s), don’t panic. Many of our degrees can be accessed with lower entry requirements by taking an integrated foundation year, which is an additional year at the start of your course where you’ll gain the skills, knowledge and experience needed to progress onto the full degree programme. To find these, look for ‘With Integrated Foundation Year’ in degree titles on our website and in our prospectus.
In addition, our Admissions team uses a contextual admissions policy. Where applicable, this means that certain contextual factors will be taken into account alongside your qualifications when assessing your application, and the Admissions team will look for your potential when making admissions decisions. Contact ugadmissions@cumbria.ac.uk for more information.
Delve deeper into the courses
At this stage, you'll probably have a shortlist of courses you are interested in and eligible to apply for. Delve deeper to look into exactly what these programmes involve. Module breakdowns are a great place to start – you can find these in the ‘Course Overview’ section of each of the course pages on our website.
Another important consideration is whether your shortlisted courses involve practice placements. If they do, find out how much time is spent on placement, and think about whether this sounds enjoyable and would fit into your lifestyle.
On some degrees, such as Nursing and Diagnostic Radiography, half of your time will be spent on placement, allowing you to put the skills you're developing at university into practice. These experiences can also set you apart from other candidates when applying for jobs.
Read or watch first-hand accounts from real students
Social media can be a valuable research tool, with current students sharing day-in-the-life videos that give you an authentic glimpse into what studying a particular course is really like. Be sure to follow the universities you're considering on Instagram and TikTok – you can find us by searching @cumbriauni. Alongside course-related content, you'll gain a better understanding of campus life, societies and clubs, accommodation options, student support services, and much more.
Student stories are another fantastic resource. Written by those currently studying at university, they provide first-hand insights into student life and offer a deeper understanding of how your course of interest can help you develop the skills and experience needed for your future career.
Bring your course to life at an open day
There’s only so far you can get online or by reading a prospectus. To get a real feel for your chosen course and university, book an open day. There, you'll find out more detail about what it's like to be a student on the course, you'll be able to chat to an academic who teaches the programme, and you'll also have an opportunity to ask any questions you might have. Exploring the campus and surrounding area is always fun, too!
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