Postponing your degree

phenomenon

Its common enough to hear of students taking a year "off books" for whatever reason, but is it possible to postpone your degree for the long term, say 4/5 years?

Brian May of Queen famously went back to University last year to finish his thesis and earn his PhD, 30 years after he dropped out to join the rock band!

The reason I ask is because I'm currently in my third year of a course I've no interest in. I'd love to postpone this degree for now and study something I am passionate about, preferably abroad, for the experience. I'm hesistant to drop out completely because, after all, I have invested 2 and 1/2 years into this course and hate to see all that time and effort go to waste. I'd love to have the option of coming back and finishing it someday. No harm in having 2 degrees, eh?

So anyway: is this possible?; and has anyone heard of anyone who has done it?

ShoulderChip

beside Brian May? no.

Colli_Flower86

I know someone that did it, but only for a year (she actually loves the course just wanted a break) - talk to your tutor... I don't see that point in dropping out without at least an ordinary degree after all that time...

claire h

I know someone who's gone back and finished up a masters several years after starting it, though there was some kind of time limit on it. But - as was the case with Brian May - that's postgraduate study, not an undergrad degree. It's easier to revisit your own research - assuming nothing has been done in the meantime that anticipates what you're setting out to establish - than it is to go back to an institution with a fairly specific degree outline with certain things needing to be covered in each year (which may well change over time). You might be able to go back and finish something you'd started if you do drop out now, but I don't think you should necessarily assume that you'll definitely be able to.

phenomenon

Thanks for the reply guys.

So it doesn't seem likely then...but I will of course talk to my tutor when the college term starts up again. As mentioned above, I think its possible to graduate at the end of this year with a diploma. But then again, I could have a degree for the sake of anothers year's drudgery. Ugh!

exiztone

Just curious, what's your current degree (which you have no interest in) and what would you be hoping to do instead?

phenomenon

exiztone wrote: »

Just curious, what's your current degree (which you have no interest in) and what would you be hoping to do instead?

I'd rather not say for the sake of anomynity although its in the maths/engineering/science category of courses. I want to do a language course instead (complete opposite, I know). I've a love of languages and teach them to myself anyway so I might as well get a degree out of it!

At the end of the day a degree is a degree, right? Once an employer sees a qualification on the CV it shows you have the dedication to stick out a course ( ) and have the necessary critical thinking skills etc. This explains how physics graduates end up in banks! Your job might not be directly related to your degree.

EGaffney

Physics grads end up in banks because they know maths and can program computers. Arts Letters students, less so; I would also suggest that a job in banking may not be the best career path at the moment