Being pressurised into taking a module I don't want to?

Hey everyone, been browsing the forums here for a while now but I've only just signed up :smile:

I'm having a minor issue. I'm starting at Cambridge in October, and I got a letter through the post on Results Day outlining what I need to to do before starting my course. I have a choice between two modules for one part of course, which is where the problem comes in. The letter says 'We hope that you will choose Module X so that you can be taught in college by my colleagues.' It also includes information on preparing for Module X, as if I've already made up my mind :rolleyes:

However, I've had my heart set on the other module for quite a while now, it looks really interesting. My question is, should I take this request into account when choosing, or should I choose based solely on which module interests me more?

I'm probably making too much of a big deal out of this, but I don't want to make a bad impression before even going to uni :p:

Thanks for any help :smile:

Reply 1

FadedJade

If you get a choice, do the one you want. Simple. You are thinking about it way too much.

Reply 2

pamelaa

It's your education, so...

Reply 3

death.drop

Nina

If you get a choice, do the one you want. Simple. You are thinking about it way too much.

they probably just put that it for people who are on the fence

Reply 4

SuperSam_Fantastiche

It sounds like when you're choosing your GCSE options and you teacher is all like "Obviously they're your GCSE's so its up to you.....BUT DO MY SUBJECT BECAUSE I TEACH IT!"

Reply 5

paneity

It probably saves them money to teach you rather than get an outside supervisor/PhD student from another college. Don't be intimidated by them.

Reply 6

Schott

Defo do the one you want. You're paying £3k a year for this education. I can't even imagine they'd be annoyed if you took another subject - I mean it's totally up to you. In History some Colleges encourage you not to do Modules similar to your ones at school, but again they have no real power to make you do these. I do similar ones to the ones I did in school and they never raised it as much of an issue.

Reply 7

SunderX

paneity

It probably saves them money to teach you rather than get an outside supervisor/PhD student from another college. Don't be intimidated by them.

Nah, I think supervision rates are standardised across the university. Or the college, I'm not sure. Some fellows have a set amount of supervision hours they have to do as part of their jobs though, I think.

I know that our supervisors get paid something like 37.5 pounds/supervision?

In any case, choose the one you want to do. You could probably always switch back later.

My DoS does over 200 hours of supervisions/year :redface:

Reply 8

Chewwy

SunderX

My DoS does over 200 hours of supervisions/year :redface:

for £40/hr, i would too.

i have 2 supervisions a week, so 16+16+8 = 40 a year. so 200 supervisions is 5 peoples' worth - that's not a lot at all.

Reply 9

SunderX

Chewwy

for £40/hr, i would too.

i have 2 supervisions a week, so 16+16+8 = 40 a year. so 200 supervisions is 5 peoples' worth - that's not a lot at all.

Considering that for each hour of supervision, they probably need 1-3 hours of marking and assessing work, I've heard that ~40 pounds doesn't really go that far.

We get 4 supervisions a week, but not from the same people.

Also, I think that being a DoS, he doesn't get paid for extra supervisions, because it's part of his job description? Apparently he's also lecturing us next year too.

Reply 10

paneity

SunderX

Some fellows have a set amount of supervision hours they have to do as part of their jobs though, I think.

That's what I meant, the fellows have to do some, so if they have a load of fellows who specialise in one part of the course...

My DoS does a crazy amount of supervisions as well, because she insists on doing nearly all the physics supervisions for the college plus others from third or fourth years from other colleges who specialise in astrophysics. She's amazing though, as she's been doing it for 30 odd years on what is pretty much the same stuff, so she could do a supervision in her sleep.