[Renza]

Now I've accepted my offer firmly and sent my accommodation form away you're probably thinking I'm way to far ahead of myself.

Anyhow, around what time do you choose your outer subjects that you take in your 1st year?

Is there much flexibility regarding what you can take (in humanities?)
And if anyone has the answer - Think I have a chance of getting to take archaelogy and/or social anthropology in my first year?

[lilcathstar]

(Original post by Renza)
Now I've accepted my offer firmly and sent my accommodation form away you're probably thinking I'm way to far ahead of myself.

Anyhow, around what time do you choose your outer subjects that you take in your 1st year?

Is there much flexibility regarding what you can take (in humanities?)
And if anyone has the answer - Think I have a chance of getting to take archaelogy and/or social anthropology in my first year?

You choose your options for your outsides in fresher's week. You can attend an 'academic fair' where many of the departments have leaflets on the courses you can take. You basically can take three courses in the 1st semester and 3 in the second. It is likely that history will take up one in the 1st and one in the 2nd so you will have to choose 4 others.

What you choose can be down to your department... in Geography for example, for the people doing MAs, they could literally choose anything they wanted from chinese to AI to geology..,. but for those of us doing BScs, we had to make sure that at least half of our time was spent doing science subjects (I took meteorology and Global Environmental PRocesses in the 1st semester and Meteorology and Archaeology in the 2nd) which were all quite geography based but they didn't have to be.

Now, some departments may be more strcit than that saying you have to take subjects from the same college or an extra course may be compulsary, taking up some of your choices.

Also, some courses are more popluar than others... politics, french, spanish, history etc are all in very high demand so while you can apply for these subjects, preference will be given to those in the same school/college first.

So, yeh, As long as History give you your 4 extra courses, I think Archaeology and Social Anthropology should be ok!

[beanie]

If you do social anthropology you get to be with me!

I think you'd be fine getting into it, as at the open day they said they get loads of 'outside' students taking it too. I don't think its one of the most popular courses.

[quintessence]

Hiya Renza, we'll be starting history together!

I'm definitely going to take up Russian (I checked with the dept and they said it would be fine.) Am I able to take another outside course too then? Cool! I have no idea what that would be...something literature-ish if possible. Aaargfh, so exciting...!

[bluerose]

Do we have to do exams in the subjects we take up too? Do they count for as much as our main subject? Also, I'm doing eng lit, but could I do something as weird as biology as another subject?

[Lukas]

Hi... Do you know if I could take up Russian (my writing+speaking is around GSCE, understanding on AS) or Spanish (took a beginners' course back in old days)? Thanks...
BTW, where can you find all these possible combinations???

[MissSmith]

the possible combinations are almost anything, to be honest. there are very few restrictions. if you have a nose in your prospectus, you will see a little table thing which shows possible combinations for degrees (as combined honours). this could give you a good guide as you can see some of the possible combinations! we will find out more during freshers so until then chill out!

i am soooo glad we have the opportunity to do an outside subject (or two!) it lets you change the direction of your degree and allows you to study what you want to study! i cant wait! i would love to do latin or something as my outside subject.

anyway, as i was saying, it might not be 100% perfect at helping you, but i do feel that the prospectus is worth a glance for answering your question.

[MissSmith]

(Original post by bluerose)
Do we have to do exams in the subjects we take up too? Do they count for as much as our main subject? Also, I'm doing eng lit, but could I do something as weird as biology as another subject?

yes you do do exams in these subjects as they will count for forty credits each and you need 120 credits to progress into 2nd year. (i think, i am just pulling this from memory from the post app day and things i have read!)

if you decide that the outside subject you take (say, for example it was biology) turned out to be your favourite and you performed really well in it, then it is posible to change your degree and do a biology degree. so, although i have applied for an english degree, if i did biology as an outside subject and preferred it, i could do it in second year as well as having done it in first year and make my degree be in biology. (if that makes sense?!?!)

any subject you do in both first and second year is what you are allowed to do as a degree. so, one subject from first year MUST be carried through to second year, otherwise you cant get the degree! if you have carried two subjects from first to second and you get your credits then you can make it a joint honours.

there are some restrictions, though, which they dont tell you about. for example, if you want a degree in psychology you must study statistics as an outside subject and if you want a degree in english literature you must study english language as an outside subject. so, its not always a case of choose any subject, sometimes the outside subject is already decided for you.

dont quote me on this incase i am wrong, although i am 99% certain this is the case!

carly
xxx

[Lukas]

(Original post by hello_its_me_)
the possible combinations are almost anything, to be honest. there are very few restrictions. if you have a nose in your prospectus, you will see a little table thing which shows possible combinations for degrees (as combined honours). this could give you a good guide as you can see some of the possible combinations! we will find out more during freshers so until then chill out!

i am soooo glad we have the opportunity to do an outside subject (or two!) it lets you change the direction of your degree and allows you to study what you want to study! i cant wait! i would love to do latin or something as my outside subject.

anyway, as i was saying, it might not be 100% perfect at helping you, but i do feel that the prospectus is worth a glance for answering your question.

thanks very much...

[MissSmith]

that's okay!

if you want to know more, i hae started an "Edinburgh Students Society" it is just kicking of at the moments but if you want to join up then other members can answer any questions you have.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=211655

there is the link for the page ^

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/socs.php

and there is the link to get to the societies page. ^
just scroll down until you see the soc and then click join. easy peasy!

[bluerose]

Woo, sounds perty rockin', thanks for the info carly Have always liked the sound of latin too, but never had a chance to do it before, hmm, oh the possibilities......