IN the news today more and more students are securing their university places through clearing and by picking a subject they are passionate about, instead of the one they originally wanted, students are succeeding and enjoying their clearing courses much more than expected. Degrees once deemed as 'Mickey Mouse' courses are now forcing critics to eat their words as many of them are actually securing students a valuable career. Here's a round up the 10 weirdest degree courses you can find, to give you an idea of what options are out there if you don't want to be like everyone else. Who knows, one of these could end up giving you an amazing and interesting career!
1. Kanye West & Jay Z - University of Missouri
Yes you read that right, I'm not pulling your leg. The uni offers a course on the two rap stars as part of their African Diaspora Studies degree. It looks into how they influence hip hop culture, how they differ from other 'poets' and even investigates their power in relation to our idea of the American Dream. You're sure to never look at Jigga and Yeezy the same way again!
2. The Many Faces of Harry Potter - University of Western Ontario
I can hear the millions of fans around the world squealing with delight at this course. It does sound pretty cool, but the class involves reading all the books again and delving deeply into a range of topics like 'Nazis and Death Eaters'. For some this might ruin the fun of Harry Potter, but if you haven't got enough of Hogwarts then it's perfect for you.
3.The Simpsons and Philosophy – University of California, Berkeley
Just when you thought it couldn't get much weirder, it does. For those wondering what on earth there could be to learn about The Simpsons this class, which has been running for 13 years, aims to explore the way it uses satire to make us question the normal assumptions we have about ourselves and the world.
4. Zombies in Popular Culture - Columbia College, Chicago
This three week course explores all sorts of topics that you probably never even thought of when you were watching The Walking Dead. What can zombies teach us about being human? Who knows, but that is one of the topics that this course explores so if you want to get your teeth into something gory, look no further!
5. Bagpiping - The National Piping Centre, Glasgow
This is the only of its kind in the UK and is classed as a Bachelor of Music. You would be playing your bagpipe throughout this course, if you have one lying around, and would get to work with some of the leading players in the piping world. It might sound easy but it's technical and backed up by the The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and The National Piping Centre so it's not one to be taken lightly.
6. Surf Science and Technology - Cornwall College
This Foundation Degree (FdSc) sounds fun, though you probably won't spend as much time surfing as you will learning about politics of sport, event management, history and much more. However you will get to design and build your own surf board and judge a surfing competition so sign me up!
7. Contemporary Circus and Physical Performance - Bath Spa University
Here's another Foundation Degree (FdA) that is sure to be as fun as it is educational. You can choose to focus on a specialism like acrobatics or aerial and you would put together lots of performances for an audience. Some student performances are even showcased at Glastonbury.
8. Outdoor and Adventure Education - University of Chichester
This is a full degree (BA Hons) and although it might sound like it would be hard to get a career out of this, the possibilities are endless with students going into the tourism industry, teaching, the military and more. You would spend your third year doing a placement and you could end up working for a dog-sled team in Norway!
9. Viking and Old Norse studies - University College London
And I thought studying The Simpsons was crazy enough. I'm not sure how studying Vikings would be of any use, but it's sure to take you on a fascinating historical trip. It's a BA degree and requires a good English Language grade and provides the opportunity to learn a Scandinavian language.
10. Brewing and Distilling - Heriot-Watt University
Again, don't expect that this course will be easy and that you'll spend most of the time drinking! This is an MSc/Diploma and suits those who want to set up their own business as you would get to learn the science behind the booze. Modules include 'Cereals, Malting and Mashing' and 'Wort Boiling, Fermentation and Beer Maturation'.
You may not want to take on one of these crazy courses but the main thing to remember is that just because you don't get accepted onto the course that you wanted doesn't mean you won't find a different career you enjoy, possibly even more than you thought! Each university has their own department dedicated to helping you make the best decision when it comes to clearing so make sure you discuss any concerns with your chosen uni and hopefully you'll end up with the career of your dreams.
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