Degree ideas for DD please…

[MonkeyTennis34]

DD Y12 is doing Sport, Psychology and Biology.
She really isn’t sure what she wants to do like so many youngsters.
She doesn’t want to do a straight Psychology degree..that’s all I know.
We looked into Sports Psychology and found that the job opportunities were very patchy.
She’s happy to do a gap year and travel but would like to secure a uni place first.

I think quite a few health courses like you to have Chemistry A level. Or at least 2nd science (Physics or Chemistry) or Maths.

Is it that she isn't keen on doing so much psychology or that she wants to do it but it feels too narrow/not enough? Does she feel uninspired or does she love learned and hates narrowing it down?

If the former, she should wait until she finds something she really wants to do.

If the latter, she could take psychology, the Bsc rather than BA path, including electives from biology, such as anatomy. Try to get a sports type job on the side, such as teaching kids to swim/lifeguard.

Then she has post grad options of physiotherapy, PE teacher, lots of health jobs... Her options are still wide open.

Nutrition

My initial thought was physiotherapy. And all the physiotherapists I know love their jobs!

But I agree, she doesn’t have to rush into uni. I didn’t go to uni as didn’t have a clue what to study, and so far so good, I have a fabulous life (aged 35)!

In general, I totally agree. This is not true of sports-related careers however, they are massively, massively expanding. The proviso is that after you have done a general sports science or sports management degree, you have to choose what area to specialise in, then do a further year. But of course by then you have done 3 years of sports study so are much more likely to have an idea what interests you the most.

Nutrition - plenty of demand

User research as a job is well paid and interesting. Lots of opportunities in digital and government. Psychology or anthropology are routes in. But there are also apprenticeships and very practical routes in.

nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/user-researcher

Something health sciences related as others have suggested - paramedic? Nutrition? Radiographer?

Physiotherapy (my DD did this and walked straight into a job after degree), Podiatrist (just using one at the moment who seems to be very busy and is emptying my bank account I found it fascinating when you get into the biomechanics of walking), Radiology Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition, Chiropractors
To be honest the grad market is dire at the moment I would definately be looking at an obvious career progression from the degree if possible

What is she interested in? What kind of careers has she considered? My DD is doing the same subjects and is considering medicine, physiotherapy, midwifery. She had been thinking sport and exercise science and I think she would have really enjoyed it but the career pathways were less clear.

If she doesn’t know then I would say… don’t go. She should get some work behind her instead of an apprenticeship. Then if she decides later she can use her student funding years to go. Instead of doing a degree she doesn’t use or dropping out and needing to self fund a degree she may eventually want.

but if she likes sport and biology then what about physiotherapy? Lots of work NHS and private. My physio charges me £80 an hour!

Wow!
Thank you all for these suggestions and your advice.
There are some degree/job roles that we hadn’t considered so lots to sit down and research.
💐

Sports Science - HESA stats 2023 show 49% in grad level work after 15 months. There might be jobs for those with post grad qualifications but huge numbers don’t get grad level work. Obviously the numbers for, eg nursing, are way above this. It’s like very many degrees, great for the top few and scraping a living for very many with insecure employment.

I mentioned OT above, there is definitely a role for OTs in sports

https://www.sportforconfidence.com/about-us/what-is-occupational-therapy/

My DD is a Paediatric OT , studied at Cardiff and really loves her role .
edited to ad
There is a current shortage of OTs and DD has had no problems getting work. There are also a lot of rotational jobs to learn different aspects of the role.

Has she considered the armed forces and joining as an officer? Also the gov website gives lots of degree apprenticeship ideas for things like the police. She could be earning and learning. After 3 years as an officer in the RAF/Navy she would be on 51k. Some of the police apprenticeships start on 30k plus. How about the fire service or a dental hygienist?

Or paramedic science.

The young people I know who have gone into the Army for officer training have done a degree first. They won’t get £51,000 at 21.

Look at Liberal Arts at Nottingham in particular.