changing or leaving your course
DESCRIPTION
for doubtful studentsTRANSCRIPT
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TheAssociationofGraduateCareersAdvisoryServices
Changingorleavingyourcourse
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TheAssociationofGraduateCareersAdvisoryServices
Changingorleavingyourcourse
Contents
1IntroductionWhatsthisguideabout? 3
2Unsureaboutyourcourse?Whatswrong? 3CASESTUDY:GARY 4
3BeforemakingadecisionConsideryouractions 4Developacareerplan 4Helpisathand 5Checklist:beforemakingadecision 5Checklist:beforeleavingyourcourse 5Checklist:beforechangingyourcourse 5CASESTUDY:JESSICA 6
4Makingthemostofyourpresentcourse
Canyouadaptthecourse? 6Howcanyouchangethecourse? 6!"#$%&'$(")*$+,*$-#".$/'0,1$ $ 23#4&%$0+'5*#+$.67*$ $ $ $ 28655*#$9*#*-+0$&7$0+'5%$ $ $ 2:#;
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1Introduction
Whatsthisguideabout?Ifyourereadingthis,youreprobablyfeelingunsureaboutyourcurrentcourse5B+$/"#6;C$D"#%$0+'5*#+0$-#5$+,"+$,6E,*
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3Beforemakingadecision
ConsideryouractionsMakingahastydecisionmaybesomethingyoulivetoregret,sothinkcarefullybeforeyouchangeorleaveyourcourse.Trytoidentifythebestpersontospeaktoabout%&'
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9*#*-+$%&'$(&
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requirements.F$ Researchwhichmoduleoptionsyoull
take.F$ Askyourself,CanIstickoutthecourse
Imdoing?maybeitsjustonesmallerelementinitthatyoudislike.
F$ Wouldadifferentuniversity,butthesamesubject,bemoresuitable?
F$ Wouldadifferentmodeofattendancesuityouperhapsstudyingparttime,andgettingajob?
Thisguideshouldhelpyouwithmanyoftheseissues.Aboveall,dontacthastily.Youshouldnotrushintomakingadecisioninstead,researchalltheoptionsopentoyouandconsidereachonecarefully.Choosingandapplyingforyourcurrentcoursetooksomethoughtandeffortandyoullneedtoapplythesamethoughtandcarefulplanning
whenmakinganynewdecisions.Supportisavailable,evenifitstohelpyoumovetoanotheruniversityorcollege,ormakecontactwithstafforagencieswhocanprovidehelpwithotherissues.
4Makingthemostofyourpresentcourse
Canyouadaptthecourse?Ifingeneralyouenjoythecourse,butyoufeelthatsomeelementsarentrightforyou,seeifyoucanmakealterationstoitbeforedecidingtoleave.
Howcanyouchangethecourse?F$ :7$%&'B
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C!"#$%'!()#*+)#,"!-#.&/+0Ifyourenearingtheendofyourcourseoryear,rememberthatyourcareeroptionsarewiderthanyourdegreesubject.Evenifyounolongerenjoyyoursubject,yourdegreemayenableyoutogointoawiderangeofothercareers.Manyemployersandpostgraduatecoursesareopentograduatesofanydiscipline.Youllstillneedtodoyourbestonthecourse,asmanyemployersorcourseproviderswillbelookingforagoodclassofdegreeandyoumaystillneedareferencefromyourcoursetutor.
Ifyoureclosetotheendofanacademicyear,itsworthstickingitout,sinceyoumayE*+$"$;*
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F$ gettingonwellwithpeopleindifferentsituations
F$ 5*+*
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CoursedetailF$ Isthecoursemodularwillyouhave
Z*J696.6+%$G6+,6#$+,*$;&'
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straighttoanothercourserelativelyeasily,providedthereareplacesleftandthetutorispreparedtoacceptyou.Avoidmakingahastydecisiontoleavewithouttakingadviceandseriouslythinkingitover.
W+!*#14#*+)#5%&6/)#1/#*%%#214,5&-*0Ifyouvefailedtheacademicyear,orafewmodules,orevenifyoufeeltheworkandstudyrequiredisjusttoomuch,thenitsagoodideatopauseandconsideryouroptions:
F$ Arethingsasbadasyoufear?Talktoyourtutorasyoumaybeabletosortout
extensionsforcourseworkorbeabletocarrysubjectsoverintothenextyear.
F$ Findoutwhetherstaffareavailableatyourinstitutiontohelpwithstudyskillsorexampreparation.Often,therearestudyskillsadvisersoreffectivelearningadviserswhospecialiseinthissortofhelp.
Ifyouvefailed,orknowthecourseistoo567-;'.+U
F$ Considerlookingatcourseswithlowerentryrequirements,perhapsatHND,DipHEorfoundationdegreelevel.ThesemayprovideyouwithaplatformtobuildL$"#5$E"6#$;-5*#;*$9*7&
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6TakingabreakfromstudyYoumaynotwanttochangeorleaveyourcourse,butjustneedsometimeoutforanynumberofreasons.Thisisoftenpossible,"#5$("%$9*#*-+$%&'
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maybeabletotakeabreakfromyourcoursetomaketimeforit.
F$ WorkexperienceManystudentsconsidertakingtimeofffromstudytogainsomeworkexperience6#$+,*6
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F$ RepeatingstudyIfyourerequiredtoretakepartofyourcourse,itscrucialthatyoukeepincontactwithyourpersonalorcoursetutortoreceivenecessaryinformation,adviceandsupportaboutcourseworkandexamdates.
7Leavingyourcourse
MakingtherightchoiceLeavingacoursepartwaythroughmayleaveyoufeelingdisappointed,angryor.";)6#E$6#$;-5*#;*N$K&'$("%$7**.$.6)*$"$failureorbelieveyouveletotherpeopledown,oryoucouldfeelthatyouvewastedtimeandmissedotheropportunities.Thesefeelingsareunderstandable,buttheyrenotnecessarilycorrect.Theresoftennopointcontinuingtostudyifyourereallynotenjoyingit.Itsimportanttomakethisapositivestepanditoftentakesgreatercouragetoadmitthatyouvemadeamistakeandmoveonthantostayonacoursewhereyoureunhappy.Younowhaveanopportunitytotakeastepback,lookatotheroptionsandtaketimetogetthedecisionright.
Whatcanyoutakefromthisexperience?
Althoughyoureleavingthecourse,youllbesurprisedbywhatyouvegainedfromthewholeexperience.
F$ AcademicexperienceWhathaveyoulearnedorachievedfromthecourse?Thinkofanymodulesthatyoupassedorcompletedandanypiecesofworkthatcouldbeusedasevidencewhenapplyingforothercourses.
F$ PersonalskillsWhatpersonalskillshaveyouacquiredfromyourstudies?HaveyoulearnedanynewskillssuchasITskills,essaywritingorresearchskills?Otherpersonalskills(6E,+$6#;.'5*$("#"E6#E$%&'
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andresourcessection.)F$ Researchemployerswhomayoffer
supportforstudyinthefuture,perhapsthroughallocationofstudydaysorsome-#"#;6".$0'//&
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shouldbetotalktoyourplaceofstudyand+&$%&'
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shouldbeagreedwithyourinstitutiontoensureaplacewillbesecuredforyouuponyourreturn.Also,ifthedecisiontotaketimeoutismadeafteranapplicationhasbeenmadetoSAASforfunding,butthenyoudecideyoullbetakingagapyear,theinstitutionmustinformSAAS.Otherwise,SAASwillautomaticallysendthetuitionfeestotheinstitutionandthatyearsfundingwillbeused.
ItisalwaysrecommendedthatyouspeakG6+,$"$0+'5*#+$-#"#;*$"5P60*
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supportservices,fromstudyskillstoadvice$-#"#;*$"#5$";;&((&5"+6N$D"#%$,"P*$"$studentcounsellingserviceandallwilloffer%&'$;-5*#+6".$"5P6;*N
StudentdisabilityunitSpecialistadviceandhelpisavailablethroughthesecentres.Theymayhavelinkswithexternalagenciesthatcanhelpyousetupemploymentorworkexperience.
OthersourcesofhelpFriendsandfamilyNotalwaysanobviouschoice,buttheycansometimesbethebestsourcesofinformation.Theymayhavecontactsintheindustrythatyourekeentoworkin,orbeabletooffersomeworkexperienceordifferentideasaboutcareerpathways.Makethemostoftheirresources,contactsandknowledgeastheymaysurpriseyouandtheyprobablyknowyoubest!
CareerscompaniesConnexions,www.connexions.gov.uk,isbasedinEnglandandWalesandisagovernmentfundedserviceofferingallagecareersguidanceandinformation.CareersScotland,www.careersscotland.org.uk,operatesasimilarserviceinScotland,andGradireland,www.gradireland.com,isajointagencyforallofIreland.
JobcentresJobcentresholdinformationonvacanciesandgovernmentfundedschemes.Theseprogrammesofferworkbasedplacementsand/ortrainingandcanprovideastepintopermanentemployment.Youwillneedtocheckeligibilitycriteria.Jobcentresalsoprovidejobsearchservicesandarrangeseminars,includinghelpwithapplicationsandCVs.Ifyouhaveapermanentortemporarydisability,adisabilityemploymentadvisercan&77*
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10Contactsandresources
Bibliography
AGCASandGraduateProspectsproductsareavailablefromhighereducationcareersservices.
AGCAS
AGCASSpecialInterestSeries:GoingforInterviewsJobSeekingStrategiesMakingApplicationsSelfemploymentWorkingAbroad
RS!RQ$@;;'/"+6".$T??ddAd2
HotCourses:StudentMoneywww.studentmoney.org
StudentAwardsAgencyScotland(SAAS)www.saas.gov.uk
StudentLoansCompany(SLC)www.slc.co.uk
WelshAssembly(Education)http://new.wales.gov.uk
IdeasforTakingTimeOutBUNACwww.bunac.org
CampAmericawww.campamerica.co.uk
Doitwww.doit.org.uk
FulbrightCommissionwww.fulbright.co.ukandwww.fulbright.ie
GAPActivityProjectswww.gap.org.uk
MonsterJobswww.monster.co.uk
NorthernIrelandCouncilforVoluntaryAction(NICVA)www.nicva.org
Oxfamwww.oxfam.org.uk
RaleighInternationalwww.raleigh.org.uk
UKErasmuswww.erasmus.ac.uk
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VolunteerScotlandwww.volunteerscotland.org.uk
VoluntaryServiceOverseas(VSO)www.vso.org.uk
YearOutGroupwww.yearoutgroup.org
YellowPageswww.yell.com
SourcesofAdviceandSupportCareersScotlandwww.careersscotland.org.uk
CareersWaleswww.careerswales.com
Connexions(England)www.connexions.gov.uk
TheEthicalCareersGuidewww.ngomedia.org.uk/artman/publish
GradIrelandwww.gradireland.com
JobcentrePluswww.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
Planitpluswww.planitplus.net
UniversitiesandCollegesAdmissionsService(UCAS)www.ucas.ac.uk
Addresses
DepartmentforInnovation,UniversitiesandSkills(DIUS),CastleViewHouse,EastLane,O'#;&h$hhhh$www.dius.gov.uk
DepartmentforEmploymentandLearninginNorthernIreland(DELNI),AdelaideHouse,3949AdelaideStreet,BelfastBT28FDTel:?Ac$i?Ah$22Ajwww.delni.gov.uk
DepartmentforWorkandPensions(DWP),111JohnAdamStreet,LondonWC2N6HTwww.dwp.gov.uk
EducationalGrantsAdvisoryService(EGAS),501505KingslandRoad,Dalston,LondonE8kR]$X*.U$?A?$2Ahk$jAh>www.egasonline.org
1 IntroductionWhats this guide about?
2 Unsure about your course? Whats wrong?
3 Before making a decisionConsider your actionsDevelop a career planHelp is at handChecklist: before making a decisionChecklist: before leaving your courseChecklist: before changing your course
4 Making the most of your present courseCan you adapt the course?How can you change the course?Can you make the final push?Enjoy student lifeHidden benefits of studyIncrease your employabilityContinuing by a different routeCredit for what youve studied
5 Choosing an alternative course Should I stay or should I go?Changing institutionChecklist: applying for another courseWhat if the course is too difficult?CASE STUDY: CLARE
6 Taking a break from studyReasons for taking a breakUsing your time out effectivelyFinancial considerations
7 Leaving your courseMaking the right choiceWhat can you take from this experience?Looking for jobs
8 Implications of leaving Frequently asked questionsFinancial implications Scottish fundingChecklist: when leaving your course
9 Sources of advice and help Sources of help at your institutionOther sources of helpBibliography