Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

My lectures are clashing, what do I do?

If you have course clashes, but you want to take both of the courses, please contact the relevant course coordinators and ask if the lectures are recorded or if there is an alternative way of managing the clash. (You can find the relevant course coordinator by searching the course by code on the qualifications and courses website.)

If the clash is deemed unmanageable by the course coordinators, you will need to change at least one of your courses. If you aren’t sure which one to drop or what to take instead, please get in touch with a Science Student Advisor for advice.

Which courses are required for my major?

You can find the list of required courses for your major in the regulations.

All students who enrolled in a BSc at UC in 2018 or later for the first time must also do SCIE101.

As you will see, a relatively small number of courses are required for each major. The rest of your enrolment needs to be filled with elective courses, which can be either complementary to your major, or they can be in completely different subject areas.

I need help with planning my degree. Who do I go to?

If you want help with planning your degree and choosing your courses, you need to get in touch with our friendly student advisors. Because student advisors have back-to-back appointments throughout most of the day, the best way to get in touch with them is by email.

If you are an undergraduate student email scienceugadvice@canterbury.ac.nz with your questions or book in for a face-to-face appointment.

If you are a postgraduate student, email sciencepgadvice@canterbury.ac.nz with your questions, or make an appointment for a face-to-face consultation.

Our student advisors are based in Beatrice Tinsley, ground floor. (Enter the Beatrice Tinsley building through the main entrance. Turn left. You will see the Faculty of Science office at the end of the hallway.)

I want to go on exchange next year. Which courses do I need to take there? How will this affect my degree?

This will be resolved during the later stages of the application process to go on exchange. In the first instance, please have a look at the exchange website, and attend one of the exchange seminars listed there. As part of the process, you will be prompted to choose universities, and come up with a list of courses that seem similar to the ones you would need to do at UC. The courses you have suggested will then be assessed for transfer of credit, and you will be notified of the outcome before you go on exchange. All of this process is handled by the International Relationships Office in collaboration with departments.

If you want to go over your degree requirements before submitting your paper preferences for exchange, please make an appointment with the Science Student Advisors.

Do I need to do SCIE101?

If you have enrolled in BSc for the first time at UC in 2018 or later, you need to do SCIE101.

This applies even if you have started your studies in UC in another degree previously, and switched to BSc in 2018 or later; or if you started a BSc in another institution previously and transferred to a BSc in UC in 2018 or later.

There are no exceptions to this. More information about the course content of SCIE101 can be found on the SCIE101 page.

It is ideal to do SCIE101 in your first year, but if you haven’t done so you can add it into your enrolment in your second or third years.

How do I drop a course, or add another course into my enrolment?

You can drop a course through your myUC account. The Change your enrolment website gives you more information on how to do this. You can also check the Key University Dates website.

If I fail or drop a courses, do I have to take it again?

If the courses you failed is required for your major, you will need to take it again. The majoring requirements are listed on the regulations website by each major.

If the course you drop or fail is not required for your major, you can retake it if you want to. Alternatively, you can take another course to replace it. If you are unsure, contact a Science Student Advisor.

Can I pass the year if I drop a course?

BSc is a very flexible degree; there are no set years to pass before you can proceed to the next year.

If you fail or drop a course, you may no longer meet the prerequisites for some higher level course in the following semester or year. However, you may still meet the prerequisites for other higher level courses. In this case, you can continue with the higher level courses you are eligible to take while at the same time taking the lower level courses you previously failed or need.

If you are unsure of the consequences of dropping or failing a course, get in touch with your Student Advisor.

What is a major?

A major is the main subject area you will be studying during your Bachelor degree. Very likely, half or more of the courses you do at UC will be in your major. Some examples of BSc majors are Psychology, Biology, and Physics. You can find the full list on the BSc qualification page.

Can I minor in another subject?

Yes!

Minors can be done in a science or non-science subject. In most cases it is easy to fit a minor into a degree plan with a single major. Minors typically involve doing five courses in the minor subject, but there can be additional stipulations. If you are interested in doing a minor in any subject, get in touch with Science Student Advisor.

That being said if you are interested in taking a few courses outside of your major, but you don’t want to commit for a minor, you can still take elective courses from outside of your major for interest.

Can I take any Arts or Commerce courses as a Science student?

Yes, you can take up to 105 points of non-science courses throughout your BSc.

How long does it take to do a double major? Is it too hard?

If the degree is planned carefully, in most cases it takes three years to graduate with a double major, same as a single major. The workload is also the same as doing a single major.

When you are doing a single major, you would take courses in your major, but you would also have plenty of space for elective courses. These elective courses can come from a variety of disciplines including your main major, but they can also come from other degree schedules such as Arts or Commerce.

When you are doing a double major, you wouldn’t have as much space to take elective courses. Roughly half of your degree would consist of courses from your first major, and the other half would be courses from your second major.

If you intend to do a double major, make sure to see a Student Advisor at the beginning of each year to make sure you are on track with your degree plan.

What jobs can I get with a BSc?

Too many to list, but you can find some examples of the kind of jobs you can get with your degree in our career interviews.

If you go to any job search website, and browse through some job titles that seem interesting, you will notice that many of them will require a “relevant degree” and a list of skills needed. Your degree at UC will give you many of the technical skills required to do any job in your field, and it will also put you in a good position for learning additional skills quickly on the job.

We highly encourage students to have a think about the kind of work they like doing early on and acquire useful skills to do that job well. Because BSc is such a flexible degree we can often tailor your degree by choosing the courses that will give you the skills you need for your intended career. If you have a specific kind of job you want to do, get in touch your student advisor or your favourite lecturer in the department as soon as possible to discuss the best courses to take to get there.

If I drop a paper will I still be a full-time student?

Ideally, you would pass 120 points worth of courses each year. However, For StudyLink purposes, 105 points of cpurses is considered to be full-time study.

This means that if you start out with the regular four courses per semester workload, and later drop a course, you will still be considered a full-time student. (This is assuming that the course you are dropping is worth 15 points. If you are dropping a 30-point course you need to check your overall points carefully.)

International students need to be enrolled in at least 90 points per year; 45 per semester. (However in cases where a student has fewer than 45 points of courses left to complete a degree, this lesser workload is often acceptable. You will be advised by the enrolments team if there is anything you need to do.)

What do I do if I am struggling with a course?

In the first instance, make sure that you are attending all lectures and course activities, and submit all assignments, even if you don’t think you will do very well. You also need to talk to your course coordinator as soon as possible. Your lecturers are likely to have office hours you can take advantage of, some courses also have additional tutorials and support available. You can find out about all of these by talking to your course coordinator.

If you have done all of this, and still struggling with the course, you may consider withdrawing from it to be able to focus more on your remaining courses. You can do this online through your myUC account. (There is a deadline for this, so it is not always possible to withdraw.)

If the course you drop is required for your major, you will need to take it again. The majoring requirements are listed under each major. SCIE101 is also required for all BSc students starting their BSc in 2018 and onwards.

If the course you drop is not required for your major, you can retake it if you want to. Alternatively, you can take another course to replace it. If you are unsure, contact a Science Student Advisor.

What other support is available to me?

There are many support services available on campus, whether you are looking to remedy a specific problem, or just see if you can do better in any area of your life. See the full list of support services offered at UC.

Here are a few examples of various support services:

• Student Care Team can help with a wide range of topics. Some examples are juggling commitments, dealing with financial hardship, or understanding UC policies and processes.
• Equity & Disability Service can help mitigate the effects of physical or mental impairment, whether temporary or permanent.
• Academic Skills Centre have a range of workshops related to study skills and exam preparation. You can also book one on one appointments with them.