How To Plan Your Subjects For Your University Degree

When you enter university, the first thing that will hit you in the face are the overwhelmingly diverse, and large array of subjects for you to choose from. No longer are you spoon fed your set of compulsory subjects like they did in high school, in some way shape or form- you’re now expected to choose all of your subjects on your own. This is a difficult and iffy process, even as the semesters go by during your time in university. If you’re not careful enough, you just might miss a few subjects to fulfill your major, minor or bachelor’s requirements. If this happens, you’ll have to extend your studies by another semester just to reach these requirements. In order words- you’re going to waste time and money doing something you could’ve avoided. Here’s a few tips and tricks on how to plan your subjects for your university degree, so you won’t need to worry about missing any important subjects!

Go through your Major and Minor subject requirements on your university’s website

For every major and minor, there are going to be compulsory subjects you’ll have to do in order to fulfill all their requirements. For example, for my creative writing major in the University of Melbourne, I’m required to do a total of 1 year one subject, 3 year two electives, 2 year three electives and 1 year three capstone subject. It’s important to know what subjects you have to take, and what subjects are available for you within each requirement. These requirements will vary from majors, minors, degrees and universities, so be sure to go through everything you need for your university degree.

Look for other breadth/elective requirements in your university’s handbook

Another thing to note is other breadth/elective requirements your university might have. An example of this is the breadth policy in the University of Melbourne- all students are required to do at least 4 breadth subjects (elective subjects outside of your bachelor) in order to fulfill their study requirements. Different university degrees may also have their own requirements. For example, art students are required to do at least one Arts Foundation subject in the University of Melbourne. Be sure to stay on the lookout for these requirements, as they might not be in plain sight. Go through your university’s student handbook just in case.

Arrange all the subjects you plan to study in an organised Excel sheet

Staying organised is another major thing when planning out your subjects for your university degree. If you try to plan everything out in your head, there’s a high chance you’re going to forget some steps and make a mistake. List out all the subjects you plan to take that fulfills all your university degree requirements into an organised excel sheet. Arrange them by the semesters and year levels you plan to take each subject in, and highlight subjects based on year level, and major / minor / elective / breadth category. This will help give you an overall view of what you have planned out for the next few years, and will make everything less cluttered and confusing as well. Not only that, but making any future changes to your plan will also be much easier as you’ll have everything right in front of you.

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Now, sit back and relax!

Now that you’ve done all the hard work, all you have to do is enrol into your subjects. I know subject planning might feel daunting and overwhelming, but by the end of it, it just requires some time and effort. Also! Don’t worry if your study plan doesn’t go smoothly- you don’t have to commit to what you have planned right now. Be sure to plan your subjects in a way that will give you space to breathe, and change majors or focus if you really need to. Keep your options open, but, most importantly, be organised and plan ahead.

Have you planned your subjects for your university degree? Or are you just winging it as you go along? Please leave your thoughts and opinions down in the comments, and don’t forget to share this article to friends and family who might need the advice!

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