So you have decided to study a undergraduate degree but can’t decide which course is right for you. You may have just finished high school and feel daunted by the choice of choosing a career direction or maybe you are looking to change career and want to develop your skills in a new industry. Either way, choosing the right course is an important first step for anyone.
How do you pick the right degree and avoid any regret? To help you decide, we have put together a few things that you should consider beforehand.
How to pick the right degree?
Before diving into the first degree that you find, it is well worth thinking about where this qualification will leave you once you have completed it. Having a clear idea in mind as to what you want to do with the degree will help you narrow down the selection and work out what content within a course will help get you there.
Is the course you chose going to help kick-start your career? Will it provide you with a better understanding of that job you want to move into? Do you need to complete this course as an entry for a postgraduate degree? Laying out this road map will help to ensure that you are setting yourself up for future success.
Is a bachelor’s degree an undergraduate degree?
A bachelor’s degree is an undergraduate degree. They are most often the first university experience for people leaving high school, but anyone can study these degrees, including mature-age students. They require no previous higher education study.
An undergraduate degree can also include an associate degree and a diploma. Honours degrees are also considered to be undergraduate degrees.
What factors should I consider when choosing a university course?
With so many course options available to you across so many universities, it’s hard to know what degree is right for you. So it’s time for you to narrow down exactly what you want out of your degree.
Many courses on offer at Swinburne Online provide you with the option to focus on a specific area within an industry. An example of this can be found in our business degrees, with courses that range in focus from accounting to marketing to logistics. Swinburne Online’s bachelor’s degrees also offer real industry experience in the form of placements, internships or industry-linked projects.
Research plays an important part at this stage because choosing the wrong major can potentially set you down the wrong path. While choosing a course based on a particular industry will give you an understanding of the industry as a whole, majoring in a specific area will allow you to specialise in your desired profession.
Plan out the cost
University courses can be costly endeavours, however more often than not the reward outweighs the cost, with the knowledge and experience you gain helping to you earn a return on this investment.
If the cost is something that has prevented you from starting a bachelor’s degree, it is important to remember there are fee support options available in the form of HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP, allowing you to begin your study journey without fearing for your finances.
Entry requirements
One key area that you will have to consider before choosing to start a bachelor’s degree is your eligibility to enter that particular course. The entry criteria for those who have freshly completed high school may vary from those who have worked in an industry and wish to upskill or change jobs.
Each course will have its own entry criteria and requirements depending on which discipline you wish to study. An example of this is the Bachelor of Education (Primary) which has additional requirements that need to be met prior to commencing, such as completion of the CASPer assessment.
On each of Swinburne Online’s course pages, you will find a detailed list of what the entry criteria is and any additional requirements there may be.
Talk to a consultant
If you find that you are having difficulty in choosing which online course is right for you or if you have any concerns about beginning your course, speak to one of our Course Consultants. You can ask any questions you have about the course and find out more about course requirements, managing course loads, navigating the study tools and accessing course materials.
Flexible online study
With our 100% online courses, you can study your undergraduate degree from anywhere you have an internet connection. Whether you’re at home or on the move, you can study sooner, and for as long as you like, without ever needing to travel to campus.
If you want to find out more about the courses offered at Swinburne Online, head over to our course page or speak to one of our Course Consultants for more information.
