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. |
