Choosing Subjects at a University
So now you've accepted your offer, and now it's time to choose your subjects. We understand that subject selection can be difficult, therefore it's a good idea to attend any academic counseling or enrolling workshops offered by your school, since these will provide you with thorough information on your specific course. Read on for Good Universities Guide's top tips to get you started, along with some additions of our own. Refer to Course Guides and Handbooks The first thing to consider while selecting subjects is your course guide or handbook. This will tell you which topics are required for your degree (compulsory or core subjects) and which you can pick yourself (electives). Depending on your style of study, each course needs you to finish a set number of credit hours every study semester. Some courses may consist mostly of core subjects with limited subject selection flexibility, whilst others are more flexible and allow you to explore your interests and choose electives. In arts, linguistics, history, criminology, and these types of degrees, you can usually select a major or minor in later years of study. In highly regulated fields, such as engineering, core subjects are completed to meet industry and government accreditation requirements. This means that subject choice may be limited. Explore Subjects Related to Your Areas of Interests Depending on the format of your course, you may typically do this through electives. Some electives are taken from a specific list related to your study, while others can be picked from a wide range of disciplines offered across several universities or schools. Subject selections in certain courses may lead to a specific minor or major. To encourage you to broaden your academic horizons, several schools ask you to choose a number of courses outside your selected field of study (also known as breadth subjects). So, you may even be a computer science student learning creative arts or a linguistics student studying chemistry! This will not only expose you out of your same-old comfort zone but bring out the daring and creative side of you. Consider Prerequisites Some courses cannot be studied without previously finishing others. These are called as requirements, and they will influence the subjects you can study. Although some course organizers may prefer students to have studied a specific field in school, this may not apply in your first semester. As a first-year student, you will have access to a wide selection of introductory topics. If you want to study a certain subject in the second semester, you can complete an introduction unit in semester one. Take Others Advice but Do NOT Depend on Them There are many people around us who may have already undergone the tedious yet exhilarating process of college and choosing the “right” subject. We may often hear stories that will either leave us terrified or excited solely on the experience of the individual which can either leave us hopeful or in despair. It is important to keep in mind that every individual’s experience differs