Timetable clashes

[Katy]

I'm trying to choose my 1000 modules or whatever they're called(modules for the first year), and I've decided I want to do English, International Relations and Philosophy. However, according to the course catalogue the lectures for all 3 of those subjects start at 10am- although it doesn't give the days of the lectures, but I presume they must all clash if there are three lectures a week in each subject. What happens in this situation? Do I have to choose other subjects? Also, is it possible to choose which '1000' modules you take that year if there are more than 2 listed- for example, in philosophy there seem to be about 7 listed? I'm very confused...

[Zippy]

I wouldn't worry too much, just get an initial idea of what you want to do and then your advisor will tell you what clashes and what doesn't

I wouldn't even worry about work in the 1st year, the workload was that laughable

[Simpleton]

Yeah, you'll have to get new classes. And the philosophy is for two subjects within philosophy: Moral Philosophy and Metaphysics & Logic. And some courses are only 10 credits. Don't worry, it's easy.

[hr]The only real currency in this bankrupt world, is what you share with people when you're being uncool.

[The_Farwall]

[s]Unregisted User Katy wrote on 12:36, 5th Sep 2002:I presume they must all clash if there are three lectures a week in each subject. What happens in this situation? Do I have to choose other subjects?

If they do clash then yes, of course you will have to pick other subjects, or at least other modules in the same subject.

Also, is it possible to choose which '1000' modules you take that year if there are more than 2 listed- for example, in philosophy there seem to be about 7 listed? I'm very confused...


Erm, not only is it possible, it's compulsary to choose which modules you do. The only constrictions on which ones you take are if you have a definite plan for which modules you want to do later in your course. Seeing as you're only choosing modules for first year at the moment then your only concern should be whether any of the second semester modules you want to take require that you have taken a coresponding first sememster module (these will be listed as Pre-Requisits with the 2nd semester course). Once you get into 2nd, 3rd and 4th year you will find that more modules rely on having done other modules (obviously, this is how you build a degree course).
It's really not something you need to worry about in first year and your course adviser usually does a good job of pointing these things out later in your course.

Oh and by the way, the reason there are so many different Philosophy modules is 'cause there so many different subjects within' Philosopy, Moral Philosophy, Logic and Metaphysics etc...

[hr]
"Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy."
- Charlie McCarthy

[KT]

although i agree in general it doesn't matter which modules you take in first year. It is worth remembering that if you are considering taking a subject beyond first year there will be required modules and if you are even only thinking about it, it might be worth keeping you're options open.

As to the large number of philosophy modules, azs mentioned before some are only wrth 10 credits (particularly those on the logic and metaphysics side) however they only have two lectures a weeek and tutorials every 2nd week so that the courses are run effectively as one so that if (as most people do because they are both required for further study in philosophy) you take both courses you have 4 lectures and 1 tutorial a week always at the same times.

[wyrd]

I don't know what your intended degree is, but with some course combinations if you've been admitted for a joint honours degree, you have to take second year courses in one of the subjects in first year, followed by (the part that seemed a bit pointless to me) the appropriate first year modules in that subject in second year. This happened to me when I was admitted for joint honours English & Geography - I had to take the second year English courses in first year. The scary part was that nobody told me I was about to learn about Old English instead of nice fluffy poetry until I phoned up worried about clashes about a week before I was due to arrive (I think they're more organised these days since it warns you in the prospectus now). Despite this, and the usual first year settling in stresses, I had no problem with the material on the course (I had an A in Higher English and a B in the CSYS, and that background knowledge was more than enough to get through the course - nobody else on the second year course had done any Old English before either). It was also nice to know I was into honours in something before I started worrying about second year - it made dropping Geography in second semester a lot easier

So, a possible solution, if you feel you *really* want to do modules in two subjects whose first year courses are at the same time, might be to ask your advisor to change your degree intention to a joint honours in those subjects - although only if there is a joint honours course available with that combination of subjects. I don't know whether they'll let you do that, and it might depend on whether there are places available in the module in question (one of my friends had trouble getting into IR in first year four years ago because the subject was too popular that year and they only let people who had been admitted to that degree program into the class) but it might well be worth a try. It's usually fairly easy to change your degree intention in the Arts faculty (I lost track of how many times I changed between joint honours English/Geog, single honours Geog, and eventually, single hons English in first and second year) and you never know, you might enjoy your second subeject so much that you do end up taking it to honours.

[Katy]

where can I find a definitive timetable for all the classes? Is it possible to do second year English, eg, in my first year so that it doesn't clash with my other subjects? will my advisor sort this all out for me? is it common to have clashes? sorry to be so thick but it really seems so confusing to my poor, summer-holiday-relaxed mind...

[Saz]

On the subject of timetable clashes I've picked Geography and Psychology, my Geography lecture is at 11.00am and Psychology is at 12.00pm, is there any way I can do this considering Geography is down North Haugh and Psychology is at the bottom of South Street? I don't want to have to run like a raving lunatic to make the start of my Psych lecture!

[Amaunet]

Ok, i have decied to do Ancient History, Medevial History and Classical Studies in my first semster~ all three lectures start one after the other - 10 am, 11 am and 12 noon: are all lectures/tutor groups only an hour long?

[three]

am i supposed to have only 3 classes per semester?? that seems like such a small amount of work. why only three?

[Al]

Officially, all lectures are supposed to be 55 minutes long. The five minutes is supposed to give students a chance to get to their next lecture/tutorial group. Some lecturers manage to stick to this, some don't. As for tutorial groups - the same thing is true in theory but there is more flexibility. However, some tutors will insist on going for the full 55 minutes irrespective of the circumstances. When I was doing 2nd Arts Medieval History, one day I was the only person to turn up for a tutorial. Other than the tutor, obviously. It was my turn to read out an essay and the tutor still made me do it. I thought "I wrote it. I know what it says. You're, hopefully, going to read it. What is the point of reading it aloud?"

[hr]It's only those who do nothing that make no mistakes...

[Katy]

Is the only way to be allowed to do 2nd year IR in my first year to say that I want to change my degree to joint honours? Or do you think they might take into consideration that I've got an A in A level International politics, which seems to cover a lot of the 1st year work? if I could do 2nd year IR in my first year it would solve all of my timetable clashes... that is, assuming that its ok to have one lecture at 10am, then the next at 11am! How flexible are they with allowing people to do 2nd year work in the 1st year- particularly if there are prerequisites stated as with IR- namely that you must have done the 1000 modules first? Should I enter the 2000 modules on my pre-advising form, or should I leave it as it is, with a timetable clash?
Thanks for all your help, its really appreciated

[The_Farwall]

Having A-levels in relevant subjects will be a big help if you want to do 2nd year subjects in 1st year. If the department thinks your A-level will have covered relevant material they will usually let you skip their basic modules.

[hr]"Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy."
- Charlie McCarthy

[Katy]

is there anyone I need to contact about doing 2nd year IR before I get there, or can it all be sorted out during pre-sessional week? cos at the moment I've got the 1st year modules for IR on my pre-advising sheet, with the timetable clash. Should I change it to the 2000 modules, or would that be presumptuous?

[maz]

If you talk to your advisor they help you in pre sessional week - but even then you can still change classes for up to 2 weeks so it will all sort itself out. Don't worry about having to sprint between lecture - get a bike or sit in the back and leave one slightly early and come into the other slightly late, people do it all the time.
last year on fridays i ran up and down to the north haugh 3 or 4 times I lived in sallies and wasnt very good at getting up!!my 9am class was on the north haugh then i came back for 2 hrs as my next class was at 12 on the north haugh, then i had a tutorial in the buchanan building at 1pm and another on the north haugh at 2pm then another class from 3 - 5:30pm. It certainly helps get you fit, especially as all my tutors seemed to run over. anyway last year 1st year psych classes were on the north haugh due to the number of people.

[The_Farwall]

Jeez, will you guys stop worrying. It's first year, it's like the least significant thing you'll do in your life. Anything and everything to do with your courses can be discussed and sorted out with your advisor when you get here.
You could walk into their office with a shopping list and still come out satisfied that you're doing the right modules. So just calm down, relax and deal with the fact that you're going to a place where nothing is important for the next year.

[hr]"Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy."
- Charlie McCarthy