Choosing the right courses

Choosing the right courses is very important – not just for your career outcomes but also your enjoyment of the time you’ll spend at Uni.

What to do if you haven’t chosen the right course or degree

The fact that you may have chosen the wrong course is okay – sometimes things don’t work out in the way you thought they would. But if you are doing a course you don't enjoy or can't see the point of, it is time to take action rather than continuing.

One troublesome course can ruin both your enjoyment and marks for a whole semester, so check some of the strategies below:

• See the lecturer and/or tutor to find out if the material you have found difficult or uninspiring is typical of the course.  Perhaps the course is going to turn a corner and become much more suitable for you in the next couple of lectures after the introductory material. Maybe they can explain some parts of the material that you are finding most troublesome and get you back on top of the course.
• Some persistence is necessary to get through university study. Putting a bit more time and effort in might help you feel more positive about it.
• If you think that there is very little chance that you will come to enjoy or pass the course, it may be best to withdraw from it. See the coordinator of your study program to find out what impact withdrawal from the course would have (eg is it a pre-requisite for later subjects?)
• If you wish to withdraw try to do so before the census date in each semester (31 March and 31 August), otherwise you will have to pay the course fees, whether you complete it or not.
• If you miss withdrawing before the census date at least try to withdraw before the 'Withdraw No Fail' (WNF) date.  A WNF does not affect your Grade Point Average (GPA), so there will be no academic consequences if you withdraw by the WNF date, although financially you will still be liable to pay the course fees.  (Please refer to significant dates for more information.)

If you'd like to chat about your options for transfer or mid-year entry into a new program etc (either before or after you see your faculty), the Prospective Students Office is able to help. Contact that office on (08) 8303 4203 or via email at future.students@adelaide.edu.au or drop in at Level 6, Hughes Building.