Choosing a Course

So, the UCAS deadline is fast approaching. You know the benefits of a university education, but you just can't decide what to do. After all, there are tens of thousands of courses (which is liberating if a little scary). Now is a good time to remember that you're no longer going to be tied to the school or college curriculum and to realise that there is a huge variety of subjects out there for you to choose from.

Maybe you're passionate about your A-level art course and are determined to carry it on to university. There are currently more than 3,000 different art courses alone, so there are ways of doing art that you probably haven't even imagined yet.

On the other hand, maybe you're tempted by the thought of something completely different? Even if you opt for something relatively obscure, such as a course in Korean, there are more than 20 courses available. If you want to be seriously obscure why not try Akkadian (an ancient Language and Empire), for which there were only two courses available.

The other thing to remember is that even degrees with the same name can be radically different at different institutions - from the syllabus and teaching style to the balance of exams and continuous assessment. The tens of thousands of courses are starting to look like an underestimate.

At this point a pin and a long list is not going to get you very far and you will have to do some research into the courses, and how different universities and colleges teach them. There are plenty of ways you can do this: read the prospectus and the student alternative guides (free from the university or from the students' union - just call or email and ask), read websites like this one or books covering the same subject, visit the university and talk to tutors and students, talk to your teachers and to your parents, check out the department on the internet. Treat all the information as you would any other sales literature (and remember that that is all it is) and be prepared to ask questions before you commit yourself.

Undoubtedly you probably want a good job after graduating and this will have an influence on your choice of institution. Check the employment rates for the graduates for a course but remember these can be misleading - the question of what sort of jobs they get is something to probe when you make contact with admissions staff or at an open day. They may well just be flipping burgers - a slight waste of three years of American studies (or maybe not if you've seen the American love of burgers first hand!). So, once again, beware the sales talk - and remember that doing a law degree isn't necessarily the best way into a big city law firm (they might prefer someone who had studied Akkadian and then done legal training). And remember trendy courses such as media studies and communication do not guarantee you a job on a national newspaper or at Sky TV.

As you won't really know how a course will work out until you get there, it is always good to remember that you can usually switch if it comes to that. It's obviously easier to switch to a subject like English (where at least you have the basics) rather than something like maths or engineering, which require more specific A-levels, but the shortage of candidates in some science subjects means universities are often keen to help you do it.

At Scottish universities the first one or two years are designed to be general before specialising for the next two. This is a chance to try out different subjects - but don't experiment too wildly or you end up with a daft pick and mix bag that doesn't lead anywhere.

So does it matter what course you choose? Yes. No matter how little time you intend spending in the library or the lecture room, and all the boasts you hear about dossing around, there is no getting away from academic work at university. If you hate what you're studying, you'll do badly and you won't enjoy the fun bits.