Common Outside Course Options for Informatics students (19-20)

This guide was for 2019–20, go to the latest version.

The latest version of this page is https://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/imurray2/pt/outside_courses.html — PDF for printing

Code	Title	Sem	Pts	Times	Clash	Area	Quota
Year 1 courses on at least one Informatics programme, suitable as outside courses in Year 1 or Year 2
ELEE08001	Electrical Engineering 1	S2	20	MThF 10:00		C+KB	167
SCEE08001	Engineering 1	S1	20	MT 12:10, W 11:10, F 12:10	LA	C+KB	400
INFR08020	Informatics 1 - Cognitive Science	S2	20	TTh 14:10, F 15:10	2D,CA	C
LASC08022	Linguistics and English Language 1A	S1	20	M 15:10, TTh 10:00	1A,DMMR	C	0
LASC08023	Linguistics and English Language 1B	S2	20	M 15:10, TTh 10:00	1‑OP	C	280
PHIL08004	Logic 1	S2	20	MTTh 17:10	PA	C	460
PHIL08005	Philosophy of Science 1	S1	20	MT 17:10, F 11:10	2C‑SE	C	0
PHYS08016	Physics 1A: Foundations	S1	20	MWF 10:00	1A	C	321
PHYS08017	Physics 1B: The Stuff of the Universe	S2	20	MWF 11:10		C+KB	300
MATH08059	Proofs and Problem Solving	S2	20	WThF 9:00 10:00		C
PSYL08009	Psychology 1A	S1	20	MWF 11:10		C	336
PSYL08010	Psychology 1B	S2	20	MWF 11:10		C	335
Outside courses for Year 1
ARCA08004	Archaeology 1A	S1	20	MT 15:10		C	120
PHYS08051	Astrobiology	S1	20	M 14:10, F 15:10‑17:00		KB	200
DESI08010	Contemporary Cinema	S2	20	T 17:10, W 9:00		C+L	242
SCIL07002	Data Literacy	S1	20	TTh 13:10	LA	C	150
PHYS08039	Discovering Astronomy	S1	20	M 14:10 16:10, F 14:10		C
ECNM08004	Economic Principles	S1	20	TF 14:10		C	0
MATH07003	Fundamentals of Algebra and Calculus	S1	20	see DRPS / timetable	(check)	C
BUST08026	Introduction to Business	S1&S2	40	MTTh 17:10		C	300
PHYS08050	Introductory Astrophysics	S2	20	see DRPS / timetable	(check)	KB	151
Outside courses for Year 1 or Year 2
ACCN08007	Accountancy 1A	S1	20	M 10:00, T 13:10, Th 12:10	2‑IADS,LA	C	351
ACCN08008	Accountancy 1B	S2	20	MTTh 11:10	1‑OP	C
ECNM08003	Economic Applications	S2	20	T 12:10, F 13:10	CA	C	154
BUST08024	Fundamentals of Innovation-Driven Entrepreneurship	S2	20	M 10:00		C
BIME08006	Our Changing World	S1	20	T 18:00‑20:00		C+H	96
STIS08008	Investigating Science in Society	S1	20	T 9:00, Th 9:00 17:10		C	60
STIS08007	Science, Nature and Environment	S2	20	TF 9:00		C	995
PHIL08015	Morality and Value	S1	20	MWF 10:00	1A	C	0
MAEE08002	Techniques of Management	S2	20	MWF 9:00		KB
STIS08002	Technology in Society	S2	20	MT 12:10		C	66
PHYS08049	Programming and Data Analysis	S1	10	see DRPS / timetable	(check)	KB
Outside courses for Year 2
PHYS08026	Computer Simulation	S2	20	M 13:10		KB
BUST08002	Industrial Management 1	S1	20	MWF 9:00		KB
Common compulsory Year 1 courses
INFR08025	Informatics 1 - Introduction to Computation	S1	20	M 9:00, T 11:10, W 9:00 10:00, Th 10:00, F 9:00		C	420
INFR08029	Informatics 1 - Object Oriented Programming	S2	20	T 10:00, Th 11:10		C	420
MATH08057	Introduction to Linear Algebra	S1	20	MThF 12:10 13:10		C
MATH08058	Calculus and its Applications	S2	20	MTh 13:10 14:10, F 13:10 15:10		C
Common compulsory Year 2 courses
INFR08026	Informatics 2 - Introduction to Algorithms and Data Structures	S1&S2	20	T 13:10 16:10, F 14:10		C
INFR08028	Informatics 2B - Learning	S2	10	TF 16:10		C
INFR08027	Informatics 2C - Introduction to Computer Systems	S1	20	TF 15:10		C
INFR08019	Informatics 2C - Introduction to Software Engineering	S1	10	T 17:10, Th 15:10		C
INFR08010	Informatics 2D - Reasoning and Agents	S2	20	TThF 15:10		C
MATH08067	Probability with Applications	S2	20	TThF 17:10		C
INFR08023	Discrete Mathematics and Mathematical Reasoning	S1	20	M 16:10, T 10:00, Th 16:10		C
Language courses for Year 1 or Year 2
IMES07001	Introductory Arabic Language	S1	20	TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2C‑SE,DMMR	C	30
ELCH07019	Foundation Basque Language 1	S1&S2	20	WF 13:10	CA,LA	C	4
ASST07003	Introductory Chinese Language (Group 1)	S1	20	MT 14:10‑16:00	2C‑CS	C	60
	(Group 2)			WF 14:10‑16:00	2‑IADS,2C‑CS
ELCS07009	Foundation Danish Language 1	S1	20	M 14:10‑16:00, W 11:10‑13:00		C	18
ELCF07011	Foundation French Language 1 (Group 1)	S1	20	M 14:10‑16:00		C	80
	(Group 2)			TTh 11:10‑13:00	1A,LA
	(Group 3)			TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2C‑SE,DMMR
	(Group 4)			M 16:10‑18:00	DMMR
ELCG07009	Foundation German Language 1 (Group 1)	S1	20	MW 14:10‑16:00		C	0
	(Group 2)			MW 16:10‑18:00	DMMR
	(Group 3)			TTh 11:10‑13:00	1A,LA
	(Group 4)			TTh 14:10‑16:00	2C‑CS,2C‑SE
ELCS07010	Foundation Icelandic Language 1	S1	20	WF 14:10‑16:00	2‑IADS,2C‑CS	C	25
ELCI07007	Foundation Italian Language 1 (Group 1)	S1	20	MTh 11:10‑13:00	LA	C	78
	(Group 2)			MW 14:10‑16:00
	(Group 3)			T 16:10‑18:00, WF 11:10‑13:00	LA
	(Group 4)			TTh 16:10‑18:00	DMMR
ASST07008	Foundation Japanese Language 1 (Group 1)	S1	20	MT 14:10‑16:00	2C‑CS	C	90
	(Group 2)			MW 16:10‑18:00
	(Group 3)			MT 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2C‑SE
ASST07019	Foundation Korean Language 1	S1	20	M 14:10‑16:00, W 11:10‑13:00		C	31
ELCH07012	Foundation Portuguese Language 1	S1	20	M 12:10‑14:00, T 10:00‑12:00, W 12:10‑14:00, Th 10:00‑12:00	1A,DMMR,LA	C	20
ELCR07004	Foundation Russian Language 1	S1	20	M 11:10‑13:00, Th 15:10‑17:00	2C‑SE,DMMR,LA	C	21
ELCH07011	Foundation Spanish Language 1 (Group 1)	S1	20	MW 14:10‑16:00		C	135
	(Group 2)			MW 14:10‑16:00
	(Group 3)			MW 16:10‑18:00	DMMR
	(Group 4)			MTh 16:10‑18:00	DMMR
	(Group 5)			TTh 14:10‑16:00	2C‑CS,2C‑SE
	(Group 6)			T 9:00‑10:50, Th 14:10‑16:00	2C‑SE,DMMR
	(Group 7)			T 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2C‑SE
ELCS07007	Foundation Swedish Language 1	S1	20	M 14:10‑16:00, W 11:10‑13:00		C	25
ELCF07008	Foundation French Language 2 (Group 1)	S1	20	MTh 16:10‑18:00	DMMR	C	40
	(Group 2)			TTh 14:10‑16:00	2C‑CS,2C‑SE
ELCG07008	Foundation German Language 2	S1	20	TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2C‑SE,DMMR	C	22
ELCH07010	Foundation Spanish Language 2 (Group 1)	S1	20	MW 14:10‑16:00		C	39
	(Group 2)			TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2C‑SE,DMMR
ELCF07007	Foundation French Language 3	S1	20	MTh 16:10‑18:00	DMMR	C	20
ELCG07007	Foundation German Language 3	S1	20	MW 11:10‑13:00	LA	C	20
ELCH07017	Foundation Spanish Language 3	S1	20	TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2C‑SE,DMMR	C	17
IMES07001	Introductory Arabic Language	S2	20	TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2B,PA	C	30
ASST07003	Introductory Chinese Language	S2	20	M 14:10‑16:00, W 11:10‑13:00	CA	C+H	30
ELCF07011	Foundation French Language 1 (Group 1)	S2	20	MW 14:10‑16:00	CA	C	40
	(Group 2)			TTh 14:10‑16:00	2D,CA
ELCG07009	Foundation German Language 1 (Group 1)	S2	20	MW 11:10‑13:00		C	40
	(Group 2)			MW 14:10‑16:00	CA
ELCI07007	Foundation Italian Language 1 (Group 1)	S2	20	MW 11:10‑13:00		C	60
	(Group 2)			TTh 14:10‑16:00	2D,CA
	(Group 3)			TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2B,PA
ASST07008	Foundation Japanese Language 1 (Group 1)	S2	20	MW 16:10‑18:00		C+H	60
	(Group 2)			TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2B,PA
ASST07019	Foundation Korean Language 1	S2	20	MW 9:00‑10:50		C	32
ELCH07011	Foundation Spanish Language 1 (Group 1)	S2	20	MW 14:10‑16:00		C	80
	(Group 2)			M 14:10‑16:00 16:10‑18:00, W 16:10‑18:00
	(Group 3)			MT 14:10‑16:00, Th 11:10‑13:00	1‑OP,2D
	(Group 4)			M 14:10‑16:00, TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2B,PA
IMES07003	Introductory Arabic language 2	S2	20	MW 9:00‑10:50		C	30
ASST07006	Introductory Chinese Language 2	S2	20	T 14:10‑16:00, F 10:00‑12:00	2D	C	30
ELCS07008	Foundation Danish Language 2	S2	20	M 14:10‑16:00, W 11:10‑13:00	CA	C+H	18
ELCF07008	Foundation French Language 2 (Group 1)	S2	20	TTh 14:10‑16:00	2D,CA	C	80
	(Group 2)			MTh 16:10‑18:00	PA
	(Group 3)			TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2B,PA
	(Group 4)			TTh 11:10‑13:00	1‑OP
ELCG07008	Foundation German Language 2 (Group 1)	S2	20	MW 16:10‑18:00		C	42
	(Group 2)			TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2B,PA
ELCI07006	Foundation Italian Language 2 (Group 1)	S2	20	MW 11:10‑13:00		C	38
	(Group 2)			TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2B,PA
ASST07016	Foundation Japanese Language 2 (Group 1)	S2	20	MW 14:10‑16:00	CA	C	60
	(Group 2)			TTh 14:10‑16:00	2D,CA
ASST07018	Foundation Korean Language 2	S2	20	M 14:10‑16:00, W 11:10‑13:00	CA	C	30
ELCH07018	Foundation Portuguese Language 2	S2	20	M 9:00‑10:50, Th 10:00‑12:00	1‑OP	C	20
ELCR07003	Foundation Russian Language 2	S2	20	M 11:10‑13:00, Th 16:10‑18:00	PA	C	20
ELCH07010	Foundation Spanish Language 2 (Group 1)	S2	20	M 9:00‑10:50, Th 14:10‑16:00	2D,CA	C	100
	(Group 2)			MW 14:10‑16:00	CA
	(Group 3)			T 14:10‑16:00, W 9:00‑10:50	2D
	(Group 4)			TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2B,PA
	(Group 5)			MTh 16:10‑18:00	PA
ELCS07006	Foundation Swedish Language 2	S2	20	M 14:10‑16:00, W 11:10‑13:00	CA	C+H	20
ELCF07007	Foundation French Language 3 (Group 1)	S2	20	MTh 16:10‑18:00	PA	C	40
	(Group 2)			TTh 14:10‑16:00	2D,CA
ELCG07007	Foundation German Language 3	S2	20	MW 11:10‑13:00		C	20
ELCH07017	Foundation Spanish Language 3	S2	20	TTh 16:10‑18:00	2‑IADS,2B,PA	C	20

Notes

Fields include:
- Sem: Whether Semester 1, Semester 2, or both.
- Pts: Number of credit points. A full load is 120 points per year.
- Times: Start times of lectures. Lectures last 50mins, except where noted. Click to see full timetable.
- Clash: Common compulsory Inf1 or Inf2 courses that an outside course clashes with. Each Linear Algebra (LA) and Calculus (CA) lecture is delivered twice, so those clashes can probably be avoided.
- Area: C = Central Campus, KB = King’s Buildings, L = Lauriston Campus, H = Holyrood Campus (L&H are near the Central Campus).
Some courses have complicated arrangements, not well summarized here. The Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study (DRPS) lists course descriptions along with pre-requisites, prohibited combinations, and links to the timetable with locations and times of additional components such as tutorials and labs. If viewing this page online, the course codes link to DRPS entries and times link to the timetable. This information is also in PATH (requires login).
Queries can be answered by the lecturer in the first class, or by emailing the course organizer (academic queries) or course secretary (administrative queries) listed in the DRPS entry.

Course selection advice

Points to consider when selecting courses:

Many schools provide information at the Course Option Fair in induction week.
If you did not take advanced higher level maths (or equivalent) you should consider supporting your other maths courses by taking Fundamentals of Algebra and Calculus (MATH07003).
Make sure your choices don’t clash with the compulsory courses listed on the Degree Programme Table (DPT) for your degree.
If you might want to change to another degree programme, take its compulsory courses. For example, Inf2D for AI degrees and the 5-year MInf degree.
You might enjoy a subject related to your central studies, perhaps with a different perspective, for example, a course in Logic or a course in Cognitive Science.
You might want to study a subject related to a career path you are interested in after University. For example, the Techniques of Management for Scientists and Engineers.
You might enjoy taking up the opportunity to study a subject unrelated to your Degree Programme, a foreign language for example.
The hard deadline for enrolling in courses is the end of week 2; but the deadline for cancelling courses is not until week 6.
Some courses, particularly language courses and courses in the Humanities, are heavily over-subscribed. If you are seriously interested in these, you should ask your PT to enrol you as early as possible.
Some courses, for example Business Studies 1, are over-subscribed, and also compulsory for some students. It has happened that outside students have been forced off these courses as late as week 2, to make room for students who have to do the courses.
List of electives (from 2017) at Edinburgh College of Art (ECA): https://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/imurray2/pt/17-18/eca2017.pdf.
Advice on astronomy courses (from 2014): https://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/imurray2/pt/14-15/Astro1_flyer.pdf.
Taking one 40 credit point outside course is more risky than taking two 20 credit courses. If you don’t pass the course by the end of the academic year, you will need to take 40 extra credits next year, or you might need to do a part-time repeat year.

Last updated 21 December 2019. Send suggestions and corrections to Iain Murray.