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How important are undergrad modules?

I'm a second year right now with ambitions of doing something post-grad. Due to a messy module selection i'm stuck with 60 credits in a module that i don't want and isn't relevant to what i want to do. Does it matter that probably my largest credited module is in something wholly irrelevant or is it my final grade that holds real importance.
Reply 1
I'd say that a second year module is generally much less important than your overall grade. If you're looking for a single element of your degree which would be useful for postgrad, then your third year dissertation is probably the one. Not only does it demonstrate your potential as a semi-independent researcher, but it can be used to focus on what you want to do at postgrad. Plus your diss supervisor can make a very useful academic referee.
Its the overall grade and the content of any research projects you've done that will be noted, not itsy-bitsy module titles/marks.
Reply 3
Disagree, for PhD admissions it can be important to have done the right sort of modules. If you have (eg) done insufficient mathematics during your undergrad, this can kill your application if you are applying for something math based even if your PhD is in a quantitative field. Ditto if you have (eg) not done enough programming, and so on. Its not so much the specific module titles that matter, but more that they are close enough to what you are applying for that they can be taken as evidence of competence in that area.

Also despite what someone said above, its not just your overall grade that matters, people may look at your grade in the modules which they consider most important. If you get a first (70%+) overall but only 60% in your mathematics modules, you would struggle to get accepted into a math-based PhD (other fields are probably similar). There is a reason why you are usually asked to submit a transcript when you apply, it isnt just for show.

Having said that, I wouldnt get stressed out because a single module you took in second year isnt relevant - that isnt likely to be a problem. Just make sure you pick more relevant modules in third year and you'll be fine.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by poohat
you are usually asked to submit a transcript when you apply, it isnt just for show.

This isn't standard though. For those applying for a PhD straight out of an undergrad degree (usually STEM subjects) they won't have their final results before applying and so won't have a transcript to submit. I've never heard of a PhD offer being made conditional on getting above a specified mark in an individual module.

I'm in the Humanities and the only time I had to produce my full undergrad transcript for either my Masters or PhD, was on enrolment. My final result and academic references were key, although my undergrad diss did focus on my Masters topic which helped my personal statement along.
Reply 5
Its uncommon to get accepted to a STEM PhD straight after only 3 years of undergrad, most places will ask for a MSci/MSc (or semi-relevant work experience if you are older). Both Bologne standardisation and the desire for parity with the US has led to a masters-level qualification being strongly recommended (even if not formally required), although this is sometimes waived at 1+3 DTC type programs that incorporate a masters year as part of the PhD. Also you would probably still be asked for your 1st + 2nd year transcript anyway

Noone will make you a 'conditional offer' in the sense of UCAS undergrad admissions. However people may look at your transcript to assess your strengths and weaknesses in relevant areas. This may depend on the field, however.


I'm in the Humanities and the only time I had to produce my full undergrad transcript for either my Masters or PhD, was on enrolment. My final result and academic references were key, although my undergrad diss did focus on my Masters topic which helped my personal statement along.
I'm not saying you would be formally required to submit them (although you might, many online application forms request them, even for Masters applications), I'm saying that your potential supervisor may ask to see them in order to get more information about you as a candidate, and to better assess your knowledge and ability. If you (eg) ended up doing a PhD with someone who already knew you then this would be less likely to happen.

Its more likely to happen if you are applying for a PhD in a highly technical area , especially if your postgraduate area is only very closely related to your previous degrees, rather than being in the exact same subject. For example a computer scientist applying for a PhD in theoretical computer science would probably have to show a high level of competence in the more theoretical parts of their degree, and these modules would be given more weight than (eg) their programming/architecture modules, which are much less relevant. Similarly a Geology undergrad applying for an engineering or geophysics Masters/PhD may need to demonstrate that they have taken+passed sufficient mathematics modules, since these arent always required at undergraduate level. Or an economics undergrad applying for a PhD in mathematics or statistics would again need to show that they achieved high grades in the more technical/mathematical modules they took. Or a mathematics MSci student applying for a physics PhD may be asked to show that they have taken modules like quantum mechanics/general relativity during their undergrad years, and may be required to do a straight Physics MSc first if they havent. And so on.

Many UK PhDs are only 3 years long, which isnt a very long time so you cant have people essentially wasting the first 6-12 months learning undergraduate level material that they should already know. Missing out a module here or there is fine, but having a large hole in your knowledge due to not having taken (or got high grades in) a whole relevant area isnt (eg you will still get into a PhD in number theory even if you have only taken a very basic number theory module as long as you have taken a lot of other hard math classes, but you are unlikely to get into a physics PhD if you havent done any university level work on differential equations)

To put it another way, having the right modules+grades on your transcript can be the difference between getting accepted for a PhD, and being told "Yes we will consider you, but you will need to do a specialist Masters first to fill in the gaps" (and this may result in having to do a 2nd Masters, if youve already done the 'wrong' one). As I said above, DTC programs tend to be more forgiving here, since the first year is intended to fill in any gaps in your knowledge that may exist.

edit: but again, for the OP specifically, missing out a single module in 2nd year or whatever is going to have no effect. Just take relevant modules in your third year.
(edited 9 years ago)
It really depends on what your degree actually is, and what the postgraduate programme you're going to do is...What modules you have done also is really just a proof that you 'know stuff', which you can demontrate in other ways as well.

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