University degrees: essential and useful A level subjects

With so many students choosing their A level subject choices this term I have put together some advice for making the right choices to give you the best chance of receiving offers from your university.

Here are just a few university degrees with the essential A level subjects required by the top universities. Many universities like to see breadth as well as depth in a student’s application so, an ideal combination may well be a science subject to help with logical thinking, an essay writing subject to assist with report writing and communication skills and perhaps a social science subject to promote critical analysis. However, there are certain degrees where it is important to offer a specific subject at a high level. One example of this would be an Economics degree; many top universities will state Maths A level as an essential subject rather than Economics A level. Of course it is useful to study Economics A level if you are interested in studying Economics at university but it is not a requirement. It is much more important to have a high level of working knowledge and aptitude for Maths.  

Degree	Essential A level choices	Useful subjects
Actuarial Science	Mathematics	Further Maths, Economics
Biology	Biology, usually Chemistry	Maths, Physics
Biochemistry	Chemistry, poss Biology	Maths, Physics
Biomedical Science	Two sciences: Biology /Chem/Maths, Physics – some specify	Extra science and/or Maths
Business Studies/Management	None but Maths sometimes specified	Maths, Economics
Chemical Engineering	Chemistry and Maths and occasionally physics	Physics, Biology, F Maths
Chemistry	Chemistry, sometimes Maths	Maths, F Maths, Physics, Biology
Computer Science	Maths, some courses specify Computing or Computer Science	Maths, F Maths, Physics, Philosophy, ICT
Dentistry	Chemistry, Biology, may require Maths or Physics as well	Maths, Physics, F Maths,
Economics	Mathematics and perhaps Further Maths	Economics, Business Studies, Computing, History
Engineering (most disciplines)	Maths, Physics	Further Maths, DT
English	English Literature	History, Modern Languages
History	History	English, Economics, Politics, languages
Law	English perhaps	Breadth and depth in subjects offered
Languages	Modern European languages
Mathematics	Maths, perhaps Further Maths	F Maths, Physics, STEP Maths,
Medicine	Chemistry, Biology and Maths or Physics	Further Maths and a contrasting (non-science) subject or perhaps a language
Philosophy	None specified (if PPE Maths may be required)	Maths, Classics
Physics	Maths, Physics	F Maths, Chemistry, Computing
Politics	None	Social Sciences: government, politics, history, economics, law or English literature,
Psychology	Biology, Maths, Physics or Maths	Biology, Maths, Sociology (some accept Geography)
Veterinary Medicine	Chemistry and Biology, and one Maths and Physics	Further Maths.