Degree with art and maths

[mater123]

My daughter is doing A levels in art, maths, geography and physics. She is bright (7 A* and 3 A at GCSE) and also very creative. She did a week's work experience at an architects and hated it! She got frustrated with long meetings debating tiny details... She has no idea what to do as a degree. She would like to do something with art, but also loves her maths (which is why we had thought of architecture). We have thought about interior design, but we are not sure if that gives the academic stimulation she wants.. Any ideas please?

[BikeRunSki]

I was going to say Architecture! That's the classic maths/physics/art degree!

Graphic design?
Landscape Architecture?
Town and Country Planning?
Set Design?

[BikeRunSki]

Product design ?

[BikeRunSki]

this might help

[wonkylegs]

I was going to say architecture but it sounds like the practice she went to didn't inspire her. There are many types of architects and practices so she may want to keep it in the back of her mind as they won't all be like that. When I did big corporate work there were lots of meetings like that, now I have my own practice and do domestic, community and smaller projects there is a lot less of that.
It is however a massive commitment to do the complete training but lots of my friends only did the 1st degree and then went into different careers (planning, photography, something in social media, banking, management, architectural assistant, interiors to name a few) as its a broad skills degree at that point. It specialises the further you go. You don't have to complete the lot and you gain qualifications at each stage.
Product design & graphic design are other possiblities.
For reference I am an architect and did A-levels in Maths, Physics, Design Technology, Graphics & a GNVQ in manufacturing, with a lot of art on the side. My sister is a graphic designer and did Geogaphy, Art and English.

[mathanxiety]

I would not let her experiences so far put her off Architecture. It's a versatile degree, as Wonkylegs says.

[Noitsnotteatimeyet]

There was a piece on woman's hour yesterday featuring women working in visual effects in films - apparently it's the ideal career for arty mathematicians (or mathematical artists )

[slightlyglitterpaned]

Was going to suggest visual effects www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16166830

m.youtube.com/watch?v=26G9KJN2LJE

[mater123]

This is really helpful, thanks. Another thing I did not say is that she is not particularly keen on being in front of a computer (probably rules out visual design from what I have just looked at). It is interesting to think about doing architecture, and then not necessarily being an architect. Is there a lot of computer modelling in the degree, do you think?

[BikeRunSki]

she is not particularly keen on being in front of a computer then she'd better do something that involves being outside all the time, and pray that mobile IT technology doesn't improve even more. I can't think on any job that doesn't require you to sit in front of a computer - even DD's preschool ballet teacher has a website and sells dance wear on line!

But back to architecture - lots of modelling in the degree/job, yes. The combination of Art and Maths lend themselves to computery design fields.

Lighting? Stage production?

[IamtheDevilsAvocado]

There will be very different architectural practises... Pity she found one that didn't inspire!

It may be worth having in depth testing from careers service /occupational psych.. This will look in detail at her abilities, aptitudes and personality! As you've rightly picked up-it's not just about ability but also personality and interests!

I avoided a lifetime of misery by doing this!

[slightlyglitterpaned]

As BikeRunSki points out, there's increasing use of computing in all fields. I would consider what "doesn't like being in front of a computer" means before ruling out too much - a lot of computing experience in schools can be pretty uninspiring and not reflective of real life. Does it mean "likes working outside", "likes working with hands", or...?

[YogaPants]

Computer science or graphic design can be tailored very much towards user interface design. It is designing for use on a computer but day to day life in an office will involve lots of meetings and presenting design ideas.

If she was very strong in geography there are lots of visual and math based careers as an offshoot of that degree: cartography and geographical information systems for example.

[YogaPants]

Hmm, on reading your post again, my entire career experience is divided between working alone at a computer and meetings discussing things in detail, so maybe she wouldn't be suited for this.

What types of activities does she say she would prefer to do?

[claraschu]

Go to university in the US, where she can take classes in whatever she wants before deciding on a major. She could take her time exploring her diverse interests and not feel pushed into choosing a career path before she knows what is out there...

Sorry, just a thought. My son did art, maths/ further maths, history, English, and economics at A level and didn't know what he wanted to do at uni, so the US system was a better fit for him.

[catslife]

The A level Geography hasn't been mentioned so far.
What about Town Planning or surveying?

[mathanxiety]

Thinking of alternatives -- how about meterology or geology or water management?
There would be lots of maths and geography and physics involved there but no art, sadly. Geology doesn't have to lead to a career in the oil industry. If she was to do water /resource management I would do environmental engineering and not a mickey mouse water management course.

Getting into urban planning via architecture or some kind of engineering might also be a possibility. Maybe she should look up engineering -- it's not all mech, elec, chem and civil any more.

But working at a computer or with other technology is unavoidable, imo, in many careers, even teaching or medicine.

If a US university would be affordable, then I think Claraschu's advice is great. Many universities offer Fine Arts as a minor or a dual degree option along with whatever other subject she might end up choosing. DD1 did Econ and Fine Arts.

[alreadytaken]

has she had any sort of job at all? She really needs to decide what she wants for her future and to start living in the real world where she cannot always have exactly what she wants.

She could find a job that involves working with computers and art and do some amazing design. I'd suggest you goes to look at some of those courses. She could find a job with a maths degree that would pay her a good salary and allow her to be very creative, without computers, in her free time. She could do an art degree and possibly make a good living but more probably earn enough to get by but watch her friends who did other degrees earning more.

There are universities that now offer major/minor degrees, they include Sheffield and Southampton. I haven't found one offering maths with an art minor but she might look harder than I did.

[MazyCrummy]

Your DD could search here on the UCAS website by subject/combinations of subjects that interest her to see what is offered. Each course links through to the relevant university page on it, and there, the universities give ideas of careers that may be achievable with that specific degree.

[mater123]

Thank you for all your comments. The 'don't want to be in a job with computers' really comes from her experience at the architects when she was on work experience. All the architects sat in silence in front of their computer screens designing things. They were really good with her, explained what they were doing and let her have a go. However, she likes the more traditional creativity with a pencil and paper... She realises that all jobs have some computer interaction, but it is the day in day out that she wants to avoid.

Some really good ideas about geography. Maybe that is the route to go, and cartography is a really interesting idea - hadn't thought of that (although we are probably back to computers). I guess that geography would leave a lot of doors open as it is a more general degree.....

[cdtaylornats]

Even if she didn't fancy studying there it might be worth looking at the Glasgow School of Arts undergraduate degrees just to get an idea.

By the time she graduates screens may well be going the way of the keyboard. If for example she was looking at game design (probably more storyboard and user interface then coding) then she might find the future of gaming is in immersive technology, if she liked music as well so much the better.

[tectonicplates]

I'd like to second looking into courses related to Geography and/or Environmental Science. GIS, and hence map-making, is a growing industry.

One thing she may be interested in doing is contributing towards OpenStreetMap - instant participation.

[howabout]

Watching with interest as I have an arty / mathsy dd. I was going to suggest Art School Engineering degree. Glasgow does one but not sure of others. The School of Art website is pretty good in terms of broad based information to get her thinking about options.

[Chillyegg]

Structural engineering

[RaisingSteam]

I decided to become an engineer rather than do pure science as I thought scientists were shut up in laboratories all day which is probably a bit misguided in hindsight! I think nearly all design jobs involve a fair amount of computer work even on top of the emails/reports/spreadsheets that practically all jobs have now.

Is she an extrovert/sociable person? Various surveying type jobs get you outside but can be a bit solitary.

Personally I think GIS/cartography has a great future. We have a young GIS team in our company and none of them are sad nerdy types.

[mater123]

She is very sociable, so a lonely job probably does not work.

Just had a look at the Glasgow Art School degree, looks great - but Glasgow is a long way from us. Looks like there is something similar at Brunel, so will look at that now.

GIS is also an interesting idea - seems most courses are postgrad. However, maybe that is best - do a more general undergrad degree and then specialise.