Switching Degrees At Uni

It’s completely normal to feel uncertain when you start your degree. The feeling of doubt and panic about the standard required at uni is something many students will be familiar with. If you’re also doubting your choice of subject, this can make things even harder.

Once freshers week fun is done and you start attending lectures, you’ll know for sure if it’s the right course for you. If you’re really not feeling it, you need to move fast. The sooner you get things into motion to switch courses, the better.

It’s important that you’re aware of all your options and of any potential issues that may arise. Here are a few things to consider when making the choice to change your course, which will hopefully help you to make an informed decision.

Pros and cons

Make a list of the pros and cons for each course. Take into account what you like and dislike about each course, compare the employability rates of both industries and talk this through with a tutor, your friends or a family member. . Although everyone will have their own opinion it will be good to hear what other people’s thoughts are.

Gain some insight

To avoid making the same mistake twice, try to attend some lectures on the course you want to move to. Talk to students who are on the course to get a better idea of what it’s like. This will definitely give you the confidence that you’re either making the right choice or the wrong one. If you can take a look at the modules and any assignment titles that would be helpful too.

Student finance

If you miss too many weeks of teaching on the new course, you’ll have to wait until the start of the new academic year to start your new course. This means you’ll need to reapply for student finance and you’ll have to repay the loan for the course you left.

Not guaranteed

Remember, there is no guarantee that your university will actually allow you to switch your course. It will depend on various factors including, whether the course is already full and whether you meet the entry requirements. Worst comes to worst you could be looking at reapplying for the following academic year.

It’s the course and the uni

In some cases, students decide to not only switch their course but also the uni itself. This will require you to reapply for the following year. If this is what you want to do then go for it – but you should be even more meticulous in choosing your new uni than you were first time round. It’s important you don’t cause more disruption than necessary to your studies so do your research.

Bear in mind that simply not attending your current course won’t mean you’ll be automatically taken off the course. Let your tutors know if you leave as non-attendance can affect your student finance, references and qualifications in future.

Don’t lose heart if your degree isn’t going to plan and you’re not enjoying it. Choosing a course is a big commitment and it’s understandable if you change your mind. You have the option there to switch your course and although this could set you back a year, at least you’ll be happy – the most important thing of all!

Inspiring Interns is a graduate recruitment agency. To browse graduate jobs, visit their site.