What your halloween costume should be based on your course

Because end-of-term exam season isn’t the only spooky thing coming up


Halloween is when you dress up as something scary – like your future, your 9am with fresher’s flu, or your assignment feedback. But instead of spending hours doom-scrolling Depop or pretending you’re “going as a concept”, here’s the costume you should wear based on your degree. 

Medicine

woman in red shirt wearing blue goggles

Via MedicAlert UK on Unsplash

It is only fitting that any student studying a degree linked to the medical field dresses as a nurse (congrats on completing your placement!) or a doctor. I don’t make the rules! Think bright scrubs and efficient Amazon nurse costumes with a stethoscope and a blank clipboard – perfect. Alternatively, you could dress up as a giant, green, germ. After all, a sneeze a day keeps the doctor away.

Law

The devil – we all know that you thrive on debate, a sharp tongue and the need to convince people you are right (even if it means bending the truth). The devil costume fits perfectly: horns for when you’re being “a little mischievous,” a pitchfork for poking holes in every argument, bonus points for a knife (Fisher V Bell) have fun distinguishing an offer from an invitation to treat.  

Sports

Let’s be real, you are walking red flags. You’re competitive, loud, and somehow always injured but still going out four nights a week. So, what better costume than a prisoner? You’re not just in jail – you’re locked up for crimes against subtlety, and maybe for sliding into five people’s DMs in the same night. You’ll probably accessorise with a sweatband, a ball you refuse to put down, and a smug grin that says, “Yeah, I peaked in sixth form.” Bonus points for fake bruises, questionable tattoos, and a long unending story about how you could’ve gone pro if it wasn’t for your knee injury.

Fashion Design, Textiles, and Fashion Marketing

It is only fair and just (and cool) that all the fashion students create their costume from scratch. It would be style suicide not to! Think elaborate, detailed, and… incredibly last minute because you had to sketch another design after spilling coffee on the first one. You end up clubbing on Broad Street anyways with a half-finished outfit AND design-DEATH ROW!

Politics & Social Sciences 

You came to uni ready to fight the system, but now you spend your days writing essays about colonialism while drinking iced oat lattes and flirting using political theory. For Halloween, you’re dressing as your biggest enemy and lowkey aspiration: sexy corporate. Think pencil skirt, heels, and a blazer that says “interned at the UN but only made TikToks”.  You’ll probably spend half the night holding a clipboard and half of it arguing about economic sanctions with someone dressed as a minion.

Graphic Design, Computer Science, and Product Design

404 Error! Oh no, it seems like your only choice is to dress up as a laptop. Between Adobe Photoshop, CAD, and Python all running in the background while you drink your third Monster of the day, you have a better chance of operating like a laptop than your actual laptop- you don’t need all 39 tabs open at once!

Arts

You are known for their creativity, love for the dramatic, and occasional obsession with niche fandoms. Dressing as your favourite anime character is not just a costume, it’s a statement. Alternatively, channel the eccentric muse vibe: Think paint-splattered clothes, beret slightly askew, and a wild expression like you just had an epiphany about existentialism. Bonus points if you carry around a sketchbook filled with doodles no one understands.

So, whether you’re a med student rocking those well earned scrubs, a Bluetooth-enabled cardboard robot, or a sexy laptop (hey, why not!), remember: Halloween is your one night to become the walking embodiment of your degree. Embrace the chaos, lean into the stereotype, and whatever you do… don’t let your seminar tutor see the photos.