Subjects · Terra Cognita

0 of 500 subjects · Meta skills — Skills whose subject is your own thinking, learning, and communicating.

Nothing matches all of those at once. Try unticking “match all”.

Agroforestry Agriculture and food Essential for producing food Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Growing trees and crops together deliberately.

Studied as: MSc Agroforestry · BSc Forestry · BSc Agriculture · Vocational, Undergraduate
Agronomy Agriculture and food Essential for producing food Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Field crops: soil, rotation, yield.

Studied as: BSc Agronomy · BSc (Hons) Agriculture · MSc Crop Science · BSc Soil Science · Vocational, Undergraduate
Animal husbandry Agriculture and food Essential for producing food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Keeping livestock healthy and productive.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Animal Science · Level 3 Diploma in Livestock Production · BSc Agriculture with Livestock Management · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Aquaculture Agriculture and food Essential for producing food Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Farming fish and shellfish.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Aquaculture · MSc Sustainable Aquaculture · BSc Marine Biology · Vocational, Undergraduate
Baking Agriculture and food Essential for life as it is now At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Bread and pastry, where process matters more than recipe.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Baking Science and Technology · Level 3 Diploma in Professional Bakery · Foundation Degree in Bakery Technology Management · Vocational, Self taught
Beekeeping Agriculture and food Essential for producing food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Keeping bees for pollination and honey.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Zoology · MSc Entomology · Self taught, Apprenticeship
Brewing and distilling Agriculture and food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Fermenting and concentrating alcohol, including for non-drinking uses.

Studied as: MSc Brewing and Distilling · BSc (Hons) Brewing and Distilling · MSc Food Science · Self taught, Vocational
Butchery Agriculture and food Essential for producing food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Breaking down a carcass without waste.

Studied as: Level 2 Diploma in Butchery · BSc (Hons) Meat Science and Technology · Apprenticeship, Tacit
Cheesemaking Agriculture and food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Preserving milk as a stable food.

Studied as: MSc Dairy Science and Technology · BSc (Hons) Food Science and Technology · Self taught, Tacit
Composting Agriculture and food Essential for producing food Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society

Turning waste into soil.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Soil Science · MSc Waste and Resource Management · Self taught
Cooking Agriculture and food Essential for caring for others Essential for a life worth living Essential for life as it is now Essential for managing your own body Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Turning ingredients into meals, reliably.

Studied as: BA (Hons) Culinary Arts Management · Level 3 Diploma in Professional Cookery · BSc (Hons) Culinary Arts · Self taught, Vocational
Dairying Agriculture and food Essential for producing food Essential for rebuilding society

Managing milk from animal to product.

Studied as: MSc Dairy Science and Technology · BSc (Hons) Agriculture with Dairy Herd Management · BSc (Hons) Animal Science · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Fermentation Agriculture and food Essential for producing food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Controlled microbial transformation of food and drink.

Studied as: MSc Brewing and Distilling · MSc Fermentation Science · BSc (Hons) Biotechnology · BSc (Hons) Food Science · Self taught, Tacit
Fishing Agriculture and food Essential for producing food Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Taking fish, from a line or a net.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Fisheries Science · MSc Sustainable Fisheries Management · Tacit, Self taught
Food preservation Agriculture and food Essential in a crisis Essential for producing food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Making food last without refrigeration.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Food Science and Technology · MSc Food Technology · Self taught, Tacit
Food safety Agriculture and food Essential for caring for others Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Not poisoning people.

Studied as: MSc Food Safety and Quality Management · BSc (Hons) Environmental Health · Level 4 Award in Food Safety Management · BSc (Hons) Food Science and Technology · Vocational, Self taught
Foraging Agriculture and food Essential in a crisis At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Identifying wild food, and what will kill you.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught, Tacit
Forestry Agriculture and food Essential for making physical things Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Managing woodland for timber, fuel, and continuity.

Studied as: BSc Forestry · MSc Forestry · BSc Forest Management · FdSc Forestry and Woodland Management · Vocational, Undergraduate
Horticulture Agriculture and food Essential for producing food Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society

Growing plants intensively, at garden scale.

Studied as: BSc Horticulture · RHS Level 2 Certificate in Practical Horticulture · FdSc Horticulture · MSc Horticulture · Vocational, Self taught
Hunting Agriculture and food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Taking wild animals for food, lawfully and cleanly.

Studied as: BSc Wildlife and Game Management · BSc Countryside Management · Tacit, Self taught
Irrigation Agriculture and food Essential for producing food Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Getting water to crops without wasting or salting the land.

Studied as: MSc Irrigation Water Engineering · MSc Water Management · BSc Agricultural Engineering · Vocational, Undergraduate
Milling Agriculture and food Essential for producing food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Turning grain into flour at usable scale.

Studied as: MSc Cereals and Grain Science · Nabim Distance Learning Flour Milling Course · BSc Food Science and Technology · Tacit, Apprenticeship
Permaculture Agriculture and food Essential for producing food Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Designing food systems to need fewer inputs each year.

Studied as: Permaculture Design Certificate · MSc Agroecology · MSc Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security · Self taught, Vocational
Pest management Agriculture and food Essential for producing food Essential for rebuilding society

Losing less of the crop, without poisoning the field.

Studied as: MSc Integrated Pest Management · MSc Crop Protection · BSc Agriculture · BSc Plant Science · Vocational, Undergraduate
Plant propagation Agriculture and food Essential for producing food Essential for rebuilding society

Making more plants from the ones you have.

Studied as: RHS Level 2 Certificate in Practical Horticulture · FdSc Horticulture · BSc Horticulture · Vocational, Self taught
Seed saving Agriculture and food Essential for producing food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Keeping a crop reproducible without buying in.

Studied as: MSc Plant Genetic Resources · MSc Plant Breeding · Tacit, Self taught
Acting Arts and design Essential for a life worth living

Performing a character convincingly.

Studied as: BA Acting · BA Acting (Musical Theatre) · MA Acting · BA Drama and Theatre Studies · Undergraduate, Self taught
Animation Arts and design Essential for earning a living

Motion built frame by frame.

Studied as: BA Animation · BA 3D Computer Animation · MA Animation · BA Animation and Visual Effects · Undergraduate, Self taught
Architecture Arts and design Essential for a life worth living Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Designing buildings and the spaces between them.

Studied as: BA Architecture (RIBA Part 1) · MArch Architecture (RIBA Part 2) · BSc Architecture · MA Urban Design · Undergraduate, Self taught
Calligraphy Arts and design Essential for a life worth living At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Writing as a deliberate visual craft.

Studied as: BA Graphic Design · MA Typeface Design · Self taught, Tacit
Ceramics Arts and design Essential for a life worth living At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Forming and firing clay.

Studied as: BA Ceramics · BA Ceramic Design · MA Ceramics and Glass · BA Three-Dimensional Design: Ceramics · Vocational, Tacit, Self taught
Cinematography Arts and design Essential for earning a living

Telling a story with a camera.

Studied as: BA Cinematography · MA Cinematography · BA Film Production · MA Filmmaking · Undergraduate, Self taught
Musical composition Arts and design Essential for a life worth living

Making new music.

Studied as: BMus Composition · MMus Composition · BA Music · Undergraduate, Self taught
Dance Arts and design Essential for a life worth living At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Movement as form and as social practice.

Studied as: BA Dance · BA Contemporary Dance · BA Dance Studies · MA Choreography · Self taught, Tacit
Drawing Arts and design Essential for a life worth living Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Putting down what you see, or what you mean.

Studied as: BA Drawing · BA Fine Art · MA Drawing · Undergraduate, Self taught
Fashion design Arts and design Essential for earning a living

Designing clothing as object and as signal.

Studied as: BA Fashion Design · BA Fashion · MA Fashion · Undergraduate, Self taught
Game design Arts and design Essential for living online Essential for earning a living

Designing rules and systems people choose to inhabit.

Studied as: BA Games Design · BSc Computer Games Design · MA Game Design · Undergraduate, Self taught
Graphic design Arts and design Essential for living online Essential for earning a living

Arranging type and image so a message lands.

Studied as: BA Graphic Design · BA Graphic Communication Design · MA Graphic Design · Undergraduate, Self taught
Illustration Arts and design Essential for earning a living

Images made to accompany or explain.

Studied as: BA Illustration · MA Illustration · BA Illustration and Animation · Undergraduate, Self taught
Industrial design Arts and design Essential for earning a living Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Designing objects to be made and used.

Studied as: BA Product Design · BSc Industrial Design · MA Industrial Design Engineering · Undergraduate, Self taught
Interior design Arts and design

Designing the inside of buildings for use.

Studied as: BA Interior Design · BA Interior Architecture · MA Interior Design · Undergraduate, Self taught
Landscape architecture Arts and design Essential for producing food Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Designing land for people and for water.

Studied as: BA Landscape Architecture · MLA Master of Landscape Architecture · MA Landscape Architecture · Undergraduate, Self taught
Music performance Arts and design Essential for a life worth living At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Playing an instrument or singing, well.

Studied as: BMus Performance · BMus Music Performance · MMus Performance · BA Music · Undergraduate, Self taught
Music theory Arts and design Essential for cultural literacy Essential for a life worth living

How music is constructed and notated.

Studied as: BMus Music · BA Music · MA Music Theory and Analysis · Undergraduate, Self taught
Painting Arts and design Essential for a life worth living

Colour, surface, and image.

Studied as: BA Painting · BA Fine Art · MA Painting · Undergraduate, Self taught
Photography Arts and design Essential for living online Essential for a life worth living

Making images with light and a lens.

Studied as: BA Photography · BA Fashion Photography · MA Photography · Undergraduate, Self taught
Printmaking Arts and design At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Reproducing an image many times by hand process.

Studied as: BA Printmaking · MA Printmaking · BA Fine Art · Undergraduate, Self taught
Screenwriting Arts and design Essential for earning a living

Writing for the screen.

Studied as: BA Screenwriting · MA Screenwriting · BA Film Production · MA Creative Writing · Undergraduate, Self taught
Sculpture Arts and design Essential for a life worth living Essential for making physical things

Form in three dimensions.

Studied as: BA Sculpture · BA Fine Art · MFA Fine Art · Undergraduate, Self taught
Sound design Arts and design Essential for earning a living

Constructing what a thing sounds like.

Studied as: BA Sound Design · BSc Sound Engineering and Production · BA Film and Television Production · MA Sound Arts · Undergraduate, Self taught
Textile arts Arts and design At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Making and decorating cloth.

Studied as: BA Textile Design · BA Textiles · MA Textile Design · BA Fashion and Textiles · Tacit, Self taught
Theatre Arts and design Essential for cultural literacy Essential for a life worth living

Live performance, from text to staging.

Studied as: BA Drama and Theatre Studies · BA Acting · BA Theatre and Performance · MFA Theatre Directing · Undergraduate, Self taught
Typography Arts and design Essential for earning a living At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Letterforms, and setting text so it can be read.

Studied as: BA Typography and Graphic Communication · MA Typeface Design · BA Graphic Design · BA Graphic Communication Design · Undergraduate, Self taught
Accounting Business and economics Essential for earning a living Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Recording what a business owns, owes, and earned.

Studied as: BSc Accounting and Finance · BA Accounting · MSc Accounting · BSc Accounting and Management · Undergraduate
Advertising Business and economics Essential for living online Essential for not being exploited

Paid persuasion at scale, and how to recognise it.

Studied as: BA Advertising · BA Advertising and Brand Management · BA Marketing and Advertising · MSc Marketing Communications · Undergraduate
Auditing Business and economics Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Independently checking that the numbers are true.

Studied as: MSc Accounting and Auditing · BSc Accounting and Finance · MSc Accounting and Financial Management · Undergraduate
Banking Business and economics Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

How deposits, lending, and payment actually work.

Studied as: BSc Banking and Finance · MSc Banking and Finance · MSc International Banking and Finance · BSc Finance · Undergraduate
Business strategy Business and economics Essential for earning a living

Choosing where to compete and what not to do.

Studied as: MSc Strategic Management · MBA · BSc Management · BSc Business Management · Undergraduate
Cooperatives and mutual organisation Business and economics Essential for civic participation Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

Owning and running things collectively.

Studied as: MA Cooperative and Social Enterprise Management · MSc Social Enterprise · Self taught, Undergraduate
Corporate finance Business and economics Essential for understanding society

How firms raise and allocate capital.

Studied as: MSc Corporate Finance · BSc Finance · MSc Finance · MSc Financial Management · Undergraduate
E-commerce Business and economics Essential for living online Essential for earning a living

Selling online, and the platforms that mediate it.

Studied as: BSc Digital Marketing · MSc Digital Business · BSc Business and Marketing · MSc E-Business and Innovation · Undergraduate
Entrepreneurship Business and economics Essential for earning a living

Starting something that pays for itself.

Studied as: BSc Entrepreneurship · MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation · BA Business and Entrepreneurship · MSc Entrepreneurship · Undergraduate, Self taught
Finance Business and economics Essential for not being exploited Essential for understanding society

Pricing money across time and risk.

Studied as: BSc Finance · MSc Finance · BSc Economics and Finance · MSc Financial Economics · Undergraduate
Hospitality management Business and economics Essential for earning a living Essential for rebuilding society

Running places that feed and house people.

Studied as: BSc International Hospitality Management · BA Hospitality Management · MSc International Hospitality Management · BSc Hospitality and Tourism Management · Vocational, Undergraduate
Human resources Business and economics Essential for earning a living Essential for not being exploited

Hiring, paying, and dismissing people lawfully.

Studied as: BSc Human Resource Management · BA Business and Human Resource Management · MSc Human Resource Management · CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management · Undergraduate
Insurance Business and economics Essential for navigating institutions Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Pooling risk, and reading what is excluded.

Studied as: BSc Insurance and Risk Management · BSc Actuarial Science · MSc Insurance and Risk Management · Undergraduate
Investing Business and economics Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

Deploying savings, and understanding what you are charged.

Studied as: BSc Investment and Financial Risk Management · BSc Finance and Investment · MSc Investment Management · Self taught, Undergraduate
Logistics Business and economics Essential in a crisis Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Moving and storing physical things at scale.

Studied as: BSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management · BSc International Transport and Logistics · MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management · Undergraduate
Management Business and economics Essential for earning a living

Getting work done through other people.

Studied as: BSc Management · BA Business and Management · MSc Management · Undergraduate
Marketing Business and economics Essential for earning a living Essential for not being exploited

Finding and persuading buyers.

Studied as: BSc Marketing · BA Marketing Management · MSc Marketing · Undergraduate
Negotiation Business and economics Essential for earning a living Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Reaching agreement without leaving value or dignity behind.

Studied as: MSc Negotiation and Conflict Resolution · LLM Dispute Resolution · MSc Organisational Psychology · Self taught, Undergraduate
Operations management Business and economics Essential for earning a living Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Running a process that produces reliably.

Studied as: BSc Business Management with Operations Management · MSc Operations and Supply Chain Management · MSc Management Science and Operational Research · Undergraduate
Organisational behaviour Business and economics Essential for earning a living Essential for understanding society

Why institutions behave unlike the people in them.

Studied as: BSc Organisational Psychology · MSc Organisational Behaviour · MSc Work and Organisational Psychology · Undergraduate
Personal finance Business and economics Essential for earning a living Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Running your own money deliberately.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught, School
Project management Business and economics Essential for earning a living Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Delivering something finite with a deadline.

Studied as: BSc Project Management · MSc Project Management · MSc Construction Project Management · Undergraduate
Real estate Business and economics Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

Land and buildings as an asset and an obligation.

Studied as: BSc Real Estate · BSc Real Estate Management · MSc Real Estate Investment and Finance · Undergraduate
Retail Business and economics Essential for earning a living Essential for rebuilding society

Selling to the public, in person and at margin.

Studied as: BSc Retail Management · BA Fashion Buying and Merchandising · Level 3 Diploma in Retail Skills · Vocational
Sales Business and economics Essential for earning a living

Getting agreement to an exchange.

Studied as: BSc Business Management with Sales · Level 4 Sales Executive Apprenticeship · Vocational, Self taught
Supply chain management Business and economics Essential in a crisis Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Getting inputs to where they are needed, on time.

Studied as: BSc Supply Chain Management · MSc Supply Chain and Logistics Management · MSc Procurement and Supply Chain Management · Undergraduate
Taxation Business and economics Essential for civic participation Essential for navigating institutions Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

What is owed, to whom, and on what basis.

Studied as: BSc Accounting and Taxation · MSc Taxation · LLM Tax Law · BSc Accounting and Finance · Undergraduate
Adult education Education and pedagogy Essential for earning a living Essential for rebuilding society

Teaching people who have jobs, habits, and fear.

Studied as: MA Adult Education · BA Education and Community Learning · MEd Lifelong Learning · PGCE Further Education and Training · Undergraduate
Assessment Education and pedagogy Essential for rebuilding society Essential for thinking clearly

Finding out what someone actually knows.

Studied as: MSc Educational Assessment · MA Assessment and Evaluation · BA Education Studies · Undergraduate
Curriculum design Education and pedagogy Essential for rebuilding society

Deciding what is taught, in what order.

Studied as: MA Curriculum Studies · MA Education (Curriculum and Pedagogy) · BA Education Studies · Undergraduate
Early childhood education Education and pedagogy Essential for raising a child Essential for rebuilding society

The years that set the trajectory.

Studied as: BA Early Childhood Studies · BA Early Years Education with Early Years Teacher Status · MA Early Childhood Education · Undergraduate
Educational psychology Education and pedagogy Essential for raising a child Essential for thinking clearly

How learning works, empirically.

Studied as: DEdPsy Educational Psychology · MSc Psychology of Education · BSc Psychology with Education · Undergraduate
Instructional design Education and pedagogy Essential for rebuilding society

Building learning materials that work without you present.

Studied as: MSc Learning Design and Technology · MA Digital Technologies for Learning · MEd Instructional Design and Technology · Undergraduate
Teaching literacy Education and pedagogy Foundational for everything else Essential for raising a child Essential for rebuilding society

Getting a person from not reading to reading.

Studied as: MA Literacy Learning and Literacy Difficulties · MEd Reading and Literacy · BA Primary Education with English · Undergraduate
Pedagogy Education and pedagogy Essential for earning a living Essential for raising a child Essential for rebuilding society

How to teach so that people actually learn.

Studied as: PGCE Primary Education · BA Education Studies · MA Education (Pedagogy) · BEd Primary Education · Undergraduate
Special education Education and pedagogy Essential for caring for others Essential for raising a child

Teaching where the standard approach fails.

Studied as: MA Special and Inclusive Education · BA Special Educational Needs and Disability Studies · MEd Special Education · Undergraduate
Aerospace engineering Engineering and technology

Flight, inside and outside the atmosphere.

Studied as: MEng Aerospace Engineering · BEng Aeronautical Engineering · MSc Aerospace Engineering · Undergraduate
AI safety and alignment Engineering and technology Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for the century ahead

Making capable systems do what was intended.

Studied as: MSc Artificial Intelligence · MSc Machine Learning · Graduate, Self taught
Appropriate technology Engineering and technology Essential for making physical things Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Solutions matched to local materials, skills, and repairability.

Studied as: MSc Renewable Energy and the Environment · MSc Engineering for Sustainable Development · MSc Water and Sanitation for Development · Self taught, Graduate
Artificial intelligence Engineering and technology Essential for living online Essential for the century ahead Essential for understanding society

Systems that perform tasks previously requiring human judgement.

Studied as: BSc Artificial Intelligence · MSc Artificial Intelligence · BSc Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence · MSc Machine Learning · Undergraduate
Automotive engineering Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Vehicles and their drivetrains.

Studied as: MEng Automotive Engineering · BEng Automotive Engineering · MSc Advanced Motorsport Engineering · Undergraduate
Biomedical engineering Engineering and technology

Devices that go in or on bodies.

Studied as: MEng Biomedical Engineering · BEng Biomedical Engineering · MSc Biomedical Engineering · Undergraduate
Chemical engineering Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists

Running chemistry at industrial scale.

Studied as: MEng Chemical Engineering · BEng Chemical Engineering · MSc Advanced Chemical Engineering · Undergraduate
Civil engineering Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Roads, bridges, dams, and the built environment.

Studied as: BEng Civil Engineering · MEng Civil Engineering · BSc Civil and Environmental Engineering · Undergraduate
Computer architecture Engineering and technology

How a processor is actually built.

Studied as: BEng Computer Systems Engineering · BSc Computer Science · MEng Electronic and Information Engineering · Undergraduate
Computer graphics Engineering and technology

Producing images by computation.

Studied as: BSc Computer Science with Computer Graphics · MSc Computer Graphics, Vision and Imaging · BSc Computer Games Programming · Undergraduate
Computer networks Engineering and technology Essential for living online Essential for maintaining what already exists

How machines talk, from cables to protocols.

Studied as: BSc Computer Networks · MSc Computer Networking · BSc Computer Science · Undergraduate
Computer vision Engineering and technology Essential for the century ahead

Getting machines to interpret images.

Studied as: MSc Computer Vision, Robotics and Machine Learning · MSc Computer Graphics, Vision and Imaging · MSc Artificial Intelligence · BSc Computer Science · Undergraduate, Graduate
Cryptography Engineering and technology Essential for living online Essential for not being exploited

Making messages unreadable to everyone but the recipient.

Studied as: MSc Mathematics of Cryptography and Communications · MSc Information Security · BSc Mathematics and Computer Science · Undergraduate
Cybersecurity Engineering and technology Essential for living online Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for the century ahead Essential for not being exploited

Defending systems against people who want in.

Studied as: BSc Cyber Security · MSc Information Security · MSc Cyber Security · BSc Computer Science (Cyber Security) · Undergraduate
Databases Engineering and technology Essential for earning a living Essential for maintaining what already exists

Storing data so it can be queried and trusted.

Studied as: BSc Computer Science · MSc Advanced Computer Science · BSc Information Systems · Undergraduate
Distributed systems Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists

Coordination when no single machine knows everything.

Studied as: MSc Advanced Computing · BSc Computer Science · MSc Distributed Systems and Networks · Undergraduate
Electrical engineering Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Generating, moving, and using electrical power.

Studied as: BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering · MEng Electrical Engineering · MSc Power Systems Engineering · Undergraduate
Electronics Engineering and technology Essential for making physical things

Circuits that compute, sense, and control.

Studied as: BEng Electronic Engineering · MEng Electronic and Electrical Engineering · BSc Electronics · Undergraduate
Embedded systems Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for making physical things

Software running inside physical devices.

Studied as: MSc Embedded Systems · BEng Computer Systems Engineering · BEng Electronic and Computer Engineering · Undergraduate
Environmental engineering Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Water treatment, air quality, and waste.

Studied as: BEng Environmental Engineering · MSc Environmental Engineering · BEng Civil and Environmental Engineering · MSc Water and Environmental Management · Undergraduate
Geotechnical engineering Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

What the ground will bear before it moves.

Studied as: MSc Geotechnical Engineering · MSc Soil Mechanics · BEng Civil Engineering · Undergraduate
Human-computer interaction Engineering and technology Essential for living online

Designing systems around how people actually behave.

Studied as: MSc Human-Computer Interaction · MSc Human-Computer Interaction Design · BSc Computer Science with Human-Computer Interaction · Undergraduate
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society

Keeping indoor air liveable.

Studied as: BEng Building Services Engineering · MSc Building Services Engineering · Level 3 Diploma in Heating and Ventilating · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Industrial engineering Engineering and technology Essential for earning a living Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Making processes and workplaces work better.

Studied as: BEng Industrial Engineering · BSc Industrial Engineering and Management · BEng Manufacturing Systems Engineering · MSc Operations and Supply Chain Management · Undergraduate
Machine learning Engineering and technology Essential for earning a living Essential for the century ahead Essential for understanding society

Fitting models to data so they generalise.

Studied as: BSc Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning · MSc Machine Learning · BSc Computer Science · MSc Data Science · Undergraduate
Manufacturing and production Engineering and technology Essential for earning a living Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Making many of something, repeatably.

Studied as: BEng Manufacturing Engineering · BEng Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering · MSc Advanced Manufacturing Systems · BEng Product Design and Manufacture · Undergraduate
Marine engineering Engineering and technology Essential for rebuilding society

Ships, propulsion, and staying afloat.

Studied as: BEng Marine Engineering · BEng Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering · BSc Marine Engineering (Merchant Navy Officer Cadet) · MSc Marine Engineering · Undergraduate
Mechanical engineering Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Machines that move, and the forces inside them.

Studied as: BEng Mechanical Engineering · MEng Mechanical Engineering · BEng Mechanical Engineering with Automotive Design · Undergraduate
Mechatronics Engineering and technology Essential for making physical things Essential for the century ahead

The junction of mechanical, electronic, and software design.

Studied as: BEng Mechatronics · BEng Robotics and Mechatronic Engineering · MSc Mechatronics and Automation · Undergraduate
Metallurgy Engineering and technology At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Extracting, alloying, and heat-treating metals.

Studied as: BEng Metallurgy and Materials · MSc Advanced Metallurgy · BEng Materials Science and Engineering · MSc Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy · Undergraduate
Natural language processing Engineering and technology Essential for the century ahead

Computation over human language.

Studied as: MSc Speech and Language Processing · MSc Computational Linguistics · BSc Linguistics and Computer Science · MSc Artificial Intelligence · Undergraduate, Graduate
Nuclear engineering Engineering and technology Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for the century ahead

Reactors, fuel cycles, and containment.

Studied as: BEng Nuclear Engineering · MSc Nuclear Science and Technology · MSc Nuclear Engineering · BEng Mechanical Engineering with Nuclear Engineering · Undergraduate
Operating systems Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists

The layer that manages hardware for everything else.

Studied as: BSc Computer Science · BEng Computer Systems Engineering · MSc Computer Science · Undergraduate
Power systems Engineering and technology Essential in a crisis Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Grids: generation, transmission, and keeping frequency stable.

Studied as: MSc Electrical Power Systems · BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering · MSc Power Systems Engineering · BEng Electrical Power Engineering · Undergraduate
Programming Engineering and technology Essential for earning a living Essential for life as it is now Load-bearing for other subjects Essential for the century ahead

Instructing a computer precisely.

Studied as: BSc Computer Science · BSc Software Engineering · BSc Computing · Level 4 Software Developer Apprenticeship · School, Undergraduate, Self taught
Quantum computing Engineering and technology Essential for the century ahead

Computation exploiting superposition and entanglement.

Studied as: MSc Quantum Technologies · MSc Quantum Computing · MSc Quantum Science and Technology · BSc Physics · Graduate
Refrigeration Engineering and technology Essential for producing food Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Moving heat out of things, which is how food keeps.

Studied as: Level 3 Diploma in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning · BEng Building Services Engineering · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Renewable energy technology Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Capturing energy from sun, wind, water, and heat.

Studied as: BEng Renewable Energy Engineering · MSc Renewable Energy · MSc Sustainable Energy Technologies · BSc Energy Engineering · Undergraduate
Robotics Engineering and technology Essential for the century ahead

Machines that sense, decide, and act.

Studied as: BEng Robotics · MSc Robotics · BEng Robotics and Artificial Intelligence · MSc Robotics and Autonomous Systems · Undergraduate
Signal processing Engineering and technology

Extracting information from noisy measurements.

Studied as: BEng Electronic Engineering with Signal Processing · MSc Signal Processing and Communications · BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering · Undergraduate
Software engineering Engineering and technology Essential for earning a living Essential for maintaining what already exists

Building software that survives contact with other people.

Studied as: BSc Software Engineering · MEng Software Engineering · BSc Computer Science · Undergraduate
Structural engineering Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Making sure buildings stand up under load.

Studied as: MSc Structural Engineering · BEng Civil and Structural Engineering · BEng Civil Engineering · Undergraduate
Surveying Engineering and technology At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Establishing where things are, precisely.

Studied as: BSc Quantity Surveying · BSc Building Surveying · BSc Geomatics (Surveying and Mapping) · Chartered Surveyor Degree Apprenticeship · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Systems engineering Engineering and technology Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for the century ahead

Managing complexity when the parts must work together.

Studied as: MSc Systems Engineering · BEng Systems Engineering · MSc Engineering Management · Undergraduate
Telecommunications Engineering and technology Essential in a crisis Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Carrying signals over distance.

Studied as: BEng Electronic and Communications Engineering · MSc Telecommunications Engineering · BSc Computer Networks · Undergraduate
Water treatment Engineering and technology Essential in a crisis Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Making water safe to drink and safe to return.

Studied as: MSc Water and Wastewater Engineering · BEng Environmental Engineering · Level 3 Diploma in Water Industry Operations · Vocational, Professional
Web development Engineering and technology Essential for earning a living

Building things people use in a browser.

Studied as: BSc Web Development · BSc Web Design and Development · Level 4 Software Developer Apprenticeship · Vocational, Self taught
Biodiversity Environment and sustainability Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for a life worth living Essential for the century ahead

What is being lost, and why it matters instrumentally and otherwise.

Studied as: BSc Conservation Biology · MSc Biodiversity and Conservation · BSc Ecology · BSc Zoology · Undergraduate
Circular economy Environment and sustainability Essential for making physical things Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Designing so that outputs become inputs.

Studied as: MSc Circular Economy · MSc Sustainable Resource Management · BSc Sustainable Design · Undergraduate
Climate change Environment and sustainability Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for the century ahead Essential for scientific literacy Essential for understanding society

The physical basis, the projections, and the uncertainty.

Studied as: BSc Climate Science · MSc Climate Change · BSc Meteorology and Climate · BSc Geography · Undergraduate
Disaster risk reduction Environment and sustainability Essential for civic participation Essential in a crisis Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Reducing what a predictable disaster costs.

Studied as: MSc Disaster Risk Management · MSc Disaster Management and Resilience · BSc Emergency and Disaster Management · Undergraduate
Energy systems Environment and sustainability Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

Where energy comes from, and what it costs to move.

Studied as: MSc Energy Systems · BEng Energy Engineering · BSc Renewable Energy · MSc Sustainable Energy Futures · Undergraduate
Environmental monitoring Environment and sustainability Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society Essential for scientific literacy

Measuring what is happening to air, water, and soil.

Studied as: MSc Environmental Monitoring and Assessment · BSc Environmental Science · BSc Environmental Management · Undergraduate
Environmental science Environment and sustainability Essential for the century ahead Essential for understanding society

The biosphere studied as an interacting system.

Studied as: BSc Environmental Science · MSc Environmental Science · BSc Environmental Geoscience · Undergraduate
Land management Environment and sustainability Essential for producing food Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Using land without destroying its capacity.

Studied as: BSc Rural Land Management · BSc Land Management · MSc Land and Property Management · BSc Agriculture and Land Management · Undergraduate
Renewable energy systems Environment and sustainability Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Building an energy supply that does not burn carbon.

Studied as: BEng Renewable Energy Engineering · BSc Renewable Energy · MSc Sustainable Energy Systems · BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering · Undergraduate
Sustainability Environment and sustainability Essential for civic participation Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Meeting present needs without foreclosing future ones.

Studied as: BSc Environmental Science · BA Sustainable Development · MSc Sustainability · BSc Geography and Environmental Management · Undergraduate
Waste management Environment and sustainability Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Dealing with what is thrown away.

Studied as: MSc Waste and Resource Management · BEng Environmental Engineering · BSc Environmental Health · Undergraduate
Water resources Environment and sustainability Essential in a crisis Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Allocating a finite and unevenly distributed supply.

Studied as: MSc Water Resources Management · BEng Civil and Environmental Engineering · BSc Hydrology and Water Management · MSc Hydrogeology · Undergraduate
Abstract algebra Formal sciences

Groups, rings, and fields — structure stripped of content.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics · MMath Mathematics · MSc Pure Mathematics · Undergraduate, Graduate
Algebra Formal sciences Foundational for everything else Load-bearing for other subjects Essential for rebuilding society Essential for scientific literacy

Reasoning about quantities you do not yet know the value of.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics · BSc Mathematics with Education · School
Algorithms Formal sciences Essential for earning a living Load-bearing for other subjects

Systematic procedures, and the cost of running them.

Studied as: BSc Computer Science · MEng Computer Science · MSc Advanced Computer Science · BSc Mathematics and Computer Science · School, Undergraduate
Arithmetic Formal sciences Foundational for everything else Essential for life as it is now Load-bearing for other subjects Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Counting, the four operations, fractions, and percentages.

Studied as: BEd Primary Education · BA Primary Education with QTS · School
Bayesian inference Formal sciences Essential for scientific literacy Essential for thinking clearly

Updating beliefs in proportion to evidence.

Studied as: MSc Statistics · BSc Mathematics and Statistics · MSc Data Science · BSc Data Science · School, Undergraduate
Calculus Formal sciences Load-bearing for other subjects Essential for scientific literacy

Rates of change and accumulation.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics · MMath Mathematics · BEng Mechanical Engineering · BSc Physics · School, Undergraduate
Category theory Formal sciences

Structure-preserving maps as a language for mathematics itself.

Studied as: MSc Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science · MSc Pure Mathematics · MMath Mathematics · Graduate
Combinatorics Formal sciences

Counting arrangements, and proving you have counted them all.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics · MSc Discrete Mathematics · MMath Mathematics · School, Undergraduate
Complex analysis Formal sciences

Calculus over the complex numbers.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics · MMath Mathematics · BSc Mathematical Physics · Undergraduate, Graduate
Computability theory Formal sciences Essential for thinking clearly

What can be computed at all, and what provably cannot.

Studied as: BSc Computer Science · MSc Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science · BSc Mathematics and Computer Science · MSc Mathematical Logic · Undergraduate, Graduate
Computational complexity Formal sciences Essential for the century ahead

What can be computed in reasonable time.

Studied as: BSc Computer Science · MSc Advanced Computer Science · MSc Theoretical Computer Science · Undergraduate, Graduate
Control theory Formal sciences Essential for maintaining what already exists

Keeping a system on target despite disturbance.

Studied as: MSc Control Systems · BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering · MEng Aerospace Engineering · BEng Mechatronics · School, Undergraduate
Mathematics of cryptography Formal sciences Essential for living online Essential for not being exploited

The number theory and algebra that make secrets keepable.

Studied as: MSc Mathematics of Cryptography and Communications · MSc Cyber Security · BSc Mathematics · MSc Mathematics · Undergraduate, Graduate
Data structures Formal sciences Essential for earning a living Load-bearing for other subjects

How data is arranged so it can be found again.

Studied as: BSc Computer Science · BEng Software Engineering · MSc Computer Science (conversion) · School, Undergraduate
Differential equations Formal sciences Load-bearing for other subjects

Describing systems by how they change.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics · MMath Mathematics · BEng Mechanical Engineering · BSc Physics · School, Undergraduate
Differential geometry Formal sciences

Curvature and manifolds; the language of general relativity.

Studied as: MSc Mathematics · MASt Pure Mathematics · MSc Theoretical Physics · MMath Mathematics · Graduate
Dynamical systems Formal sciences Essential for understanding society

How systems evolve, and when small differences stop being small.

Studied as: MSc Mathematical Modelling · BSc Mathematics · MSc Mathematics · MSc Complex Systems · Undergraduate, Graduate
Formal languages and automata Formal sciences

Grammars, machines, and what each class of machine can recognise.

Studied as: BSc Computer Science · MSc Computer Science · MSc Logic and Computation · Undergraduate
Game theory Formal sciences Essential for thinking clearly Essential for understanding society

Decisions where the outcome depends on what others choose.

Studied as: MSc Game Theory · BSc Economics · MSc Economics · BSc Mathematics and Economics · School, Undergraduate
Geometry Formal sciences Load-bearing for other subjects Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Shape, distance, angle, and proof.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics · MMath Mathematics · BA Mathematics · School
Graph theory Formal sciences Essential for understanding society

Networks of nodes and edges, and what can be computed on them.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics · MSc Discrete Mathematics · BSc Computer Science · MSc Mathematics · School, Undergraduate
Information theory Formal sciences Essential for the century ahead

Quantifying information, compression, and the limits of communication.

Studied as: MSc Communications Engineering · BEng Electronic Engineering · MSc Information and Network Engineering · BSc Mathematics · Undergraduate, Graduate
Linear algebra Formal sciences Load-bearing for other subjects Essential for the century ahead

Vectors, matrices, and the mathematics behind most computation.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics · BSc Computer Science · BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering · BSc Physics · School, Undergraduate
Mathematical logic Formal sciences Essential for thinking clearly

Formal systems, validity, and the limits of proof.

Studied as: MSc Logic and the Philosophy of Mathematics · MSc Mathematical Logic and the Theory of Computation · BSc Mathematics · BA Philosophy · School, Undergraduate
Number theory Formal sciences

The integers, primes, and the arithmetic that secures modern cryptography.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics · MMath Mathematics · MSc Pure Mathematics · School, Undergraduate
Numerical methods Formal sciences

Getting usable answers when exact ones are unavailable.

Studied as: MSc Mathematical and Computational Finance · MSc Scientific Computing · BSc Mathematics · BEng Aerospace Engineering · School, Undergraduate
Operations research Formal sciences Essential for maintaining what already exists

Mathematics applied to logistics, scheduling, and allocation.

Studied as: MSc Operational Research · MSc Operational Research and Analytics · MSc Management Science · School, Undergraduate
Optimization Formal sciences Load-bearing for other subjects

Finding the best option under constraints.

Studied as: MSc Operational Research · MSc Mathematical Optimisation · BSc Mathematics · MSc Data Science · School, Undergraduate
Probability Formal sciences Load-bearing for other subjects Essential for not being exploited Essential for scientific literacy Essential for thinking clearly

Reasoning quantitatively about uncertainty.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics and Statistics · BSc Mathematics · MSc Statistics · MSc Probability and Statistics · School, Undergraduate
Real analysis Formal sciences

The rigorous foundations under calculus.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics · MMath Mathematics · MSc Pure Mathematics · Undergraduate, Graduate
Set theory Formal sciences

The standard foundation on which the rest of mathematics is built.

Studied as: MSc Mathematical Logic and the Theory of Computation · BSc Mathematics · MSc Pure Mathematics · MSc Logic (Institute for Logic, Language and Computation) · Undergraduate, Graduate
Statistics Formal sciences Essential for life as it is now Load-bearing for other subjects Essential for not being exploited Essential for scientific literacy Essential for thinking clearly

Drawing conclusions from data, and knowing when you cannot.

Studied as: BSc Statistics · MSc Statistics · BSc Mathematics and Statistics · MSc Applied Statistics · School, Undergraduate
Topology Formal sciences

Properties preserved under continuous deformation.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics · MMath Mathematics · MSc Pure Mathematics · Undergraduate, Graduate
Trigonometry Formal sciences Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Relating angles to lengths; the basis of surveying and navigation.

Studied as: BSc Mathematics · BSc Surveying and Mapping Sciences · School
Type theory Formal sciences

Formal systems where every term carries a type; the basis of proof assistants.

Studied as: MSc Logic · MSc Computer Science: Theory and Foundations · MSc Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science · Graduate
Addiction medicine Health and medicine Essential for caring for others Essential for managing your own body Essential for understanding society

Dependence, withdrawal, and what actually helps.

Studied as: MSc Addiction Studies · MSc Clinical and Public Health Aspects of Addiction · MBBS Medicine · BSc Addictions Counselling · Professional, Undergraduate
Clinical medicine Health and medicine Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Diagnosis and treatment of disease in individuals.

Studied as: MBBS Medicine · MBChB Medicine · MD Doctor of Medicine · BMBS Medicine · Professional, Undergraduate
Clinical psychology Health and medicine Essential for caring for others Essential for a life worth living Essential for managing your own body

Assessment and non-pharmacological treatment of mental distress.

Studied as: DClinPsy Doctorate in Clinical Psychology · PsyD Clinical Psychology · MSc Clinical Psychology · BSc Psychology · Professional, Undergraduate
Dentistry Health and medicine Essential for managing your own body Essential for rebuilding society

Teeth, and the systemic consequences of neglecting them.

Studied as: BDS Dentistry · DDS Doctor of Dental Surgery · DMD Doctor of Dental Medicine · BChD Dental Surgery · Professional, Undergraduate
Emergency medicine Health and medicine Essential in a crisis Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Acute care when time is the binding constraint.

Studied as: MSc Emergency Medicine · MBBS Medicine · MSc Trauma Sciences · BSc Paramedic Science · Professional, Undergraduate
First aid Health and medicine Essential for caring for others Essential in a crisis Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Keeping someone alive until help arrives.

Studied as: BSc Paramedic Science · FdSc Emergency Care · School, Vocational, Self taught
Geriatrics Health and medicine Essential for caring for others Essential for the century ahead

Medicine for old bodies, which fail differently.

Studied as: MSc Gerontology · MSc Geriatric Medicine · MBBS Medicine · MSc Ageing and Health · Professional, Undergraduate
Herbalism and traditional medicine Health and medicine At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Plant-based treatment as historically practised, and what evidence supports it.

Studied as: BSc Herbal Medicine · MSc Ayurveda · MSc Traditional Chinese Medicine · BSc Traditional Chinese Medicine (Acupuncture) · Tacit, Self taught
Medical ethics Health and medicine Essential in a crisis Essential for a life worth living Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

Consent, autonomy, triage, and the limits of intervention.

Studied as: MA Medical Ethics and Law · MSc Bioethics · MBBS Medicine · MA Bioethics and Medical Law · Professional, Undergraduate
Midwifery Health and medicine Essential for caring for others At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Care through pregnancy, birth, and after.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Midwifery · MSc Midwifery (Pre-registration) · Professional, Undergraduate
Nursing Health and medicine Essential for caring for others Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

The continuous care that determines whether treatment works.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult) · BSc (Hons) Nursing (Mental Health) · BSc (Hons) Nursing (Child) · MSc Nursing (Pre-registration) · Professional, Undergraduate
Nutrition Health and medicine Essential for life as it is now Essential for managing your own body Essential for not being exploited Essential for raising a child Essential for rebuilding society

What food does in a body over years.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Nutrition · BSc (Hons) Dietetics · MSc Human Nutrition · MSc Public Health Nutrition · Undergraduate, Self taught
Occupational health Health and medicine Essential for earning a living Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Illness and injury caused by work.

Studied as: MSc Occupational Health · MSc Occupational Medicine · BSc (Hons) Occupational Health and Safety · Professional, Undergraduate
Paediatrics Health and medicine Essential for caring for others Essential for raising a child Essential for rebuilding society

Medicine for growing bodies.

Studied as: MBBS Medicine · MSc Paediatrics and Child Health · MSc Child Health · Professional, Undergraduate
Palliative care Health and medicine Essential for caring for others Essential for a life worth living

Care when cure is not the goal.

Studied as: MSc Palliative Care · PGDip Palliative Medicine · MSc Palliative and End of Life Care · Professional, Undergraduate
Pathology Health and medicine Essential for rebuilding society

What disease does to tissue, and how it is identified.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science · MSc Cellular Pathology · MBBS Medicine · MSc Forensic Pathology · Professional, Undergraduate
Pharmacology Health and medicine Essential for managing your own body Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

What drugs do, at what dose, and what they interact with.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Pharmacology · MSc Clinical Pharmacology · MPharm Pharmacy · BSc (Hons) Pharmacology and Physiology · Professional, Undergraduate
Physiotherapy Health and medicine Essential for caring for others Essential for managing your own body Essential for rebuilding society

Restoring movement after injury or illness.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy · MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) · Professional, Undergraduate
Psychiatry Health and medicine Essential for caring for others Essential for managing your own body

Medical treatment of mental illness.

Studied as: MBBS Medicine · MSc Clinical Psychiatry · MSc Mental Health Studies · Professional, Undergraduate
Public health Health and medicine Essential in a crisis Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

Health at the population level: water, vaccines, surveillance, policy.

Studied as: MPH Master of Public Health · BSc (Hons) Public Health · MSc Global Public Health · MSc Epidemiology · Professional, Undergraduate
Reproductive health Health and medicine Essential for life as it is now Essential for managing your own body Essential for not being exploited Essential for raising a child Essential for rebuilding society

Fertility, contraception, pregnancy, and sexual health.

Studied as: MSc Reproductive and Sexual Health · MSc Sexual and Reproductive Health Research · BSc (Hons) Midwifery · Professional, Self taught
Sanitation and hygiene Health and medicine Essential in a crisis Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Separating people from waste, which saves more lives than medicine.

Studied as: MSc Water and Environmental Management · MSc Water, Sanitation and Health Engineering · BSc (Hons) Environmental Health · Vocational, School
Sleep science Health and medicine Essential for life as it is now Essential for managing your own body

What sleep does and what its absence costs.

Studied as: MSc Sleep Medicine · MSc Behavioural Sleep Medicine · Undergraduate, Self taught
Sports science Health and medicine Essential for managing your own body

Training, load, recovery, and performance.

Studied as: BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science · MSc Strength and Conditioning · MSc Sport and Exercise Physiology · BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching and Performance · Professional, Undergraduate
Surgery Health and medicine Essential for rebuilding society

Treating by physical intervention.

Studied as: MBBS Medicine · MSc Surgical Science · MCh Master of Surgery · Professional, Undergraduate
Veterinary medicine Health and medicine Essential for producing food Essential for rebuilding society

Animal health, including the animals people eat and work with.

Studied as: BVSc Veterinary Science · BVetMed Veterinary Medicine · DVM Doctor of Veterinary Medicine · BSc Veterinary Nursing · Professional, Undergraduate
Aesthetics Humanities Essential for a life worth living

Beauty, taste, and what art is for.

Studied as: BA Philosophy · BA Philosophy and Art History · MA Aesthetics and Art Theory · Undergraduate
Ancient history Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for thinking past a human lifetime

The earliest societies with written records.

Studied as: BA Ancient History · BA Classics and Ancient History · BA Ancient History and Archaeology · BA Assyriology · Undergraduate
Art history Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for a life worth living

What was made, when, and what it meant then.

Studied as: BA History of Art · BA History of Art and Architecture · MA Art History · BA History of Art with Curating · Undergraduate
Classical languages Humanities Essential for cultural literacy At risk of being lost entirely

Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, Classical Chinese and their kin.

Studied as: BA Classics · BA Latin and Greek · BA Sanskrit · BA Chinese Studies · Undergraduate
Classics Humanities Essential for cultural literacy

Greek and Roman language, literature, and thought.

Studied as: BA Classics · BA Literae Humaniores · BA Classical Studies · MA Classics · Undergraduate
Comparative literature Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for a life worth living

Literature read across languages and traditions.

Studied as: BA Comparative Literature · MA Comparative Literature · BA English and Comparative Literary Studies · BA World Literatures · Undergraduate
Creative writing Humanities Essential for a life worth living

Making things out of language deliberately.

Studied as: BA Creative Writing · MA Creative Writing · BA English and Creative Writing · MFA Creative Writing · Undergraduate
Epistemology Humanities Essential for not being exploited Essential for scientific literacy Essential for thinking clearly

What knowledge is and when belief is justified.

Studied as: BA Philosophy · BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics · MA Philosophy · BA Philosophy and Psychology · Undergraduate
Ethics Humanities Essential for civic participation Essential for a life worth living Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society Essential for thinking clearly

What we owe each other, and how to reason about it.

Studied as: BA Philosophy · MA Applied Ethics · MA Medical Ethics and Law · BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics · Undergraduate
Film studies Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for living online

Cinema as form, industry, and record.

Studied as: BA Film Studies · BA Film and Television Studies · MA Film Studies · BA Liberal Arts · Undergraduate
Historiography Humanities Essential for not being exploited Essential for thinking clearly

How history is written, and by whom.

Studied as: BA History · MA History · MSt History · Undergraduate
History Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for thinking clearly Essential for understanding society

What happened, how we know, and why accounts differ.

Studied as: BA History · BA Modern History · BA History and Politics · MA History · Undergraduate
History of science Humanities Essential for scientific literacy Essential for thinking clearly

How knowledge was actually established, mistakes included.

Studied as: BSc History and Philosophy of Science · MSc History of Science, Medicine and Technology · BA History of Science · MPhil History and Philosophy of Science · Undergraduate
History of technology Humanities Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

How tools and processes developed, and what depended on what.

Studied as: MSc History of Science, Medicine and Technology · BSc History and Philosophy of Science · MA History of Design · Undergraduate
Language learning Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for earning a living Essential for a life worth living Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society

Acquiring a language you were not raised in.

Studied as: BA Modern Languages · MA Applied Linguistics and TESOL · BA French and German · MA Second Language Acquisition · School, Undergraduate, Self taught
Library and information science Humanities Essential for living online Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Organising knowledge so it can be found again.

Studied as: BSc Information Management · MA Library and Information Studies · MSc Information Science · BA Librarianship and Information Studies · Undergraduate
Writing systems and palaeography Humanities Essential for thinking past a human lifetime At risk of being lost entirely

Scripts, their decipherment, and reading old hands.

Studied as: MA Palaeography and Manuscript Studies · MSt Medieval Studies · MA Egyptology · MA Assyriology · Graduate
Literature Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for a life worth living Essential for thinking clearly

Reading closely and reading widely.

Studied as: BA English Literature · BA Comparative Literature · BA English Language and Literature · Undergraduate
Medieval history Humanities Essential for cultural literacy

The long middle of the recorded past.

Studied as: BA Medieval History · MSt Medieval Studies · BA History · Undergraduate
Metaphysics Humanities Essential for a life worth living

What there is, and what kind of thing it is.

Studied as: BA Philosophy · MA Metaphysics, Language and Mind · BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics · Undergraduate
Military history Humanities Essential for understanding society

War, and the institutions built around it.

Studied as: MA War Studies · BA War Studies · MA Military History · BA History · Undergraduate
Modern history Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for understanding society

The last few centuries, which produced the present arrangement.

Studied as: BA Modern History · BA History · MSt Modern British and European History · Undergraduate
Musicology Humanities Essential for cultural literacy

Music studied as history, structure, and practice.

Studied as: BMus Music · BA Music · MMus Musicology · MA Music · Undergraduate
Mythology Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for a life worth living

The stories cultures tell to explain themselves.

Studied as: BA Classics · BA Classical Studies · MA Comparative Mythology and Folklore · BA Folklore and Ethnology · Undergraduate
Oral history Humanities Essential for cultural literacy At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Recording testimony before the people holding it die.

Studied as: MA Oral History · MA Public History · MA Life Writing · Graduate, Self taught
Philosophy Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for a life worth living Essential for thinking clearly Essential for understanding society

Careful argument about the questions other subjects assume answers to.

Studied as: BA Philosophy · BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics · MA Philosophy · Undergraduate
Philosophy of mind Humanities Essential for a life worth living Essential for the century ahead

Consciousness, intentionality, and the mind-body relation.

Studied as: MA Philosophy of Mind · BSc Philosophy and Psychology · MSc Cognitive Science · BA Philosophy · Undergraduate
Philosophy of science Humanities Essential for scientific literacy Essential for thinking clearly

What makes an explanation scientific, and what science cannot settle.

Studied as: BSc Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method · MSc Philosophy of Science · MSc History and Philosophy of Science · BA Philosophy · Undergraduate
Poetry Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for a life worth living

Language used for compression and effect.

Studied as: MA Poetry · BA Creative Writing · MA Creative Writing · BA English Literature · Undergraduate
Political philosophy Humanities Essential for civic participation Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

Legitimacy, justice, liberty, and the grounds of authority.

Studied as: MSc Political Theory · BA Politics and Philosophy · BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics · MA Political Philosophy · Undergraduate
Religious studies Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for understanding society

Religions described from outside, comparatively.

Studied as: BA Religious Studies · BA Theology and Religion · MA Religious Studies · BA Study of Religions · Undergraduate
Rhetoric Humanities Essential for civic participation Essential for earning a living Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society Essential for thinking clearly

How persuasion works, from both sides of it.

Studied as: BA Rhetoric · BA Classics · BA English Language and Literature · BA Communication Studies · Undergraduate
Theology Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for a life worth living

Religions reasoned about from inside.

Studied as: BA Theology · BA Theology and Religious Studies · BD Divinity · BA Islamic Studies · Undergraduate
Translation Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for earning a living Essential for rebuilding society

Carrying meaning between languages, and what is lost.

Studied as: BA Translation and Interpreting · MA Translation Studies · BA Modern Languages and Translation · MA Conference Interpreting · Undergraduate
World history Humanities Essential for cultural literacy Essential for understanding society

The past told without assuming one region is the centre.

Studied as: BA History · BA Global History · MA Global and Imperial History · BA World History and Cultures · Undergraduate
Archives and preservation Interdisciplinary Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for maintaining what already exists At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Keeping records readable across centuries.

Studied as: MA Archives and Records Management · MSc Information Management and Preservation · MA Library and Information Studies · MSc Digital Curation · Graduate, Undergraduate
Bioethics Interdisciplinary Essential for a life worth living Essential for the century ahead Essential for understanding society

Moral questions raised by biology and medicine.

Studied as: MA Bioethics and Medical Law · MSc Medical Ethics and Law · MA Health Care Ethics · BA Philosophy and Medical Ethics · Graduate, Undergraduate
Bootstrapping technology Interdisciplinary Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

The dependency chain from hand tools to industry.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Cartography Interdisciplinary At risk of being lost entirely Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Making maps, and the choices a map conceals.

Studied as: MSc Cartography · MSc Geographic Information Science · BSc Geography with GIS · MSc Geospatial Information Science · Graduate, Undergraduate
Cognitive security Interdisciplinary Essential for civic participation Essential for living online Essential for the century ahead Essential for not being exploited

Defending populations against manipulation at scale.

Studied as: MA Strategic Communication · MSc Information Security · MA International Security and Intelligence · MSc Cyber Security · Graduate, Undergraduate
Complexity science Interdisciplinary Essential for the century ahead Essential for thinking clearly Essential for understanding society

Systems whose behaviour is not readable from their parts.

Studied as: MSc Complexity Science · PhD Complex Systems · MSc Complex Systems and Networks · MSc Mathematical Modelling · Graduate, Undergraduate
Digital humanities Interdisciplinary

Computational methods applied to cultural material.

Studied as: MA Digital Humanities · MSc Digital Humanities · BA Digital Humanities · MA Digital Culture and Society · Graduate, Undergraduate
Disaster response Interdisciplinary Essential for civic participation Essential in a crisis Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Coordinated action when normal services have stopped.

Studied as: MSc Disaster Management · MSc Humanitarian Action · MSc Emergency Planning and Management · MSc International Disaster Management · Vocational, Professional
Existential and catastrophic risk Interdisciplinary Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for the century ahead

Threats that would end or permanently diminish humanity.

Studied as: MSt Existential Risk · MPhil Public Policy · MSc Risk and Disaster Science · MSc Global Governance and Ethics · Graduate, Undergraduate
Futures studies Interdisciplinary Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for the century ahead Essential for thinking clearly

Thinking rigorously about what has not happened yet.

Studied as: MA Futures Studies · MSc Foresight and Innovation · MA Strategic Foresight · MSc Global Futures · Graduate, Undergraduate
Indigenous knowledge systems Interdisciplinary Essential for cultural literacy Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for producing food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Long-tested local knowledge held outside academic institutions.

Studied as: MA Indigenous Studies · BA Native American Studies · MA Indigenous Governance · BA Aboriginal Studies · Tacit, Graduate
Innovation studies Interdisciplinary Essential for earning a living Essential for understanding society

How new things actually get adopted.

Studied as: MSc Innovation Studies · MSc Science and Technology Studies · MSc Technology and Innovation Management · MSc Innovation, Strategy and Entrepreneurship · Graduate, Undergraduate
Nanotechnology Interdisciplinary Essential for the century ahead

Engineering at the scale of molecules.

Studied as: MSc Nanotechnology · BEng Nanotechnology · MSc Nanoscience and Nanotechnology · MSc Micro and Nanotechnology Enterprise · Graduate, Undergraduate
Network science Interdisciplinary Essential for living online Essential for understanding society

Structure and dynamics of connected things.

Studied as: MSc Network Science · MSc Complex Systems and Network Science · MSc Social Network Analysis · MSc Complexity Science · Graduate, Undergraduate
Science communication Interdisciplinary Essential for civic participation Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society Essential for scientific literacy

Explaining findings honestly to people outside the field.

Studied as: MSc Science Communication · BSc Science Communication · MSc Science Media Production · MA Science Journalism · Graduate, Undergraduate
Space settlement Interdisciplinary Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for the century ahead

Living off Earth, and what it would require.

Studied as: MSc Space Exploration Systems · MSc Human and Applied Physiology (Space Physiology) · MSc Astronautics and Space Engineering · MSc Space Science and Engineering · Graduate, Undergraduate
Standards and interoperability Interdisciplinary Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Agreeing on specifications so things fit together.

No university course teaches this. · Graduate, Undergraduate
Synthetic biology Interdisciplinary Essential for the century ahead

Engineering organisms to specification.

Studied as: MSc Synthetic Biology · BSc Biotechnology · MRes Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology · MSc Bioengineering · Graduate, Undergraduate
Timekeeping and calendars Interdisciplinary Essential for maintaining what already exists At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Measuring time and agreeing on it.

Studied as: BSc Horology · MSc Metrology · Graduate, Undergraduate
Administrative law Law and governance Essential for civic participation Essential for navigating institutions Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Challenging decisions made by public bodies.

Studied as: LLM Public Law · LLB Law · MA Public Administration · Professional, Undergraduate
Civil procedure Law and governance Essential for navigating institutions Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

How a dispute actually moves through a court.

Studied as: Bar Practice Course (BPC) · Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) Preparation LLM · LLB Law · Juris Doctor (JD) · Professional, Undergraduate
Constitutional law Law and governance Essential for civic participation Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

The rules that constrain the state itself.

Studied as: LLM Public Law · LLB Law · BA Politics and Law · Juris Doctor (JD) · Professional, Undergraduate
Contract law Law and governance Essential for earning a living Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

When a promise binds, and what happens when it breaks.

Studied as: LLM Commercial Law · LLB Law · Juris Doctor (JD) · Professional, Undergraduate
Criminal law Law and governance Essential for civic participation Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

What is prohibited, and what the state must prove.

Studied as: LLM Criminal Justice · LLB Law · BA Criminology and Law · Juris Doctor (JD) · Professional, Undergraduate
Diplomacy Law and governance Essential in a crisis Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

Managing relations short of force.

Studied as: MA Diplomacy · MA International Relations and Diplomacy · MSc International Relations · BA International Relations · Professional, Undergraduate
Electoral systems Law and governance Essential for civic participation Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

How votes become seats, and why the rule matters.

Studied as: MSc Comparative Politics · MA Elections, Public Opinion and Parties · BSc Politics · MSc Political Science and Political Economy · Professional, Undergraduate
Employment law Law and governance Essential for earning a living Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Rights and duties between employer and worker.

Studied as: LLM Employment Law · MSc Human Resource Management · LLB Law · Professional, Undergraduate
Environmental law Law and governance Essential for civic participation Essential for the century ahead

Legal constraints on damage to the commons.

Studied as: LLM Environmental Law · LLM Environmental Law and Policy · LLB Law · MSc Environmental Policy and Regulation · Professional, Undergraduate
Law of evidence Law and governance Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society Essential for thinking clearly

What a court may consider, and why.

Studied as: LLB Law · JD Juris Doctor · LLM Criminal Law and Criminal Justice · BPTC/Bar Practice Course · Professional, Undergraduate
Family law Law and governance Essential for navigating institutions Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Marriage, separation, children, and money between them.

Studied as: LLM Family Law · LLB Law · JD Juris Doctor · MA Social Work · Professional, Undergraduate
Human rights law Law and governance Essential for civic participation Essential in a crisis Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

Claims held against the state by virtue of being a person.

Studied as: LLM International Human Rights Law · LLB Law with Human Rights · MA Human Rights · LLB Law · Professional, Undergraduate
Intellectual property Law and governance Essential for living online Essential for earning a living Essential for not being exploited

Copyright, patents, trademarks, and licensing.

Studied as: LLM Intellectual Property Law · MSc Management of Intellectual Property · LLB Law · PGCert Intellectual Property Law · Professional, Undergraduate
International law Law and governance Essential for understanding society

Rules between states, and their limits.

Studied as: LLM Public International Law · LLB Law with International Law · MA International Relations · LLB Law · Professional, Undergraduate
Jurisprudence Law and governance Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

What law is and where its authority comes from.

Studied as: LLM Legal Theory · BA Jurisprudence · LLB Law · BA Philosophy, Politics and Law · Professional, Undergraduate
Legal reasoning Law and governance Essential for civic participation Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society Essential for thinking clearly

How legal arguments are built and tested.

Studied as: LLB Law · JD Juris Doctor · Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) · LLM Law · Professional, Undergraduate
Parliamentary procedure Law and governance Essential for civic participation At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Running a meeting so decisions are legitimate.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught, Vocational
Property law Law and governance Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Ownership, possession, and the difference.

Studied as: LLB Law · JD Juris Doctor · LLM Property Law · BSc Real Estate · Professional, Undergraduate
Public administration Law and governance Essential for civic participation Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society

Running the state's machinery.

Studied as: MPA Master of Public Administration · BA Public Administration · MSc Public Policy and Administration · BA Politics and Public Policy · Professional, Undergraduate
Regulation Law and governance Essential for not being exploited Essential for understanding society

Rule-making for industries, and who captures it.

Studied as: MSc Regulation · LLM Law and Economics of Regulation · MSc Public Policy · MSc Economics and Public Policy · Professional, Undergraduate
Tort law Law and governance Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Civil wrongs and compensation for harm.

Studied as: LLB Law · JD Juris Doctor · Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) · LLM Law · Professional, Undergraduate
Anatomy Life sciences Essential for caring for others Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

The structure of bodies and where everything is.

Studied as: BSc Anatomy · BSc Human Anatomy · MBBS Medicine · BSc Anatomical Science · Undergraduate
Animal behaviour Life sciences Essential for producing food Essential for rebuilding society

What animals do and why.

Studied as: BSc Animal Behaviour · BSc Zoology · MSc Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare · BSc Biological Sciences · Undergraduate
Bioinformatics Life sciences Essential for the century ahead

Computation applied to biological data.

Studied as: MSc Bioinformatics · BSc Bioinformatics · MSc Computational Biology · BSc Biochemistry with Bioinformatics · Undergraduate, Graduate
Biotechnology Life sciences Essential for the century ahead

Engineering living systems to do useful work.

Studied as: BSc Biotechnology · MSc Biotechnology · BEng Biochemical Engineering · MSc Industrial Biotechnology · Undergraduate
Botany Life sciences Essential for producing food Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Plants: identification, structure, and function.

Studied as: BSc Botany · BSc Plant Sciences · BSc Biological Sciences · Undergraduate
Cell biology Life sciences Load-bearing for other subjects Essential for scientific literacy

The unit all living things are built from.

Studied as: BSc Cell Biology · BSc Molecular and Cellular Biology · BSc Biochemistry · BSc Biological Sciences · Undergraduate
Conservation biology Life sciences Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for the century ahead

Keeping species and habitats from disappearing.

Studied as: BSc Conservation Biology · MSc Conservation Science · BSc Ecology and Conservation · BSc Zoology · Undergraduate
Developmental biology Life sciences

How one cell becomes an organism.

Studied as: BSc Developmental Biology · MSc Developmental Biology · BSc Biological Sciences · Undergraduate
Ecology Life sciences Essential for producing food Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

How organisms interact with each other and their surroundings.

Studied as: BSc Ecology · BSc Ecology and Conservation Biology · MSc Ecology and Environmental Management · BSc Biological Sciences · Undergraduate
Entomology Life sciences Essential for producing food Essential for rebuilding society

Insects, including the ones that pollinate and the ones that destroy.

Studied as: MSc Entomology · MSc Applied Entomology · BSc Zoology · Undergraduate
Epidemiology Life sciences Essential in a crisis Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society Essential for scientific literacy Essential for understanding society

How disease moves through populations, and how you would know.

Studied as: MSc Epidemiology · MSc Public Health · BSc Population Health Sciences · Undergraduate
Ethnobotany Life sciences Essential for producing food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

What particular peoples know about particular plants.

Studied as: MSc Ethnobotany · MSc Plants and People · MSc Anthropology and Ecology · Graduate, Tacit
Evolutionary biology Life sciences Essential for cultural literacy Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for scientific literacy Essential for understanding society

Descent with modification, and why it explains so much.

Studied as: BSc Evolutionary Biology · MSc Evolutionary Biology · BSc Ecology and Evolutionary Biology · BSc Biological Sciences · Undergraduate
Genetics Life sciences Essential for the century ahead Essential for scientific literacy Essential for understanding society

Inheritance, variation, and the molecule that carries them.

Studied as: BSc Genetics · BSc Genetics and Molecular Biology · MSc Human Molecular Genetics · BSc Biological Sciences · Undergraduate
Immunology Life sciences Essential for managing your own body Essential for scientific literacy

How bodies distinguish self from threat.

Studied as: BSc Immunology · MSc Immunology · BSc Infection and Immunity · BSc Biomedical Sciences · Undergraduate
Marine biology Life sciences Essential for the century ahead

Life in the sea.

Studied as: BSc Marine Biology · BSc Marine Biology and Oceanography · MSc Marine Biology · Undergraduate
Microbiology Life sciences Essential for producing food Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Organisms too small to see, most of which matter enormously.

Studied as: BSc Microbiology · BSc Medical Microbiology · MSc Molecular Microbiology · BSc Biological Sciences · Undergraduate
Molecular biology Life sciences Essential for the century ahead

How DNA becomes protein, and how that is regulated.

Studied as: BSc Molecular Biology · BSc Biochemistry and Molecular Biology · MSc Molecular Biology · BSc Biochemistry · Undergraduate
Mycology Life sciences Essential for producing food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Fungi: decomposition, fermentation, medicine, and poison.

Studied as: MSc Mycology · BSc Biological Sciences · Undergraduate
Neuroscience Life sciences Essential for managing your own body Essential for the century ahead

The nervous system, from ion channels to behaviour.

Studied as: BSc Neuroscience · MSci Neuroscience · MSc Clinical Neuroscience · BSc Psychology and Neuroscience · Undergraduate
Parasitology Life sciences Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Organisms that live at the expense of others.

Studied as: MSc Medical Parasitology · BSc Microbiology · BSc Biomedical Science · BSc Zoology · Undergraduate
Physiology Life sciences Essential for caring for others Essential for managing your own body Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

How the parts of a living body actually work.

Studied as: BSc Physiology · BSc Human Physiology · BSc Anatomy and Physiology · BSc Biomedical Science · Undergraduate
Toxicology Life sciences Essential for managing your own body Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Dose, exposure, and harm.

Studied as: BSc Toxicology · MSc Toxicology · BSc Pharmacology and Toxicology · MSc Environmental Toxicology · Undergraduate
Virology Life sciences Essential in a crisis Essential for the century ahead Essential for understanding society

Viruses, their replication, and their spread.

Studied as: MSc Virology · BSc Virology and Immunology · BSc Microbiology · BSc Biomedical Science · Undergraduate
Zoology Life sciences Essential for producing food Essential for rebuilding society

Animals: diversity, anatomy, and behaviour.

Studied as: BSc Zoology · BSc Animal Biology · BSc Marine Biology · BSc Biological Sciences · Undergraduate
Argumentation and debate Meta skills Essential for civic participation Essential for thinking clearly

Holding a position, and changing it when you should.

Studied as: BA Philosophy · BA Rhetoric · BA Communication Studies · LLB Law · Self taught
Attention Meta skills Essential for living online Essential for a life worth living Essential for life as it is now

Defending your own focus from things engineered to take it.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Cognitive biases Meta skills Essential for not being exploited Essential for thinking clearly

Systematic errors your own mind makes.

Studied as: BSc Psychology · MSc Behavioural Science · BSc Behavioural Economics · Self taught
Collaboration Meta skills Essential for civic participation Essential for earning a living

Working with people who are not like you.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Creativity Meta skills Essential for earning a living Essential for a life worth living

Producing options nobody handed you.

Studied as: MA Creative Writing · MSc Creativity and Innovation · BA Design · Self taught
Critical thinking Meta skills Essential for civic participation Foundational for everything else Essential for not being exploited Essential for thinking clearly

Evaluating claims and arguments on their merits.

Studied as: BA Philosophy · BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics · Self taught
Decision-making Meta skills Essential in a crisis Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society Essential for thinking clearly

Choosing well under uncertainty and time pressure.

Studied as: MSc Decision Sciences · MSc Behavioural Science · MSc Operational Research · MSc Judgement and Decision Making · Self taught
Design thinking Meta skills Essential for earning a living Essential for making physical things

Starting from the person who will use the thing.

Studied as: MA Service Design · BA Product Design · MSc Innovation Design Engineering · BA Interaction Design · Self taught
Epistemic humility Meta skills Essential for a life worth living Essential for scientific literacy Essential for thinking clearly

Knowing the shape of what you do not know.

Studied as: BA Philosophy · MA Epistemology · Self taught
Giving and receiving feedback Meta skills Essential for earning a living Essential for a life worth living

Saying the useful thing, and hearing it.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Forecasting Meta skills Essential for the century ahead Essential for thinking clearly

Making calibrated predictions and scoring them.

Studied as: MSc Statistics · MSc Business Analytics · MSc Meteorology and Climate Science · MSc Economics · Self taught
Goal setting Meta skills Essential for earning a living Essential for a life worth living

Choosing what to aim at, and noticing when to stop.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Habit formation Meta skills Essential for a life worth living Essential for life as it is now Essential for managing your own body

Changing what you do by default.

Studied as: MSc Behaviour Change · MSc Health Psychology · Self taught
Working across disciplines Meta skills Essential for earning a living Essential for the century ahead

Talking to specialists outside your own field.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Leadership Meta skills Essential in a crisis Essential for earning a living Essential for rebuilding society

Taking responsibility for a group's direction.

Studied as: MSc Leadership · MBA · BSc Leadership and Management · MA Educational Leadership · Self taught
Learning how to learn Meta skills Essential for earning a living Foundational for everything else Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society Essential for thinking clearly

Spacing, retrieval, difficulty, and what does not work.

Studied as: MSc Psychology of Education · MSc Educational Neuroscience · Self taught
Logical fallacies Meta skills Essential for not being exploited Essential for thinking clearly

Named ways arguments go wrong.

Studied as: BA Philosophy · MA Logic and Philosophy of Science · Self taught
Memory techniques Meta skills At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society Essential for thinking clearly

Deliberate methods for retaining things.

Studied as: MSc Cognitive Psychology · MSc Cognitive Neuroscience · Self taught
Mentoring Meta skills Essential for caring for others Essential for earning a living

Developing someone over years.

Studied as: MA Coaching and Mentoring · MSc Coaching and Behavioural Change · Self taught
Note-taking Meta skills Essential for earning a living Essential for thinking clearly

Capturing what you will need later.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Problem solving Meta skills Essential for earning a living Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society Essential for thinking clearly

Getting from stuck to unstuck methodically.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Reading strategies Meta skills Foundational for everything else Essential for thinking clearly

Reading hard things without stalling.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Research methods Meta skills Essential for not being exploited Essential for scientific literacy Essential for thinking clearly

Finding out something nobody has told you.

Studied as: MSc Social Research Methods · MRes Research Methods · MSc Research Methods in Psychology · Self taught
Statistical literacy Meta skills Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for scientific literacy Essential for thinking clearly

Reading a number in the news without being fooled by it.

Studied as: BSc Statistics · MSc Applied Statistics · MSc Medical Statistics · Self taught
Systems thinking Meta skills Essential for the century ahead Essential for thinking clearly Essential for understanding society

Seeing feedback, delay, and unintended consequence.

Studied as: MSc Systems Thinking in Practice · MSc System Dynamics · MSc Systems Engineering · Self taught
Teaching others Meta skills Essential for caring for others Essential for earning a living At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Transmitting what you know without losing it in transit.

Studied as: PGCE · MA Education · BA Education Studies · Self taught
Analytical chemistry Natural sciences Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for staying alive

Determining what a sample actually contains.

Studied as: BSc Analytical Chemistry · MSc Analytical Chemistry · BSc Chemistry · MChem Chemistry · Undergraduate
Astronomy Natural sciences Essential for cultural literacy Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for rebuilding society

Observing what is beyond the atmosphere.

Studied as: BSc Astronomy · MPhys Physics with Astronomy · BSc Astrophysics · BSc Physics · Undergraduate
Astrophysics Natural sciences Essential for thinking past a human lifetime

The physics of stars, galaxies, and what they are made of.

Studied as: MPhys Astrophysics · BSc Astrophysics · MSc Astrophysics · BSc Physics with Astrophysics · Undergraduate, Graduate
Biochemistry Natural sciences Load-bearing for other subjects

The chemistry that living things run on.

Studied as: BSc Biochemistry · MBiochem Biochemistry · BSc Molecular Biology and Biochemistry · MSc Biochemistry · Undergraduate
Classical mechanics Natural sciences Load-bearing for other subjects Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society Essential for scientific literacy

Force, motion, and energy at everyday scales.

Studied as: BSc Physics · MPhys Physics · BSc Mathematics and Physics · BEng Mechanical Engineering · Undergraduate
Climatology Natural sciences Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for the century ahead Essential for understanding society

The atmosphere over decades and centuries.

Studied as: MSc Climate Change · BSc Climate Science · BSc Meteorology and Climate · MSc Climate Change Science and Policy · Undergraduate
Condensed matter physics Natural sciences

Why solids and liquids have the properties they do.

Studied as: MSc Condensed Matter Physics · MPhys Physics · BSc Physics · MSc Physics · Undergraduate, Graduate
Cosmology Natural sciences Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for a life worth living

The origin, structure, and fate of the universe.

Studied as: MSc Cosmology · MSc Astrophysics · MPhys Physics with Astrophysics · BSc Physics · Undergraduate, Graduate
Electromagnetism Natural sciences Essential for maintaining what already exists Load-bearing for other subjects Essential for rebuilding society

Charge, current, fields, and light.

Studied as: BSc Physics · MPhys Physics · BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering · Undergraduate
General chemistry Natural sciences Load-bearing for other subjects Essential for rebuilding society Essential for scientific literacy Essential for staying alive

Atoms, bonds, reactions, and stoichiometry.

Studied as: BSc Chemistry · MChem Chemistry · BSc Natural Sciences · Undergraduate
Geology Natural sciences Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for rebuilding society

Rock, structure, and the history written in them.

Studied as: BSc Geology · MGeol Geology · BSc Earth Sciences · MSci Geology · Undergraduate
Geomorphology Natural sciences Essential for thinking past a human lifetime

How landscapes are shaped and reshaped.

Studied as: BSc Physical Geography · BSc Geography · BSc Earth Sciences · MSc Geomorphology and Environmental Change · Undergraduate
Hydrology Natural sciences Essential in a crisis Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Where water goes, and how much of it there is.

Studied as: MSc Hydrology · MSc Water Resources Engineering · BSc Environmental Science · BSc Physical Geography · Undergraduate
Inorganic chemistry Natural sciences

Everything carbon-based chemistry leaves out, including most industry.

Studied as: MChem Chemistry · BSc Chemistry · MSc Chemistry · Undergraduate
Materials science Natural sciences Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Why materials fail, and how to choose one that will not.

Studied as: BEng Materials Science and Engineering · MEng Materials Science and Engineering · MSc Materials Science · BA Materials Science · Undergraduate
Meteorology Natural sciences Essential in a crisis Essential for producing food Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society

Forecasting the atmosphere over days.

Studied as: BSc Meteorology · MSc Applied Meteorology · BSc Meteorology and Climate · MSc Atmospheric Sciences · Undergraduate
Metrology and measurement Natural sciences Essential for maintaining what already exists At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society Essential for scientific literacy

Defining units and making measurements that agree.

Studied as: MSc Metrology · MSc Instrumentation and Measurement · BEng Instrumentation and Control Engineering · Undergraduate
Mineralogy Natural sciences Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Identifying minerals and knowing what they are good for.

Studied as: BSc Geology · BSc Earth Sciences · MSci Geoscience · BSc Mining Geology · Undergraduate
Nuclear physics Natural sciences Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for the century ahead

Binding, fission, fusion, and radiation.

Studied as: BSc Physics with Nuclear Astrophysics · MSc Nuclear Science and Technology · BSc Physics · BEng Nuclear Engineering · Undergraduate
Oceanography Natural sciences Essential for the century ahead

The physics, chemistry, and biology of the sea.

Studied as: BSc Oceanography · BSc Marine Science · MSci Ocean and Earth Science · MSc Oceanography · Undergraduate
Optics Natural sciences Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

How light behaves, and how to bend it deliberately.

Studied as: BSc Physics with Photonics · MSc Optics and Photonics · BSc Optometry · BSc Physics · Undergraduate
Organic chemistry Natural sciences

The chemistry of carbon, and therefore of life and materials.

Studied as: BSc Chemistry · MChem Chemistry · BSc Medicinal and Biological Chemistry · MSc Organic Chemistry · Undergraduate
Paleontology Natural sciences Essential for cultural literacy Essential for thinking past a human lifetime

Life before records, read from what it left behind.

Studied as: BSc Palaeontology and Evolution · BSc Geology · MSc Palaeobiology · BSc Earth Sciences · Undergraduate
Particle physics Natural sciences Essential for thinking past a human lifetime

The current inventory of fundamental constituents.

Studied as: BSc Physics with Particle Physics and Cosmology · MSc Particle Physics · MPhys Physics · BSc Physics · Undergraduate, Graduate
Physical chemistry Natural sciences

Chemistry approached through thermodynamics and quantum mechanics.

Studied as: BSc Chemistry · MChem Chemistry · BSc Chemical Physics · MSc Chemistry · Undergraduate
Physical geography Natural sciences Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

The distribution of natural features and why it matters.

Studied as: BSc Physical Geography · BSc Geography · BSc Environmental Geoscience · MSc Physical Geography · Undergraduate
Planetary science Natural sciences Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for the century ahead

Worlds as physical objects with histories.

Studied as: BSc Planetary Science · MSci Astronomy and Planetary Science · MSc Planetary Science · BSc Geology with Planetary Science · Undergraduate
Quantum mechanics Natural sciences Essential for the century ahead Essential for scientific literacy

The physics of the very small, and the basis of modern electronics.

Studied as: BSc Physics · MPhys Physics · BSc Theoretical Physics · MSc Quantum Technologies · Undergraduate
Relativity Natural sciences Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for scientific literacy

Space and time as one thing, deformed by mass and motion.

Studied as: BSc Theoretical Physics · MPhys Physics · MSc Theoretical Physics · BSc Mathematics and Physics · Undergraduate
Seismology Natural sciences Essential in a crisis

Earthquakes, and reading the Earth's interior from waves.

Studied as: BSc Geophysics · MSci Geophysics · MSc Exploration Geophysics · BSc Earth Sciences · Undergraduate
Soil science Natural sciences Essential for producing food At risk of being lost entirely Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

What soil is, how it is built, and how it is destroyed.

Studied as: BSc Soil Science · MSc Soil Science · BSc Agriculture · BSc Environmental Science · Undergraduate
Thermodynamics Natural sciences Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for rebuilding society Essential for scientific literacy

Heat, work, entropy, and why engines cannot be perfect.

Studied as: BEng Mechanical Engineering · BSc Physics · BEng Chemical Engineering · BSc Chemistry · Undergraduate
Password and account security Practical life Essential for living online Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

Not losing control of your digital identity.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Addiction and substance awareness Practical life Essential for caring for others Essential for managing your own body

Risk, dependence, and harm reduction.

Studied as: BSc Addiction Studies · MSc Addiction Studies · FdSc Substance Misuse and Addiction Practice · BSc Public Health · Self taught
Using a bank account Practical life Essential for navigating institutions Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

Accounts, payments, fees, and disputing a transaction.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Claiming benefits and welfare Practical life Essential in a crisis Essential for navigating institutions Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

Finding out what you are entitled to and obtaining it.

Studied as: BA Social Work · BA Advice and Guidance · Self taught
Boundaries and consent Practical life Essential for a life worth living Essential for life as it is now Essential for managing your own body

Saying no, and hearing it.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Budgeting Practical life Essential for earning a living Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

Knowing what comes in, what goes out, and what is left.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Childcare Practical life Essential for caring for others Essential for earning a living Essential for raising a child Essential for rebuilding society

Looking after children safely, including other people's.

Studied as: FdA Early Years and Childcare · BA Early Childhood Studies · CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce · Self taught
Cleaning and household hygiene Practical life Essential for caring for others Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Keeping a home from making you ill.

Studied as: BSc Environmental Health · Self taught
Community organising Practical life Essential for civic participation Essential in a crisis Essential for rebuilding society

Getting a group of people to change something.

Studied as: BA Community Development · MA Community Organising · BA Youth and Community Work · Self taught
Conflict resolution Practical life Essential for civic participation Essential for earning a living Essential for a life worth living Essential for rebuilding society

Getting past a disagreement without destroying the relationship.

Studied as: MSc Conflict Resolution · MA Mediation and Conflict Resolution · MSc Negotiation and Conflict Resolution · Self taught
Consumer rights Practical life Essential for navigating institutions Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

Refunds, faulty goods, and complaining effectively.

Studied as: LLM Consumer Law · LLB Law · Self taught
Reading a contract Practical life Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

Understanding what you are agreeing to before you sign.

Studied as: LLB Law · LLM Commercial Law · Self taught
Credit and debt Practical life Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

Borrowing, interest, and what compounding does against you.

Studied as: BSc Banking and Finance · BSc Financial Services · Self taught
CVs and applications Practical life Essential for earning a living

Presenting your work credibly on paper.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
The administration of death Practical life Essential for caring for others Essential for navigating institutions Essential for life as it is now

Registering, notifying, and closing a life's paperwork.

Studied as: BSc Funeral Services Management · MSc Death, Religion and Culture · Self taught
Digital privacy Practical life Essential for living online Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

What is collected about you and what you can do about it.

Studied as: MSc Data Protection and Privacy Law · LLM Information Technology and Privacy Law · MSc Cyber Security · Self taught
Supporting disabled people Practical life Essential for caring for others Essential for civic participation

Access, adjustment, and not speaking over someone.

Studied as: MA Disability Studies · BA Health and Social Care · BSc Occupational Therapy · Self taught
Driving Practical life Essential for earning a living Essential for life as it is now

Operating a vehicle safely in traffic.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Caring for older people Practical life Essential for caring for others Essential for navigating institutions Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Supporting someone whose independence is declining.

Studied as: BSc Nursing (Adult) · MSc Gerontology · BSc Social Work · MSc Dementia Studies · Self taught
Emergency preparedness Practical life Essential in a crisis Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Water, light, heat, medicine, and a plan.

Studied as: MSc Emergency Planning and Management · BSc Disaster Management · MSc Risk, Crisis and Resilience Management · Self taught
Manners and social convention Practical life Essential for cultural literacy Essential for a life worth living

The local rules nobody writes down.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Exercise and fitness Practical life Essential for a life worth living Essential for life as it is now Essential for managing your own body

Keeping a body capable across a life.

Studied as: BSc Sport and Exercise Science · BSc Strength and Conditioning · MSc Clinical Exercise Physiology · BSc Sports Coaching · Self taught
Fire safety Practical life Essential in a crisis Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Preventing fire, and what to do when there is one.

Studied as: MSc Fire Safety Engineering · BEng Fire Engineering · BSc Fire and Leadership Studies · Self taught
Freelancing and self-employment Practical life Essential for earning a living Essential for not being exploited

Pricing, invoicing, and chasing payment.

Studied as: BA Business and Entrepreneurship · MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation · BA Music Business · Self taught
Gardening Practical life Essential for a life worth living Essential for producing food Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society

Growing things at domestic scale.

Studied as: BSc Horticulture · BSc Garden Design · MSc Landscape Architecture · Self taught
Grief and bereavement Practical life Essential for caring for others Essential for a life worth living Essential for life as it is now

Surviving loss, and supporting someone who is in it.

Studied as: MSc Palliative Care · MA Death, Religion and Culture · MSc Bereavement Counselling and Support · MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy · Self taught
Navigating healthcare Practical life Essential for caring for others Essential for navigating institutions Essential for life as it is now

Getting seen, getting referred, and advocating for someone.

Studied as: MSc Health Services Management · BSc Health and Social Care · MPH Master of Public Health · Self taught
Home maintenance Practical life Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for life as it is now Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Keeping a dwelling dry, warm, and safe.

Studied as: BSc Building Surveying · BSc Construction Management · HNC Building Services Engineering · Self taught
Immigration and residency processes Practical life Essential in a crisis Essential for navigating institutions Essential for life as it is now

Visas, status, and the paperwork of belonging somewhere.

Studied as: LLM Immigration Law · LLB Law · MA Migration Studies · MSc Refugee and Forced Migration Studies · Self taught
Verifying information Practical life Essential in a crisis Essential for living online Essential for not being exploited Essential for thinking clearly

Checking whether a claim, image, or source is what it says.

Studied as: MA Digital Journalism · MSc Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and Investigation · BA Journalism · MA Information and Library Studies · Self taught
Job interviews and applications Practical life Essential for earning a living Essential for not being exploited

Getting hired.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Jury service Practical life Essential for civic participation

What is asked of you, and why it matters.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Clothing care and repair Practical life Essential for life as it is now Essential for making physical things Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Making clothes last.

Studied as: BA Fashion Design · MA Textile Conservation · BSc Textile Technology · Self taught
Listening Practical life Essential for caring for others Essential for earning a living Essential for a life worth living

Understanding what someone actually means.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Local government Practical life Essential for civic participation Essential for navigating institutions

The tier of the state that decides most of your surroundings.

Studied as: BA Public Administration · MSc Local Government Studies · BA Politics and Public Policy · Self taught
Meal planning and food budgeting Practical life Essential for life as it is now Essential for managing your own body Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Eating well on limited money and time.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Media literacy Practical life Essential for civic participation Essential for living online Essential for not being exploited Essential for thinking clearly Essential for understanding society

Reading news as a produced artefact with interests behind it.

Studied as: BA Journalism · BA Media and Communication Studies · MA Media Literacy Education · Self taught
Looking after your mental health Practical life Essential for a life worth living Essential for life as it is now Essential for managing your own body

Recognising decline, and knowing what helps.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Mortgages and buying a home Practical life Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

The largest contract most people ever sign.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Navigation and map reading Practical life Essential in a crisis At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Knowing where you are without being told.

Studied as: BSc Geography · BSc Nautical Science · MSc Geographic Information Science · Self taught
Everyday nutrition Practical life Essential for life as it is now Essential for managing your own body Essential for not being exploited

Eating in a way that does not quietly harm you.

Studied as: BSc Nutrition · BSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics · MSc Public Health Nutrition · Self taught
Online safety Practical life Essential for living online Essential for life as it is now Essential for raising a child

Harassment, doxxing, and protecting others online.

Studied as: MSc Cyber Security · BSc Cybersecurity · Self taught
Parenting Practical life Essential for caring for others Essential for a life worth living Essential for raising a child Essential for rebuilding society

Raising a child day to day.

Studied as: BA Early Childhood Studies · MSc Child Development · Self taught
Animal care at home Practical life Essential for caring for others Essential for life as it is now

Keeping a dependent animal well.

Studied as: BVSc Veterinary Science · FdSc Veterinary Nursing · BSc Animal Behaviour and Welfare · Self taught
Public speaking Practical life Essential for civic participation Essential for earning a living

Saying something to a room without falling apart.

Studied as: BA Communication Studies · BA Rhetoric · Self taught
Relationships Practical life Essential for a life worth living Essential for life as it is now

Building and maintaining close relationships deliberately.

Studied as: MSc Couple and Family Therapy · BSc Psychology · Self taught
Remote and distributed work Practical life Essential for living online Essential for earning a living

Working well without a shared room.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Renting a home Practical life Essential for navigating institutions Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

Deposits, repairs, notice, and eviction.

Studied as: LLB Law · LLM Housing Law · Self taught
Recognising scams and fraud Practical life Essential for living online Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

How you are targeted, and what the tells are.

Studied as: MSc Fraud and Financial Crime · BSc Criminology · Self taught
Self-defence and personal safety Practical life Essential in a crisis Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Avoiding, de-escalating, and if necessary escaping violence.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Sexual health and consent Practical life Essential for life as it is now Essential for managing your own body Essential for raising a child

Contraception, infection, and negotiating consent.

Studied as: MSc Sexual and Reproductive Health · BSc Public Health · MSc Sexual Health Studies · Self taught
Sleep Practical life Essential for life as it is now Essential for managing your own body

Getting enough, and what happens when you do not.

Studied as: MSc Sleep Medicine · MSc Behavioural Sleep Medicine · Self taught
Swimming Practical life Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Not drowning, and helping someone who is.

Studied as: BSc Sport and Exercise Science · Self taught
Filing your taxes Practical life Essential for navigating institutions Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited

Getting a return right and on time.

Studied as: MSc Taxation · LLM Taxation · BSc Accounting and Finance · Self taught
Time management Practical life Essential for earning a living Essential for life as it is now

Deciding what not to do.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Using hand and power tools Practical life Essential for life as it is now Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Working safely with the basic kit.

Studied as: BTEC Level 3 Carpentry and Joinery · Self taught
Volunteering and mutual aid Practical life Essential for civic participation Essential in a crisis Essential for a life worth living

Contributing labour where money is not the mechanism.

Studied as: MSc Voluntary Sector Management · BA Community Development · MA Charity and Third Sector Management · Self taught
Voting Practical life Essential for civic participation Essential for life as it is now

Registering, and knowing what you are actually choosing.

Studied as: BSc Politics · MSc Comparative Politics · MSc Political Science and Political Economy · Self taught
Wills, probate, and inheritance Practical life Essential for caring for others Essential for navigating institutions Essential for life as it is now

Arranging what happens to what you leave.

Studied as: LLM Private Client: Wealth Management · LLB Law · MSc Estate Planning · Self taught
Workplace rights Practical life Essential for civic participation Essential for earning a living Essential for not being exploited

What your employer may and may not do.

Studied as: LLM Employment Law · MSc Human Resource Management · LLB Law · Self taught
Writing clearly Practical life Essential for civic participation Essential for earning a living Foundational for everything else Essential for thinking clearly

Being understood in writing the first time.

Studied as: BA English Language · MA Professional Writing · BA Journalism · Self taught
Anthropology Social sciences Essential for cultural literacy Essential for understanding society

Human ways of living, studied by immersion and comparison.

Studied as: BA Anthropology · BSc Social Anthropology · MSc Social Anthropology · BSc Anthropology and Archaeology · Undergraduate
Archaeology Social sciences Essential for cultural literacy Essential for thinking past a human lifetime

The human past reconstructed from material remains.

Studied as: BA Archaeology · BSc Archaeological Science · MA Archaeology · MSc Bioarchaeology · Undergraduate
Behavioural economics Social sciences Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for thinking clearly

How real decisions depart from the rational model.

Studied as: MSc Behavioural Economics · BSc Behavioural Science · MSc Behavioural and Economic Science · BSc Economics · Undergraduate
Cognitive science Social sciences Essential for the century ahead Essential for thinking clearly

Mind as an information-processing system.

Studied as: BSc Cognitive Science · MSc Cognitive Science · BSc Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience · MSc Cognitive and Decision Sciences · Undergraduate
Communication studies Social sciences Essential for living online Essential for earning a living

How messages are constructed and received.

Studied as: BA Communication Studies · BA Communication and Media · BA Communication, Media and Culture · Undergraduate
Computational social science Social sciences Essential for the century ahead Essential for understanding society

Studying societies through large-scale behavioural data.

Studied as: MSc Computational Social Science · MSc Social Data Science · MSc Applied Social Data Science · MSc Digital Sociology · Graduate
Criminology Social sciences Essential for understanding society

Crime, punishment, and what actually reduces harm.

Studied as: BA Criminology · BSc Criminology and Criminal Justice · BA Criminology and Sociology · LLB Law with Criminology · Undergraduate
Demography Social sciences Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for the century ahead Essential for understanding society

Births, deaths, migration, and the shape of populations.

Studied as: BSc Social Statistics and Demography · MSc Demography · MSc Population Studies · MSc Demography and Health · Undergraduate
Development economics Social sciences Essential for understanding society

Why some places are poor and what changes that.

Studied as: BSc Development Economics · MSc Development Economics · BSc Economics and International Development · MSc Economics for Development · Undergraduate
Developmental psychology Social sciences Essential for caring for others Essential for raising a child

How minds change from infancy to old age.

Studied as: BSc Developmental Psychology · BSc Psychology · MSc Developmental Psychology · BSc Psychology and Child Development · Undergraduate
Economic history Social sciences Essential for thinking past a human lifetime Essential for understanding society

How present arrangements came to be, empirically.

Studied as: BSc Economic History · BSc Economics with Economic History · MSc Economic History · BA History and Economics · Undergraduate
Economics Social sciences Essential for civic participation Essential for not being exploited Essential for understanding society

How societies allocate scarce things.

Studied as: BSc Economics · BA Economics · MSc Economics · BSc Philosophy, Politics and Economics · Undergraduate
Gender studies Social sciences Essential for understanding society

Gender as a social structure and an analytic lens.

Studied as: BA Gender Studies · MA Gender Studies · BA Sociology with Gender Studies · MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation · Undergraduate
Geopolitics Social sciences Essential for the century ahead Essential for understanding society

Power read through geography and resources.

Studied as: BSc International Relations and Politics · BA Geography and International Relations · MA Geopolitics and Security · MSc International Relations · Undergraduate
Human geography Social sciences Essential for understanding society

How people organise themselves across space.

Studied as: BA Human Geography · BSc Geography · BA Geography with Economics · MSc Human Geography · Undergraduate
International relations Social sciences Essential for the century ahead Essential for understanding society

How states and other actors deal with each other.

Studied as: BSc International Relations · BA International Relations · MSc International Relations · BA Politics and International Relations · Undergraduate
Linguistics Social sciences Essential for cultural literacy

The structure of language, described rather than prescribed.

Studied as: BA Linguistics · BSc Linguistics · MA Linguistics · BA English Language and Linguistics · Undergraduate
Macroeconomics Social sciences Essential for not being exploited Essential for understanding society

Inflation, unemployment, growth, and the levers over them.

Studied as: BSc Economics · MSc Economics · MRes Economics · Undergraduate
Media studies Social sciences Essential for living online Essential for not being exploited Essential for understanding society

How media industries shape what gets said and seen.

Studied as: BA Media Studies · BA Media and Communications · MA Media and Communications · BA Film and Media Studies · Undergraduate
Microeconomics Social sciences Essential for not being exploited Essential for understanding society

Choices of individuals and firms, and prices as their result.

Studied as: BSc Economics · MSc Economics · BSc Economics and Management · Undergraduate
Peace and conflict studies Social sciences Essential in a crisis Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

Why violence starts, and what ends it.

Studied as: BA Peace and Conflict Studies · BA War Studies · MA Conflict Resolution · MA International Relations · Undergraduate
Political science Social sciences Essential for civic participation Essential for understanding society

How power is acquired, held, and constrained.

Studied as: BA Politics · BSc Political Science · BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics · BSc Government · Undergraduate
Psychology Social sciences Essential for managing your own body Essential for thinking clearly Essential for understanding society

Mind and behaviour studied empirically.

Studied as: BSc Psychology · BA Psychology · MSc Psychology (conversion) · Undergraduate
Public policy Social sciences Essential for civic participation Essential for understanding society

Designing and evaluating what governments do.

Studied as: BA Public Policy · Master of Public Policy (MPP) · BSc Social Policy · MSc Public Administration · Undergraduate
Science and technology studies Social sciences Essential for the century ahead Essential for scientific literacy Essential for understanding society

Science as a human institution with interests and politics.

Studied as: BSc Science and Technology Studies · MSc Science, Technology and Society · BSc History and Philosophy of Science · Undergraduate
Social psychology Social sciences Essential for not being exploited Essential for thinking clearly Essential for understanding society

How the presence of others changes behaviour.

Studied as: MSc Social Psychology · BSc Psychology · BSc Social Psychology · Undergraduate
Social work Social sciences Essential for caring for others Essential for navigating institutions Essential for rebuilding society

Practical intervention in people's crises.

Studied as: BA Social Work · MSc Social Work · BSc Social Work · Professional, Undergraduate
Sociolinguistics Social sciences Essential for not being exploited Essential for understanding society

How language marks class, region, and identity.

Studied as: MA Sociolinguistics · BA Linguistics · BA English Language and Linguistics · Undergraduate
Sociology Social sciences Essential for understanding society

How groups, institutions, and inequalities work.

Studied as: BA Sociology · BSc Sociology · BA Sociology and Social Policy · MSc Sociology · Undergraduate
Urban planning Social sciences Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society Essential for understanding society

Deciding how cities grow, and who benefits.

Studied as: BSc Urban Planning · BA Town and Regional Planning · MSc Urban Design and Planning · MA City Planning · Undergraduate
Appliance repair Trades and crafts Essential for life as it is now Essential for making physical things Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Fixing rather than replacing household machines.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught, Vocational
Basketry Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Weaving containers from what grows nearby.

No university course teaches this. · Tacit, Self taught
Bicycle repair Trades and crafts Essential for life as it is now Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Maintaining the most efficient machine there is.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught
Blacksmithing Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Shaping hot metal by hand.

Studied as: BA (Hons) Artist Blacksmithing · Apprenticeship, Tacit
Boatbuilding Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Building craft that float and handle.

Studied as: FdSc Boatbuilding and Marine Design · BSc Yacht and Powercraft Design · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Bookbinding Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Assembling pages into something that survives.

Studied as: MA Book Arts · BA (Hons) Book Arts and Crafts · Tacit, Self taught
Cabinetmaking Trades and crafts Essential for a life worth living At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Furniture built to last generations.

Studied as: City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Furniture Making (Cabinet Making) · BA (Hons) Furniture Design and Making · HNC/HND Furniture Design and Manufacture · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Carpentry Trades and crafts Essential for earning a living Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Building structures and fittings from timber.

Studied as: City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma in Site Carpentry · Level 3 Advanced Technical Diploma in Carpentry and Joinery · Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeship (Level 2) · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Charcoal and fuel production Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Making fuel that burns hot enough to work metal.

No university course teaches this. · Tacit
Electrical installation Trades and crafts Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Wiring buildings safely.

Studied as: Installation and Maintenance Electrician Apprenticeship (Level 3) · HNC Electrical and Electronic Engineering · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Electronics repair Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for the century ahead Essential for rebuilding society

Diagnosing and fixing circuits and devices.

Studied as: Level 2 Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering · BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Engineering (Electrical/Electronic) · Self taught, Vocational
Foundry and casting Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Melting metal and pouring it to shape.

Studied as: BEng (Hons) Materials Science and Engineering · MSc Advanced Metallurgy · Foundry Process Technician Apprenticeship · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Glassblowing Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely

Forming glass while it is molten.

Studied as: BA (Hons) Glass · BA (Hons) Ceramics and Glass · MA Glass · Apprenticeship, Tacit
Glazing Trades and crafts Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Fitting glass, and making buildings warm.

Studied as: Level 2 Diploma in Fenestration Installation · Glazier Apprenticeship (Level 2) · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Joinery Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Fine timber work: doors, windows, stairs, furniture.

Studied as: City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma in Bench Joinery · Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeship (Level 2) · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Knitting Trades and crafts Essential for a life worth living At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Making fabric from a single yarn.

Studied as: BA (Hons) Fashion Knitwear Design · MA Textiles (Knit) · BA (Hons) Textile Design · Self taught, Tacit
Leatherwork Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Making durable goods from hide.

Studied as: BA (Hons) Footwear Design · MSc Leather Technology · BA (Hons) Fashion Accessories and Footwear · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Locksmithing Trades and crafts Essential for rebuilding society

Locks, keys, and lawful entry.

No university course teaches this. · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Machining Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Cutting metal to tolerance — the trade that makes other machines.

Studied as: Level 3 Diploma in Machining (Machinist Technician) · Machining Technician Apprenticeship (Level 3) · BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Engineering (Manufacturing) · BEng (Hons) Manufacturing Engineering · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Masonry and bricklaying Trades and crafts Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Building in brick, block, and mortar.

Studied as: City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma in Bricklaying · Level 3 Advanced Technical Diploma in Bricklaying · Bricklayer Apprenticeship (Level 2) · Level 3 Diploma in Stonemasonry · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Metalworking Trades and crafts Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Cutting, forming, and joining metal.

Studied as: Level 3 Diploma in Fabrication and Welding Engineering Technology · BEng (Hons) Manufacturing Engineering · MSc Welding Engineering · BA (Hons) Jewellery and Silversmithing · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Papermaking Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Making a surface to write and print on.

Studied as: MSc Paper Technology · BSc Paper Science and Engineering · Tacit, Self taught
Plastering and rendering Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Finishing walls and protecting them.

Studied as: NVQ Diploma in Plastering · City & Guilds Diploma in Plastering · Advanced Apprenticeship in Plastering · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Plumbing Trades and crafts Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for life as it is now Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Water in, waste out, without leaks.

Studied as: NVQ Diploma in Plumbing and Domestic Heating · City & Guilds Diploma in Plumbing Studies · BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Plumbing · FdSc Building Services Engineering · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Pottery Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Vessels from clay, thrown or built.

Studied as: BA Ceramics · BA Ceramic Design · MA Ceramics and Glass · BA Three-Dimensional Design: Ceramics · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Roofing Trades and crafts Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Keeping weather out of a building.

Studied as: NVQ Diploma in Roofing Occupations · City & Guilds Diploma in Roof Slating and Tiling · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Ropemaking and knots Trades and crafts Essential in a crisis At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Making cordage, and using it correctly.

No university course teaches this. · Tacit, Self taught
Sewing and mending Trades and crafts Essential for life as it is now At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Making and repairing cloth goods.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught, Tacit
Shoemaking and repair Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Making and mending footwear.

Studied as: BA Cordwainers Footwear: Product Design and Development · BA Footwear Design · MA Footwear · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Small engine repair Trades and crafts Essential in a crisis Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Keeping pumps, generators, and saws running.

Studied as: City & Guilds Diploma in Land-based Technology · IMI Diploma in Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair · Vocational, Self taught
Soap and candle making Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Basic chemistry for hygiene and light.

No university course teaches this. · Self taught, Tacit
Spinning Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Turning fibre into thread.

Studied as: BA Textile Design · BA Textiles · Tacit, Self taught
Stonemasonry Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Cutting and setting stone.

Studied as: NVQ Diploma in Stonemasonry · City & Guilds Diploma in Stonemasonry · MSc Historic Building Conservation · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Tailoring Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Making clothes that fit a specific body.

Studied as: BA Bespoke Tailoring · BA Fashion: Menswear · MA Fashion Artefact · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Tanning Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Turning skin into leather.

Studied as: BSc Leather Technology · MSc Leather Technology · Tacit, Apprenticeship
Thatching Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society

Roofing with reed or straw.

No university course teaches this. · Apprenticeship, Tacit
Toolmaking Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Making the tools other trades depend on.

Studied as: Advanced Apprenticeship in Machining (Toolmaking) · BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering · BEng Manufacturing Engineering · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Vehicle maintenance Trades and crafts Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for life as it is now Essential for not being exploited Essential for rebuilding society

Keeping a vehicle safe and running.

Studied as: IMI Diploma in Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair · City & Guilds Diploma in Vehicle Maintenance and Repair · BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Vehicle Technology · BEng Automotive Engineering · Vocational, Self taught
Watchmaking Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely

Precision mechanism at small scale.

Studied as: BSc Horology · FdSc Horology · BA Watchmaking (WOSTEP programme) · Apprenticeship, Tacit
Weaving Trades and crafts At risk of being lost entirely Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Making cloth on a loom.

Studied as: BA (Hons) Textile Design · BA (Hons) Woven Textiles · MA Textiles · Tacit, Apprenticeship
Welding Trades and crafts Essential for maintaining what already exists Essential for making physical things Essential for rebuilding society

Joining metal permanently.

Studied as: BEng Welding Engineering · MSc Welding Engineering · NVQ Diploma in Fabrication and Welding Engineering · Vocational, Apprenticeship
Well digging and water sourcing Trades and crafts Essential in a crisis At risk of being lost entirely Essential for rebuilding society Essential for staying alive

Finding and reaching groundwater.

Studied as: MSc Hydrogeology · BSc Water and Environmental Management · MSc Water and Sanitation for Development · Tacit, Apprenticeship

500 subjects across 17 domains. Not yet in the map — these are the subjects the graph should eventually cover, and a subject appears here before any concept exists under it. Course names are generated and unverified — treat one as a search term, not a fact.