University Course

[TheKnownUnknown1]

So I'm going to be applying for Uni pretty soon, and as ever I have a few options. I might simply apply for PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) for perhaps all my choices, or I may just do a mixture of International Management and relates courses, and PPE.

With respect to future career paths, which do you think would be more attractive to an employer?
Or do you guys think it's more so just the notion of where I'm doing the degree (i.e. target v semi-target)?

Also, say one is going to do a degree at a target/semi-target uni, which may have AAB requirements, to what extent does the fact that you're not doing a better degree at that uni hinder your chances. As an example, let's say Industrial Economics at Notts (http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy/courses/business/industrial-economics.aspx), yes it's not pure Econ which would require AAA, but it's similar and relevant, so to what extent would you still be favoured by banks?

Thanks

 

[Mr. Exclusive1]

So I'm going to be applying for Uni pretty soon, and as ever I have a few options. I might simply apply for PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) for perhaps all my choices, or I may just do a mixture of International Management and relates courses, and PPE.

With respect to future career paths, which do you think would be more attractive to an employer?
Or do you guys think it's more so just the notion of where I'm doing the degree (i.e. target v semi-target)?

Also, say one is going to do a degree at a target/semi-target uni, which may have AAB requirements, to what extent does the fact that you're not doing a better degree at that uni hinder your chances. As an example, let's say Industrial Economics at Notts (http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy/courses/business/industrial-economics.aspx), yes it's not pure Econ which would require AAA, but it's similar and relevant, so to what extent would you still be favoured by banks?

Thanks

To be honest, degree choice is largely irrelevant and they're not really viewed differently unless completely unrelated (History, Geography etc.) They care a lot more about where you studied - carries most of the weight.

 

[Trigger1]

So I'm going to be applying for Uni pretty soon, and as ever I have a few options. I might simply apply for PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) for perhaps all my choices, or I may just do a mixture of International Management and relates courses, and PPE.

With respect to future career paths, which do you think would be more attractive to an employer?
Or do you guys think it's more so just the notion of where I'm doing the degree (i.e. target v semi-target)?

Also, say one is going to do a degree at a target/semi-target uni, which may have AAB requirements, to what extent does the fact that you're not doing a better degree at that uni hinder your chances. As an example, let's say Industrial Economics at Notts (http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy/courses/business/industrial-economics.aspx), yes it's not pure Econ which would require AAA, but it's similar and relevant, so to what extent would you still be favoured by banks?

Thanks

You should be studying a course because it interests you and not because it would be "more attractive to an employer". If you want PPE/Intl Management/both then go for it, although I'm not sure how well you could construct your personal statement so that it would be solid for both ones.

As far as you get your degree from the top 6 (aka the targets), generally it doesn't matter what you studied - but again, you should be studying something because it INTERESTS you.

By @Mr. Exclusive:

While subject choice does not matter, university choice does. Your chances are substantially higher from the so-called target universities: Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Warwick, UCL and Imperial. Outside of these universities, you can still have a good chance at: Bristol, Bath, Durham, Nottingham, Cass Business School, York, KCL, Edinburgh, Birmingham, St Andrews and Manchester.

Outside the above universities, you also have a chance but you will have to work substantially harder. The rule of thumb is: the further down you are, the harder you have to work, the more relevant your subject should be and the more impressive your profile will need to be.

Diff between the chances of breaking in with an Industrial Econ or pure Econ degree from Notts: 0. Hardly anything you'd learn would be actually used in your IB gig. Notts is a strong semi-target btw.

 

[TheKnownUnknown1]

I completely agree about the course being of interest, I know I want to do a Business/Corporate type degree.
Hmm @Mr. Exclusive mentioned that they don't care unless it's completely irrelevant, like History or Geography, so would a joint honours at a target, say something like Law with Business Studies at Warwick be considered somewhat irrelevant?

 

[Trigger1]

Again, plenty of people with irrelevant course backgrounds (Law, Geography, History, Music you name it) working in IBD, however the overwhelming majority with such profiles do come from the targets. So if you'd study these subjects outside the top six unis, you are making your way of breaking in a bit harder.