As September draws closer, so does the process of registration and picking your modules. The selection of modules is on a first come, first served basis and so it is important to know exactly what you are looking for so that when module sign up opens at 8:30am, you are able to get all of the modules that you want.

That is why I have written this blog to help you with the selection because registration can feel stressful, especially with the time pressure of knowing that if you don’t choose fast enough you may not get a spot on a module that you want. 

Watch a day in Charlotte's life as a student at Queen's!

Pre-registration

In order to select your modules in the first place you must complete the online registration at the start of each academic year via the Qsis Registration Portal.

Every year the opening dates are different so check your emails and the university social media pages for when your registration is. If at any point you have any issues with module selection or registering please email reghelp@qub.ac.uk for guidance. 

Before registration, you should read up on your School's module selection guide to have a good idea on which modules you want to take. For example, as a Politics and International Relations student I always look on the Social Sciences module page which lists all of the modules you can take for your course level. 

Check out the module selection guide prior to registration

Other schools have these module guides on the website as well which can be found simply by searching on the university site. This is updated every year and lists a description of the modules on offer as well as the term they will be hosted in.

To start off with I find it easiest to save two copies and have one with only the autumn term modules on and another for only spring modules. This helps to organise and narrow down options. Most courses allow you to do a total of 6 modules; and this could be 4 in one term and 2 in another or 3 and 3. I usually go for 3 each term to keep a balanced work load. 

Consider your interests

Once you have narrowed the range of courses that you can take each term, you should reflect on your interests and explore the courses that you want to take. There are two approaches to this process of reflection.

First, you can consider choosing a module that deepens an existing area of interest that your compulsory classes touch on briefly. Alternatively, you can also consider choosing a module that explores beyond what you’re familiar with. Keep in mind that Queen's offers lots of modules spanning a breadth of disciplines! 

Find out more about Politics at Queen's

Consider how and when you will be assessed

Assessments differ from course to course, and it would be wise to consider your preferences and aptitudes. Are you strong at end-of-course exams that count towards 100% of your module grade? Or do you instead prefer writing essays that are spread out throughout the course?

You may also want to consider the assessment in the context of your other courses: when do the assessment(s) take place? Will this cause considerable stress when taken together with your other assessments? The form of assessment for your prospective course will be specified in the section titled Assessment.

Consider how you prefer to be assessed - check out the Queen's Assessment Support Hub

Personally I prefer essay assessments and individual presentations over exams and group projects but the further you get into your university course, the more you realise what suits you better when it comes to module assessment as everyone is different. 

Balance between ease and rigour

A discussion of course selection is never complete without considering how well you might do in it. While it may be comforting to choose modules that you know you’ll perform well in with little effort, it is also worth recognising the amount you can learn and develop as a result of taking modules that may challenge you.

"Most courses let you do a total of 6 modules and this could be 4 in one term and 2 in another or 3 and 3. I usually go for 3 each term to keep a balanced work load."

It is a balancing act between ease and rigour that is different for everyone, depending on your priorities and ambitions. At the end of the day you come to university to learn new things so trying a new interesting module over an easy module will help to broaden your knowledge. 

Timings and dates of class

Another thing to consider when selecting your timetable is the timings of modules. Some modules offer only morning classes and many people don’t like a 9am lecture, so it is important to consider this. However, you should never let a 9am lecture put you off choosing a module you would like to study.

I like to have a balanced timetable and try to get a day off such as a Friday or a Monday to use as a study day, so you can easily play around with your tutorial class timing options to make sure you have a timetable more suited to you.

It is important to make sure that you don’t have a full day of classes and not many classes on other days, your day of class can feel very long so it’s usually nicer to opt for 2 or 3 classes a day to keep a nice work balance without your course feeling too overwhelming. 

Find a balance throughout your week

Hopefully this blog has been helpful for those getting ready to select their modules for the next academic year! Module selection can be stressful, time pressuring and overwhelming when given so many options, however if you follow these simple steps and highlight potential modules you want to pick in the week leading up to the registration date, then it makes it easier and quicker to sign up to the modules you want on the day if you have pre-read the descriptions and decided on a module.

It is important to prioritise an order of preference in your autumn and spring module documents just in case there are any timetable clashes when you select the modules. Best of luck!

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My Queen's

Charlotte Jennings  Politics and International Relations | Undergraduate Student | London, England I'm a Politics and International Relations student in my second year at Queen's. I am from London and currently live in student housing but lived in Elms BT9 last year. I love to be a busy person and am a member of multiple societies and teams at Queen's. I am also undertaking a charitable project at Queen's called the Zambia project where we host fundraisers in order to collect money and aid for our missionary trip to Zambia. In my spare time I teach water sports in Bangor and so far I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Belfast even though it is very different to London. I would highly recommend the university to anyone as I have had the best experience here so far and have fallen in love with this country.