It's always hard to know whether you're going to enjoy a degree course beforehand, especially one like Law, where not many people have actually taken it at A Level

There should be some sort of student help centre at your University and I'm sure they'll have dealt with lots of people who want to change coure before. They'll probably know what your course options are (what your A Levels qualify you for etc.), or they should at least be able to tell you where to find out.

Then you can either look round universities on the internet (most places have pretty detailed websites these days) or if you'd like to stay at the same uni, have a tour round your possible departments and chat to the staff

I don't know anything about the subjects you're looking at myself, but I know there are a few people on here who will have a better idea

(Edited by DJ Billy 24/04/2002 16:08)

Film studies is pretty good if you go somewhere with decent teachers - Unfortunately with Film and Media lecturers don't need any qualifications other than having written a paper or two plus they can be very boring if they are only interested in one area but have to teach across a few: e.g. One of my lecturers at Sunderland was a world renowned expert on Alfred Hitchcock - She sucked at teaching anything other than Hitchcock because it all bored her!

I suppose this may be true of other subjects too but I really wouldn't know. One thing you need to be careful of is stigma though. It depends on what you want to do afterwards but quite a lot of traditionally educated people seem to think that film studies is a 'mickey mouse' degree, not worth the effort and feel that it doesn't teach anything worthwhile (i don't think that but then again i did media so i'm bias - don't particularly like people telling me that i wasted three years of my life but there you go)

If you don't want to change Uni's make sure that you check what they do well at and what they suck at - reputation still counts for a lot. If you don't mind changing Uni's then the UK is your somewhat polluted oyster!

Main advice would be to go with your gut feeling. That's what I did (i nearly did a law degree too) and it worked. Only you know what you'll enjoy/be good at so don't let yourself be bullied (particularly by your parents who may not be too chuffed if you do decide to give up law for film studies!)

Stake-I went through exactly the same as you, I started a law degree & hated it...but I got pretty good results (actually they were very good!) but just hated it & knew I did not want a career in law. I decided to stay at the same uni, and changed to psychology.
I have never looked back, I went on to do a masters in cognitive science & I am now doing a PhD in the department I took my first degree in, on the mental representation of facial expressions.

My advice is do what will make you happy, do not stick with a degree just because you think it's not good to change, if you don't like the subject now then chances are you won't like it in a year or two's time. I have had people say things to me about changing degree-actually I also changed PhD's & unis for that too...but at the end of the day other people are not important and their opinions to me are merely throw away comments, what is important is that you are happy. And that you do a degree & gain a career that you want, not a degree that you feel obliged to finish.

I agree with DJ-go and see your careers advisor, and talk to you friends & family about it too. But at the end of the day it has to be your decision and noone elses, it's you who has to live with this for the rest of your life. Good luck

---

by BettyBoop
I am now doing a PhD in the department I took my first degree in, on the mental representation of facial expressions.

---

Wow - i wannna do a cool PhD like that!

Well things are srarting to look a little brighter anyway. Gonna change to film studies and english. The only problem is that the campus for it is on the other side of Bristol! Looking for accomodation now but hopefully it should turn out ok. The only annoying thing is I can't get into halls even though i'm repeating the 1st year, didn't even get in to halls at the beginning of the year when I was a 1st year.

(Edited by Stake 25/04/2002 18:08)

Good luck, I am about to start a degree (Msc) I don't want to do cause I have run out of options, Nearly did a film MA that I really wanted to do.
But you caught your not wanting to do that degree in time to change it in time. Have fun.

eep

Do you still wanna work in the Law Business? Cause i've been advised (i wanna do law maybe at uni) to do a wide degree so then not to speicialise it too much.

That prolly doesn't help, but maybe look for a course that has a loyt of variety and that you've possibly already done either at GCSE or A-Level (or something similar)

And Good Luck hun!

I'm probably too late to offer this advice, but here goes anyway.

I went through the same thing as you, but from a Physics degree, not Law. The best piece of advise I can give is that maybe you should think about taking a year out. If you're not sure what you want to do, then I think it is better to just take a step back, go work for a year, and give yourself chance to find out what you really want to do, rather than panicking and signing up for somthing you are kinda interested in, but will find out a year or two later that you don't like it either, and end up bailing again, but with more debt.

If you really are into (and I mean really into, not kinda) Film Studies and English - then congrats, and all the best.

If you're still not sure then I really would recommend taking at least a year out to find out what you want to do. Better now than two years from now...