Hello there,
I will be a year 1 international student at the University of Edinburgh this coming September. I currently hold an unconditional offer to study History but would like to change majors into Accounting and Finance or Accounting and Business. If possible, can someone who studies there or have studied there give me some advice on whether it is possible to switch majors at Edinburgh University? I know that it is much easier to switch majors at American schools but a lot more difficult with UK schools. Thank you very much!
Contact them directly. Generally speaking, Scottish universities are a bit more flexible than English ones, but you’re looking at moving between very different areas.
Do you meet the entrance requirements for the new major. Solidly?
You aren’t just switching majors, you are switching schools, from the School of History, Classics and Archaeology to the Business School. Although both are in the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, Edinburgh admits by school, not college. So you need to contact the Business school and ask if they might have a place for you (it’s too early to see if they have any openings in Clearing, but it would be a surprise if they did).
The typical offer is slightly higher for History than A&F (though the minimum is the same), and if you have a solid Math SAT subject test you should technically qualify. However, you have to make the case (as you did in your PS for History) that you are a great student for A&F, and this is such an abrupt - and fundamental - switch that it may be hard to make the case.
Given your other post on your love of history, I am wondering why the sudden change.If it is b/c you (or even your parents) have decided that you will make more money with an M&F degree / want to be in Investment Banking / etc, I suggest you reconsider.
These are the classes you will take in A&F:
Year 1: Accountancy 1A & 1B; Intro to Financial Markets, Econ Principles; Global Challenges for Business, Business of Edinburgh
Year 2: Accountancy 2A & 2B, Intro to Corp Finance, Business Research Methods I (Intro to Data Analysis), Business Law, Career Devel Planning and your choice of Applications of Finance OR Business Analytics & Info Systems
Year 3: Advanced Financial Accounting, Auditing, Management Accounting Applications, Bus Research Methods II (Applications & Analysis), Research in Mgmt, Investment & Securities Markets, and your choice of Futures & Options OR Decision Analysis.
Year 4: Corporate Finance, your choice of Futures & Options, Financial Modeling w/ Excel OR Decision Analytics, and your choice of two of Audit Practice, Accounting & Everyday Life, Financial Statement Analysis OR Taxation Practices, plus a 15,000 independent research thesis on a topic in accounting or finance.
That’s it. Your whole college experience.
Edinburgh is one of the schools that the big Consulting, Law and Banking companies actively recruit from for short (1 &2 week) and long term (10 weeks over the summer) paid internships, which is where a majority of job offers come from. I know recent history grads at Clifford Chance, KPMG, JPMorgan and others. You can get high paying jobs with a history degree, if that is your concern.
Hello, I still like history but as I got older I realised that in today’s job market you need a practical skill to succeed. Accounting is a professional skill that would open many doors for me and I can still read about history for fun in my free time. Also, thank you for the insightful advice. Just curious, how in the world do history majors land jobs at big corporate firms?
Due to the fact that both programs are within CAHSS, the entry requirements are roughly the same.
You really should think hard about switching. Edi is a tough school. It will be easier to graduate when you study something that you care about. There will be no resits in the end of year 2 - if you do not pass one single course, you will most likely have to transfer, as switching subjects from accounting will be almost impossible.
^^ @jupiter98 is right. Specifically:
(emphasis added
Note that 70% is a first class honours, and that about 20% of students at Edinburgh end up with an average of 70% or better (aka 1st class honours). The majority end up with averages between 60 and 70% (aka 2.1 or second class honours, 1st division). 50-60% is a 2.2, 40-50% is a third (which is a low pass, but not honours) and below 40% is a fail.
A strong 2.1 from Oxbridge, LSE, Durham, Edinburgh and a handful of others will get you internships and jobs at most high profile employers. Most of the time people have done internships, but the recent History grad that I know at KPMG had never done an internship or summer job of any description. Had a solid 2.1 (projected at the time he applied, and the offer was conditional on achieving it) and did well on the entry tests and interviews. They like that you have shown that you can work hard and long, that you can work independently, that you can learn fast, and (depending on whether you have gone humanities or quant) that you can write or figure (or both). You have to be somewhat numerate no matter what- there is a math portion to the series of tests that you take when you apply, but it is HS level maths. And btw, the way that they know that you can work all those ways is that they know that is what it takes to get a 2.1 from those unis.
If you want to go accounting for practical reasons, my advice is go to a US college or university where you can at least take other classes that are more in line with your actual interests.
And, btw, accounting as an industry is about to go through a massive restructuring. Already 2 of the 4 major accountancy firms are trialling AI software that will allow them to automate the vast majority of lower level jobs (ie, entry level and the first couple of rungs up). The first unit that tried it was so impressed that the parent firm is now trialling it in two more places.
Yes, I second looking at the US where at many schools, you can take liberal arts classes as a business major or apply to a business program after starting college (though those would be competitive entry).
I see. Wow you guys are experts at this stuff. Would it be better to get top grades in history as opposed to getting mediocre grades in accounting? I have more confidence in myself in getting good marks in history as opposed to accounting. Also, I’m surprised that big corporate firms actually consider humanities majors considering they know a lot less about the industry as opposed to their peers who majored in business.
Yes, top grades in history will carry you much further than average grades in accounting. The Big Four hire from a variety of majors.
If you decide to go to Edi for history, I highly recommend looking at DRPS for your subject. Pay attention to recommended reading, do read the texts before semester begins. Think what outside course you want to take, while paying attention to scheduling. Choose a dorm that is close to lecture halls for your course, I recommend self-catering. Shlepping from Pollocks twice daily might not be ideal. Go to freshers week, it will be fun.
@jupiter98: Is that the case in Europe? In the US, the Big 4 accounting practices will target only accounting majors/masters.
For audit dep - yes. But big 4 have different portfolios. Even investment banking industry hires humanities majors. But I would not consider employment at big 4 to be an ultimate goal…for my kid… in fact, I would strongly oppose.
Do you want to be an auditor for the next several decades? Plenty of people seem- just asking if you are one of them.
I’m with @jupiter98. Entry level at the Big 4 is brutal, no matter what division you go into. fyi, if you go into the consulting side @ the Big 4 they will pay for (and provide) the required accounting courses.
Also, as @jupiter98 notes, really look at what you will study & get a jump on it. UK kids have plenty of social time, but they also work very intensively and very independently. It really makes a difference to have a genuine interest (and aptitude) for your subject when that is all you do.
Honestly, if you’re so undecided/conflicted, the American system is a better way to go. There, you can try out all sorts of majors and don’t have to commit until later (though some majors are competitive entry).
Back in the stone age when I graduated the major UK accounting firms recruited from all disciplines, what mattered to them was the grade of degree and where it was from rather than the subject. If anything an accountancy degree could work against you because the firms wanted to train their new hires their way, rather than new employees coming in with their own pre conceived ideas. Audit and Tax were the 2 main disciplines on the way to the professional exams. Most of my friends were recruited away from accountancy firms after qualification usually to clients of the audit firms. If your going back to the states after school History into accountancy might be a problem as other have pointed out, I have no knowledge of accountancy in the US for university grads. Good luck at Edinburgh, great university great city (when it not raining!).
Thank you all for the great advice! I think now after reconsidering all my options and factors I’ll stick with history and get the best grades that I possibly can. Who knows maybe in the future I’ll be able to land a banking job and have a stable career and salary!
^ Banking may be lucrative but not what I would call stable . . . .
If you want to work in business I would go after those tracks. It is very hard to break into financial sector with History degree unless you are laser focused on doing so from day 1 on campus–get top grades, attend all the workshops & seminars offered by financial firms, take all the business electives you can, start networking year 2, learn financial modeling & forecasting over summer.
^ guessing Ivyt isn’t a specialist of Scottish universities since there are no business electives in a history course.
A 2:1 or even better, a First from Edinburgh will take you where you want to go.