Modules Matter

Pick your modules wisely. Your choice of modules today greatly affects how motivated you are during the whole year.

Obviously, pick modules that interest you. No matter how easy modules may appear, if it doesn’t engross or inspire you, it’s likely you’ll give up on doing the work needed to achieve those high marks.

Look closely at how the module’s assessed. Some of us cope better in exams and some doing coursework. Coursework questions and past papers can easily be found to give you a notion of exactly what you’re going to be asked to learn and answer. Finally, bear in mind contact hours and who’s delivering it.

The best advice anyone can offer is: Try it! If you’re still not sure about the modules you’ve chosen for this year, try other ones. You have until week 3 to change your mind. Don’t worry about what you’ve missed out. You’ll miss out a lot more if you stick with a module you don’t like.

Unfortunately, a lot of the modules we take are chosen for us. Core modules make up a large part of our degrees. Many departments offer only full-year 30 CAT modules. Many of these modules could be split into two one-term 15 CAT modules, giving all of us more choice over what we study and to what depth.

If you’re still not sure about the modules you’ve chosen for this year, try other ones. You have until week 3 to change your mind.

Students could be given even greater module choice by allowing all students to take extra credit. While this idea might seem ridiculous, many students take over 120 CATs worth of modules.

It’s a way of covering pre-requisites they need in the future or learning about something you’re interested in. For years, students in the Sciences and Maths Faculties have been allowed and given credit for extra modules they take on, through the Seymour Formula.

Unfortunately this too has stopped and freshers this year will not be able to take extra credit.
Seeking greater (and better) module choice is an important part of improving our academic experience. Students need to fight to bring back Seymour, but for all Faculties. We should strongly encourage departments to create more 15 CAT modules. Above all, our Student Union (SU) needs to be more proactive in advising students on module choice. Our fight for a better education starts now – because modules matter.