Which of these four subjects at A level?

[ThinkingAgainAndAgain]

DS has just finished y11, awaiting GCSE results. He’s always planned to do A levels, never contemplated a different path, hoping to stay in at his current school subject to getting the grade requirements (quite an academic independent).

He is not interested in sciences or creative subjects, likes the humanities.

He did English Lang, English Lit, Maths, Spanish, triple science, history, geography and classics at GCSE. On track to achieve results were History (9), English Language, Spanish, physics, maths, English literature (all 8s), chemistry, biology geography and classics (all 7s). Obviously nobody knows whether he will get these grades.

He is toying between Economics, Politics, history and geography. History is nailed in as he loves it. Unsure which two of Geography, politics and economics. He is interested in politics but I’ve said that doesn’t mean he has to study it for A level. Ditto economics. He loves Geography but it isn’t one of his strongest GCSE subjects. He reads, but not a huge amount outside of his subjects, which rules out English Lit. He isn’t confident enough in his ability do Spanish. His classics GCSE went badly and he now just wants to leave it behind (plus it’s not offered at his current school at A level).

Any thoughts?

Just piping in to say schools don't have to choose the coursework option. Dd did Igcse but no coursework

If he likes modern history then he may love politics. Mine did History Politics and Religious studies. Lots of overlap history and politics.

Yeah for IGCSE English lit and lang you can either do the second paper as an exam or as coursework.

I'd say History because he loves it, Geography because he also loves it and then economics if he's considering a joint honours in it. He can then do something to do with politics for his EPQ if he wants that is perhaps also relevant to modern history if that's his thing.

Really appreciate all your thoughts, thank you. He and I have talked it through a lot and he’s still nowhere near making a decision!

Neither of us had considered him doing economics (thus leaving it open for a joint honours degree), history and geography and then something politics related for EPQ as he could do politics at degree level without having done A level. So that’s been particularly eye opening. Thank you.

I should have responded on the Psychology suggestion - he isn’t keen.

Be aware @ThinkingAgainAndAgain that some unis ask for maths A level to study economics at uni. By no means all tho, and less so when it's a BA (with politics for example). Not sure that any ask for economics A level tho obviously it's a help, not least to see if you enjoy it.

Thank you. He says he wouldn’t want to do straight economics, it would always be joint honours (if he were to do economics at university). So I think not doing maths A level would probably be ok for him.

Yeps for sure but just check out unis is all. I just looked at Leeds (admittedly for BSc econ and politics rather than BA) and they ask for maths. Plenty don't tho.

It may be the case that the economics courses that require maths are mostly also wanting high grades, and from what the OP has said, that might be hard for her DS to achieve - he's not confident of an 8 and 'finds it very difficult. ' already.

Be aware that economics A level is also quite mathsy. We pushed DS1 to do economics A level since I loved it (30 years ago) and thought he would too but I hadn't appreciated how much the curriculum has shifted towards the maths side and also hadn't appreciated that most of those doing economics will probably be doing maths A Level. DS1 struggled towards the bottom of the group and was one of the only ones not doing maths A Level (because most want to keep their options open for an economics degree which general requires maths A Level).

Also keep in mind that if he is talking about doing a joint honours with economics, most if not all of his modules at university are likely to be with those doing pure economics. The same applies. If he is in with lots of kids who have done maths A Level he may find himself towards the bottom of any group.

Finally, bear in mind that economics is one of the most competitive degree courses at the moment.

An EPQ plus History coursework would be hard going. I certainly wouldn't recommend History, English Lit and an EPQ. That would take up a significant number of hours and all of the deadlines are likely to fall at the same time and clash with revision for mock exams (depending on the exam board).

My dd who did an Economics A level (without Maths A level) did go onto a finance based degree and then career. She never found any of the maths part too challenging and got an A (not A star ) at GCSE. She always enjoyed maths though and probably didn't get A star at GCSE as she did very little beyond going to lessons at GCSE.

However I do know one of her friends dropped all Economics modules, as she struggled with this part of her degree without A level maths despite a A star in A level Economics.
Economics is basically applied maths at degree, so if he doesn't enjoy maths, then a joint honours degree may not suit him. A level is much more essay based with some maths.
Look at say Politics and Economics BA at Nottingham to get an idea of joint degrees.
Also look at Geography degrees with his skill set and interests, as human geography may suit him. He may be interested to read Peter Frankopan's book which looks at History through a geography lens.
Do whatever plays to his strengths and he has capability to get A/A star in a A level. If he is interested in Politics and reads lots about it then the A level in this would be a good fit.
Search online at different Uni courses -then look at modules and what would he be interested to do; work back to required A levels.

Good post @dronesonandonandon I tried to check the A level requirements for econ and pol BA at Nottingham and couldn't find it! Uni websites are often pants.

@ThinkingAgainAndAgain Just because it’s joint honours it doesn’t mean they won’t want maths. The core of the economics degree will have maths in it. Without maths he is limiting where he can study and it’s a very popular subject. I’d probably swerve Economics without maths.

History and Politics is a good start. My DD found politics dry. It’s absolutely not debating! It’s far more about political systems and mechanisms. Personally I would put English Lit with these two. Limit to one new subject. For great advice on choosing A levels, look at Cambridge University's “How to choose A level subjects”. I realise Cambridge might not be on his radar, but it’s great advice!

From everything you've said it seems History, Geography and Politics is the better combo.