GCSE subjects
The information here covers the most common GCSE courses at key stage 4. It includes some career ideas but they are simply ideas. There are many more GCSEs and career options available.
Look at the GCSE subjects that interest you. Do they fit well with your Know yourself quiz results?
Does your school offer the GCSE subjects that interest you? Find out by speaking to your careers co-ordinator or Connexions personal adviser, looking at your options information and browsing your local online 14-19 prospectus. (Visit www.direct.gov.uk/14-19prospectus 
if you need help finding this.)
Jump Menu:
- Art and design
- Astronomy
- Business and communication systems
- Business studies
- Citizenship studies
- Classical civilisation
- Dance
- Design and technology
- Drama
- Economics
- Engineering
- English
- Geography
- Health and social care
- History
- Information and communication technology (ICT)
- Law
- Leisure and tourism
- Manufacturing
- Mathematics
- Modern foreign languages
- Music
- Physical education (PE)
- Psychology
- Religious studies
- Science
- Sociology
Art and design
What's involved? Using different materials and working in different media to develop your creative skills.
Career ideas: Animator, designer, fine artist, florist, jeweller, photographer.
Astronomy
What's involved? Learning about the Earth, moon and sun, the solar system, stars and galaxies and space exploration. Undertaking practical sky observation.
Career ideas: astronomer, electronic engineer, meteorologist, oceanographer, software developer, systems analyst.
Business and communication systems
What's involved? Learning about business communication and money transfer systems. Finding out how business gathers, records and presents data. Exploring the constraints and influences on business systems.
Career ideas: advertising account manager, brand manager, business analyst, business adviser, entrepreneur, estimator.
Business studies
What's involved? Learning about the way companies are organised and run, national and international competition, and e-commerce.
Career ideas: Administrator, business adviser, human resources officer, manager, payroll clerk, self-employment.
Citizenship studies
What's involved? Learning about your role as a citizen in different local, national and international communities, including how to change things for the better.
Career ideas: Court usher, fundraiser, journalist, occupational psychologist, police officer, social worker.
Classical civilisation
What's involved? Learning about Greek and Roman civilisations, their literature and their historical context.
Career ideas: Archivist, civil service fast streamer, journalist, library assistant, museum/art gallery curator, teacher.
Dance
What's involved? Learning about and developing the knowledge and skills needed to perform, choreograph and appreciate dance, including its artistic qualities.
Career ideas: arts administrator, choreographer, dancer, dramatherapist, manager, teacher.
Design and technology
What's involved? Creative and practical work with different tools and materials. Using planning, designing, making and evaluation skills.
Career ideas: Carpenter/joiner, DTP operator, graphic designer, model maker, product designer, shopfitter.
Drama
What's involved? Learning about production techniques and how to stage performances, including backstage operations, lighting, costume, set design and make-up.
Career ideas: Actor, director/producer, lighting technician, playworker, stage manager, wardrobe assistant.
Economics
What's involved? Learning about the production and distribution of income and wealth and how consumers, producers and governments behave when managing scarce resources.
Career ideas: Accountant, auditor, credit analyst, economic development officer, investment analyst, transport planner.
Engineering
What's involved? Learning about engineering products, systems and services and working with design briefs.
Career ideas: Electrical engineer, engineering operative, materials technician, mechanical engineer, production engineer, telecommunications technician.
English
What's involved? Reading, writing, speaking and listening, and gaining functional English skills.
Career ideas: Information scientist, journalist, librarian, market research executive, teacher, technical writer.
Geography
What's involved? Learning about the relationship between people and the climate, environment, water, landforms, places, work and development.
Career ideas: Cartographer, countryside/conservation officer, environmental scientist, landscape manager, town planner, transport planner.
Health and social care
What's involved? Learning about the care that people of all ages need and how service providers meet these needs. Exploring how to promote people's health and well-being.
Career ideas: Dental hygienist, dietitian, education welfare officer, nurse, playworker, social care worker, social worker.
History
What's involved? Learning about the past and how different parts of the world have become the way they are today. Using different sources such as books, newspapers, artefacts and historical sites to investigate the past.
Career ideas: Archaeologist, conservator, genealogist, museum assistant, librarian, tourist guide.
Information and communication technology (ICT)
What's involved? Learning how ICT systems work, how to store information and solve problems. Gaining functional ICT skills. Exploring new developments in technology and different ways to use ICT.
Career ideas: Computer games designer, IT product developer, network manager, software developer/programmer, systems analyst, technical support person.
Law
What's involved? Learning how the law works and how it changes as society changes. Exploring the effects of international influences on English law and different points of view about topical legal issues.
Career ideas: Bailiff, health and safety inspector, legal executive, notary public, solicitor, trading standards officer.
Leisure and tourism
What's involved? Learning about the leisure, tourism and travel industries. Developing practical skills in customer service, marketing and solving workplace problems.
Career ideas: Air cabin crew, holiday representative, hotel receptionist, leisure centre assistant, marketing executive/manager, travel agent.
Manufacturing
What's involved? Learning about the manufacturing industry including how products are designed and made, and the materials and technology used. Developing practical skills by designing and manufacturing a product.
Career ideas: Electronics assembler, fabricator, manufacturing production manager, materials technician, product designer, quality control inspector.
Mathematics
What's involved? Using numbers, algebra, measurement, shapes and space. Gaining functional mathematical skills.
Career ideas: Accountant, accounts/finance clerk, auditor, bank/building society customer adviser, insurance loss adjuster, risk manager.
Modern foreign languages
What's involved? Learning to speak, listen, read and write in a language other than English. Courses may cover all four skills or concentrate on two: speaking and listening, or reading and writing. The most commonly taught languages are French, German and Spanish.
Career ideas: Air traffic controller, European Union (EU) official, importer/exporter, interpreter, tourist guide, translator.
Music
What's involved? Listening to and learning about a variety of musical styles. Composing music and performing as a soloist and in a group.
Career ideas: DJ, music composer, music therapist, popular musician, singer, teacher.
Physical education (PE)
What's involved? Doing physical activities, taking on different roles such as player and official, and learning how to assess your own and other people's performance. Exploring how physical activity helps to maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
Career ideas: Leisure centre assistant, outdoor activities instructor, sport and exercise scientist, sports coach, sports development officer, sports physiotherapist.
Psychology
What's involved? Learning about the theories, concepts and research methods that are used to understand and explain human thoughts, emotions and behaviour. Exploring topical psychological issues that affect everyday life and the future of the world.
Career ideas: Educational psychologist, forensic psychologist, image consultant, market research executive, play therapist, sports psychologist.
Religious studies
What's involved? Learning about one or more of the major world religions and exploring moral, philosophical and spiritual issues.
Career ideas: Counsellor, equality and diversity officer, funeral director, prison officer, social care worker, youth and community worker.
Science
What's involved? Understanding and describing the world about you and exploring how science affects your everyday life. You may be able to study biology (living things), chemistry (how materials behave), and physics (how the world developed) as separate sciences or take a science or applied science course that combines all three.
Career ideas: Beauty therapist, building control surveyor, food scientist/technologist, forensic scientist, geneticist, pharmacist.
Sociology
What's involved? Learning about human society and social structures and systems. Exploring social issues to get a better understanding of the society in which you live.
Career ideas: Community safety officer, equality and diversity officer, journalist, recycling officer, social worker, welfare benefits adviser.
What next?
Find out more about particular subjects that interest you
