What can I study?

Source: https://www.leeds.ac.uk/international-exchange-and-study-abroad-offer/doc/what-can-i-study Parent: https://www.leeds.ac.uk/international-exchange-and-study-abroad

At the University of Leeds, we call the individual subjects that you will study ‘modules’.

As a study abroad student, you can choose modules from across the University and you may be able to transfer any credits you gain at the University of Leeds to your degree in your home country.

A full-time workload at Leeds is 50 to 60 credits per semester.

When to select your modules

• Before you apply to study abroad at Leeds, you should research the modules you wish to take and discuss them with your home university. You do not select your modules as part of your initial Study Abroad application.
• If you are accepted, we will include information on how to select your modules in your acceptance email. You can find out more about this process on our module selection and changes page.

Which modules you can study

You can see which modules are available for study abroad students before you apply in our – visit our module catalogue.

Select ‘Undergraduate modules’ and then use the checkbox ‘search by incoming Study Abroad’. All modules suitable for study abroad students are labelled ‘isa’ in the catalogue.

When choosing your modules, you should consider the following factors:

Level of the module

In our module catalogue, the first number in the module code refers to the level of study at Leeds, which is also the year the module is taught: 1, 2 or 3.

The level information gives you an idea of:

• how difficult the module is likely to be
• whether the module matches requirements from your home university, for example if you need to transfer credits back to your degree
• whether you need some prior knowledge to take the module (known as pre-requisites).

If you need prior knowledge (pre-requisite modules)

Level 2 or 3 modules in the module catalogue may state that you need to have studied a ‘pre-requisite’, so you may need to have completed a lower-level course at your home university that corresponds to a Level 1 or 2 module at Leeds. Undergraduate degrees usually last three years in England, so even if you will be in your third year of study while you are at Leeds, you may still need to have prior knowledge to be accepted for level 3 modules.

If it is not clear from the transcript you provide when you apply that you have studied the content of the listed pre-requisite module, you can upload a statement about this with your supporting documents. The statement should explain your previous studies and how these cover the content of the pre-requisite module.

Postgraduate level modules

Level 5 refers to postgraduate level modules. If your home university’s exchange agreement with the University of Leeds is at postgraduate level, visit our taught postgraduate module catalogue and search by ‘incoming study abroad’ to find a list of modules available for taught postgraduate study abroad students.

When the module is taught

At Leeds, a module can be taught for one semester only, or it can be taught over the full academic year. If you are at Leeds for one semester only, you cannot take modules that run over the full year.

You will see these descriptions in the module catalogue:

• Taught semester 1 – this module runs from September to January.
• Taught semester 2 – this module runs from January to June.
• Taught semester 1 and 2 – this module runs across the full academic year from September to June and is not available to single semester students.
• Taught semester 1; semester 2 – this module is taught from September to January, and then again from January to June.

Schools with modules that are not available for a single semester

The following schools teach the majority of their modules across the full academic year (semester 1 and 2) so unfortunately you cannot apply to take modules in these subject areas if you are applying for a single semester.

• Chemical and Process Engineering (CAPE)
• Design (Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing modules)
• Mechanical Engineering (MECH)
• Fine Art studio module (ARTF2130) is taught in semester 1 only.

Number of modules to select

A full-time workload at Leeds is 50 to 60 credits per semester. You should apply for 50 to 100 credits per semester of study in case some of your choices are not available.

Please note: our module catalogue does not use ECTS credits. A 20 credit Leeds module is worth 10 ECTS credits.

Subject-specific requirements

Some schools or departments have specific academic entry requirements or guidance for study abroad and exchange students who want to enrol on their modules.

Check academic entry requirements.

Opportunities to improve your language skills

Our Language Centre offers several modules each semester to help you extend your English vocabulary, improve your pronunciation and develop communication strategies.

These modules are specifically designed for international students whose first language is not English, so they are well suited for many study abroad and exchange students.

For more information about these modules, select 'Language Centre' from the School drop-down list in the Module Catalogue. Make sure you also tick the 'Search by Incoming Study Abroad' box.

The Language Centre also runs free skills workshops on campus to help you develop your confidence in using academic language.

Opportunities outside of your degree subject

If you choose to study your elective modules with us, you may wish to consider a less traditional subject or topic as part of your credit load. The following subject areas allow you to broaden your learning, skills and development in areas that interest you outside of your degree subject:

Leeds Careers modules (CSER)

These modules can help you develop realistic career plans during your time at university and after you graduate.

Leeds Skills Elective (LEED)

LEED modules are discovery modules that give you an opportunity to learn new skills and get involved in outdoor and group activities.

Lifelong Learning Centre (LLC)

The Lifelong Learning Centre (LLC) promotes programmes, pathways and support for mature, part-time and foundation level students, especially those from under-represented groups. It also offers modules open to all study abroad students. Class sizes are small so you will have plenty of opportunities to gain information, advice and guidance from our staff.

For more information about these modules, select 'Lifelong Learning Centre' from the School drop-down list in the Module Catalogue. Make sure you also tick the 'Search by Incoming Study Abroad' box.

If you have questions about particular modules, please see our Study Abroad Coordinator contact list and contact the representative in the relevant school.

Academically, it’s been considerably refreshing to encounter a new, unique and encouraging environment...your semester can be filled with modules with up-to-date content and real-world applications. The courses challenge you to think deeply about global issues and encourage open discussions.