Quiz: Which STEM subject should I study at university?

13 Aug 2019

British businesses are eager to fill thousands of jobs related to science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

The US is racing with China for the title of the world’s most advanced economy, but when it boils down to numbers, they’re lacking in future engineers and scientists. The high demand for STEM graduates is well-known. But as a high-school leaver, how do you choose which STEM subject to pursue at university?

The decision over which college or university and course to enrol in should be well-researched – in fact, we’ve written a lot on this, from Why we still need to study humanities in a STEM-focused world to Crushing gender stereotypes: Inspiring girls to pursue STEM to How virtual reality technologies are revolutionising STEM learning and more.

Below is a short quiz to supplement this and help you if you’re unsure which STEM branch of study to apply for. Good luck!

1. How much time are you willing to invest to become a professional in your field?

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3-4 years

4-7 years

More than 7 years

2. Which of the following appeals to you most?

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Investigating and studying

Creating and inventing

3. Which of the following describes you best?

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Curious

Eccentric

Ambitious

4. How important are high wages to you?

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Very. It's the main reason I want to go to university!

50-50. As long as it pays the bills.

Not at all. Life is about chasing our passions.

5. Which of the following describes your learning style best?

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Theory-based, academic learning, mostly in lecture halls.

A mixture of theory and practical learning.

Observation and experiments in laboratories.

6. When working on a project, you're more likely to succeed when...

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Working by myself.

Working with a team.

Which STEM subject should I study at university?

Science

You want to dig deep into the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world. Observation and experiments excite you. Take your pick from biology, chemistry or physics - the three most common fields of science education, as well as the sub-fields on offer at many universities.

Technology

With people such as Larry Page and Susan Wojcicki as your idols, no subject would suit you better than Technology. You'll be well-poised to join (or even start) the many tech companies spearheading the digital era of today.

Engineering

Building machines, structures and things is the name of your game. In undergraduate engineering and master's studies, you'll learn the knowledge and principles to the professional practice of engineering, followed by additional postgraduate examinations and supervised training as the requirements for a professional engineering license.

Mathematics

You loved solving problems in high school, and with a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, you'll be able to learn pure (theory and abstract) mathematics and applied (practical application to the world) mathematics.