Whilst employment may not be the only goal of education, it is a huge consideration for most of us. Although almost every course on offer is sure to get you one step closer to a job, there are some courses out there that are based entirely on preparing for a certain career.
Here, we take a look at a number of courses which are designed to lead their students into meaningful careers.
Maritime courses
The Merchant Navy has a lot to offer. Not only does it promise exciting work, which is always changing, but it also offers colossal travel opportunities which are unheard of in most industries. Officer of the Watch courses are available at The Warsash Maritime Academy, alongside a wide range of maritime courses and career paths.
Many of the Academy’s courses are based around practical knowledge, which can be applied directly to exciting and meaningful lines of work. The Officer of the Watch course is just one of many such courses.
Law degree
Many university courses can be applied to any number of industries. Students of English, history or psychology, for example, often go on to work in a wide variety of employment sectors. Law is a little different, however. Of course, law graduates remain employable in a number of fields, but they have the distinct advantage of being able to head straight into the legal world.
Whether you’re keen on the idea of becoming a human rights lawyer, or prefer the thought of working in the corporate world for a robust salary, a law degree is one of the most employable qualifications currently available.
Medicine and dentistry
A recent study found that 99.4% of medical and dentistry students went on to find work within six months of graduating. Studying medicine or dentistry requires excellent grades (the majority of medical schools require an A-level in Chemistry, with some requiring A-level Biology) and a long, tough period of study, but the employment prospects are more certain than most fields.
All medical students in the UK will initially take an undergraduate course leading to a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery. Depending on the university, this will lead to an MBBS, MBBS/BSc, MBChB, MBBCh or BMBS – all of which are normally referred to as a ‘first MB’.
Medical schools increasingly welcome applications from graduate candidates, who will normally need a first or upper-second class degree. (Some medical schools require the degree to be in a science-related subject, whilst others do not stipulate any discipline.) It’s estimated that graduates, mostly with science degrees, make up 10–15% of recent intakes to the five- and six-year MB courses in the UK. Most join their course in the first year, but some universities accept students with biomedical, life sciences or dentistry degree into the third year. You can use the NHS coursefinder to search for degrees in medicine.
The Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree is a five-year programme in the UK. There is both a standard entry pathway and a graduate entry pathway. Applicants to the graduate entry pathway must demonstrate that their prior formal qualifications have covered relevant biomedical subjects. A list of all UK dental schools can be found on the Dental Schools Council website.
Architecture
Becoming an architect in the UK requires at least seven years of full-time study. The process is split into three parts, and is regulated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA):
RIBA Part 1
Firstly, a university architecture undergraduate degree (eg BA or BSc) is required, which usually involves three years of full-time study. This gives you the opportunity to develop a broad range of skills and architectural understanding.
Students then gain practical experience through working at a practice, typically for one year, although some students choose to work for longer than one year to save money or to gain additional experience.
RIBA Part 2
Part 2 of the process provides students with enhanced architectural knowledge and prepares them for working on more complex projects. Students are still regarded as undergraduates in the architectural education process (but should seek clarification on fee status), and the qualification they gain varies depending on the institution (eg BArch, Diploma, MArch). This stage generally takes two years of full-time study to complete, and students either choose to study at the same institution or apply to study at another university. The course provides opportunities to carry out specialist study and research, possibly abroad.
This is followed by further practical experience: 24 months’ experience in total is required to sit the Part 3 examination, of which at least 12 months should be undertaken in the EEA, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man under the direct supervision of an architect. At this stage, graduates are given more responsibility on projects and begin studying aspects of practice, management and law on a Part 3 programme.
RIBA Part 3
Part 3 is the final qualifying examination in professional practice and management. Candidates will typically be assessed on the following elements:
- 24 months of practical experience
- professional CV and career evaluation
- case study
- written examination
- final oral examination.
The course is taken at a RIBA-validated provider institution, and once this final part has been successfully completed, you can register as an architect with the Architects Registration Board (ARB). This allows you to use the title ‘architect’, which is protected by law so that only properly qualified architects can offer their services to the public.
Find out more from the RIBA website.