The scene we see most often in careers guidance is this: what the student pictured on hearing the department's name and what the department actually teaches do not match. The problem is that the mismatch is only discovered after enrolment.

Same name, different curriculum

It is common for similarly named departments at different universities to teach entirely different subjects. Some are organised around theory and research, others around practice and professional qualifications. Sometimes they even sit in different faculties.

The way to check is simple: find "curriculum" or "course structure" on the department's page on the university website and read the compulsory major subjects year by year. The compulsory subjects in the first two years show the character of a department most accurately. Look at subject titles, not the prospectus copy.

What you can see on Academyinfo

Academyinfo is a government site that collects information universities disclose under the Special Act on Disclosure of Information by Educational Institutions. What matters is that this is mandatory disclosure, not marketing material.

Sixty-five items across fourteen categories are published at institution and department level, and the ones most useful for an application decision are these.

• Graduate destinations and employment — where graduates of that department actually went
• Employment retention rate — the proportion still in work after a set period. Closer to reality than a bare employment rate.
• Enrolment figures — whether places are filled, and the scale of students leaving part way
• Tuition and accounts — what four years actually costs

The scale of drop-out in particular is an indirect signal of satisfaction with a department. If the figure is unusually high, it is worth finding out separately why.

Look at the exits in advance

However much preparation you do, you may still feel after enrolling that it does not fit. So it is worth checking the exit routes before applying.

• Transferring department — moving to another department. The permitted year, grade requirements and available places differ by university, and some universities restrict it heavily.
• Double and minor majors — keeping your department while taking another. Popular fields often have demanding application requirements.
• Broad-field admission — recruiting by faculty or field, with the major decided in the second year. Here you must check how majors are allocated (whether by grades).

All of these rules are published in the university regulations and academic guidance. They can be read before enrolment.

The order in which to check

1. Read the compulsory major subject titles for the first two years on the department page
2. Look at graduate destinations and enrolment figures on Academyinfo
3. Check the rules on transferring and double majors in the university regulations
4. If admission is by faculty or field, check how majors are allocated

All four steps are free and public. They can be worked through before paying for consulting. Differences between admission tracks can be read alongside in University Admissions.

In summary

The most dangerous basis for choosing a degree is the name and the image. Look instead at three things: subject titles, disclosed data and university regulations. All three can be checked before applying, and a day is enough to do it.