Pre-Advising Guide for Non-Graduating Undergraduates
Pre-Advising is when you choose your modules for the next academic year and enter those choices online. You must complete Pre-Advising before you see an Adviser at Advising during Orientation to have your module choices officially approved ("validated").
In September (or January for students studying in Semester 2 only) you will meet an Adviser of Studies at Advising to discuss your module choices and options. Once you and your Adviser are satisfied with the selection, your Adviser will validate your choices. This validation is an essential part of the matriculation process. Only once matriculated are you officially a student of the University of St Andrews.
Courses and Modules
Some visiting students find there is a difference in the terminology used in their home University and here at St Andrews. A course here refers to a full programme of study over a number of years, and not to an individual course in a particular subject at a particular level. Here we refer to that as a 'module'. So, for example, the first level French course in the first semester is module FR1001.
You should note that St Andrews calculates full year or semester loads by credits, and not by the number of modules students take. It is normal for students to take only 2 or 3 different modules in a semester. This can be different from many non-UK universities which count numbers of courses; don't be concerned as the modules here will be heavier in terms of expected workload than courses in a system which has 4 or 5 different courses per semester.
Use the University website to get more information about subjects, academic schools and departments and modules.
How many credits do I have to take?
Students here for a full year should take modules which total 120 credits.
Students here for one semester should take modules which total 60 credits.
First level (1000 level) modules are generally 20 credits, which means that you would take three such modules in a semester. Some second level (2000 level) and Honours (3000 and 4000 level) modules are 30 credits, so you would take two per semester.
Which modules should I take?
During online pre-advising you may choose modules you think will be suitable for you. It is a good idea also to check with your home institution (if applicable) that the modules you choose are acceptable and useful for your course there.
In principle you can study any subject for which you are qualified. Many first level (1000 level) modules require no prior knowledge. Some have pre-requisites – i.e. required prior learning. These are mainly in Science and Languages, although some languages are also available at beginner’s level. The Course Catalogue details any required pre-requisites.
For modules at higher levels (2000, 3000 or 4000), prior study at the appropriate university level is required. So, for example, a 3000 level module in Art History would normally require two years of prior study in Art History before you could take that module.
You should check that you are properly qualified for the modules you choose and will not be disadvantaged by taking modules for which you are not properly prepared. If you are unsure, you will be able to discuss this when you meet with an Adviser in September or January.
You should also check the class hour for each module (in the Course Catalogue), as you cannot take modules which have a timetable clash. If the days a module is held on are not specified you should assume that there is a class at that time every day, Monday to Friday (except for Wednesday afternoons when there are no scheduled classes).
You should be aware that 3000 and 4000 level modules in particular are subject to change and may not always be available. Some of these modules also have limited spaces, so it is advisable to complete pre-advising as soon as possible to signal your interest in taking those modules.
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'. If you do not have the 'Academic' tab yet, 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 sub-honours 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 or January, 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 or January
Making changes to your module choices
You will be given an opportunity to discuss and change your module choices when you meet with an Adviser in September or January. You must complete the online Pre-advising process and then attend Advising in Orientation before you can matriculate.
There is a further opportunity to change modules during the first week of each semester – this period is known as re-advising. If you do wish to change modules you must do this through an Adviser, otherwise any change is not official and you will not be in the modules you wish to change to. You simply contact the Adviser again during the first week of the semester. Note that you can also request changes to your second semester modules from the start of January. If you do not know which Adviser to contact, check with the Registry Undergraduate team (contact details are at the top right of the page).