Optional (elective/outside) courses

Optional (also known as elective or outside) courses give you opportunities and flexibility to explore new subjects, learn new skills and study with lots of different students.  

You will be expected to look into the detail of your programme and the courses within it before you start. If you have credits to take, you should explore your options and choose a selection of courses that you would be happy to take in your first year. 

All degree programmes at the University of Edinburgh are made up of several courses. Most courses are compulsory (core courses) and must be taken in order to graduate.

In addition, many degree programmes include optional courses. With regard to optional courses, you are responsible for choosing which ones you wish to take from the options available to you. You must confirm your optional course choices with your School, after which they will enrol you. Once enrolled, these courses will appear on your student record and be added to your timetable.

Optional courses allow you to explore a wider range of subjects, deepen your knowledge in your main subject area, or try something completely different.

Choose your optional courses

Your School will be in touch in mid-August to confirm your next steps and how they confirm your choices. You will likely be encouraged to select your chosen courses before Welcome Week. This allows us to process the requests before you start.  

If you miss this deadline, it is very unlikely that you will be allocated your first choice. You will have options to change your mind within the first two weeks of teaching but there will be less spaces available.  

Most degree programmes allow some flexibility to encourage students to take optional courses and it is your responsibility to explore your options and decide what you want to do. Some courses are very popular and you are not guaranteed to get your first choice, so you need to explore as many courses as possible.