Choosing a course

From someone who, in all transparency, flipped a coin to make her choice, it can be a challenging decision. With the weight of being concerned about the paths that your degree can take you on, the pressure is high but the best thing that you can do while making this decision is to be informed. These points will help point you in the right direction for making your choice.

Looking at modules 

Before anything, it is important to enjoy and be curious about the content you will learn daily. This is what you will be learning for at least three years, so make sure that you’re interested. You can look at the course overview on the university website and see the module options available for each year what kind of content the module covers and its structure (such as lectures and seminars), this is a great insight into what you will be doing.

Methods of assessments 

Next, consider the methods of assessment. Is the course assessed with exams, essays or presentations? How do you feel about each method of assessment? For example, I struggle with exams so tried to pick a course that is more coursework-heavy, though it is still likely that you may have to take an exam at some point.

Think about the potential for studying abroad or taking a year in industry 

For some students, this is a big advantage to coming to univeristy. Are you one of them? If you are, it’s important to consider the options available to you at each university and each course. You will need to consider if it is financially realistic, if studying abroad fits into the course structure and if you are actually interested in the locations available to you.

At Cardiff, you can find more information on options and funding at Global Opportunities.

Research the lecturers

A good indicator if a course is right for you is to research some of the faculty. Have a look at their research and consider if it interests you. An interest in your lecture’s work is a really handy way to know if the modules that they teach will interest you and keep you inspired.

Considering future prospects

A final thing to consider before choosing your course is the future prospects that are available to you. You can look at the Careers section on your course of interest’s information page or search up your subject on the Prospects website for more information on where it could take you. While this doesn’t define your entire future career, it is a good indicator of where the course could take you.

Choosing a course is inevitably a challenging decision, but these tips can help point you in the right direction – the most essential tip is to focus on your interests and the direction that the knowledge from your degree may eventually point you in, though there is always room for redirection.