Outside Course List for Informatics Students 2025/26

This page provides a list of popular outside courses for first and second year Informatics students. If you’re unsure what to do, there is a separate page with rules and advice.

If you can't log into Path, make the links point to the DRPS.

Common compulsory Year 1 courses

For reference, most Informatics students take these courses. If these are your only compulsory courses (see rules and advice), pick one more course for each Semester. Calculus and Algebra Fundamentals is required for students with Higher Mathematics only, or Advanced Higher less than Grade A, or A-level Mathematics less than grade A, or equivalent. It is not recommended for students with A-level Mathematics at Grade A*, or SQA Advanced Higher at Grade A, or equivalent. (Computer Science and Physics students take different maths courses.)

Year 1 courses on programmes joint with Informatics (also for Year 2)

If these courses aren't already on your degree, you might take them as options in Year 1 or 2. However, there are restrictions. The two mathematics courses have limited places, and are only for students wishing to take both courses. You are unlikely to get a place on the Psychology or Linguistics courses below unless you are a Cognitive Science student.

Miscellaneous Outside Courses for Year 1 or 2

This is just a selection of what’s available. Every year some Informatics students find other Level 7 and 8 courses that interest them from the rest of the course catalogue.

Language courses for Year 1 and 2

Language courses are popular and fill up quickly. Read more about Open Language courses.

Common compulsory Year 2 courses

If you take all of these, they fill your 120 credits. Not all degrees require all of them.

Other outside course choices for Year 2

You are allowed to take any Level 7 or 8 course in Year 1 if you have the pre-requisites. However, the following courses are intended for second years, and many of them have pre-requisites.

10 credit courses

Most students should choose 20 credit courses, and should ignore this section. Occasionally students need to make up 10 credits and so refer to this list. Some of these courses are intended for second years and have pre-requisites.