Hallam's Journal

7) Yes. Our UG course was actually pretty flexible for a science degree, and had a bunch of modules outside the biological that you could take (in theory, you could take any module from any course anywhere in the uni, but the timetabling made most of it impossible). I wanted something not-lab-based, couldn't face languaged, decided the economics and law and geography options would make me go mad with boredom, and took a hist med course instead. Which I adored, so I did as many as I could fit into my timetable. By the time the degree was ending, I knew absolutely that I didn't want to spend my life in labs, and desperately sought alternatives. I considered law and medicine conversions, but didn't really feel that they were things you could/should do without a real career-minded drive (also, the expense), I looked at masters in Genetic Counselling and Bioethics, but was put off by the total absense of funding, and for the former, the lack of any academic career structure beyond MSc (i.e. you become a genetic counsellor, and then you are one for the rest of your life the end). I didn't actually realise the MSc in history was an option until a girl I shared a house with decided to do it (and promptly dropped out because it was too 'Artsy'). I initially applied to do a PhD, but they interviewed me and said I really ought to do the MSc as a conversion course, and that they'd pretty much guarantee me a grant because I was ace. I got the grant, I loved the course, I did a PhD and want to do this forever, the end.

So Now You Know.