Degree advice: Should I change/do another

[drummadness]

Hi guys,

 

I am currently a linguistics student in the UK, half way through my second year (of three). I have always loved English language and linguistics, but as my degree has progressed I am struggling to find anything I want to actually do with it! Teaching, academia, research- they all do not interest me in this field.

 

However, I have also had a huge passion for wildlife but due to my lack of motivation in high school at science subjects, I never pursued any degree in biology, zoology or something similar. Now I am thinking I should have. As a kid, I wanted to be a marine biologist, then a veternarian...but science at school just never interested me enough.

 

In the last year, I have done a course in safari guiding in South Africa where I gained a good foundational knowledge of biology, ecology and animal behaviour (among other things) as well as began being a regular volunteer at an animal rescue. I read a lot about wildife, animal behaviour and evolutionary biology, so I am now thinking that I should either change my degree to a zoology degree or start a zoology after I finish my linguistics one.

 

One of the main problems at the moment is tuition fees, which have just increased considerably here in the UK, and thus I don't know if it's the best bet to embark onto another course. What does everyone think?

[Mandymay1977]

can't say I know much about the UK educational system but you have already done 18 months of English, this could be useful if wanting to go to foreign countries as you could teach english, be a tour guide like as you trained for doing Safari Guiding in South Africa, having an english degree could give you an employment edge in this field in foreign countries as most tourists speak english. If it were me I'ld stick it out and then do the zoology as they could compliment each other if you pursued work in foreign tourist industries.

[Kerrian]

With regards to changing, since the new fees haven't yet been implemented, and won't be until the academic year, you may well be able to change without having to pay the new fees - but that's something you have to explore yourself.

Changing in the second year of your course however, is fairly late on.

As for linguistics, you can do a lot with it. I'm a languages and linguistics student, currently in the third year of a four year course; and I'm planning to go into diplomacy.

 

In terms of doing work with animals, I'm sure you could get some work with the degree that you get - which also runs over into your interests.

If you would be interested in actually working in a zoo, then you can get purely vocational training in some places, as opposed to getting a degree.

I would suggest finishing your degree, then perhaps getting a summer job working with animals - if you can. See how you really like it, and if that's the thing for you, then follow up with it.

But don't throw away two years of a perfectly good degree for something you're not certain about.