University of St Andrews

Ultimate Guide to Modules!

Taking inspiration from Ninja's Ultimate Accommodation thread, here is a guide to all things module related!

The module descriptions on the uni website can be pretty dry and don't tell you whether or not lecturers are any good or if the continuous assessment is massively difficult, so post your reviews of modules you've taken and I'll add them to the main post here. I will add lots of reviews for maths because that's all I've really done. Even if someone else has already done a review for a module, add your own if you've taken it too!

I'm going to use the following format, if you want to add anything else in feel free!

Module: MT6666 Advanced Timey-Wimey Stuff Mathematics
Credits: 30
User: a_pond
Year/Semester: 1967/8 S1
Lecturer(s): Dr W. Ho
Review: This module is awful! The lecturer obviously knows what he's talking about but can't seem to communicate this to the class. The project involved solving several equations that required you to reverse the polarity of the neutron flow and takes absolutely ages to do! I would only advise you to take this module if you can't find anything else!

Remember that the lecturers for modules can change and that can have a massive influence on the module content (especially honours modules). For example Linear Algebra has changed beyond recognition since when I took it, so my review would be very different to someone who's taking it now!

FAQ on Modules

Q. How many modules can I take?
A. There's no limit on the number of modules, rather a limit on the number of credits. Most people are limited to 120 credits per year and this is normally taken in a 60/60 spilt over the semesters. Most first year modules are worth 20 credits so you will take 3 per semester. A lot of second year science modules are worth 30 credits, where arts are still 20. At honours the credits go a bit crazy and you get 10,15,20, and 40 credit modules depending on what you do. Certain programmes (like the 4-year MMath) require you to take more credits than normal (MMath needs 150 per year at honours).

Q. Can I take more than 120 credits a year?
A. Yes, but be prepared to argue with your advisor about it. There is a definite upper limit (I think it's 180 credits in any one year, can someone confirm this?)

Q. What does 'Class Hour' mean and can I take two modules with the same class hour?
A. Class hour is when the lectures for the module will be held. There will also be tutorials that will be arranged once you start the module and the schools try to plan them for you so they don't clash. Normally you cannot take two modules that have the same class hour unless it specifies they are held on alternate days (e.g. honours modules in Maths).

Q. In the first two years, are the degree structures to joint and single honours courses the same?
A. Essentially yes. In your first two years you just have to take 120 credits per year and included in this should be the basic modules that form part of your chosen degree. For example I study Psychology and must take PS1001, PS1002, PS2001 & PS2002 in years one and two.
This will leave you free to take another subject's modules, I take International Relations modules and then depending on what I fancy my third module is a bit of a pick and mix. In a joint honors degree you'll most probably, in fact I can guarantee you'll have to take both subjects first and second year modules. So if your degree was Psychology and Maths you'd have to take the first and second year modules for those two subjects and then if you require further credits to make up your 120 then you take a third module. (thanks to Hopefull)

Q. What do the module codes and levels mean?
A. Modules have codes that look something like MT1001. The first two letter represent the subject, so in this case MT is maths. There are lots of different subject codes so I'm not going to list them all, but a few examples are PH - Physics, CH - Chemistry, PY - Psychology, FR - French, MO - Modern History. The number then tells you what level the course is, so 1001 would be a first level course. The level roughly equates to what year you should take it in, so you'd take a 1000 level course in first year and a 2000 level course in second year. There are, as always exceptions to this.

Art History Modules

Biology

Chemistry

(edited 10 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

la_banane_verte

Maths & Statistics

Medicine

Modern Languages

Philosophy & Social Anthropology

Music

Physics & Astronomy

Psychology

(edited 11 years ago)

University of St Andrews

Reply 2

ImperceptibleNinja

Oooh, I might do some mathsy reviews in a bit. It might also be worth mentioning that the people teaching modules might have changed, since this can have a big impact on the module content. I'm pretty sure Hyperbolic Geometry will be changing a lot, for example.

I want to take MT6666 now :biggrin:

Reply 3

Square

hahaha love the lars olsen comments.

fight off the ENEMY.

Reply 4

Bucky!

What would be the correct way of describing how he says the word "equation" I wonder? "Eekvasion"?

Reply 5

Sambo2

la_banane_verte

Placeholder post in case the above one gets too full!

I don't think any of us are in danger of taking MT 6666 ??! how can you even get to the dizzy heights of level 6000?!

edit: **** that was a really dum post :frown:

obviously that's not a real module, but you never know with maths!!

Reply 6

Square

hello, i am professor olsen, i also have a first name which is lars.

apparently he introduces every module with these same legendary words.

one of the best lecturers i've ever had

Reply 7

la_banane_verte

Lars is good but also very scary at times. And I am glad I didn't have him for Measure Theory because I would have failed the assessed problems of the week!

I've started a bit of a module FAQ in the first post, if anyone can think of more questions I'll add them in.

Reply 8

Sambo2

there's not really any point in doing medicine reviews given that all modules are compulsory..

Reply 9

Magma828

I'm thinking of choosing all 4 Computer Science modules (+discrete maths), and 2 Economics modules to make up the 120 credits. I only really want to graduate with CompSci, but economics sounds interesting and I may change my mind after the first year.

Anyway I'm wondering what would happen if I completely messed up the economics modules. Would they just kick me off the economics course and let me graduate with computer science?

Reply 10

Polyraptor

Magma828

I have no idea how it works because it says 120 credits but some of the courses i want to do are 15 or 10 im doing environmental geoscience but now id rather just do geoscience :eek3:

Reply 11

la_banane_verte

Magma828

If you fail a module you don't get the credits. You can resit (but it costs a lot!) to get the credits in August/Sept. You need a certain number of credits to graduate (e.g. I needed 600, I ended up with 610).

Reply 12

la_banane_verte

Polyraptor

I have no idea how it works because it says 120 credits but some of the courses i want to do are 15 or 10 im doing environmental geoscience but now id rather just do geoscience :eek3:

I'm a bit confused about what you're asking. You can change to just geoscience if you don't fancy the environmental bit anymore. 120 credits is the total number you have to do per year, so you have to take a number of modules that adds up to that.

Reply 13

Oharad

Not sure if this has been answered yet and I can't get a clear explanation on the website, but...

In the first two years, are the degree structures to joint and single honours courses the same?

Reply 14

Hopefull

Oharad

Not sure if this has been answered yet and I can't get a clear explanation on the website, but...

In the first two years, are the degree structures to joint and single honours courses the same?

Essentially yes. In your first two years you just have to take 120 credits per year and included in this should be the basic modules that form part of your chosen degree. For example I study Psychology and must take PS1001, PS1002, PS2001 & PS2002 in years one and two.

This will leave you free to take another subject's modules, I take International Relations modules and then depending on what I fancy my third module is a bit of a pick and mix. In a joint honors degree you'll most probably, in fact I can guarantee you'll have to take both subjects first and second year modules. So if your degree was Psychology and Maths you'd have to take the first and second year modules for those two subjects and then if you require further credits to make up your 120 then you take a third module.

I hope this makes sense and helps :p:

Reply 15

Polyraptor

la_banane_verte

Can i change when i speak to my advisor ? :woo:

Reply 16

la_banane_verte

Polyraptor

Can i change when i speak to my advisor ? :woo:

You should be able to. The degree title on your student record isn't massively important in first and second year (as long as you take the modules you need for the degree you want), it's when you get to honours that you need to make sure you've got the right degree title written down.