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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

DD changed her mind about degree course to apply for - away from a useful/vocational one!

183 replies

Tortoise44 · 17/05/2023 17:21

My daughter was all set to apply to unis this autumn to study finance. We have done four uni visits already and have booked in three more (and already bought the train tickets!). She has now decided that although she wants to work in finance (probably), she would rather study languages! This is surely a very bad idea from a career perspective.

I am annoyed because she wants to look at different unis to the ones we’ve visited/booked up for so we have wasted time and money. In addition, she never reads books and I am told that languages require studying literature. A languages degree is also four years rather than three so extra funding required! All in all, she should clearly stick with finance but what do others advise? Her A-levels are Maths, Business and Spanish and she will hopefully get BBB in her mocks at least.

OP posts:
Ilikewinter · 17/05/2023 17:24

Do you know the reason for the change? I guess if you try and force her into finance and she hates it then she could just drop out .

Seeline · 17/05/2023 17:24

She needs to do the course she is passionate about.
Uni is hard - it's even harder if you don't enjoy what you are studying.
Go to a couple of open days for languages so she can find out more about the courses and let her decide.
You can probably swap your rail tickets.

CastleTower · 17/05/2023 17:25

What makes you think a languages degree is less useful than finance? Loads of businesses need people who speak other languages, not to mention it would give her the ability to work abroad.

I doubt most people working in finance have "finance" degrees tbh - it doesn't usually work that way.

Gnoblin · 17/05/2023 17:28

There is so much she could do with a degree in languages and it is a skill set in shortage.

Exasperatednow · 17/05/2023 17:28

Languages is a fantastic option. If after thst she wanted to do finance she can via a job route. I think languages are a much more attractive option for consultancies, banking or other finance routes. Most of the financial qual8fications you can do once you are in a job.

BishopRock · 17/05/2023 17:29

She should go with what she wants, it's her that's got to spend years studying it, after all.

cyclamenqueen · 17/05/2023 17:29

Finance graduates are frankly ten a penny , languages are very much valued . The best would probably be joint honours in a finance subject with a language with the year abroad which could be used to work overseas in a finance setting .

lastdayatschool · 17/05/2023 17:30

Not studying Finance won't necessarily be a barrier to having a career in Finance.

If anything, some graduate employers may actually favour those with MFL degrees, especially those who deal with European clients.

Finance can be learned on the job, as part of their role - learning a language isn't so straightforward once you're working.

TizerorFizz · 17/05/2023 17:30

There’s no reason she cannot work in a finance related area after MFL! My DD did MFL and is a barrister. She would be better advised doing 2xMFL. It also keeps her options fairly wide open. The best degrees do have a literature content. Also arts, culture, politics, etc.

Often purely vocational degrees limit students to one area of work. MFL broadens that out a lot. With a Maths A level and MFL I cannot see why she could not get a good job. A management trainee for example. A finance degree isn’t necessarily better for a business career.

It’s a bit sad that you are going on about money spent. Plus the reluctance to pay toward a 4 year degree. Sounds a bit mean. Going abroad is such an important part of a MFL degree.

What alternative universities is she looking at?

HagsGlen · 17/05/2023 17:30

Not all languages degrees are literature-heavy — I seem to remember a thread on here about which departments at which universities offered the least literature-focused MFL degrees. You can’t really be suggesting that your daughter should study finance because you’ve booked some train tickets, surely. Think how much money will be wasted if she drops out of the second year of a finance degree because that’s not what she wants to study.

TizerorFizz · 17/05/2023 17:32

@cyclamenqueen Working abroad in the 3rd year is now difficult to secure.

titchy · 17/05/2023 17:35

If the visits have meant she's changed her mind about what and/or where to study I'd say they have been an extremely worthwhile expenditure! Far better than wasting £50k on the wrong degree (and a straight Finance degree is not useful for a Finance career btw).

ldshz · 17/05/2023 17:35

I am an accountant with an accounting and finance degree and I am the only person in my team with the related degree. It won't hinder her getting a finance role (unless she wants to do a graduate scheme with one of the big four who typically would prefer a related discipline) but what it will do if she decides to do accounting is mean that to qualify she will need to do one of the professional qualifications fully from start to end with no exemptions awarded. This is a long hard slog and the correct degree can literally halve the amount of exams she needs to complete

Rainydaysgetmedown · 17/05/2023 17:37

Tortoise44 · 17/05/2023 17:21

My daughter was all set to apply to unis this autumn to study finance. We have done four uni visits already and have booked in three more (and already bought the train tickets!). She has now decided that although she wants to work in finance (probably), she would rather study languages! This is surely a very bad idea from a career perspective.

I am annoyed because she wants to look at different unis to the ones we’ve visited/booked up for so we have wasted time and money. In addition, she never reads books and I am told that languages require studying literature. A languages degree is also four years rather than three so extra funding required! All in all, she should clearly stick with finance but what do others advise? Her A-levels are Maths, Business and Spanish and she will hopefully get BBB in her mocks at least.

Eh? I would far rather my child studied languages than finance. She can do finance with any degree. As a language grad she’ll be a seriously attractive proposition and can only enhance her career prospects

TizerorFizz · 17/05/2023 17:38

@HagsGlen The reason the elite universities have core modules of literature is that it’s an academic and well trodden path to understanding the language. It’s not easy! It’s also very good for analysis of the written word and culture. Clearly it helps with language acquisition and translation. Both key skills.

Original poster
Tortoise44 · 17/05/2023 17:42

ldshz · 17/05/2023 17:35

I am an accountant with an accounting and finance degree and I am the only person in my team with the related degree. It won't hinder her getting a finance role (unless she wants to do a graduate scheme with one of the big four who typically would prefer a related discipline) but what it will do if she decides to do accounting is mean that to qualify she will need to do one of the professional qualifications fully from start to end with no exemptions awarded. This is a long hard slog and the correct degree can literally halve the amount of exams she needs to complete

Exactly. Thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
Tortoise44 · 17/05/2023 17:44

@TizerorFizz yes literature is important for languages but she definitely doesn’t want to do literature. So, by that logic, she should stick with finance surely

OP posts:
HagsGlen · 17/05/2023 17:45

TizerorFizz · 17/05/2023 17:38

@HagsGlen The reason the elite universities have core modules of literature is that it’s an academic and well trodden path to understanding the language. It’s not easy! It’s also very good for analysis of the written word and culture. Clearly it helps with language acquisition and translation. Both key skills.

Yes, my first degree was in French, and at a very literature-focused department, and my doctorate was shared supervision between MFL and English. I’m just pointing out that not all MFL departments are necessarily quite so literature-heavy. (Though so many have shut, now…)

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 17/05/2023 17:47

We'll she consider combined? I did languages and a friend did maths ans a language as a combined degree and has a very good career in finance/banking having still enjoyed doing a language, the study abroad etc.

Original poster
Tortoise44 · 17/05/2023 17:52

@OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea @cyclamenqueen your idea of joint honours is a good compromise. I will aske her when she gets back from college. I assume there are courses like that?

OP posts:
Beachhutnut · 17/05/2023 17:54

I think she's an adult or will be soon and needs to make her own mind up.

Fandabedodgy · 17/05/2023 17:54

She needs to do what she wants - not what you want.

It's her degree. Not yours.

cyclamenqueen · 17/05/2023 17:55

I am an accountant with a big four background. No more than 50% of graduate accountants have a degree in a related discipline, preferred disciplines are maths , econ, languages, philosophy, history etc . More important than degree subject is where you got it. Big 4 firms recruit from a small range of universities.

HagsGlen · 17/05/2023 17:55

Tortoise44 · 17/05/2023 17:52

@OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea @cyclamenqueen your idea of joint honours is a good compromise. I will aske her when she gets back from college. I assume there are courses like that?

UCL certainly offers a Maths and MFL BSc.

HagsGlen · 17/05/2023 17:57

Possibly Bristol, too? Or what about economics and languages?