10 of the weirdest degrees you can study in the UK

James Sozeon 18 May 2020
Graduate with a mortarboard

Here's our list of ten bizarre courses you can study at university.

Well, a lot can happen in 18 months (as you’ll be painfully aware during this lockdown), and this list is one of those things! Some of the courses from our 2018 list have survived the cut, whilst some have had to make way for the newcomers.

If you’re struggling for inspiration on your uni application, then this might be the list you’re looking for! Check out some of the weird and wonderful courses the UK has to offer:

Undergraduate

BSc Applied Golf Management Studies

If golf’s your thing, then you’ll love this degree. The University of Birmingham’s industry-leading Applied Golf Management program is perfect for the budding putters among us.

Offering the chance to apply for PGA membership, this sports science degree provides a great opportunity for golf fans to learn all about the subject’s field (no pun intended).

Tiger Woods

BA Contemporary Circus and Physical Performance

A familiar one for avid Simpsons fans, this is Krusty’s Clown College in real life! Offered at Bath Spa University, this degree is perfect for the experienced clowns out there (myself included).

Whether you have a penchant for pranks, or you think you’d look great on a trapeze, this degree will give you the action you crave.

Jimmy Fallon being pied

BA Outdoor and Adventure Education

Channel your inner Bear Grylls (minus the creepy crawlies and unsavoury “drinks”) and get outside with the University of Chichester’s adventurous degree offering.

The four-year course links outdoor activities to psychological wellbeing and comes complete with a year-long placement that can be completed anywhere in the world!

This course is also packed with useful optional qualifications, ranging from wall climbing certificates to first aid training.

Channing Tatum eating something questionable

BMus (Bag)Piping degree

Offered by the National Piping Centre (no, this is not a joke), this course is only recommended for those who are serious about the bagpipes.

Kickstart your ascent to (piping) stardom today with this super-niche music degree.

Man playing bagpipes

BSc Ethical Hacking and Cybersecurity

To the uninitiated among us, ‘Ethical Hacking’ may sound like a bit of an oxymoron. However, it is a key pillar of the cybersecurity industry, with companies offering big bucks to anybody who can successfully pick holes in their online resources and then fill the breaches.

Become a cyber-wiz today at Coventry University. Just make sure you don’t get tempted to join the Dark Side!

The force is strong with this one

Edit: in hindsight, perhaps this one isn't so weird.

BSc Viticulture and Oenology

Become an expert in all things vino with this alcohol-intensive degree that’s sure to make you friends at uni! Validated by the Royal Agricultural University, this course, offered by Plumpton College, will teach you everything you need to know to run your vineyard.

Apply and become a Malbec maestro today!

Woman drinking a large glass of wine

FdSc Surf Science and Technology

Cowabunga dude! This gnarly foundation degree - offered by Cornwall College in partnership with the University of Plymouth - is perfect for the radically-inclined among us.

With optional trips to Spain and France included in the syllabus, this sports degree will guarantee entertainment. Surf’s up!

Someone surfing a large wave

Postgraduate

MSc Brewing and Distilling

For the real booze connoisseurs among us, put your undergrad experience to the test with this course from Heriot-Watt University!

The year-long master’s degree is recognised by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD), offering beer and spirit lovers alike a clear route into the industry. The course covers a wide range of topics, from the science of brewing to the logistical aspects of alcohol production.

If you’re wondering what to do after finishing your Viticulture and Oenology bachelor’s, this could be the perfect fit for you!

A pint at the Winchester

MA Popular Culture

If you’re a pub quiz master when it comes to the history of contemporary film and literature, then this master’s could be the right fit for you! The course, offered by Edge Hill University, provides an interdisciplinary qualification for all things pop culture.

Apply if you want to learn more about the modern zeitgeist.

Andy Warhol with a TV showing a test card

Parapsychology PhD

Not for the faint-hearted! This spooky doctorate is offered by the University of Edinburgh’s Psychology department, for those seeking to add a paranormal twist to their PhD.

The research degree’s content includes research into the pseudo-psi field, investigating ‘what’s not psychic, but looks like it’. The material will also encompass real-life accounts of the paranormal.

Become the leading expert in ghost stories today with this PhD!

purranormal cattivity a floating cat

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James Sozeon 18 May 2020