What should I study at university?

Choosing what to study at university is a major decision, so we’ve put together some factors for you to consider when you're exploring your options.

If you’re planning to study in Scotland, you’ll be reassured to learn that our flexible four-year degree programme gives you the chance to discover what suits you best. If you start a course and realise it’s not quite the right fit for you, it’s often possible to change your focus in the early years of your degree. 

Career goals

If you have a clear career goal, such as becoming a doctor, lawyer, or teacher, your path may seem straightforward. However, even within these areas, there are choices to consider. For example, would you prefer to specialise in English or Scottish Law? Are you more interested in teaching primary or secondary-aged school pupils?  If you’re considering medicine or healthcare, perhaps there is a particular field that stands out to you.

For other fields such as accountancy and engineering, you might also want to check whether the degree you’re considering is accredited. This means that the course has been reviewed and approved by a professional body and meets specific standards. It’s important if you want to gain membership to a professional body or need a licence to practise. 

If you don’t have a specific career in mind, don’t worry! Focusing on areas that interest you or align with your skills can provide a good starting point. 

Your interests

If you’re not sure what you’d like to study, think about what interests you the most. What classes do you look forward to and do well in? If you genuinely love your subject, you’ll find it easier to stay motivated throughout your course. 

Outside of school, are there any hobbies or causes that you are passionate about?  For example, if you are interested in the environment, you might enjoy an environmental sustainability course, and if you are fascinated by human behaviour, psychology might be right up your street.  

Don’t feel you need to limit your options to subjects you’ve studied before.  Many university-level courses don’t map directly to a school subject – philosophy, urban planning, engineering, biomedical sciences, or social work for example, are all subjects you’re unlikely to have studied at school.

Sometimes, browsing through the course directory, can spark new ideas. Here at Dundee we offer over 200 courses so you’re bound to find something that interests you. 

Remember too that if you’re struggling to decide between two subjects, we offer a lot of joint degrees where you can take two subjects of equal weighting.  

Your skills and strengths

Obviously, you’ll need to think about what you’re actually good at, and where your strengths lie. Even if you’re interested in a new subject, you will likely still need to show evidence of ability in a related discipline: if you excel at maths and science, for example, you would be well-suited to one of our STEM courses.  Learn more about what we mean by STEM subjects

What type of person are you – analytical, creative, good with people, or detail-oriented? If you’re an analytical thinker, you might thrive on a course like engineering, computer science, or law, while those of you who are more creative might prefer courses in art or design. Strong interpersonal skills could lead you to fields like teaching or healthcare.

Our entry to university workbook is primarily designed for teachers, but you might find it useful to look at when trying to decide what course would suit you best.

Choosing a university course: researching your options

Once you’ve narrowed your choice down to a particular field of study, how can you decide which one out of the many that are offered will be the best fit for you? A course with the same name could be a completely different experience from one university to another. 

Entry requirements

The first step is to carry out some research online into the entry requirements for any courses that you are interested in. You'll want to make sure you have the necessary exam subjects, and are likely to gain the grades needed. It's important to be realistic as there can be a lot of competition for places, so be sure to include something that’s a safer bet alongside any more ambitious choices. 

If you look at our course pages, we clearly list all the entry requirements for each degree, tailoring them to wherever you are in the world, and to what you are currently studying.

Study preferences

Not everyone likes to study in the same way, so you'll need to spend some time thinking about you best learn, and how you prefer to be assessed, and see what methods are used by the courses you're interested in. 

Some courses, such as those in the humanities, will generally have a more limited number of contact hours and a greater expectation for self-study. Other courses might involve labs and could mean being on campus from 9-5. Some will involve practical, hands-on work, and others could involve field trips, internships, or the chance to study abroad. 

There may be greater weighting towards independent study, group projects, presentations, or class participation.  

Practical considerations

You might need to give some thought to practical considerations too. A course such as nursing, for example, can have placements in locations that are far enough away from campus for you to need to find alternative accommodation, which might not suit you if you have local commitments. 

Employability

It's also useful to look at the employment outcomes of students who have taken the courses you're interested in. Our course pages include a 'Careers' section where you'll be able see what graduates are doing, and even what the average salaries in various professions might be. If you have a particular career in mind then a course with a strong track record of employment in that area is definitely one to consider.

Open days

Once you’ve found some courses that you’re interested in, it’s a good idea to book on to an open day. Plan ahead and think of any questions you might want to ask staff or current students. Attending subject talks will also give you a good insight into the topics you might study.

Here at Dundee, if you can’t make one of our main Open Days, we are also happy to take you on a campus tour on a day that’s suitable for you. 

Although there’s a lot to think about when choosing a course, remember that there is also a lot of help out there! As well as your own teachers and careers advisors, you can also contact our University representatives who will be happy to answer any questions, no matter how big or small.