Quick Questions on MQ B.A: (1 Viewer)

[Fake-Name]

Hey, I'm having a quick look at Mq's B.A, and have a few questions:

1. Firstly, I have no understanding of the credit point system and am wondering how many subjects do I get to pick on my first year in a B.A of arts? http://www.courses.mq.edu.au/2011/Undergraduate/Degree/Bachelor+of+Arts#WhatYouWillStudy

2. It states: "Students undertaking this course can choose from the following Bachelor of Arts majors" - Do I have to pick my major during my enrollment or in the first year?

3. Edit for clarification: Will the subjects I pick in my first year will be the exact subjects I complete in my final year? Or do I get any later subject selections?

Thanks.

 

[MrBean1561]

Okay I can't help you for the first two, but for 3.... You won't be "forced" to take a subject the second year if you've already done it in the first. You will just get an exemption.

 

[Earl Luper]

like we're filming twigliht in this bitch

 

[Fake-Name]

Okay I can't help you for the first two, but for 3.... You won't be "forced" to take a subject the second year if you've already done it in the first. You will just get an exemption.

Sorry, 'forced' was the wrong choice of word. The question meant to ask if subjects continued onto the following year. I'm guessing they do. If so, does that mean that the subjects I pick in my first year will be the exact subjects I complete in my final year?

 

[Blizane]

Hey, I'm having a quick look at Mq's B.A, and have a few questions:

1. Firstly, I have no understanding of the credit point system and am wondering how many subjects do I get to pick on my first year in a B.A of arts? http://www.courses.mq.edu.au/2011/Undergraduate/Degree/Bachelor+of+Arts#WhatYouWillStudy

2. It states: "Students undertaking this course can choose from the following Bachelor of Arts majors" - Do I have to pick my major during my enrollment or in the first year?

3. Edit for clarification: Will the subjects I pick in my first year will be the exact subjects I complete in my final year? Or do I get any later subject selections?

Thanks.

1. That link you provided says that to complete a BA you need to do a minimum of 68 credit points. Most (if not all) subjects are 3 credit points, which means you'd have to do 23 subjects in your whole degree, equating to 7-8 per year. (You might find it easier to do 7 in your first year, then 8 in the two after that)

2. Its a little hard for me to answer this one since I don't do Arts, but in my view it doesn't matter when you pick your major. The main thing is just trying to satisfy the subject requirements for it by the time you plan to finish your degree. (You can see the required subjects when you click on the major).

3. Your idea of how subjects 'continue onto the following year' isn't quite right. Every semester you get to pick new subjects, and in order to do some 2nd/3rd year ones you have to have done their prerequisites.

For example, lets say theres a subject called 'MATH300 - Mathematics 3'. It might have a prerequisite 'MATH200 - Mathematics 2' (which, in turn, could have MATH100 as a prerequisite) since the content will generally build upon earlier subjects. However just because you chose MATH100 it doesnt mean that you MUST go on and do 200 and 300.

 

[-may-cat-]

I'll just copy-paste this from another thread, it's pretty much a dummies guide to what Blizane has posted in case anything is unclear

At university you take units (subjects). Units exist at different levels according to their difficulty and workload. For example, at Macquarie you have 100, 200 and 300 level units. You generally take 100 level units (the easiest) in first year, 200 level in second year and 300 level (the hardest) in third year.

These subjects are worth credit points. For example, at Macquarie i can take a unit for 3 credit points.

You complete a degree by meeting the credit point requirements for that degree. For example, to complete a Bachelor of Arts at Macquarie you must acquire 68 credit points at varying levels:

Minimum number of credit points for the degree 68
Minimum number of credit points at 200 level or above 38
Minimum number of credit points at 300 level or above 18

Part of these 68 credit points must consist of a 'major'. You complete a major by meeting the credit point requirements for that major. For example, At Macquarie to complete a major in athropology you must meet the following requirements:

Completion of a minimum of 24 credit points including the following prescribed units:
3cp from 100lvl anthropology units
6cp from 200lvl anthropology units
12cp from 300lvl anthropology units (including a capstone unit)
3cp from any lvl anthropology units

TOTAL: 24 cp

So from this:

1. You can take between 1 and 5 (i'm pretty sure) units per semester, depending on as many or as few as you want to do. Most people do 4 (12 credit points), i do 3 (9 credit points). If you were having a difficult time for whatever reason you could take 1 or 2 units, though if you wanted to overload and do 5 (15 credit points) you would have to apply for a waiver. Note that you need to do at least 3 (9 credit points) to be considered a full time student.

2. Can you see from the above explanation how you don't arrive in first year and just 'tick a box' as to what major you would like to do? Many BA students take a whole bunch of different elective units in their first year to figure out what they're interested in before settling on a major, then it's just a matter of fulfilling the requirements for that major. Don't stress, you're not going to be locked into anything from the get go, BA's are very flexible.

3. As answered above, you pick new units every semester. Mind, once you get a handle on where you want to go with your degree a bit of degree planning with an academic adviser can be a good idea.

 

[Fake-Name]

That's perfect! Thanks!