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If you could do your degree over again, what would you study?

74 replies

juneau · 28/11/2012 10:39

Would you still make the same choice again?

I wouldn't. I studied something really interesting, but ultimately quite useless. If I had the chance to do things over again I'd study economics, which I find fascinating, and it would have been a lot more useful.

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Thumbwitch · 28/11/2012 10:45

I'd do the same again, I think (food science). It was a really interesting degree and has served me well, even though I haven't worked in the food industry. :) Although I have a bit of a thing for genetics so might do that instead.

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Wishfulmakeupping · 28/11/2012 10:46

Good question- if I was studying for interest now I would do something like criminology, if I could go back and study my degree I would have done something more vocational like social work.

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sayanything · 28/11/2012 10:48

I did law, I'd do medicine if I had my time again.

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MrsHelsBels74 · 28/11/2012 10:49

No, I went for something I wasn't particularly interested in but thought had 'prospects'...it didn't & now I don't use it at all. I'd rather research qualifications properly or do something useless but that I was really interested. I also wish I'd taken a gap year to really think about what I wanted to do.

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willyoulistentome · 28/11/2012 10:56

I would do German and French, rather the German and German Contemporary studies - fat lot that bunch of lecturers knew. I graduated in 89, having been told in lectures that 'The Wall' would be in place for the foreseeable - it was down that year. French would have been much more useful.

I would also have studied MUCh harder.....and drunk less...and I might not have spent so much time with Americans when I was supposed to be practicing my German on actual Germans on my year abroad.

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juneau · 28/11/2012 11:04

I would also have studied MUCh harder.....and drunk less.

LOL - me too. And I'd have spent less time running the student union, which was fun, but wasted a phenomenal amount of time and energy that could've been spent getting a better degree than the one I got.

Fortunately, I went to a Scottish university and no one in England understands the classifications of Scottish degrees. So yes, I have an MA! Luckily any employer has been so impressed by that they've never asked for it's classification (it's unclassified - I got thrown out before my honours year Blush).

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MothershipG · 28/11/2012 11:11

Same subject, Human Geography, but I would work harder and do a post grad planning qualification so I could by now be a planning consultant making pots of money (like my mate).

Unfortunately at the ages of 18-21 doing as little studying as I could possibly get away with, without be chucked off the course, was my primary aim - but I did have a good time, did some growing up and learnt some life lessons, so it wasn't a complete waste of time. Wink

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Abzs · 28/11/2012 11:22

I'd do an accredited Building Surveying or Town Planning degree then specialise later, rather than study the interesting unaccredited specialism at undergrad which now has me unable to qualify (and work) as either Surveyor or Planner without doing another degree.

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andadietcoke · 28/11/2012 11:29

I would have done business (I did European Studies and modern languages). I've just finished a masters in business and have been struck by how relevant it is to pretty much every job I could ever do in the private sector.

Saying that though, I also wish I'd worked harder rather than thinking I'd always have a cushy rugby wag lifestyle to fall back on, and made more of my year working in the parliament in Brussels rather than being homesick and coming home most weekends to see said rugby player.

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Moviestar1979 · 28/11/2012 11:38

I did law. I would still do the same degree, but on qualification I would go into something like family law, rather than corporate law

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Itwillendinsmiles · 28/11/2012 19:12

Hi juneau

I'm a mature student studying economics Smile - in my third and final year. I eventually had to choose between this or maths/stats degrees and chose economics as I thought it would be a 'transferable/applicable to a variety of jobs' sort of degree (and still had a reasonable amount of maths in it to keep me happy!).

It is fascinating in parts but too much of the first two years was spent studying theories with little 'real world' application...

If I could start again, I'd do sociology!

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Chubfuddler · 28/11/2012 19:14

The same ( English literature and philosophy) but I would work much much harder. I was on course for a first and let it slide. If I'd realised I would never again in my life have free money to read books and ponce about ... I wish I'd made more of it.

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outtolunchagain · 28/11/2012 19:40

I did economics and politics , hated the economics partSad. Ds now doing straight politics and his course looks so interesting EnvyI went to a very old traditional University with frankly limited choice of options and lots of 3 hour exams , he has a seemingly unending string of options at his RG large University.Like me though I suspect he will not make the most of it because well, who does at 19!

Did love the politics bit always fancied archeology and anthropology , so if I had my time again maybe I would go for that .

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SizzleSazz · 28/11/2012 19:42

I did Accounting & Economics, and yes, would do the same again Smile

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VivaLeBeaver · 28/11/2012 19:48

History.

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melliebobs · 28/11/2012 19:50

I'm torn I think I'd rather have done sport science than sport development. But if I did my degree again I'd definately do different modules

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kirrinIsland · 28/11/2012 19:52

I did sociology - interesting but ultimately useless. If i could go back i'd do something vocational like radiography or midwifery

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SingingSands · 28/11/2012 19:52

I think I would do something completely different, but then I met my dh on my course so if I'd done a different course, my life might be different now...

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Primrose123 · 28/11/2012 19:55

I did French and German. I loved the subjects, and that's why I chose them. I thought they would give me great career prospects, but I was wrong. :(

I wish I had done medicine or something similar.

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Himalaya · 28/11/2012 19:57

Juneau

I would have done economics too. I've picked up quite a lot along the way and am considering going back to do it as post-grad.

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HanSolo · 28/11/2012 19:57

i'd do PPE, or archaeology, or computing.
Hmm... bit of a mix there.
Or forensics.

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Nicknamegrief · 28/11/2012 19:59

I would do exactly the same, Clinical Communications at City (it's a degree with a qualification to work as a Speech and Language Therapist).

The degree was very interesting with a wide variety of modules (linguistics, psychology, anatomy, neurology, child development etc etc) and the job was fascinating.

Although the job pays a pittance and is widely unvalued and under resourced, I loved it.

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TomblibooTrousers · 28/11/2012 20:01

Ah. Neuroscience.

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greyvix · 28/11/2012 22:38

I did English and French. I am an English teacher, and think it is the best subject in the world. The French has been useful too, so I'm pretty smug. I didn't work hard though- nobody did back in the day-my DCs are getting a lot more from the academic side than I did.

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LaVolcan · 03/12/2012 15:00

I did Sociology too - never used it, and am now studying Earth Sciences with the OU primarily for personal development.

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