Course Selection Advice for Informatics Students 2024/25

This page contains advice on course selection for first and second year Informatics students.

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Find out what options (if any) you have in Path’s Programme Builder. If you don’t have your University Login yet, find your degree on the DRPS instead.

If you have some free choice, check Informatics’ list of common outside course choices.

You can find more information about courses, via the University Course Options page.

To register your course choices: follow the instructions provided by the School. Path lets you explore options but cannot enroll you in courses itself. If you have questions, ask your Student Advisor.

Rules and Requirements

Number of courses: each year you need to obtain 120 course credits. In first and second year, most (or all) of your courses are chosen for you. However, many degrees let you choose one or two extra 20 credit courses to reach that total.

Semester balance: you should take 60 credits in each Semester to balance your load. You must pick courses for both Semesters now, but you may change your Semester 2 choice later.

Passing: you must pass 120 credits, including your core courses. While your core courses are your top priority, if you fail any course, including an outside one, you will need to resit it in August.

Advice for choosing courses

If you do not have an A or B in advanced higher level maths (or equivalent) you should consider supporting your other maths courses by taking Fundamentals of Algebra and Calculus (MATH07003). See “Is FAC suitable for me?” in the year 1 guidance from the School of maths for more detail.

If you are unsure about your degree choice, or like aspects of another degree, consider courses listed under other Informatics degrees (on Path or on the DRPS). It is easier to transfer to a degree if you already meet its requirements, although discuss your intentions with your Student Advisor.

Don’t hesitate to pick anything that interests you and that you’ll enjoy (if you have the pre-requisites). You will take a lot of Informatics courses during your degree, you don’t have to take more courses involving computers or maths right now.

Check for pre-requisites. The catalogue entry for each course gives its pre-requisites. The core courses for a degree will usually assume that students meet the entry-requirements for that degree. Some other courses are intended as outside courses for students with any background.

Timetable clashes: Path can show you a timetable for the courses you have selected. Many courses have tutorials, labs, or workshops where you only attend one out of a set of options. After the course starts, you will register for these sessions to avoid clashes. It’s usually a good idea to avoid taking classes if their core lectures clash. Fortunately, now that most lectures are recorded, it should be possible to take most courses in combination. However, you will need to double-check at the start of Semester, once the timetable is finalized.

Be flexible, but register your choices early. Some courses fill up and you might not get a place. Register your choices early to increase your chances of getting the course you want. Your choice isn’t binding: you can swap after attending the first class (by a deadline specified in the ITO Information for Students pages).

Other sources of information

Documents from this year:

These archived documents may still be useful, but not all of the courses that they mention will still be running.