Pre-Advising Guide for Returning Undergraduates
Pre-Advising is when you choose your modules for the next academic year by filling in those choices online. You are required to select your module choices in the online Pre-Advising facility before you see your Adviser in Orientation Week to have your module choices officially approved ("validated").
Honours: Some Schools instruct their Honours students to use an alternative Pre-Advising procedure (e.g. a ballot or preference system) and may also require Pre-Advising meetings with the Honours Adviser - check with your School(s) to find out if this is the case. If your School requires that you follow a different procedure instead of submitting your module choices in the online Pre-Advising facility yourself, the modules will be submitted for you before the start of the next academic year.
Pre-Advising for 2012-2013 modules started on 23 April 2012. You should complete the process as soon as possible, unless your School has given you alternative instructions.
How many credits do I have to take?
Full-time students should take 120 credits of modules per year, 60 credits per semester.
Sub-honours: 1000 level modules are typically 20 credits each and 2000 level modules are usually 20 credits in Arts and Divinity subjects and 30 in Science subjects.
A typical second year Arts or Divinity student will take 3 modules per semester.
A typical second year Science student will usually take 2 modules per semester.
Honours: modules vary in size and when selecting modules you should aim to create a balanced programme of study over the academic year with 60 credits per semester.
If you are in any doubt about how many credits you should take then you should contact your Adviser(s). If you are currently a sub-honours student and intend to enter Honours in September, you should contact the relevant Honours Adviser(s).
Which modules should I take?
The particular degree programme you are on will determine some or all of your module choices. Programme requirements for each degree can be found in the Course Catalogue.
If you are in any doubt about which modules you should take then you should contact your Adviser. If you are currently a sub-honours student and intend to enter Honours in September, you should contact the relevant Honours Adviser(s).
How to complete online Pre-Advising
- View the Course Catalogue to find detailed information about all the modules that are available and about the requirements for your degree programme. Identify which modules you must take as part of your degree programme and choose other modules to make up the right credit total
- Log in to iSaint. In iSaint, hover over the 'Academic' tab and select 'Advising' from the drop-down menu that will appear. Click on the link to 'Advising facility'. Alternatively, you can get to the Advising facility by clicking on the 'Online Advising' link on the right of this page
- In the Advising facility click on the relevant link in the bulleted list to view instructions on entering your module choices
- In the Advising facility click on 'Modules choices' on the left-hand side to get to the page where you will enter your module choices
- Choose your modules from the drop-down lists ('Semester 1', 'Semester 2', 'Whole Year') in the Advising facility and press the green "+" button after selecting each module. Please note that first year students do not take Whole Year modules
- If you wish to remove one of the modules you have selected press the red "x" button next to that module
- When you are happy with your choices press the "Submit" button
- If you wish to make further changes to your modules before Advising in September, you should be able to do so by logging in to iSaint and accessing your Modules Choices page again. A status of 'submitted' will allow you to do this. You can see your status on the Advising facility page and your Modules choices page. If your status is 'provisonally valid' it means an Adviser has provisionally approved your choices and you will not be able to make further changes until Advising in September.
Making changes to your module choices
You will be given a further opportunity to discuss and change your module choices (upon approval by your Adviser) at Advising in Orientation Week. You must complete the Pre-Advising process and attend Advising before you can complete the matriculation process.
You may also contact your Adviser to request changes to your module choices during the Re-Advising periods, which is the first week of each semester. Note that you can also request changes to your second semester modules from the start of January.