At some point, this one question comes up – a question that feels both huge and very everyday at the same time: What should I study? While others seem to have known for years where they are headed, you may still be facing a lot of question marks. You have researched study programs, skimmed through curricula, watched a few TikToks about “dream jobs” and yet one thought remains: Which study program really suits me?
The good news: choosing a study program can be approached in a structured way. Not as a perfect plan for your entire life, but as the next meaningful step.
Why does the decision often feel so difficult?
Many study programs sound similar at first glance. Behind them, however, there are often completely different contents, career paths and ways of working. On top of that, most people do not simply “just know” what will suit them for the rest of their lives – whether they are 18, 20 or even 30. And they do not have to.
A more helpful perspective is this:
- A study program as a starting point: building skills, gaining practical experience and meeting people
- A study program as a trial run: finding out which direction truly motivates you
- A study program as a career foundation: a degree opens doors and improves opportunities on the job market
Especially at a university of applied sciences, this idea of a “starting point” is particularly tangible, as practice and application play a major role in the study programs.
What should I study? How do I find a study program I enjoy?
Choosing a study program is rarely a straightforward path. It is usually a mix of gut feeling, interests, conversations with friends and family, online research and that famous “Aha, this sounds like me” moment. To gain more clarity, it helps to briefly reflect on the following three areas:
1. Interests
“Interest” can often feel hard to define. A more concrete question is: What does a typical working day look like in a job that seems exciting to me? What am I genuinely interested in in everyday life? What do I enjoy? What were my favorite subjects at school?
- Do I prefer working with people, or do I enjoy focusing on topics on my own?
- Do I like being creative, or do I prefer analyzing and structuring things?
- Do I enjoy planning and organizing, or coming up with stories and brainstorming ideas?
- Am I interested in background processes, or do I enjoy communicating topics to the outside world?
- Do I prefer working in a team or independently?
- Which topics appeal to me and catch my attention?
- Which contents give me energy – podcasts, videos, conversations?
- Curiosity: What do I “just quickly google” and then find myself still reading about 40 minutes later?
The clearer the picture of everyday working life becomes, the easier it is to choose a study program.
2. Strengths
Strengths are not only “subjects that went well at school”. They are often patterns in your behaviour:
- What comes more easily to me than to others, or what do I enjoy even when it is demanding?
- Do I like organizing, keeping deadlines in mind and bringing structure to chaos?
- Can I explain complex topics in a way that others truly understand?
- Do I quickly find creative solutions, and do I enjoy working visually or with language?
- Am I good with numbers and do I understand economic connections?
- Am I practical, and am I good at tinkering, building and repairing things?
- Do I have good people skills and enjoy dealing with people?
- Do I stay calm and keep an overview when many things are happening at once?
Important: strengths are not a finished state, and they do not need to be perfect already. A study program is exactly the place to develop your skills further. What matters more is which skills you enjoy to train.
3. Vision and values
What should my study program enable me to do? Which values – such as environmental protection, social justice, tolerance, democracy and others – are important to me?
- Security: clear career profiles, stable industries
- Variety: projects, different tasks, new topics
- Purpose: social impact, meaningful content
- Creativity and shaping ideas: creative output, communication, innovation
- Progression: career paths, leadership or expert roles
- Flexibility: the opportunity to work in different industries
The more strongly a study program aligns with your own values, the easier it is to stay motivated – even when things become stressful.
How can I quickly find orientation?
When the choice becomes overwhelming, a structured starting point can help: the free study program quiz “What should I study?” from FHWien der WKW leads you to suitable study areas in the field of management and communication within just a few minutes.
>> Study program quiz “What should I study?” (free of charge)
Tip: Do not see the result as a fixed assignment, but as a starting point for further comparison and research. The information events for the respective study program provide even more insights into contents, structure and everyday student life.
Further support options:
- Overview platforms, for example: https://www.fachhochschulen.ac.at/en/
- Study choice counselling
- Potential analysis, for example at BiWi – Berufsinformationszentrum der Wiener Wirtschaft (in German)
Next step: How do I make a decision?
A study program quiz or an initial shortlist of favorites is the beginning. After that, a short and clear process helps turn different options into a decision.
Step 1: Define your top 3 ✅
Do not keep ten options open at the same time. Three are enough to compare them properly.
Step 2: Answer three questions for each study program 📝
- What will I learn? (Contents, specializations, electives)
- How will I learn? (Projects, practical relevance, group work, exam formats)
- What will it qualify me for? (Roles, areas of responsibility, industries, professional fields, typical entry-level jobs)
Step 3: Does it fit the next few years? 🎯
Not every single course has to excite you. But the overall logic of the study program should feel right: the topics and specializations, the way of learning and the career prospects.
Not “forever”, but “for now”
Choosing a study program is not a decision for forever, but a decision about the next step: skills, practice, contacts and perspectives. A practice-oriented study program in particular makes it easier to test your interests and strengths in real life instead of only thinking about them. And this is often exactly how the best career paths begin.
If, in the end, one study program remains that makes you curious and feels like it offers opportunities for development, that is already a lot. The rest will come along the way – through projects, people, practical experience and the courage to try things out.
Curious about a practice-oriented study program at FHWien der WKW?