Factors when choosing course units
Your programme:
Think about how your degree programme fits together as a whole.
Some course units have pre-requisites, so you might need to look ahead and plan accordingly.
Do you want to become a specialist, or perhaps branch out and sample a completely new area of study?
Most degree programmes allow you to take credits from outside your home discipline area - this could allow you to try something totally new, and may give you a fresh perspective on your programme.
Top Tip: if you do want to branch out and take a free choice unit from another School, Level 1 marks don’t usually count towards your degree result, so this is the time to experiment without detriment!
You could use "free choice" credits on innovative units such as those offered by the Manchester Enterprise Centre (MEC), The Manchester Leadership Programme, or the Sustainable Cities Project, or even study abroad for a semester under one of the University's exchange programmes. See the links on the right for more information.
Your interests and goals:
What interests and motivates you?
What skills would you like to develop?
What do you hope to get out of your degree?
If you have done any Personal Development Planning (PDP) or work compiling a portfolio, this should have helped you reflect on your studies and your progress through your degree programme.
The course units:
Don't just look at the titles of course-units – consider how they are delivered and assessed, look at the reading lists etc.
Units delivered outside your own area have different administrative structures, marking conventions, deadlines – you need to be aware of this.
Some units will have co-requisites- i.e. you need to take the co-requisite units together.
Ensure that the course unit is actually running next year – some unit lists are just indicative.
Ensure that its availability isn’t restricted.
Other sources of information:
- Past exam papers can provide you with information about the assessment for the course-unit, as well as the topics covered. Access past exam papers here.
- Ask other students who have completed particular course-units. If you’re a first year student you could contact your peer mentor to see if they have any advice about particular course-units.
Indicative School course unit (or module) listings:
Arts, Histories and Cultures
http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/#all
Education
http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/education/
Environment and Development
http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/modules/
Languages Linguistics and Cultures
http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/llc/
Law
http://www.law.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/modules/index.html
Manchester Business School
http://www.mbs.ac.uk/undergraduate/free-choice-options.aspx
Social Sciences
http://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/modules/
Other
See the links on the right of this page for other ways of gaining academic credit.
Further advice:
For further advice on your particular programme structure, recommended course units etc. you can make an appointment to see your Academic Advisor.