Counselling and Career Development

Change a qualilfication

There could be several reasons you would want to change your qualification:

  • You are experiencing challenges related to your studies, for example, you are not progressing with your studies, or you are failing (or repeatedly failing) the same module(s).
  • Your thinking about your career and/or your circumstances has changed. For example, you might originally have thought about preparing for opportunities in accounting, but your employer needs more human resource professionals.
  • You no longer feel connected with your planned career path. For example, how you perceive your career has changed, or your circumstances have changed and you now need to adjust your career- and study planning accordingly.

Ask yourself:

  • Why do you want to change?
  • What do you want to change to?
  • What are your next steps?

Why change?

Before you change, it is important to reflect on why you want to change qualifications. For example, are you thinking of changing your qualification because your career ideas have changed, or do you want to change due to not progressing with your qualification as quickly as you thought? To carefully consider your next options, you need to make time to reflect on your current circumstances. For now, you may think that you want to change your qualification, but you may find that it may only be a matter of negotiating additional support for your studies.

Ask yourself the following questions:

  • What are you hoping for (how do you see things changing)?
  • What is it about your current qualification or Unisa study experience that is challenging for you? Have you thought about how you could manage these challenges? What support do you need?
  • If you have already thought about a new qualification, how do you see this new qualification helping you prepare for the career opportunities you are hoping for?

What to change to?

Your first step would be to explore the different options available to you. Think about if there is a way for you to continue with what you have been doing, and then add another qualification, to shift focus?

Secondly, you need to identify whose support you need. Think about how you can utilise your existing professional network in order to identify other opportunities.

Visit the Explore careers section of our website to help you do more research about different career options and related qualifications.

What next?

Based on your research and decision, you can either decide to complete your current qualification or to change now. If you would want to change your application, you will need to apply for admission to the new qualification during the next application period.

Need further support?

Have a conversation with a counsellor about your career- and study options.

Last modified: 2023/08/07