To get into some careers, like Dentistry, Medicine or Architecture you have to take a course in this subject at university. These courses are called vocational courses and involve a large amount of work experience.

To enter other careers, like Accountancy, it may be very useful, but not vital, to take a degree in these subjects. These courses are often called semi-vocational courses because they partly qualify you to enter the profession. You often need to take further professional exams at a postgraduate level to become fully qualified.

For other careers, like Teaching, you can either take a first degree which will qualify you as a teacher, or take a non-vocational degree and qualify as a teacher later by taking a post graduate course. There are other courses, like certain Media Studies courses, which may be less practical than you might think. Make sure you check course content in the university prospectus or website.

If you want to take a vocational course make sure you check that the universities or colleges you are applying to run courses which are approved or accredited by the relevant professional bodies. It's a good idea to get some advice on this from your Careers Adviser.

Choosing a vocational course can increase your chances of finding a job - as long as you're sure this is what you want to do, but not everybody who takes a vocational course ends up working in a job linked to their course. Look at the Graduate Jobs section for the latest details on job prospects after university.

To find out more look at the links below ...

Types of Courses
Subjects you can study
Methods of study
Courses linked to careers