Outside subject(s) in 1st and 2nd year post here with questions

oxymoronic

Are you going into 1st or 2nd year?
As PPLS get 2nd years to enroll with the course admin people rather than with their DoS as I did that in 2nd year. In first year we had to go to an initial meeting like you've mentioned, but then we signed up for our addiitonal courses with our DoS. Is there another prelim meeting on say, Tuesday, in which you find out your DoS details?

I'm a first year...and there's an introductory meeting on Tuesday, yeah.

Reply 101

oxymoronic

OP

19

green_glitter

I'm a first year...and there's an introductory meeting on Tuesday, yeah.

You'll find out your DoS on Tuesday then, so go directly there and get an appointment asap so that you've had it prior to going to the meeting with the PPLS people the next day. You're supposed to discuss things through with your DoS then they agree and sign you up, so perhaps the admin people at PPLS just do the admin stuff.

Reply 102

barefootfiona

9

Outside subject – Philosophy or Scottish Ethnology?
I am applying for Scandinavian Studies this autumn and am already thinking about outside subjects; it sounds awesome! You know, in case I get in. Anyway, supposing I do get in, using timetab, I’ve decided that on top of my Norwegian 1A course from Scandinavian Studies, I’d like one of my outside courses to be Religious Studies.

The other one is a toss-up between Scottish Ethnology and Philosophy. I really liked the sound of Scottish Ethnology when I spoke to Neill Martin on the Open Day in June, but I'm a bit worried it's too Scots-centric. The way he described it, it sounded a lot more international (i.e. comparing Scots folklore with other nationalities') than the prospectus makes it sound. I'm half Scots, half German but I live in England and I'm worried that because I have a bit of an English accent (it's mainly American though; I lived there for a few years too) I'll be shunned. This has happened before; that people come up to me and project YOU'RE NOT REALLY SCOTTISH, or YOU'RE NOT REALLY GERMAN just because I don't live there. Is this a ridiculous, unfounded fear? Am I imagining this? I don't want to have to 'prove' anything; I just don't want people to think "What's she doing here?" What I really want from this course is a look into and comparison between mytholgoy and folklore in the world, as this is what we chatted abotu on the Open Day - for example, about snakes recurring in myths from Norse Mythology to the Hindu Vedas.

Back on topic, I also love the sound of the ‘from Plato to the Enlightenment’ and ‘Morality, Rationality and Value’ courses in Philosophy, and I've been interested in Philosophy for several years.
How common is it for people to take three outside subjects, i.e. 160 unit’s worth?

Or, seeing as you have to get 120 units a year, could 40 of those come from Scandinavian Studies, 40 from Religious Studies, 20 from Scottish Ethnology and 20 from Philosophy? Or would I then be cutting off all chances of ever incorporate Scottish Ethnology or Philosophy into my degree later if I wanted to?

I realise this is a bit of an eggs-before-they-hatch situation, but I’m just one of those people who plans things to the minutest detail ages before they need to be. Planning this kind of thing is like real-life Sims which I later get to live myself!

Also, when you type a language (any language – I also tried this with Danish and German just to check) into timetab, only one course option really comes up, seeing as you have to pick either 1A or 1B for languages. Does that mean that one option is worth 40 units in itself?

Thanks for any help - I realise this is a bit rambly!

Reply 103

angrydanmarin

14

I didn't read whatever you decided to write down, but philosophy is awesome.

Reply 104

faber niger

17

angrydanmarin

i didnt read whatever u decided to write down, but philosophy is awsome

Anyway, OP, I shouldn't worry about prejudice -- the course is undoubtedly less than 100% Scots in intake and shouldn't imagine that there will be too much shallow-minded nationalism. If it were I taking the course, I quite like the sound of Scottish Ethnology, but, of course, the choice is yours...

Reply 105

ladylish

10

oxymoronic

You'll find out your DoS on Tuesday then, so go directly there and get an appointment asap so that you've had it prior to going to the meeting with the PPLS people the next day. You're supposed to discuss things through with your DoS then they agree and sign you up, so perhaps the admin people at PPLS just do the admin stuff.

Any idea what happens with people looking to maybe do an outside subject in PPLS?

Reply 106

oxymoronic

OP

19

ladylish

Any idea what happens with people looking to maybe do an outside subject in PPLS?

You do it through your DoS and the system of whatever school you are in... what green_glitter posted is just for PPLS people, if you're elsewhere you deal with them regardless of whether you want to join us or not :smile:

Reply 107

ladylish

10

oxymoronic

You do it through your DoS and the system of whatever school you are in... what green_glitter posted is just for PPLS people, if you're elsewhere you deal with them regardless of whether you want to join us or not :smile:

Oh awesome :smile:

I was freaking out I'd have to be running around trying to get a meeting with my DoS before Wednesday morning as I've really warmed to the idea of doing philosophy...

Thank you for the reassurance :biggrin:

Reply 108

kjc_us

14

Is English literature as an outside course competitive?

Reply 109

nearlyheadlessian

15

kjc_us

Is English literature as an outside course competitive?

Highly competitive due to the fact that it's the most oversubscribed course in the university.

Reply 110

kjc_us

14

nearlyheadlessian

Highly competitive due to the fact that it's the most oversubscribed course in the university.

********. No idea what to do! Thanks anyway. :smile:

Reply 111

green_glitter

oxymoronic

You'll find out your DoS on Tuesday then, so go directly there and get an appointment asap so that you've had it prior to going to the meeting with the PPLS people the next day. You're supposed to discuss things through with your DoS then they agree and sign you up, so perhaps the admin people at PPLS just do the admin stuff.

Yeah that's what I thought =) Cheers!

Reply 112

artorscience?

11

barefootfiona

... Am I imagining this? ...

Yes. Noone will care where you are from/what your accent is. I do quite a bit in the Celtic department (which is attached to ethnology) and all first year courses (and to a lesser extent second year ones too) within both branches are full of internationals, mostly Americans with the occasional German/French people in my experience. But where you're from isn't important and you don't need to justify your reasons for taking an outside course.

How common is it for people to take three outside subjects, i.e. 160 unit’s worth?

I did in second year. I don't know anyone else who did and my DoS had to clear it with people in a mysterious office... It's important to consider that your grade does fall a bit in whichever subjects you decide are less important.

Seeing as you have to get 120 units a year, could 40 of those come from Scandinavian Studies, 40 from Religious Studies, 20 from Scottish Ethnology and 20 from Philosophy? Or would I then be cutting off all chances of ever incorporate Scottish Ethnology or Philosophy into my degree later if I wanted to?

Yes, if you played it like this then you would have to incorporate missed modules later on or potentially re-sit a year if you decided at a later point that you wanted to do a joint honours. It could be possible but would involve a lot of negotiation and discussion with your Dos and people in offices. If you were considering either as a potential joint honours it would be best for you to start out taking all the relevant first year modules that would enable you to keep your options open.

Does that mean that one option is worth 40 units in itself?

Language courses are described as either 1A or 1B. Each is a full year of study, 40 credits (the equivalent of 20 credits in each term). 1A is a beginners class, for some languages it is from scratch, in others it's from GCSE/Standard Grade whilst 1B is a continuers class following on from A level/Higher or equivalent level of language knowledge. This is different to how other subjects label their courses where A and B are used to denote first or second term.

Reply 113

barefootfiona

9

artorscience?

This is different to how other subjects label their courses where A and B are used to denote first or second term.

Thank you for answering all my questions! :jumphug:

In the light of day I think it was abit ridiculous to think I may be shunned for my accent >< But it's good tobe clear about the whole units thing.

Reply 114

kjc_us

14

This hasn't really got much to do with outside subjects but I thought it was a bit pointless starting a new thread on a little question.

So at the end of our 2nd year, we're expected to drop one of our three subjects and take two subjects to degree level. Does it have to be two subjects or can we drop two subjects and take just one subject through to degree level?

Reply 115

artorscience?

11

kjc_us

So at the end of our 2nd year, we're expected to drop one of our three subjects and take two subjects to degree level. Does it have to be two subjects or can we drop two subjects and take just one subject through to degree level?

At the end of second year you go into honours in whatever subject you applied to do (or whatever subject you decided to change to during the duration of your first two years). The norm is single honours (one subject) but there are also a lot of people who choose to do joint honours (two subjects). You then pick more specific modules (sub-subjects if you like) within your chosen field.

Reply 116

kjc_us

14

artorscience?

At the end of second year you go into honours in whatever subject you applied to do (or whatever subject you decided to change to during the duration of your first two years). The norm is single honours (one subject) but there are also a lot of people who choose to do joint honours (two subjects). You then pick more specific modules (sub-subjects if you like) within your chosen field.

So would I be able to just to French, even though I applied here to do French and German?

Reply 117

oxymoronic

OP

19

kjc_us

So would I be able to just to French, even though I applied here to do French and German?

Yeah, thats right.

Or you could go ahead with whatever you'd picked as your 3rd subject in first and second year, so say, Sociology or something and then drop both French and German and graduate with a degree in that instead.

Reply 118

kjc_us

14

oxymoronic

Yeah, thats right.

Or you could go ahead with whatever you'd picked as your 3rd subject in first and second year, so say, Sociology or something and then drop both French and German and graduate with a degree in that instead.

Just what I wanted to hear! Wicked, thank you. :smile:

Reply 119

yushuak

Hey Edinburgh people.
I've applied for Spanish and Arabic 2010/11 entry. What i wondered is: is it possible/advisable/manageable to study a third language? Namely French or Italian as the outside subject in year 1 and 2?
Thanks.