Which A level subjects are too soft to take?

With GCSE results out tomorrow, teenagers across the country will be deciding what to study next. But beware, some A levels are not good bets for some universities, as the Good University Guide's John O’Leary explains....

"Last week it was A levels, tomorrow it’s GCSEs. With all the controversy over SATs as well, exam fatigue is beginning to set in for the media.

But we shouldn’t underestimate the importance of GCSE results. Universities base their offers on them and they determine the courses that teenagers take in the sixth-form or at college – often narrowing their options unintentionally.

Where results are disappointing on Thursday, there will be a temptation to switch to supposedly easier subjects at A level. But beware if you are aiming for one of the top universities – and, in particular, for a highly competitive degree such as medicine.

Most universities will accept any subject at A level, but the divisions start with General Studies and Critical Thinking. Many (but not all) selective universities will not accept them among the three subjects on which they base offers.

After that, there are between ten and 20 ‘soft’ subjects that the top universities do not consider on a par with traditional academic A levels – although only Cambridge and the London School of Economics name them and spell out their attitude to them. They include some of the most popular courses, such as business studies, media studies and sports studies.

At the LSE, there are 13 subjects on the list, while at Cambridge, the total goes up to 20 and includes five International Baccalaureate courses. Both universities stress that they will accept subjects on the list, but only with at least two traditional subjects as well.

Of course, there are additional requirements for some degrees – like science A levels for medicine or, in many universities, maths for economics. But, whether or not the subjects on the LSE and Cambridge lists are actually easier than the rest, it is as well to bear the restrictions in mind if you are thinking of switching on Thursday.

See below for the lists of "soft" subjects to beware of at A level.

London School of Economics list

• Accounting
• Art and Design
• Business Studies
• Communication Studies
• Design and Technology
• Drama/Theatre Studies*
• Home Economics
• Information and Communication Technology
• Law
• Media Studies
• Music Technology
• Sports Studies
• Travel and Tourism

Cambridge list

A levels 

• Accounting
• Art and Design
• Business Studies
• Communication Studies 
• Dance 
• Design and Technology 
• Drama/Theatre Studies
• Film Studies
• Health and Social Care
• Home Economics   
• Information and Communication Technology 
• Leisure Studies
• Media Studies
• Music Technology
• Performance Studies
• Performing Arts
• Photography
• Physical Education
• Sports Studies
• Travel and Tourism 

IB

• Business and Management
• Design and Technology
• Information Technology in a Global Society
• Theatre Arts
• Visual Arts

General Studies and Critical Thinking A levels will only be considered as fourth A level subjects and not as part of a conditional offer.

Read School Gate's other posts on GCSE's, including some interesting news you may not have read elsewhere, and post-GCSE qualifications explained!

Update: Read School Gate on the truth about those "soft" A levels...

Why all the fuss about the A* grade?

And read John O'Leary on why so many of our bright teenagers are giving up on education

Comments

[HG]

Ater completing an Art Foundation year and about to return to academic study with a degree at Durham next year, I can confidently say that Art A level was far more intellectually challenging than the Foundation, although I would hypothesise that on either level the grade given reflects more on the quantity of the work than the quality.

The problem with Art as an academic subject is that it requires an objective approach from any examiner and Art by its nature is a subjective affair. Art as an A level demonstrates the level of commitment a student can give; t certainly took up more time and energy than any of my other 'hard' subjects.

[Keziah]

What is most striking about reading these comments by those claiming that the 'soft' A levels are as rigorous as the more traditional ones is that no-one appears to have read the article properly!

"Both universities stress that they will accept subjects on the list, but only with at least two traditional subjects as well."

It's fine to have one soft subject, just don't do three of them!

[Nicky]

I think you have to find a balance between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ A levels. I did what I felt to be the ‘core’ A levels – Maths, English Lit, and French. I then supplemented them with A and AS levels that I thought I would enjoy – Economics, Religious Studies, Philosophy and Social Science.

I found that having such a broad/eclectic spread of knowledge was actually a good talking point in subsequent interviews with employers. It should be pointed out that doing 4 A levels and 3 AS levels in 2 years doesn’t leave any free “study periods” and actually reduces your free time considerably (although I actually enjoyed spending free time working on my soft subjects!)

[BJC]

I was completely unprepared for university applications given the school I attended and no family members had ever been. I happened to like music, and went down that route with Alevel choices. Infact all of my Alevels are on the soft list! bar one AS level! Yet with a strong personal statement I still managed to get into a Russell Group university (not the be all and end all of rankings.. but just so you have an idea...) and I'm studying the same course as peers that have A grades at Alevel Maths, Economics, Physics...

Now whats interesting is... in ten years time, with sufficient work experience and a decent degree from a reputable institution, would anyone put GCSE's and Alevels anyway? You put your degree, professional qualifications and postgrad and EXPERIENCE.

So who's the idiot??

I got A grades in my subjects, but I can guarantee that if I'd of taken Maths, Chemistry and Physics I would have gotten E or U grades.

If anything I've been quite fortunate! and a a bit savvy!

[Valentine]

I'm at oxford, having done film studies at a-level: I wasn't even asked about it in the interviews. If you balance a more creative subject with conventionally academic ones, it will be bigotry on the part of the interviewer that denies you a place.

[Elle]

I find lists like these rather irritating even though I do agree with them to a certain extent.
While there are some who take subjects like the ones mentioned in the article as a “soft” option, not everyone does.
I'm currently finishing off year 12 Theatre Studies, and I do not think I would have been able to complete my English Literature coursework without it. In T.S. we had to study two plays, and write an explorative essay on them, followed by a review of a live performance we have seen. In addition to the written work we put on a work shopped version of a play that we (the students) cut in order to fit into a stimulus we chose. We then chose a monologue to perform, reading 100s of plays in order to find a suitable one, and then had to write an interpretation on the play in it's entirety. Not only does Theatre Studies require talent, which unfortunately cannot just be learned, it teaches analytical skills and time management.
I know there are people who may think Drama and Theatre Studies is just "prancing about on stage", but I feel it's unfair to judge it in this fashion. To use an example, it would be like saying Mathematics is simply "banging a load of numbers into a calculator" or English Literature is "a pile of mouldy old books".
I understand people's perception of these subjects, but many of them can be very beneficial. As I said before, taking Theatre Studies helped me immeasurably in my English Literature and History courses, as well as improving my confidence.
I know I sound like some unhinged Drama teacher spewing vitriol all over the internet… I’m not. Honest!

[MT]

To the people whose inverted snobbery tells them that they wouldn't fit in with the 'sort of people' at Oxbridge: maybe if you took proper, analytical A-levels, you would know not to state unfounded assumptions as fact.

[wendy]

I did A levels some time ago, and since have completed undergrad and graduate degrees in a range of subjects. I'm now a Research Scientist for a major technology company. The idea that traditional subjects are more useful or harder is wrong. Some subjects are required for degree courses because of the need for foundational knowledge. What employers want is the ability to think critically and innovatively. To solve problems in new and unexpected ways. Any subject that encourages you to develop those skills is valuable.

[Vicky]

Fine Art is classed as a traditional subject, whereas Art&Design may be a 'soft' option.

Subjects aren't broadly speaking easier than another, it is down to the student's own abilities and talents. An able writer and sensitive reader will fly through an English A-level, whilst they might struggle with Maths. Similarly, someone logically minded and good with numbers will pass Physics will flying colours, but may not have the creativity or appreciation to succeed in Art.
I feel as an arts student myself (English), I am looked down on by science students.
Arts subjects are much less about being taught, but about developing your own ideas and interpretations with the help of historical and contextual knowledge (and the ability to apply the technical vocabulary/terminology)
Sciences lie more in the application of a 'text-book' knowledge, and the challenges are in learning such dense amounts of information and using them in the required setting.

[Anon]

Im in my final year of university at the moment. For A-Level I took Physics, Geography and Art. I chose these as I knew I wanted to do Architecture and therefore applied to do this at University. I got 4 offers from Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Nottingham, where I am now studying. Nottingham has one of the top architecture schools in the country, and I believe they required either Art and Design or Design and Technology to get onto the course. How can Art be considered a 'soft' option when it is required for such a demanding and important subject as architecture?

[eric skelton]

What offends me most of all is the endless stream of smug 'intellectuals' with grade 'A's and first class degrees in non-subjects who remain blissfully unaware that they aren't even worth a GCSE in Maths or French (which in many cases they would fail even after receiving their 'laurels').

[eric skelton]

Same applies to degrees. I studied physics and philosophy. The philosophy involved not even bothering to go to lectures, read the set texts etc and getting firsts for every piece of work set. The physics on the other hand involved working the proverbials off for a 2(1.

[Anon]

I take Maths, English Language, Chemistry, Psychology and Biology at A Level and have found profound discrepancies between the difficulty of the courses. Despite being academically stronger in Science, I've found that English is by far the easiest, followed by Psychology, Chemistry, Maths and then Biology.

It's common knowledge that an A in Film Studies could never be compared to an A in Maths, Chemistry and the like. Everyone I know who's aiming for a competitive University avoids the "soft" subjects like the plague.

[Chioma]

The reason Art is considered a soft subject is not because there is not lots of work; it is because it has no bearing on the subjects Cambridge offer so they do not care whether you've done it or not.

[LC]

if these people had actually DONE art a-level or even art gcse it would not be on the list.
it requires you to work on it every single day to fill the adequate number of sketchbooks with work of a sufficient quality. it is not just drawing. to achieve a high you must: 1. research artist's biographies, techniques and the period of art history they slot into
2. make coherent thematic and visual links between different art/artists
3. analyse pieces of art including their structure, symbolism and historic relevance
4. learn to use complicated image manipulation software
5. write about it all in coherent english and present it an appealing and logical way.
i have an A* at gcse and am predicted A at A-level (alongside English, Russian and History of Art. Frankly, the level of analytical, research and writing skill required is not for anyone who is undedicated or unintelligent.

[Emma]

I'm doing my GCSE's at the moment and so recently I had to choose what I was going to do at A-Level. In september I should be doing; Geography, chemistry, maths and french. I did want to take business studies instead of maths, but when I got to my college interview, I was advised to re-think because all my other subjects were more 'academic'. This annoys me to be honest, I think I would have enjoyed business studies and therefore done really well in it, however, I would hvae been a fool not to take the advice given to me and I'm also glad now, that I haven't taken a 'soft' subject, although I think it should be taken as any other subject would - students have still had to work really hard for their grade in the end.

[Kiwi Expat]

Coming to the UK to teach both Technology and Design and Art and Design, I was dismayed to find the emphasis in schools here is on meaningless busywork, in which students rarely learn any real skills or essential core knowledge.
In my first UK school, GCSE D&T 'research' into furniture-making was solely by way of making collages from the pages of the furniture section from Argos catalogues. GCSE Art & Design was similarly contentless. When I was informed by both advisors and colleagues that 'drawing is not a teachable skill'. I was flabbergasted, as I had been teaching drawing successfully for over 2 decades prior to my arrival here. The preferred teaching model in the UK is didactic, where other cultures emphasise a problem-solving and 'guided discovery' approach which maximises learning but is more difficult to plan and administer and cannot be subjected to the diktats of any central authority as it relies on teachers seizing 'teachable moments' as they occur, which is severely frowned upon in the UK.
No wonder the universities look askance at these two subjects!

[Ryan]

It isn't only these 2 universities that strictly adhere to these, quite frankly, insulting blacklists.

I currently do English Language, Geography and Media Studies as my 3 A Levels, and I dropped Ancient History last year, on account of how completely dull and uninteresting the subject was to me. And, before you place me in a box, consider the fact that I'm predicted AAA and that I got 6 A*s at GCSE. I'm from a working-class, single-parent family in Manchester, in one of the poorest boroughs in the region, and I have combined type ADHD. I currently hold 5 offers to study Geography at 5 of the top 20 universities, the likes of UCL and Bristol amongst them. Within all 3 of my subjects, I have only excelled through the dedication that I have towards them. People who excel in Media Studies do so due to their interest and enthusiasm regarding the subject. We're surrounded by TV, by magazines, video games. It's only fair that someone should hold an interest in Media in a higher regard for dense calculations and formulas. Students can better relate personal experience into these subjects than they can into the more 'traditional' subjects, so eventually they will get more out of it. Another handy fact, in the last exam in Media, only 9 people out of the students studying Media managed to get an A. I got a C in the coursework. At no point in my college life prior to my UCAS application was I told of the supposed contempt that admissions staff have towards these subjects. Therefore, to be unilaterally cut off from studying at such prestigous institutions on account of my own personal preferences is ridiculous, and works only to victimise those who want to integrate their own interests into their study. A Levels shouldn't have to come with a warning sticker.

[Franki]

In response to CC, you have probably picked the best choices possible for a combined English & Drama programme at University - English, History and French are all academically acceptable for a top institution, and whilst Theatre Studies may not be considered as academic it is certainly relevant to the course you want to take in future :)

[Verity]

I took English Literature and it was easy with last minute revision and I came out with a top A.

Theatre Studies killed me with the essays as well as the practical work and having to work as a 'team' not as selfish individual.

Art is time consuming and difficult. It takes precision and hours and hours to get right, plus a lot of thinking outside of the box.

I did two 'soft' A levels that were much more difficult than my textbook historic subject. Although I wouldnt want to go to Oxford or Cambridge anyway, despite my grades. They are and will always be for rich people.

[T, James]

Fair enough cambridge and LSE being open and honest about the subject black lists-other universities blatantly do it.
I would say this though-I did politics,history,sociology,drama and critical thinking whilst applying for uni.
I'll straight up admit CT was a bit of a joke and didnt compare-but drama although i dropped it going into A2 wasn't that much of a hindrence when applying for uni.
You do however have to decide what to study at A2 more then AS-I picked drama-bit of fun etc but when push came to shove I dropped it in favour of getting the grades in the subject i wanted to study. (I also dont find studying shakespeare enjoyable....)
In A2 you should really be studying subjects specifically geared to what you want to do at university-so if drama is you're thing dont worry at all.

[s.d]

Im doing english lit, history andsociology for my A levels. Im suprised sociology and pyscology arent up there but its also a relief. :) I enjoy my subjects, and im proud that i havent gone for an easy option like alot of my friends have but seriously...

i think its sad how people feel they should drop subjects they enjoy to go to these top universities, you should do what you enjoy. a degree from a top uni doesnt mean much if a. you dont enjoy the subject that much, and b. it will lead to a career that you dont have much passion for. some people need to get their priorities sorted out :]

[T.A.]

Only fools would argue that all top level professional sports clubs should recognise qualifications in maths, physics, history and Latin, for those subjects do not measure the quality which sports clubs are looking for. That does not necessarily mean that those subjects are easy. Similarly, A levels such as Art, Business Studies, Drama, Media Studies, Tiddlywinks, and so on do not measure the qualities which top level universities are looking for. What's so hard to comprehend about this?

If you (or your son/daughter) feel passionate about Art, Drama, or whatever, then do them as your extra A levels on top of three traditional A levels. If you don't "want to" do that, then it just means that you are not really so passionate about those things any way.

[kim Emerson]

I currently have a daughter studying for GCSE's and choosing her options for A level - isn't it a shame the chances of uni entry are lessened as a result of choosing subjects that students are passionate about and as a result more likely to achieve in.

[Louise Robinson]

I have an offer for Dentistry at Newcastle University in September...something which is incredibly competitive nowadays. I took Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Drama/Theatre Studies at AS, then dropping Physics for A2 after much debate because of these "soft option" moans in the papers.
It is worth noting that every dental interview I have been to they have focussed on my interest in drama and that none of them saw it as a problem. Medical and dental schools are quite welcoming of a third "soft" subject as it adds variation to your full profile and provided the course was no more than 40% practical they were more than keen to consider you.
I chose drama because I love the arts but I'm a keen scientist and drama added the greatest variation to my overall profile...and the Universities were certainly keen to know more. Top universities consider more than just the grades...so one soft option doesnt always kill your chances!

[Boris]

It's interesting how the people most vehemently defending soft options are the ones that took them. Here's the rule: if you want to go to one of the best Unis, don't mess around with Media or Travel and Tourism. Simple.
I did four proper A-levels and it paid off.

[robert]

maybe a good plan for choosing a-levels is to obviously choose the subject you would like to study (in my case geography) then choose one "hard subject" and one "soft subject". ive scuppered my chances of getting to a top university by choosing geography and two "hard subjects" in maths and physics because no matter what subjects you study... an ABB wont be good enough for oxbridge.

.... maybe that cheeky A grade in leisure studies could just swing it in your favour.

[Mary Louise]

As a current A-level student, who was once applying Oxbridge to read English, I can understand many of the complaints here. I study Philosophy, English Literature and Drama and Theatre Studies, the latter of which shouldn't be considered soft. It is a writing based course, much of which is spent writing in depth essays on the history and practise of dramatic form! I was a promising student at GCSE and according to my current tutors, could come out with top grades this year. The thing is, I don't really want top grades, because top academic education isn't the be all and end all of my life and I realise I made a huge mistake to think for so long that it was! I applied for university two months late, and I've had all my offers back. They may not be fantastically revered places like Cambridge or Durham, but I have a feeling I wouldn't really fit in with the people that can actually afford to go there, anyway.
At the end of the day, I'm working class and I have different values- there is no way I ever had a chance.

[Kerry]

Maybe the real issue here is more the skills behind the subjects than the subjects themselves. I totally understand why photography is on that list, and media studies (at my friends' schools it was taken by those who would probably do poorly at maths, science etc). History is about looking for inference, putting together arguments; science and maths are about analytical thinking; english is about articulation among other things.
If you are taking an English Literature degree, how exactly would media studies or dance help you?

[L]

"I think that it's expected for Arts students to not be so bright, but we may be bright but just not interested in the supposed, 'harder' subjects. Art is about personality, creativity and something completely different to the academic academics, it's a whole new ball game... Art has a lot more personal depth in it than say, French, or Geography."

It's true that Fine Art/Art and Design is challenging in a different way to traditional FE courses. However, I studied Modern Languages and History of Art at university, and had a number of seminars with art students, a good few of whom looked down on me for taking more academic subjects. They made it clear that my opinion was worth less than theirs because I wasn't creating art myself, and wasn't "expressing myself" through the medium of visual art. I hasten to add that there were also lots of lovely people, this was just a group of hardcore snobs. So I'm afraid the prejudice can work both ways. Art and Design should certainly not be labelled as soft, however. It's time-consuming and involves lateral thinking, investigation and plenty of background reading as well as creative output.

There's a lot of uproar about the Art and Design being labelled soft, as I agree there should be. I'm at Art college and it's SO time consuming and such hard work, but I think that it's expected for Arts students to not be so bright, but we may be bright but just not interested in the supposed, 'harder' subjects. Art is about personality, creativity and something completely different to the academic academics, it's a whole new ball game. It's not soft, it just has alterior requirements from the candidate. AT my interview yesterday, my interviewer was stunned by my huge list of A grades, possibly because she wasn't used to seeing them from applicants, it's just a stereotype. Anyway, Art has a lot more personal depth in it than say, French, or Geography.

I don't know if I've made myself clear, I reckon if some of those academics did one of our art projects it'd be the piece that gets flung across the room accompanied by a cuss of sorts! Tshk

[Mazza Cloud]

I think it's rather unfair how universities tend to have these "blacklists". It's forcing people to study subjects they might not want to study, all just to get in to a university which has the nerve to label this subject "soft" and that subject "hard". In the end, you won't be doing what you enjoy, and you'll be stuck in a hole of unhappiness for a while. Not really encouraging. Some subjects, fair enough, they have a point, it can be seen as "soft", but if it's so soft, maybe colleges should encourage students to take harder subjects of the same subject? For example, rather than studying Music Technology, Music would be seen as "harder" and it'd still cover general knowledge of music in all areas, including Technology. A good guideline I've made for myself though when choosing A-levels is to take Maths/English, a science, a language and an art. Personally however, taking all 3 core subjects (Maths, English (Lang/Lit), a science) would be pretty good, although not neccessary. It's important to do what you enjoy though, that matters the most.

[Hannah]

Kimberley, Cambridge don't teach drama, so it's not going to happen whatever you take. Stick with History of Art.

[Fran Kitson]

I'm currently taking my AS courses and as May exams come up we've been asked what courses we're unlikely to continue with. I'm doing Psychology, English Literature, Media Studies and English Language and already pretty certain that I won't continue with Psychology.

I definitely would not call Media the "soft touch" course. The growing importance of the Internet means that a whole new set of issues come into play whilst new theories on audience and institution especially come out because of it. It's got this image which is completely unsupported.

Although I am applying to Cambridge, I would not take Psychology simply to avoid having a "soft A level" on my list. My priority is always going to be the subjects I find relevant, interesting and most of all fun to do.

[Lucy]

As someone who takes Art and Design I certainly wouldn't dub it a 'soft option'.
Art requires huge amounts of effort, meticulous planning and is by far the most time consuming of all my a levels (much more so than English Literature and History)
Also, the person who says Art and Design gives a "no-brainer A grade" clearly has no clue about the subject. Art is a lot more than drawing flowers nowadays.

Seeing art alongside 'Travel and Tourism' is more than disappointing.

[Matt]

This is absolute rubbish, written by people who don't take the above subjects and therefore don't know how much work you have to put into them especially subjects such as drama. You can't call playing a boy who turns into a bug an easy task. To perfect a drama takes months of bloody hard work.
Do not listen to the above, do what you want to do! what you enjoy! Also... Business studies: this is ironic considering that people in HR Management are hot property in the current economic world and business effects everything and everyone

[Valentine]

I got into oxford with a film studies a-level: they don't hold it against you.

[CC]

I am a little worried now..

At college I have put down
English Literature and Language
History
French
Theatre Studies

I want to do a combined Drama and English degree at university, so will these be acceptable choices?
After all, I still have time to change them..

[Ritika]

In response to all the comments about law - its not that universities see it as a "soft" subject, its just that they think it is poorly taught at A-level and if you do go on to do law at uni they feel it can hinder what they teach you.

[Emily]

Im in year 9 and my school is already making the likelihood of getting into a top university more likely. I HAVE to take a modern foreign language, because it looks good on applications. We HAVE to do add. science, and for the top maths set, we have to do further maths.We have to do IT, Citizenship ( as halfs) and we (obviously) have to do english, maths and science. We are than given three choices of our own. Most people can choose their language from the two they study now, but for those of us that do Latin instead of German or Spanish, we have to take french (bleugh)

Even though we dont always like this, and would rather have more options ourselves, it means our chances of going to cambridge or Oxford are higher, so im not complaining.

[Emma]

Kimberley, if you want to study history of art or drama at cambridge, as long as your other subjects are 'academic' then study art or drama as a third or fourth subject. Cambridge recommends that you study at least two more academic subjects e.g. history, languages, sciences, so your chances won't be limited.
Personally, I take Maths and Further Maths AS, and I find that it's the least amount of work compared to my other subjects of french, german and music.
Also, my friend studies art AS and she's always up in the art rooms working on her pieces - it still requires a lot of work!

The listed subjects are 'soft' even though people are saying they're not. People that find them hard are probably not as textbook clever at their schools then those that don't.
Take Art for example - it is virtually impossible to fail. No-one at my school ever gets below an A at A-Level and admit it's a doss subject that they only take as a no-brainer A-grade.
It is always best to take subjects you are interested in, but if you want to apply to Oxbridge with them, don't bother

[kimberley]

I have to choose which A level subjects I want to take at the end of this year and I was thinking of taking either art or drama as I want to major in either history of art or drama at Cambridge. And now I see THIS!

[Becki]

if they study law they'll realise its not easy!

[MP]

I have to contend my fellow A-Level Art takers - I'm in the second year of sixth form and Fine Art is hardly challenging!
Yes, you have to research artists, tie them in with your work, but surely that's not hard for someone with half a brain.
As long as you can hold a pencil you'll be fine.

[Jon]

By singling out "soft subjects", Cambridge and LSE are helping prospective A Level students to choose their courses wisely - surely its fairer than the other unis which have secret lists and offer no explanation as to why some applicants are rejected? Besides it helps to filter out pathetic subjects such as meydeer studeez - or at least it will encourage the government and exam bodies to make these courses more challenging so they can again be recognised as real qualifications.

[Vishal]

It's totally ridiculous how some universities have the nerve to go around calling subjects 'soft.' Nothing taught at college is particularly 'soft' especially not one like law. It's funny when you consider that some universities call a subject like law soft when in fact, they themselves teach it. Total hypocrites.

[megan]

I did pretty much all of the 'soft' subject (Business C,Media C and Sociology got a B) and didnt find them soft at all! I find it quite interesting how I'd consider many of the listed subjects are challenging.

I currently attend a university which is number (12) on the thetimesonline.co.uk league table and counld'nt be happier. I now studying business.

[Claudia]

Art A level is definitely not a soft subject- it's just as mentally challenging as any other subject because you have problems that you have to think you way around. People I know assume its just 'lets do some painting today' or 'look at this piece by Picasso' but it really isn't. It's continuous hard work and requires lots of energy, motivation and commitment- it's a really satisfying subject :)

[Pat]

Surely Accounting would be necessary for a degree in the subject? Or anything finance related... Accounting is just a subject where there is no two ways about what you are being taught, so I don't see why it should be classed as a subject in which will lessen the chances of being accepted in Cambridge/Imperial

[Martin]

If you want to be an engineer (I mean by that a professional engineer with a degree in the subject from a decent university), then DON'T do Design and Technology at A level (except perhaps as your fourth subject). You need Physics and Mathematics, plus maybe either Chemistry or Further Maths.

[Ginny]

No, Jess, fine art as a fourth a level will be fine, and show a nice range. Don't worry and good luck!

[Jess]

I'm currently filling in my college applications as I speak and now I'm worried that I may not have chose the right options if in the end I want to go to one of the top Universities.
If I did three hard academic subjects (English Language, History and French), would I be putting myself at a disadvantage by doing Fine Art as a fourth?

[RiCo]

I'm so angry that Art and Design is classed as a soft subject.
I think Art and Design is a subject that shows personality and energy. It certainly demands a lot more time than other subjects and prepares you for working as an individual and for recognising the world around you.
Universities who don't value these subjects obviously just want boring applicants who have the personality of a shoe.

[AshP]

Re abharrisson comment about Alevels being dumbed down...

I'm currently studying Alevels in Chemistry, Biology & Physics and to AS maths. Now as far as im concerned the exams are not getting easier, its just a case of the students taking them are working harder in order to get those grades and get into the desired universities. Now in terms of HARD/soft subjects I think its a case of which is more challenging to the indicidual. Now there are people I no who have studied Art and numerous other subjects and I dont feel there is much comparison, There is no way any of these subjects are more difficult then Alevels such as Maths (Normal/Further), Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English (Lang/Lit). Yes the work load may seem intense but compared to the ideas a concepts learnt in the above subjects listed there really is no comparison.

In terms of University selection I do agree with many of the subjects listed as being soft, however like a previous poster said if you pick one of those Alevels considered to be soft and try and apply to a top university for a degree which is highly competative be prepared for a rejection, its just how it is and really there is no one to blame but yourself and research should have been done beforehand to ensure you dont put yourself in the situation in the first place.

[Nic C]

I think a lot of people that are commenting on this post are misinterpreting what this 'blacklist' really is. If you actually read the pages (linked above in the article) from the LSE admissions department or the University of Cambridge they explain quite clearly why it is they prefer subjects that are not on this list.

The difference they highlight between the hard and soft subjects for A level is not in terms of difficulty or workload, but simply in terms of academic rigour. If you study for an academic university degree at any worthwhile institution, it is vitally important that you have developed the skills of independent research; reading and digesting of complex articles, ideas, theories, and models; and an understanding of how it feels to undertake subjects with a purely academic focus.

I myself studied Fine Art at A-level, along with A-levels in Maths, Economics, Chemistry, and Further Maths (all in 2004). I will happily tell anyone who listens that the Art A-level gave me a bigger workload than all of my other courses put together. Furthermore, Art was more of a challenge to me personally due to the very different nature of study involved.

I am currently studying for my degree at the LSE, which is wonderfully challenging and fulfilling. But the point is, I am only capable of making the most of my degree (indeed of even coping with it at all) because I have had practice during my A-levels of rigorous academic work. My Maths and Sciences A-levels may not be at all related to the degree I study now (Philosophy) but if it wasn't due to them I would really be struggling now.

My point is this - what the LSE and Cambridge are saying is that to make the most of their (very challenging and academic) degree courses, you NEED to have practice of working within purely academic disciplines at A level. Whatever else you study outside your three hard subjects is just as important, and you will hopefully enjoy it and find it interesting. But if you are truly looking to get an academic-based degree from a top Russel Group university, you need the hard subjects first and foremost.

I am sure every arts student will declaim with hand held theatrically to brow that they suffer for their A grades in Art and Theatre Studies. And they are correct, insofar as the work load is high and the subjects are often competitive and stressful. They challenge students to a very high extent, but not intellectually, and this is where contention is so often taken.
As long as one has two core academic subjects, and the student is passionate, talented and driven, ANY A LEVEL COMBINATION IS GENERALLY FINE!

[Elizabeth]

History of Art is accepted for university entrance, although it is true some may feel that mathematics is harder. History of Art is a different A level to Art and Design, which has a much higher practical element. For this reason, it is sometimes not accepted as a third A level (with the exception of art schools) although it is practically always acceptable as a fourth A level.

[J]

Design Technology is probably considered to have too large a practical element to be considered a 'hard' academic subject. It is not essential for Engineering degrees, although Maths is indeed essential.

[Isabella]

To mark down Design and Technology as a "soft" subject is absurd! Not only is it essential for studying architecture or engineering, but is also an incredibly useful to complement Maths and Physics A-Levels, being a practical application of all of the skills learnt in those subjects. To be achieving a high level in this subject is much more impressive than to be gaining a high level in Business Studies, Media Studies or Art and Design, which topic areas are also all covered in the Product Design syllabus.

[J]

I go to Imperial College in London and I took Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Maths for A-level; the supposedly 'hard' subjects. Of all the people I have met this year, only one person took any of the subjects on LSE's blacklist, and she gave Drama up at AS. This may be down to the fact that Imperial specialises in science, engineering, and medicine - all of which have subject-specific entry requirements such as the necessity to take Maths and Chemistry, with Physics and Biology recommended at A-level for Chemical Engineering. This doesn't leave much room for any other subjects at A-level, such as the soft ones.

If you wish to go to say, Cambridge, and you don't get the grades necessary to satisfy the entrance requirements, then you will not be admitted - sometimes this is purely down to having a bad day in the exams hall. However if you disadvantage yourself before you do any studying in order to get those grades by taking any one of the subjects in their 'blacklist' this is no one's fault but your own.

If you're not aiming for a top 10 institution however, I see no reason why people should be put off taking these soft A-levels, but you should be pre-warned about what you are letting yourselves in for before you start the course.

[Dave]

Of course you should take subjects that interest you, and Cambridge and LSE are not saying you shouldn't. Media A-Level is a perfectly good qualification to have if you plan on going into media or a similiar industry. But neither of these universities offer courses that would require you to use the skills gained in doing an A-Level such as this. You can argue as much as you like that you spend x amount of time doing analytical written work for Drama or the like, but the level of analysis required is neither relevant nor substantial for that required for the majority of the academic degrees offered by these institutions. Qualities such as creativity and confidence are not uniquely obtained by studying these 'soft' subjects, whereas the skills required to do well at, for example, mathematical subjects are significantly more difficult to gain.

[Ryan]

KYL is right, i agree completely.

People seem to miss out the fact that a big part of doing a subject at AS is to see if they even like the subject and would like to go on to do it when they are older. No point doing say doing all these subjects and then going onto do it at Uni and dropping out because the person doesn't enjoy it.

I used to think i'd like to go on to study Law. I enjoy it, but after doing it for 3/4 months, i've realised that it's not something i would like to do when i'm older.

I'm doing Law, Business Studies, Computing and Maths and Sports Development Rugby Union. 2 of those subjects have been blacklisted, i plan to drop Business Studies anyway as it is pretty easy, and to take up Economics next year for AS.

I still think despite doing 2 'soft subjects' if i do well i'll get to go on to do Computer Science when i'm older.

[Ruth]

Photography, if done properly at a college with a darkroom and insisting on film- instead of a digital photoshop course- is very time consuming, difficult and heartbreaking.

The same goes for Ceramics (3D art and design) which I took for A level. How many Maths students have a months worth of work blow up in a kiln?!

[james]

University is no more challenging than school. I am at a top five University in my final year and have yet to be intellectually challenged.

In some cases these so called soft a-levels are actually more difficult than your standard sciences as they are not based on the learning and churning of patterns.

My advice is do what you enjoy, not what a University wants you to do. The last thing you want to Go is to a University for a name. if you do this and take a course you don't like you will a) drop out, b) get a desmond and c) regret it.

[Helen]

Eric, how true also in the private sector. I wish it were the case that people who took sciences were streamed into the more technical roles at work. I am a programmer but find its the loud people who didn't go to university project manage and get paid lots lots more. Its the case that those who get a chance to recruit have a chip on the shoulder about not having gone to uni. and recruit similar people to themselves. Its not fun being managed by people who like hobbies such as boxing, and whose management technics are who shouts the loudest gets what they want. You have certainly put me off ever going into teaching.

[Lauren]

I don't know why Law is on one of the lists - I studied it at A Level and am now studying Law & History at the University of Edinburgh and the A Level has been invaluable and given me a huge head start on people wh haven't studied it.

[Sylvia]

As someone taking Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Maths and History at AS, there are soft and hard subjects. However, the volume of work in some subjects, such as the Drama course, requires a larger volume of work, and moves into history, language and rather soul-ripping Artaudian techniques, and therefore I would be unwilling to class it as a 'soft' A-level. On the other hand, the sciences seem to promote less rote-learning of facts and more thinking, so I suppose I should just get back to studying.

[Fiz]

Drama a soft option?I have hardly seen my daughter this term! She is either rehearsing, or in a play or writing essays! She's doing History and English (plus General Studies, but it isn't even taught at my daughter's school - she's having to do all the work by herself) for A level and is also busy with audition pieces for drama schools and the few enlightened universities that do offer practical Drama as a subject. She has worked at ballet, tap, modern/jazz, drama and singing starting with ballet when she was two and the others since four. Soft option - I don't think so!

[jazz]

they say that people who want to do economics at university without having done it before in school are the cleverest people around. fact :)

[Bexie]

Drives me mad that people regard Drama as such a weak subject. It's as hard as English, they're both fundamentally the study of literature but Drama has a more practical element. I know, I'm taking both. Also, at AS level I found Drama more challanging than History or Theology.

[Suzie Bee]

I do, to an extent, agree with the fact that some A levels are different to other. However, that does not necessarily make them better or worse. I am currently taking Theatre Studies A2 (along with three "solid academic" arts subjects) and find it a great challenge. It requires a great deal of time and effort, a wide general knowledge of theatre and some very in-depth analysis of texts and theatrical movements. However, it does provide different skills to more 'paper-based' A levels.

What really upsets me is not the A level blacklist in itself (as some subjects simply may not teach in a way that will be useful to someone at degree level) but the fact that so many universities appear to operate covert blacklists. GCSE students need to be told explicitly which subjects are less well-regarded so that their A level choices do not restrict their university opportunities.

[Hannah]

I'm reading Modern Foreign Languages at Uni. of Bath and I for one really resent seeing Art and Design on that list, having worked incredibly hard just to get a B at A Level in Fine Art, as of course I was focusing more on my languages. Yes, it's true that some students get a LOT of help (a friend who did Photography and Textiles was 'rescued from failing' by teachers and got an A in both..!), whereas as I was one of the brighter students I was largely left to do coursework by myself while others got help. I can understand how other subjects on the list could be deemed as 'soft' but Fine Art as a subject has a strong academic heritage and to study it requires a lot of dedication, technical skill and hard work and many students are not 'spoonfed' at all!

[Harriet]

I an taking A2 Health and Social care and I got three conditional offers

[eric skelton]

As a teacher of A-level physics I can assure you that the only way to get on in schools is to promote 'soft' A-levels and 'diplomas' and pretend that they are the equal of traditional academic subjects. Go into any state (or increasingly even private schools) and see how many senior staff made their careers in them and how many physics/maths/chemistry/language teachers slave at the chalk face for a basic wage and pension. What sort of message does this send to the pupils about which subjects enhance your life chances?

[Kevin]

I think there's a difference between "soft" subjects and "vocational" subjetcs. Hence it seems unfair so class e.g drama as a soft subject. Also music's not on the list despite including drama, art and design + tech.

[Lee]

In America, a student has only one option if they want to be accepted by any university at all. They have to take "college prep" which is a harder version of regular classes that leaves no room for "fun" electives like drama or art. Then they have to score well enough on the SAT to get into the school they want. "Home economics" would perhaps get one into a community college with the stipulation you take 2 years of prep work before your degree work starts

[Vonz]

I'm in my first year at college, taking As levels in English Language and Literature, German, History, Politics and Critical Thinking. I know that I will be applying to the top universities and wish to persue a career within international politics. I was told that around 90% of a law A level is irrelevant to a law degree. Hence its blacklisting, I'm assuming.

I completely agree with this list of 'soft' subjects, and whilst mine aren't the most intensely challenging subjects, they are hard work and well on the way to getting me into a good university on the course of my choice.

However, many of my friends have taken subjects and I find myself thinking "why?", because I cannot see them getting anywhere with that specific course. Students at GCSE level need guidance when choosing their subjects. They should be taking something they enjoy but something that is also worth their 2 years at college. Otherwise it's simply just a waste of time.

[abharrisson]

If the Govt hadn't dumbed down A levels with all the coursework (cheating) that seems to go on these days it would have been better I feel. Children with strong parental support and good teacher support have a real head start when it comes to course work whether you are doing a hard or soft subject.
In the old days a straightforward exam was all we had.... and A levels were a good differentiator with less than 15% of students getting an A grade (then the top grade), now it seems you merely have to sign your name to at least pass.

[Tori]

I took my A-Levels back in the "good old days", when you had to have a certain number of strong GCSE passes to stay on at school. Although you could take some AS Level classes (actually, I think it was only AS music in my day), no one ever even considered them.

I actually took one "Soft A-Level", that being Drama. At the time it was a nice break from the other 2 classes. What we focused on more than anything was the written form of the play, rather than just dressing up and prancing around a stage. At that time, acting was a minor part of the Drama A-Level, with more emphasis on the history of the era we were studying (modern British "kitchen sink" drama and the Realist drama movement of the 19th C).

I also took Theology, which had no coursework and just two almighty tricky exams at the end where you had to learn 7 books of the bible by heart and be able to translate them. That was a toughy, but I came out with great grades.

And then there was English... Why I chose that subject I will never know. I never have had an active interest in the mechanisms of writing and "thoughts" of writers from hundreds of years ago. Again, no coursework in my day, but I did well without being at all interested.

Actually, my final A-Level grades were all really good. The problem is that children enter into A-Levels without real thought for long term goals. The same can be said for us having to select a major for uni at the age of 18. I think most are too young to realise that the choices they make at such tender ages are pretty irrelevant for most in later life. I have a degree in Theology, which is totally useless to me. I now have a psychology degree, which I have followed into a career.

My advice is to choose subjects you enjoy, but also to look into your future. What you decide to do now is likly not to be of any benefit in a couple of years time.

[erin]

i'm in my second year of A-levels and suposedly taking a soft subject in drama and theatre studies, i would just like to point out that this year alone i have to present two plays, two lots of coursework and do two exams. In no way is this soft subject it requires natural talent and massive amounts of work just to get a C/B

[Lou]

I am doing my A2's (Psycology, Media, IT and Gen Studies and AS critical thinking and we have often had the is media studies a soft subject i would say no as my teachers also teach english and media (the board we are taking anyway) has to be to the same standard as english lit. but students are at an unfair disadvatage as it has the same skills as english but applied to ALL types of media not just print. In 2 years of media studies you pick up the camera once in year 12. Year 13 coursework is a reserch eassay, mine is the representation of masculinity and the male patriarchy within music videos with specific refrence to billy talent, surrender and the good life, kanye west. That was harder than anything I ever did in chem AS, even my maths and science taking friends remarked how hard that was to do. soft subject? i think not

[Zoe]

This list is ridiculous! You shouldn't do any A-Levels because their the ones that are 'preferred' or the subjects that some stuck up university wants to see.
Pick them because YOU want to do them!
Universities like Cambridge are for people that judge their success on the institution they attend rather than their talents.

[Sophie]

I am currently studying for A2 and I am studying maths, further maths, Spanish and business studies.
Business studies is classed as a 'soft subject' but I find it quite challenging especially as the exams are based on quite specific techniques.
Furthermore business studies was my lowest AS grade and yet I managed to achieved 2 As in maths and politics and a B in Spanish all of which are not classed as 'soft subjects' and therefore I find this classification unnecessary and inaccurate.

[Nikesh Pathak]

I'm studying A-level law and i have to say that compared to the other traditional or "hard" subjects that I'm studying, such as english, law is by far more challenging, thought provoking and extremely technical and complex. Some of the finer points, such as in contract law, would baffle the minds of the ignorant fools who write these reports.
Calling law at A-level soft is the same as calling law at degree level soft and therefore is one the most ridiculous comments ever made about one of the most respected disciplines in the world.

As a medical student and only having studied "hard" subjects at A- Level, i can seriously say that doing something like this requires a hell of a lot of hard work. I think it's fair enough to classify these subjects as hard and soft because some require so much more thought and work. You can't even compare something like chemistry to media studies, the difference in effort and thinking needed is unbelievable.
What's the point in doing something like philosophy when you probably won't have a job in it after? Thats just 15 grands worth of debt for nothing.

[larry]

alex: Perceive and achieve (how do you say that in Latin?)

[Micky]

As a teacher of both media studies and film studies, I feel qualified to make a (brief) comment.
Apart from the coursework element (at which students can and frequently do copy/plagiarise/get extra help from teachers), media studies does require considerable industry, ability and understanding for a high grade.
Not so film studies, a subject which requires students merely to turn up for the exam (often after having missed many lessons) to get a pass grade and sometimes much more; and this applies to students whose idea of a sentence wouldn't have passed muster at O level. I don't have enough time/space to go into details about this but, given the nature of the subject, at least some of this problem must be down to sloppy/uninformed marking. Indeed, having examined some marked scripts, I can say that this is definitely true.

[Leanne]

LSE think Law is a 'soft' A Level? Someone in admissions hasn't seen the syllabus! I'm a first year Criminology student at university but i took my final A Level Law exams last summer and it was by no means easy. If anything taking Law at A Level has given me a head start. Many of my fellow students are unsure of the legal side and i find myself explaining.

[alex]

im currently in my final yr of a levels and i study economics physics and pe, they class pe as a soft subject but i go to a school where we have the highest a level pass rate in the region and many county regional and england players and yet i see maybe 3 people in a yr 13 class predicted a's and im predicted a C after achiving an a* at gcse its not as easy as people percive and those who are successful at this subject are those who achive high grades in biology so cambridge and lse can take a hike.

[Lucy]

I hope that this doesn't apply if you want to actually do a degree in a "soft subject" - for example, if you want to do art at university, what better a-level to do than art and design? Likewise drama.

[LL]

Yasmin...it's unlikely Cambridge will accept you simply for your bad spelling...."if cambridge don't except me".

Please.

[Lucye]

Universities do not actually mind if you only take one soft subject!

[William]

The skills and knowledge I acquired at A-level studying the 'soft' subject of ICT are proving invaluable in my final year Bioinformatics based dissertation project - by no means a 'soft' venture. That said, at numerous points in the past three years I've realised that I would have benefited much more from studying Maths or Physics.

[JASMINE]

I get what you mean, Whimsey. What I'm trying to put across is that these subjects shouldn't be seen as "soft" subjects because like all the other subjects, these subjects are also beneficial to us in their own way. Perhaps the general subjects are really able to help us in getting a profession, or so it seems (Well, we do have to admit that some of the specific courses these professionals go through include courses like Law, Design, etc--which ARE in the list of "soft" subjects?), but shouldn’t we recognise the other subjects to be of similar significance too? After all, if the students themselves are already clear about what they want, wouldn’t it be good to expose them to the industry earlier through these subjects? This would also help them to decide if they really want to enter that particular industry in the future, wouldn't it?

[Whimsey]

Jasmine, I think it all depends on (a) how you want to earn a living as an individual and (b) what the world needs knowing/learning.

If all you want in life is to earn a comfortable middle class living working as a manager of some kind in a company, then fine, soft subjects aren't a problem, are they? But if you actually want to do something requiring professional qualification - whether it's practise as a lawyer, or be a doctor, or an architect, or a research scientist, then you need, obviously, to learn those specific subjects.

An essential function of universities is not just to provide people with enjoyable and well-paid career paths. It's to, literally, 'advance humankind' by way of essential technology and scientific research, and turning that, eventually, into the everyday fabric of our lives, whether it's cars, computers or cures for cancer. No amount of 'soft subjects' is going to do squat about such essential matters.

[JASMINE]

I don't quite understand why these subjects are considered as "soft" subjects when it is so well integrated into our society today. The more general subjects like English, Maths, Physics, Chemistry and all (which are NOT in the list of "soft" subjects) are in fact the ones that are getting disconnected to our daily lives. We learn the general subjects since young just to realise that as we grow up and enter the working world, we have to learn it all over again in another form. The typical knowledge learnt in schools has to be reassessed as the trends in our society change. We are no longer looking for a person who knows how to do things the systematic way and are in fact, searching for those who can adapt and apply. So why do we have to stick with the general subjects? I think the "soft" subjects are the ones that are more applicable in our lives today and as focuses more on the application of skills, which would benefit us in the future.

[Yasin]

cambridge have to complain about everything. Well those snobbish fools need to get used to modern courses for the modern world. Old "classical" courses, although require depth are irrelevant to my occupational choice. I studied ICT and i'll do computing elsewhere if they don't except me. A heapful better university's with strong links with industry. If Arthur wants to study history and his mummy still gives him pocket money, then so be it.

[H]

If Drama is a 'soft' subject they'd better make English one too, since the questions/skills needed for my written Drama exams were near indentical to the type needed for Shakespeare and play portions of my English Literature A Level - except that I actually had to have MORE knowledge for Drama since I also needed to be able to work out how to stage the things as well as analyse them to death!

[Matthew]

I went to Cambridge recently and while there I met loads of people who had A-levels on the 'soft' list, but typically as 4th or 5th A-levels (not that having 4 or 5 A-levels is typical at Cambridge! About 90% have 3+General Studies). I did meet some, however, who had 2 out of 3 on the soft list. It was a while ago, but it shows that if you are bright, it comes out in the interviews and written tests (which is why they do them, I suppose!)