Two question about my ARTS3403 degree: (1 Viewer)

[MHSoR Student]

1. I am a student who commenced in 2011, and majoring in Philosophy. According to the 2011 handbook for Philosophy, the "Philosophy of Religion" course and the "Truth and Belief" course are not listed as being available for that major, yet they were made available as of 2012, and I took them during semesters 1 and 2 of this year. Since I commenced in 2011, does that mean that I just wasted two courses?

2. If I try to view the class timetable for a course and come upon this kind of page, does this mean that the course is definitely not available in 2013? Or is it natural that the timetables haven't been finalised yet at this point, and its class timetable may be available later?

Thanks in advance.

 

[4025808]

1. I am a student who commenced in 2011, and majoring in Philosophy. According to the 2011 handbook for Philosophy, the "Philosophy of Religion" course and the "Truth and Belief" course are not listed as being available for that major, yet they were made available as of 2012, and I took them during semesters 1 and 2 of this year. Since I commenced in 2011, does that mean that I just wasted two courses?

2. If I try to view the class timetable for a course and come upon this kind of page, does this mean that the course is definitely not available in 2013? Or is it natural that the timetables haven't been finalised yet at this point, and its class timetable may be available later?

Thanks in advance.

1. No, you would have not wasted them, since 2011 handbook conditions still apply. OFC you can do 2013 handbook stuff (provided it doesn't have exclusions with an existing sub).

2. Most likely the latter, but contact the particular faculty about it to make sure.

 

[D94]

1. I am a student who commenced in 2011, and majoring in Philosophy. According to the 2011 handbook for Philosophy, the "Philosophy of Religion" course and the "Truth and Belief" course are not listed as being available for that major, yet they were made available as of 2012, and I took them during semesters 1 and 2 of this year. Since I commenced in 2011, does that mean that I just wasted two courses?

2. If I try to view the class timetable for a course and come upon this kind of page, does this mean that the course is definitely not available in 2013? Or is it natural that the timetables haven't been finalised yet at this point, and its class timetable may be available later?

Thanks in advance.

You have to follow the handbook of the year you commenced. If you commenced in 2011, you follow the 2011 handbook irregardless of any changes later, unless your Faculty has specifically stated to do a certain course or make a change etc. Don't follow the 2012 or the 2013 handbooks, only follow the 2011 handbook.

So it appears you have wasted 2 courses worth of credit.

http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/general/2013/SSAPO/previousEditions.html
"If you are a currently enrolled student who commenced your program prior to 2013, you should view your program’s Handbook information for the year that you commenced"

 

[MHSoR Student]

If that's the case, D94, then I have an additional question:

"Philosophy of Religion" and "Truth and Belief" are both level 2 courses for Philosophy. In the Bachelor of Arts degree, one who is majoring in any subject cannot choose a level 2 course unless they have completed both of the level 1 courses for that major, which they would have done in their first year. This means that no one who took Philosophy of Religion or Truth and Belief in 2012 could have possibly been a student who commenced in 2012. They must have commenced in 2011 at least. Why would they suddenly introduce two level 2 courses in 2012 then, when they're clearly intended for second-year students? No one who commenced in 2012 could have possibly taken them as they would be first-year students and therefore studying the two introductory courses for Philosophy, so only those who commenced earlier could have possibly taken them.

 

[so_what]

Of course you can take new courses. Just because those courses aren't listed as offered in your handbook does not mean that you cannot do them and have them count towards your major or minor. That is just silly.
You're right, no one would have taken the course if this was not the case.

 

[plasticities]

2. If I try to view the class timetable for a course and come upon this kind of page, does this mean that the course is definitely not available in 2013? Or is it natural that the timetables haven't been finalised yet at this point, and its class timetable may be available later?

Yeah, I was wondering about that too, since I wanted to take philosophy as my gened, but choices were really limited, even though I still managed to enrol in chinese philosophy

 

[D94]

If that's the case, D94, then I have an additional question:

"Philosophy of Religion" and "Truth and Belief" are both level 2 courses for Philosophy. In the Bachelor of Arts degree, one who is majoring in any subject cannot choose a level 2 course unless they have completed both of the level 1 courses for that major, which they would have done in their first year. This means that no one who took Philosophy of Religion or Truth and Belief in 2012 could have possibly been a student who commenced in 2012. They must have commenced in 2011 at least. Why would they suddenly introduce two level 2 courses in 2012 then, when they're clearly intended for second-year students? No one who commenced in 2012 could have possibly taken them as they would be first-year students and therefore studying the two introductory courses for Philosophy, so only those who commenced earlier could have possibly taken them.

Ok, I looked around and when I said "follow the handbook of the year you commenced", that would be for cores at the very least. Since it's rather different for the FASS given there's so much flexibility, I believe you can take those subjects. I did say "appears", so the best thing you could do is ask the FASS. No one here can give a definitive answer.

In fact, you can check whether or not it counts, by going to myUNSW and looking at your transcript. If it adds to your total amount of UoC then it should be fine. I know that if you take a subject outside of your Faculty then it won't add to your total UoC.

 

[Unlimited]

Don't you have like a Student Centre at uni where people there can answer these problems?

 

[MHSoR Student]

Thanks, everyone!

And yeah, there is a Student Centre, but I encountered this problem on a Friday night and didn't want to wait the whole weekend just to get it solved.