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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Original poster

Humanities A Levels choices

34 replies

SaidTheLovecats · 20/10/2024 15:35

DD is in Year 11 and considering her A Level choices.

She is certain about History and English Lit (predicted 8/9 for both). She is considering for her third choice:

Politics
Sociology
Philosophy
Classics

Only Politics & Sociology are offered by her (good, state) school.
All four subjects are offered at a different sixth form (high performing, local).
She likes her school and I’d prefer her to stay where the staff know her and the school day is more regimented, but we have visited the other sixth form and she liked it, will no doubt know other kids there and I also felt positive about it.

She has no idea what she wants to do at university. Vague ideas about journalism or law as a career.

She ideally wants to aim for a Russell Group university, but she’s open minded. We are not pushy parents and will go with what she wants.

What are these four subjects good for in terms of entrance to different degrees? Does it matter if it’s essentially another humanities subject - are they viewed differently by universities?

OP posts:
Rollergirl11 · 20/10/2024 16:33

DD did English lit, History and Religious Studies: Philosophy & Ethics at A level. She has just gone off to Exeter to study English lit. Applied to Cambridge and rejected after interview. Had offers from Durham, Warwick and Lancaster.

She still isn’t sure what she wants to do as a job but I think her skills will be pretty transferable to lots of different industries.

I think they all sound like reasonable subject combinations with the exception of Classics which may be a bit too similar to English lit?

Blanketyre · 20/10/2024 16:30

If when you say Philosophy, you actually mean Religious Studies, then I can recommend that as a subject. All three of mine did it at A level, did very well, all at RG unis.

DGPP · 20/10/2024 16:23

I work in the media and A level choices other than English don’t matter too much, though politics would be my choice from the ones you’ve listed. It’s a really strong subject, works well with the others in her list, and will do her no harm for a career in either journalism or law.

Piggywaspushed · 20/10/2024 16:07

DS edits his student paper and that sort of thing will be essential if she wants to head that way. Most of his fellow writers study politics, history or English - but not all.

His A levels were sociology, history and economics and he now does history (he, too, failed to get through the Oxbridge interview process- Cambridge HSPS in his case - but his choice of A levels didn't hamper him).

KnittedCardi · 20/10/2024 15:58

DD did History, Eng Lit and Classical Civilisation. A History degree, offers from all unis she applied to, interview at Oxford, but no offer sadly.

Now at Oxford doing a Master's in Medieval History. Still no idea what she really wants to do!!

Piggywaspushed · 20/10/2024 15:52

Is the philosophy at the other school actual philosophy A level or RS? RS can badge itself as philosophy and ethics. I have heard that philosophy A level is very hard.

Piggywaspushed · 20/10/2024 15:51

Someone may come along to tell you unis don't value sociology. This isn't true.

BarbaraVineFan · 20/10/2024 15:50

For law or journalism, I would probably go for either politics or sociology

Piggywaspushed · 20/10/2024 15:48

Sociology complements history really well. DS argued it set him up for his history degree better than history. Politics also, of course, goes well.

If she writes well, she will do well in Sociology.

I wouldn't leave a good school with those subjects available. They are classic combinations and lead on to a variety of degrees.

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