What are the happiest students in Europe studying?

For many young people, deciding what to study can feel like an overwhelming decision, as it can play a major factor in the rest of your life. As a child you were probably asked what you wanted to be when you grew up. You might have given answers like: an astronaut, police officer, maybe even a scientist, or teacher. Whatever your dream job was as a kid, you probably didn’t think about the journey you’d need to take to reach that career. For some careers, that journey involves studying at university, but finding the best university and study programme for you is not always easy.

In a recent analysis of U-Multirank’s 24 study subjects, the feedback of more than 100,000 current students at participating universities was assessed to see what the happiest students in Europe are studying. The results show us that in comparison, students in Europe are generally satisfied with their study programmes, rating them as ‘good’ – however the study subjects where students rated their overall learning experience best, included: environmental engineering, mathematics, physics, materials engineering and production/ industrial engineering. While no subject area received a score better than 1.95, we can see that European students in general are happy with their overall learning experience, however they are more critical when rating their studies.

One of the purposes of U-Multirank is to help prospective and increasingly mobile students make informed choices about a university. For them the assessment of the learning experience by current students at the respective universities provides a unique peer perspective. This feedback gives a better overall student impression of both the university’s facilities as well as its programmes. The indicators taken from the student survey reflect different aspects of the students’ learning experience and refer to a particular study programme, and hence are used only in the subject rankings. The analysis on ‘happiest students by study subject’ is based on the student feedback on ‘overall learning experience’. This indicator is an assessment of the quality of the overall learning experience and is included in U-Multirank’s teaching & learning (student views) dimension.

A common phrase you’ve probably heard is, ‘if you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life’. So when it’s time for you to decide on a study subject, why not first consider what makes you happy? After all, you may be investing up to a lifetime in your selected field, so make sure it’s something you’ll enjoy!

For a downloadable quick overview of the results, click here.

How can U-Multirank help me find the best study programme for me?

If you’re considering pursuing a degree, then let us help you find the best university for you. U-Multirank’s ‘For students’ track offers personalised university comparisons, so you can find the university that best matches you. Create your own personalised university rankings today, and compare universities according to what matters most to you.  To start, make sure to select your desired study destination and we’ll help guide you through the rest.