Qualifications like a bachelor's degree can be useful for improving your career prospects, but there are a lot of factors to consider.
Generally, some degrees are considered more valuable or useful than others so let's take a look at what they are and what you should consider when choosing what to study.
Best Degrees by Subject
We can't stress enough how important it is that you choose the right degree subject for you, but these are just some of the subject areas that are generally thought of as quite valuable.
Agriculture and Environmental Science
With agriculture and environmental science being such a large part of the economy in New Zealand, studying in these areas may be quite a good idea.
Agriculture and forestry are two of the largest sectors in the country and visas are often given to foreign professionals in these areas.
Business and Management
Business programs in areas like management, finance, marketing, and international business all tend to provide graduates with good employment opportunities.
These lines of work also tend to be some of the highest paying, especially with New Zealand's ties to the Asia-Pacific markets.
Creative Arts and Design
In many places around the world, creative arts and design degrees are undervalued and even considered a waste, but in New Zealand, with programs in fine arts, design, film, and performing arts, degrees in creative arts and design could be a great choice for students.
Education
Whether you want to teach in primary, secondary, or tertiary education, degrees in education are a smart choice that offers opportunities for employment in New Zealand and around the world.
To become a teacher in New Zealand, students will generally study the subject that they'd be interested in teaching before completing a Graduate Diploma of Teaching, a Master of Teaching, a Bachelor of Education, or a Bachelor of Teaching conjoint degree.
Engineering
Engineering is widely considered one of the best areas of study and New Zealand is a great place to study many different kinds of engineering.
Whether it's civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, software engineering, or any other kind of engineering, students are often given many different ways to study the area of engineering that interests them the most.
With many options for specialisation and degree programs that offer a lot of flexibility, engineering could be an excellent choice.
Health Sciences
Many of the career choices that come from studying medicine and health sciences tend to be well-paid and in demand.
While places for many medical degrees are very competitive and tend to require postgraduate qualifications and many years of study, looking into health sciences could still be worth it.
Information Technology
New Zealand's growing tech industry makes studying information technology (IT) a great choice. Beyond IT, degree programs in areas like software development, computer science, information systems, and related subjects should also be considered.
Tech jobs are also widely available around the world so students with itchy feet looking to move out of New Zealand might also be particularly interested in this field of study.
Law
Legal careers aren't the easiest to get into, but once you're in law, the earning potential is generally quite good. There are plenty of law degrees available in New Zealand and lots of options for specialising in different areas of law.
Law, much like medicine, is also one of the toughest areas of study.
Science and Research
Degrees in science tend to lead to two main areas: academia and/or research. In some cases, these two options are one and the same with research being led by academic establishments like research universities. However, there are ways to become a researcher outside of academia, too.
Research isn't the only way to use a science degree and science graduates can remain in academia or even into primary or secondary education to teach the next generation of scientists.
There are plenty of programs in biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, agricultural science, geology, health sciences, marine science, biotechnology, and mathematics and statistics.
Tourism and Hospitality Management
Last but not least, programs in tourism and hospitality management could be great for those wishing to work in New Zealand's growing tourism industry.
As such a popular destination for tourists, employability is good for tourism and hospitality graduates in New Zealand and around the world.
What to Consider When Choosing Your Degree
Now that we've seen some of the subjects that are highly recommended for students, let's look at what you should consider when picking a degree program.
After all, you shouldn't just study in one of these areas because they're generally considered to be a good choice. Every student is different and it really depends on a huge number of factors as to whether or not a degree program is right for you.
Here are just a few of the things you should consider when picking your degree program.
Starting Salary
A lot of universities will tell you how many graduates found work and the average salaries of their graduates.
In many cases, students complete a university degree so they can land the best jobs with great salaries. Look at how much graduates of potential degree programs are earning and if it's even worth studying a degree.
Don't forget that a degree takes several years to complete and this is time you could also be working and earning money. In some instances, you may find that 3 years of industry experience will increase your earning potential more than a degree.
Career Progression
A lot of degrees boast their employability stats and mention how many graduates found work within six months of finishing their course. While landing a job straight out of university is great, don't forget to look into the progression options available in each given career.
You won't want to be in a similar position (or on a similar salary) a decade into your career and your degree might feel like a waste if you have no options to progress.
Career Change Potential
Employability is one of the biggest considerations that students need to think of when choosing their degree program, but there's also something to be said about having opportunities to change careers.
With very specialised and technical degrees, you may be able to move straight into a particular line of work, but what can you do if you don't like it and want to change careers?
Be sure to think about the transferrable skills you'll learn on your degree and what you can do with them if your dream career doesn't turn out to be what you thought it was.
Courses
Even if you're really interested in a specific subject, don't forget that a degree program is made up of courses and classes.
The “same” degree from two different universities may offer very different courses and classes so be sure to look at exactly what you'll be able to study before choosing your program.
The common definition and the academic definition of certain subjects can actually differ quite a lot so you may discover that a subject you thought you were interested in actually has a more technical or specific name in academia.
Opportunities to Specialise
Certain jobs and roles may require very specific sets of skills and knowledge. Just as you should look at each program's courses, you may also want to see what you can major in and if there are options for certain specialisations.
Generally, degree programs in New Zealand offer a good degree of flexibility for students and you'll see that certain subjects can actually be offered by universities as completely different degree types based on the courses you take.
For example, economics can be studied at some universities as a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or Bachelor of Commerce according to the specific areas you choose to study as part of your degree program.
Overseas Work Possibilities
Some universities offer programs for studying and working abroad. Graduates of certain degrees will be far more likely to work abroad than others. If you have itchy feet, this is something to think about when choosing universities and degree programs.
Certain areas of study are fairly unique to New Zealand, but there are also plenty of subjects that are studied all over the world and can open doors on almost any continent.
Supply and Demand
If too many students study a certain degree, there'll be an abundance of graduates looking for entry-level roles and finding work and commanding a competitive salary will become more difficult.
Be sure to look at whether or not your area of study is in-demand as this will increase your chances of finding well-paid roles when you graduate. Don't forget to look into the best careers for the future, too!
A good place to look for information is the New Zealand government. After all, they give visas to foreign professionals based on demand and the jobs that foreigners are being encouraged to do are likely in areas where they can't find qualified employees from New Zealand.
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