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. What do you need to doAll degree programmes at the University of Edinburgh are made up of several courses. Most courses are compulsory (core courses) and you must take these courses in order to graduate that degree programme. Many degree programmes also offer flexibility for you to choose some courses (known as optional courses, electives, outside courses), giving you the opportunity to experience a wider range of subjects, delve more into your own subject or even try something completely different. What are credits?You will first need to know what degree programme you are on (Law, for example) and check how many credits you have available for optional courses. Once you know how many credits you can use on optional courses, you can start searching through DRPS.Information on creditsIf you are on a single honours programme, it is likely that you will need to take a total 120 credits per year. Your core courses will make up some of these 120 credits and then you can choose to make up the remaining credits. Each individual course will either be 10, 20 or 40 credits (40 credits usually means it is a full-year course). Examples:Degree programmeCompulsory Course(s)Credits for optional coursesItalian (MA Hons)Italian 1 (40 credits)80 credits Mathematics with Management (BSc Hons)Entrepreneurship in the Mathematical Sciences (10 credits)110 credits (only 20 credits available outside Maths)Philosophy and Linguistics (MA Hons)Morality and Value (20 credits)Logic 1 (20 credits)Introduction to the History of Philosophy (20 credits)Linguistics and English Language 1A (20 credits)Linguistics and English Language 1B (20 credits)20 credits (either Philosophy of Science 1 or 20 credit course outside Philosophy)Why do you need to do itMost 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.When do you need to do itYour 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. How do you do it How to choose optional courses How to choose optional courses Information on how to research all of your options before you start. How to confirm your optional courses Information about how to confirm your course choice(s). This article was published on 2024-11-12
