To do a degree I love instead of a degree with the best career prospects?

[SaltAndPepperKingPrawns]

Posting here for traffic.

I'm 26 and have two children. I have a place to do Social Work at a good university. This has been two years in the pipeline as I had to defer to have my second child.

As the start date draws ever closer, I keep feeling that social work isn't right for me. The worry, the responsibility, the low pay etc. Although everyone I have spoken to says I would make a good social worker.

I originally wanted to do Sociology. I am also interested in Criminology, Gender and Women's Studies and Religious Studies. I was advised against doing these courses by my college course tutor as they are not professional degrees, and I may struggle getting a job afterwards. Opposed to social work, where I will be a qualified professional. I also worry that some of the other courses are 'weak' degrees, and not worth the money in terms of a future career.

But I don't want to be a social worker.

I approached my tutor again recently who told me again to stick with it, and that even if I didn't want to be a social worker, doing the degree is much better and opens more doors than the other courses. Others who I have spoken to (family and friends) say that it is madness to spend 27k on a degree that I'm not fully sure on.

Another thing that concerns me is my criminal record. I have two cautions for assault occasioning abh from 11 years ago, when I was 15. The uni obviously consider me still suitable as it has been declared, and I had to attend an additional interview to discuss this. This was a very difficult period for me, and one that I am truly ashamed of, and the thought of this hanging over me my whole professional career worries me. Obviously in a career like social work, this would have to be discussed and could possibly hold me back every time I change jobs.

I am very academic, enjoy being in education. But I have no real idea what I want to actually do with my life. I am having a real crisis, and it's got to the point where I lie awake thinking about it all night.

It is possible to change my course, but I would need to decide asap as I am due to start in a few weeks.

Any help/insights/experience would be massively appreciated!

[SaltAndPepperKingPrawns]

The university is rated 9th in sociology (and overall) in the country. That's all I can seem to find.

[MagnumPremiumLemon]

I have a criminology degree.

I chose the degree I loved instead of the carer degree. I don't regret it whatsoever.

I finished just as I got pregnant with my second child, a long, stressful and complicated few years followed but it was through this that I discovered that what I'd be really good at is being a paediatric nurse.

I'm applying now (I applied last year, but didn't get in by a hair!). If it wasn't for my degree (I have no A levels) I wouldn't be able to apply for the second degree.

And the NHS funds nursing degrees.

Don't choose social work.

[simplysarcastic]

I went to university and studied maths, i wanted to study textile art but every man and his dog advised me that it would be near on impossible to get a job in that field.

I bitterly regret my choice and it makes me incredibly sad, even now.

Do something you will love doing in the future

[NapoleonsNose]

I was going to go to uni as an 18 year old to do Business Studies and French. I bailed - it really wasn't for me. Went back to uni at 38 to do History. I loved it and threw my heart and soul into my degree and got a First. Do something you'll love otherwise you will spend three years feeling resentful and probably won't enjoy it or do as well as you could.

[blueshoes]

Unless you don't plan to work, do something that has a reasonable prospect of a well-paying job at the end of it. Don't do social work if you hate it but equally don't do something else which is useless except that you find it interesting. Isn't there some other course which is a middle ground?

Once you are a parent, your time is precious and unless you are being supported not to work, don't fart around spending time and money on something that is not going to pay off. That to me is stealing significant time and resources from your family for little payback. Have as many hobbies as you like, but choose wisely in terms of your future career.

[Leeeza]

First time poster - I would say you need to go research about what you want the end goal to be re which career area you want to be in, what skills you want to use and type of environment you want to work in then work it back to what course you need to do. Surely don't want to pay for a degree that whilst interesting is going to be very difficult to lead into a career you want-maybe a more focussed career plan but can do courses of interest as leisure courses just for interests sake if you want rather than your main degree.

[SaltAndPepperKingPrawns]

There are two courses which I could combine my love of sociology with a more 'useful' subject which offers better job prospects.

Sociology and politics
Sociology and organisational studies (i.e management, structure etc)

Just concerned that I have never done either of those subjects before, so have no idea what I am letting myself in for.

If I was to pick the subjects I loved, it would be sociology and criminology but as I said, not so good job prospects.

[Breadandwine]

I must agree with those who would advise you to follow a course that interests you.

You will spend an enjoyable three years, doing something you want to do.

Versus 3 years of perhaps drudgery.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[suchafuss]

I am currently doing Sociology/Psychology degree and in the first year we did a social policy module. However i am the opposite of you, love the subjects but waiting to transfer to social work. However i have been working voluntarily with young offenders and sw is what i want to do as a result.

[OllyBJolly]

She said that she knows of lots of sociology and criminology graduates working in call centres

My daughter worked next to someone with a First in Law from a RG uni when she was in a call centre. Don't let that put you off.

If you have a passion for the subject, then do it. You'll enjoy it more, probably do better, and the one thing you hold on to is your learning.

[Skiptonlass]

Donning my flameproof cardigan...

Neither of your options is a good idea. Doing a vocational degree when you don't have the vocation is pointless. But doing something with few career prospects just because you like it is pointless too unless you also have money to burn/a career lined up already.

in an ideal world, we'd all study what we loved and enrich our minds. in that ideal world, there'd be jobs for us all, using the skills the degree provides.

We don't live in that ideal world. I'd encourage my kids to only ever take on degree debt for something they know will have good prospects (vocational stuff/medicine/engineering/apprenticeships etc.) the brutal truth is that you don't need to do a degree to get a good grasp of sociology, women's studies, how the media works etc.

But you do need a degree to do something where you're using the facilities, for example a pathology lab, or a wind tunnel.

Is the degree linked to placements? Or work experience? If it is, you're in a better position but if it isn't, don't waste your money.

[DisappointedOne]

I'm 37 and doing an open degree with the OU, studying a range of subjects that interest me personally and have business value too. I looked at doing a Law degree, but it's literally solicitor training. I don't want to be a solicitor, so it would have been a really bad (and expensive) idea to do that for the sake of it.

[bookishandblondish]

My first degree was social policy with economics. I'm now a management consultant specialising in public sector. I have never had a problem getting job interviews but did choose the research modules and always worked with orgs as part of it. I also worked in student jobs throughout.

Admittedly a long time ago, but I struggle to believe that every single sociology graduate is suffering in a call centre. Loads will be - as will graduates from other more employable areas. For what it's worth my brother did physics and ended up working full time in a pub for quite a long period of time.

Caveat - we went years ago but my company doesn't care what the degree is - we want to see evidence of work related skills.

[catfordbetty]

Why not defer for another year until you are absolutely sure of your own mind?

[Agadooo]

Totally agree with skiptonlass-sorry if that's not want you want to hear-also concerned that you said you are considering choosing a course of subjects you have no knowledge of-does your local college/unis offer evening leisure classes in areas you're considering so you could find out more?