Degrees which are in demand, good graduate schemes etc.

[jennylamb1]

Wondering which university degrees lead into good careers. My son is keen on history and geography, however is also getting good reports for science, although he is not super keen on maths. We have been encouraged to look at 6th form colleges options as part of supporting him in choosing his GCSEs. A local 6th form college strongly recommends taking A level maths if choosing a physics A level which I'm not sure he'll enjoy. He loves history but apart from generic 'any degree' graduate schemes it doesn't seem to lead him directly into a job. Given the cost of going through university we are keen to know a bit more about potential post-graduation destinations.

Thank you, yes, understand that history at Southampton is competitive, it is one of his special interests so hopefully that will stand him in good stead. We are in a low socio-economic demographic so perhaps there will be the option of a contextual offer.

Writing as a STEM academic I think there is no doubt that AI will change the landscape of these fields, at least at the BSc level. However I am not aware of realistic predictions that jobs will be replaced, rather than re-imagined, within the next 10-15 years.

I fully accept that today’s students have a longer timeline. I am being conservative. Thus far those who have been willing to keep up with technological developments have landed on their feet. AI has some unique challenged but I suspect the same will be said.

I meant to add that the Institute for Fiscal Studies did an in depth analysis of which degrees get the best return. It’s medicine. Other degrees have varying returns and some none at all. University attended matters. Earnings vary a great deal for the same degree. It’s worth a read. Clearly historic data and not looking into the future.

Did this analysis factor in socio-economic class?

e.g. maybe arts degrees at Bristol appear to get great "returns" but actually it's because they're stuffed with public school kids who will be fine regardless.

@MarshaMarshaMarshmellow Personly I think that’s grossly unfair regarding Bristol. You are right. Art doesn’t pay. Not sure it’s offered at Bristol though. However I’m glad people still want to do arts degrees that give pleasure such as drama, music etc. I don’t think the research was biased towards or against any class.Plus for the op, I would suggest it’s besides the point. Some degrees don’t get great returns for anyone much who does them. It’s not a bad idea to know that and not worry about other people. You cannot affect what they learn or earn.

Hey, I made no comment whatsoever about whether or not people should study the arts.

I said the arts at Bristol are known for being full of public school kids, and they are. I didn't say that was necessarily a bad thing, either.

My comment was purely about causation vs correlation. If (for example) this analysis showed that the average Eng Lit grad from Bristol walked into a £75k/yr job, then I would want to know which other factors were considered before using those stats to suggest Eng Lit at Bristol as a route to riches for the average kid.

I'm not sure how you projected so much onto my short and straightforward post.

My son’s friend went to Southampton and did a philosophy degree.
He now works in HR in a bank in the City after completing a grad scheme.
I think the Uni offer was ABB.

@MarshaMarshaMarshmellow As Bristol has very generous offers for disadvantaged students, please give data that backs up what you say. Why Bristol? What about Exeter, Oxbridge and St Andrews?

As I said: it really doesn’t give that detail. It gives examples of some degrees and the return degree holders might expect. Maybe try reading it? It’s easy to find.

i would not suggest English lit is a route to riches for the majority but of course the talented do well. Christopher Nolan has a degree in English lit. Like many degrees, uni matters. So any aspiring student should consider uni very carefully. Economics at LSE and medicine anywhere are the best bets. Followed by Maths. Doing some subjects is a greater risk for job outcomes than others. It’s obvious really but if you read it, it will make sense. Plus anyone who wants to apply for higher paying careers where an English lit degree is welcome can do so.

Medicine? Pays well in the UK?

With geography and his interests in environment/ climate change and designing villages, a degree in landscape architecture/ landscape planning/ urban design/ town planning or environmental science would be a good fit (Southampton has excellent environmental degrees - a lot of the best graduates I’ve hired in recent years as environmental consultants have come from there)

Technology jobs are some of the most sought after and well paid in the country. Advances in AI will only fuel the need for skilled professionals. There is such a skills shortage that there are government funded degree programmes for those looking to work in related fields. As a young person, there has never been a better time to equip yourself with "computer skills"

All Medics can get a job. The IFS compared all degrees and returns. It’s fairly clear why medicine comes out top. Before people make ill informed comments, read the research. If you study law, there’s a smaller chance of getting a job that earns well over the years. So law is not the best returning degree. That’s what the research is about. It’s the return on the degree. I suggest everyone reads it.

And if you are talking about degrees in demand: medicine clearly is. By the vast number of applicants and 100% employment.

"Why Bristol?" - because it was the first example I thought of. Could just as well have said St Andrews etc.

My "data" - I encounter a lot of posh people who did arts at Bristol and it has that reputation 🤣 That's literally it, it was an hypothetical example rooted in anecdote, which was how I presented it and I'm not sure how you managed to read it as anything else.

If Bristol or anywhere else is making "generous" (financial?) offers to disadvantaged students then great, that's useful for parents to know, although it doesn't really address the OP's question about graduate prospects.

I'm not going to read the report because I'm not that bothered. I asked a really simple and constructive question about disaggregation as part of the conversation here, in the vein of trying to help the OP. If you don't have an answer then I'm not personally interested in spending my day getting to the bottom of it. Maybe the OP is. Let's leave it there, because frankly I'm annoyed to have all these words put into my mouth when it doesn't sound like we are even in disagreement.

They give contextual offers as you surely know and unis give bursaries. If you are not bothered enough to read the data the IFS gathered, it’s rather poor that you comment on it without any data of your own. We can all fire off a bit of hearsay.

I do agree that degree isn’t everything. Trying to get relevant experience, confidence and demonstrating a work ethic counts for a lot.

I asked the question. You read it and you brought it up, you can answer the question or not!

I think you need to separate what you actually know about me (MN user, asked factual question about whether your report disaggregated the data) from the detailed picture you seem to have built up with assumptions about my background, prior knowledge and motivations. I am guessing (though won't assume) that you possibly work in higher education, as you have come across as pretty defensive here. I don't - so no, I'm not bothered enough to conduct research on the topic - my job is something completely different and that will be my focus for the rest of the day.

Nice we have some common ground about the importance of factors outside the degree.

No. Don’t work in HE. It’s just if there is decent research that’s easy to find and wax widely reported , it’s reasonable to quote it. I don’t see anecdotes based on class in society as particularly helpful. It’s important that all talented dc have access to the best unis. After that, they can build up their own cv but they should look at data if they want a degree that’s “in demand” as the OP asked. This research gives a great steer about what’s in demand and what isn’t.

Just to go back to OP's original queries, you absolutely can get into planning from a geography degree at Southampton, albeit you might need further qualifications specifically in planning. DH's best friend has done precisely that and has an interesting career as head of global research for an international development company. Has worked all over the world and earns a packet - he does have a PhD (also from Southampton) though.

Housing (and retail, offices, etc) is designed by architects, as but it isn't always planned by them, if by planning you mean looking at the wider picture such as location, amenities, infrastructure, environmental issues, and so on.

That’s very usual and interesting info @thing47 , I’m not the OP obviously but it’s pertinent for my DC2 so thank you.

@MarshaMarshaMarshmellow your Q was totally relevant and well-asked.

Usual? Gah typo. Useful!

To be a chartered planner you do extra qualifications post degree. Planning degrees used to give exemptions. Not sure about now. Planners can work for housing developers. We know planners who have gone into land purchase for developers and some work as commercial planners for estate agents.

@WriterOfWrongs Just love the input!

I did a geography degree many years ago and ended up in the planning department of a local Council. They gave me day release to complete a 3 part time post grad qualification in planning. I then had to complete the requirements to gain entry into the RTPI to become chartered. If it's something you are interested in have a look at the RTPI website for up-to-date details on how to qualify and what sort of jobs are available.
I loved my job.
Many planners have geography degrees.

@TizerorFizz thank you!

I don’t mean to be unkind but this sentiment is extremely misguided.

You need people who can research, code up, implement, test, improve on whatever AI algorithm you’re using. AI is not going to fix all problems and you need smart people with the appropriate level of basic science knowledge to understand how to use it.

Frankly if you can’t explain what a determinant or a dot product or a gradient is, you have no business talking about what might happen with AI. We need more people with hard quantitative skills, not fewer.

Not sure how planning can be AI. There’s a shortage of planners.