Considering (another) degree

[ProudPearlClutcher]

Options:

1. BA in English
2. BA in English & Theology, (I would love to do this, but wonder how useful it would be)
3. BA in English & Computing, (more useful than the above^^)?

With a view to eventually becoming a teacher. I think secondary would be my preference, but I wouldn’t rule out primary either.

PS: I initially wrote a really detailed post, but think that this^^ covers it pretty well! Sorry, if it comes across as brusque.

What’s your first degree in?

If you really want to do English and Theology, I’d do that.

According to UCAS, only Glasgow and Bath Spa do Computing and English. It's a very odd combination!

Bath Spa campus is lovely though, and they’ve got a great PGCE course.

2 would mean you could teach a couple of subjects. 3 seems like a contradiction - technical subject plus non technical? Imo the computing you'd learn would probably be very basic. If you want to teach primary I'd go straight for a degree in primary education as it's probably more desirable and easier to get onto than a primary PGCE. Also check out job opportunities - there's no shortage of English teachers and it's a lot of money to fork out if you won't get a job, especially because if you already have a degree you'll be paying in cash as you won't be eligible for another student loan.

Yes, Bath Spa is great - as is Glasgow - but it depends if the OP can move there!

My first degree was in Politics and a modern language. I’ve looked into teaching languages, but most courses require a much better level of spoken and written language than I have, or ever had really, plus usually a third language if I want to teach secondary. French on its own for example, wouldn’t get me into a lot of PGCE courses for secondary teaching. Anyway, my language skills aren’t very good, (and never really were by degree level standards), so I wouldn’t fancy my chances as a language teacher.

What is it that attracts you to both Computing and English Lit? Could you see yourself working in computing later on?

Oh I wish I was considering bath! Totally outing myself here (will have to name change after this), but my first degree was at the other university in Bath!

I’m actually looking at distance learning for this one as I have very young dcs.

@mybrilliant

In work, I really enjoyed, (very basic), IT. I’ve worked in admin since I graduated and was always the admin who ‘fixed’ various bits of IT equipment when we couldn’t get hold of any of the IT Team and set up IT for meetings etc.

I guess I’m slightly hedging my bets there, as think it could be a useful subject for lots of jobs, if teaching doesn’t happen for some reason.

If I did end up teaching, I’d love to be able to teach English and RS / RE.

Have you tried teaching in either secondary or primary? Would your original degree meet the criteria for primary? It might be worth deciding whether teaching is for you before embarking on another degree and then a PGCE.

If you want to teach English and RE, then English and Theology would make the most sense.

I think you could do primary without another degree - which maybe an option rather than commit to the £££ and the years of another degree but if you really want to do secondary English then yes - another degree.

You could also take advice from a single university on whether they would accept a masters in English Literature? Might be cheaper and quicker (Edinburgh don't accept this, Cumbria do for example).

What did you get in your first degree? Classification wise? Could you get on something like Teach First?

Have you spent time in a classroom? I thought I wanted to be a teacher, I did my PGCE and hated every minute of it.

Hmmmm it’s a good point re classroom experience.

I have taught English as a foreign language as a volunteer, but have no experience of teaching in a school except a few days work experiences when I was 17!

Oh and sadly I wouldn’t qualify for Teach First I don’t think as I got a 2:2. I should have done better tbh, but I stacked off a lot in my first two years. I improved massively in final year, but couldn’t claw back the marks to make up for year two. I’d have needed something like 80% average in final year to get a 2:1 overall .

I have taught English as a foreign language as a volunteer, but have no experience of teaching in a school except a few days work experiences when I was 17!

It could be quite an eye opener...

Practically, you would need recent work experience to get on any teaching course so it’s good to do anyway.

Computing isn't using IT and fixing IT equipment. It's focused around software development that needs a particular mind set and interest level. You also don't need it to get a programming job (a maths degree and a proven interest in developing your own code would be better). I'd make sure that the course is actually what you want before you go down the route of spending 3 years on it.

If you already have a degree, are you aware that you are unlikely to get a student loan to study those courses? Are you able to self fund?

Agree about funding. If you went straight to a masters you can get funding as Im looking at this at the moment.

Yes you definitely wouldn’t get funding for a thre year degree if you already possess a degree qualification.

Why aim for another first degree when you already have one? If you decided on an MA you would almost certainly qualify for a Government Postgraduate Loan to cover the fees.

The grade of your first degree may be less relevant if you have relevant intervening work or experience.

And do the thing you’d like to do! We only pass this way once ...

OP could get funding for a three year degree if it's in a STEM subject and part-time (all distance learning courses are part-time), even if she has a degree already. So the English & Computing degree might qualify. Here are the courses offered by the OU which qualify.

Would masters not be better then do pgce

I was in this exact position four years ago! I have just finished my English Literature degree and am currently looking at jobs. I originally wanted to do English and Theology but didn't like the look of any of the unis that offered it, and worried that it would leave me with less prospects than a single subject degree. It seems that the only jobs available for English degrees are teaching or general graduate schemes, everything else requires experience as well, and I really don't think it would have hindered me to do a joint degree, in hindsight. I'd honestly go for English and Theology, as the diversity will be an asset in teaching and not make a difference anywhere else really. And it will be SO interesting! YOLO as they say

Have you looked at PGCE courses? I would have thought that with Politics you would stand a reasonable chance of getting onto a History course if that would interest you. You could of course teach Government and Politics, but opportunities are fewer in that area. I know lots of people who did a PGCE in something that wasn't their degree subject exactly.

Alternatively, if you definitely want to teach English rather than than something related to your first degree, then I would do that with whatever interests you. If you are looking at teaching, I don't think Computer Science is necessarily better than Theology if that's what you would prefer to teach, but I would definitely take the advice to try and get some classroom observation/experience done before you start committing to that route.

I would be self funding.

I wouldn’t rule out a masters, but if I’m honest, the thing I found most interesting at university was the cultural side of my language, (mainly taught in English). So, I could maybe do a masters in something related to that. Not sure it would stand me in good stead for a teaching job though as my written and spoken language would still be pants.

That’s interesting re the possibility of doing a pgce in history with a politics degree.

I’ve never written my own code or anything like it! But, I just keep hearing how important skills like coding and programming are going to be in the job market, so I just wondered if it might be useful in a school or elsewhere. Interesting to read that a mathematics degree would be more useful for a programming job though. I didn’t carry on with maths after gcse though, so perhaps computing wouldn’t be for me anyway...

For becoming a teacher, I really wouldn't bother with computing. English and Theology would give you lots of options.