For those a couple of years in: what do you wish you'd studied instead?

[Prunnhilda]

I am in the position where I HAVE TO make a choice about my future, I can't languish as a SAHM any more.

The trouble is that I don't have a focus. I already have a language-based degree and I've worked with that in teaching. I don't want to go back to my old job and I don't see myself as a teacher in future (otherwise it would be fairly easy to get back into).

I'm interested in all sorts (it's a curse!) in both sciences and social sciences. Ultimately it comes down to what sort of fairly interesting job I can get at the end of a course of study. I'm thinking of OU.

I realise that it's very personal, but I wanted to ask: which courses or degrees do you, as students now, wish you'd started, as you can see good prospects at the end of them? (If you're knocking 40, I'd be even more interested in your answer!) Or are you on a course that you're really enjoying and know it's going to pay dividends (metaphorically) in your future?

My answer is kind of irrelevant to you as I am doing my degree with the aim of becoming a teacher . I am 35 (and a half) and I am doing English Lit, I would like to teach English. I am at uni full time. I love every second of every day. I am so glad that my life has mapped out this way and I am studying now. I work evenings and have three kids, but I am managing fine.

Good luck with choosing.

Enjoy it!

I'm doing my 4th OU course with no real objective in mind so I'm possibly not best placed to answer you. Buuuuuuut, if I knew then what I know now etc, I would have worked to get a foreign language degree and become a translator. I doubt it's well-paid and it may be that that's what you're already qualified as so my advice is useless.

I would advise just diving into a course that you just fancy with no real objective yet. Depending on how you find it may dictate what you want to do next. I did once do an OU course that I wasn't interested in (not so long story) and it was a complete waste of time and money. I did pass but it was pointless. So just pick a subject you are really interested in (useful advice!) and take it from there. YOu can always change course a long the way

Weeelll, I did Psychology straight from school. I did it because I was good at it at school, and didn't really give it a great deal of thought. Hated it. Was absolutely miserable, and ended up dropping out. Twice... never finished it...
So, now about to finish my first year of an Earth Science degree, and I absolutely LOVE it. My one regret is that I didn't do this/ geology the first time round. No matter, am doing it now, and hope to be able to make a career change out of it once I'm done :)

Hmmm .... I went to Uni to study maths straight from college but had to withdraw for family reasons. Ten years later I started a History degree with the OU and am now 3 months away from graduating, BUT.... I am then going to do a Subject Knowledge Enhancement so that I can do a PGCE in Secondary Maths. So, in answer to your question, I wish more than anything that I had done a Maths degree - either 13 years ago when I started it, or 3 years ago when I started my History degree. Oh well!!!

i recommend booking an apointment at the job centre with one of those 'back to work' folk who specialise in returners, esp women.

if you are lucky, you will get one like i did, who essentially let me ramble on for hours, asked a couple of pertinent questions, and then let me ramble on some more. just having the opportunity to focus on myself and what i wanted to was very beneficial (even though i didn't know what it was). sort of gave me permission to do a bit navel-gazing, instead of running abround after kids/ always putting everyone else first and fussing about me in the background.

holding my hands up though - i didn't hold out much hope - i thought it would be a waste of time, with bone questions about childcare. in the event she was really very sensible and just gave me the time to go on (and on) and sort out a few things in my head so that i could steer in the right direction with study.

if it helps - i started on a ba (qts) degree - hated every minute of it and dropped out - totally wrong ethos. went off and joined the military (bit drastic i know) - then started an english and busines studies degree (don't ask), but despite heading for a first the bs made me want to pull my own tonsils out, so i dropped the bs and finished it as an eng lit instead. had lots of babies and worked a bit more p/t as and when.

then went to see the job centre.

now doing msc social research.

i don't think anything is straightforward tbh - we all change so much over time and life experiences etc... whatever floats your boat at a particular time is fine.

i think i've found the right thing now - always concerned that i've left it too late (am 40 eek) but still have a long trek to get where i want.