How To Pick A Degree Subject
Choosing the right degree subject when you go to university is an important task. Get it wrong, and you could spend up to four years (or more if you’re studying medicine or something similar) working on something that you either don’t enjoy, or that won’t get you the career you really want. Get it right, however, and your college days will be much more enjoyable, plus you’ll be able to apply for the job that you want at the end of it all. Here are some ways to help you pick the right degree subject for you.
What Do You Enjoy?
Although choosing a degree subject based solely on what you enjoy doing will undoubtedly make you happy at university, remember that it may not lead you to the career that you are seeking. If this is the case, you will need to either reassess your degree or the career in question – if you don’t enjoy studying for it, you probably won’t enjoy working in it.
However, making a list of the subjects and areas of learning that you enjoy is a good way to start shortlisting the degrees on offer to you. No matter what you choose, you will need to work hard, and there are likely to be aspects of it that you don’t enjoy as much as others, but if you apply for something that you find uninspiring, you are less likely to do well, no matter how hard you work.
What Are You Good At?
Now that you have a list of what you like to do and learn about, you can narrow that list down even further by crossing out anything that you’re not that good at. If you have a subject – or perhaps more than one – that you have always enjoyed and that you have always been great at, this is steering you in the right direction. A degree studying that subject, whether you become a history major, a psychology student, or you look into teaching, will lead to a career that you will enjoy, plus the degree itself will be easier to study, and you will be more inclined to work towards it.
Do Your Research
Now that you have a much shorter list of subjects to deal with, your next step is to research them thoroughly. Enjoying something at secondary or even primary school level may not mean that you enjoy it at college level. It’s easier if you know which university you are going to be attending because you can search online for reviews about the specific subjects and the tutors and get to know more about them.
Ideally at this stage, if you have more than one degree subject on your shortened list, you will find the one that jumps out at you and that you want to study. It should be something you feel excited about and that you know will be fun, even if it will also be a challenge.
Try General Studies
If still nothing is looking like a clear winner, and you just don’t know what you should be doing, what about considering a degree in general studies? This degree gives you many different options, opening up all kinds of different avenues and ideas for you. Over time you might find that you want to specialize in one area or another, but a degree in general studies will certainly help you on your way. Not only that, but you will have a much wider choice when it comes to careers if you are not restrained by just one subject matter on your degree.