to wonder if I should continue with a degree or not?

[extremepie]

I'm doing a course at college which is supposed to lead on to a uni course. I'm really enjoying what I'm doing and found that, apart from any future job aspects, it has really done wonders for my self esteem and mental wellbeing. I'm a carer for DS2 and I don't cope well being at home all the time at all and am worried about my future finances after DS turns 18 if I have been out of work for over a decade, hence the course and uni plans.

Obviously the long term plan after uni is that I can get a job in the field I will be studying in but that's where I run into problems :/

The uni course I want to go on is only a foundation degree so in order to do the top up year I will have to move, I live in a rural area and there are no uni's in the county than do the course I want. I'm not keen to move as I love living in this area and the kids are settled but it's the only way I will be able to get a full degree in the subject I want.

The other issue is an actual job - the job I want to get is very specialised and there are not many jobs in it in the whole of the uk let alone my area.

It's getting me down as I'm really enjoying my course and really want to go on and get a job in the field but I just think it will be very very difficult to do that living when I am :(

Do I continue with my career plans and move somewhere I really don't want to live or do I give up on the idea and try to go for something I don't like as much but is more likely to get me a job here?

Is it possible to do a foundation degree and top up with the OU?

I believe so. You can also do foundation courses with the OU.

I think if you are enjoying the science, then a degree in a Science subject will keep your options open, and also be a good foundation for many careers, should the forensic science route prove difficult. My colleagues were made redundant with the closure of the FSS, and they retrained for a different career, so it is certainly a tough gig to get.

I would urge you to get some good careers advice before you make any decisions though.

How about a psychology degree with a view to doing forensic psychology? Not the same as your preferred choice but psychology is very varied and interesting and lots of career paths, no shortage of uni's offering the degree either.

You don't need a first degree in forensic science to be a Forensic scientist. None of my colleagues who were forensic scientists had degrees in it.

Can you even be a forensic scientist with the undergrad degree? I thought straight science (Chemistry?) was preferred, but I could be wrong.

Would it be possible to do something like that?