Incoming

Modules

Below you will find essential information to help you apply for modules, including School-Specific Guidance and Restrictions.  Getting things right at the application stage will save you time and effort later on!

Getting Started

You will be applying for individual modules (you may know them as courses, classes or units) – not programmes. This means you have a great module choice from across the University.  But it also makes it essential for you to do some careful research before completing your online application form.

The modules you select on your application form are the ones we will try to pre-enrol you in once you are accepted to the Study Abroad Programme.  We won’t be able to accept changes to your selection until much later in the admissions process.

Please look at our module catalogue and seek advice and approval from your academic and exchange advisers at your home university.  Ask your adviser to approve your Leeds modules before you submit your online application form, although please note that their approval does not guarantee your place on the module (this will be decided by the University of Leeds, not by your home university).

When you access the module catalogue make sure you check the search box ‘Search by Incoming Study Abroad’. This will mean that you are looking at modules that are open to Study Abroad and Exchange students.

Competition for Places

There is a lot of competition for places on modules at Leeds, particularly in Business, English, Politics, History, Law, Sociology & Social Policy and the Foreign Language Teaching Unit.  We recommend that anyone wishing to study in these areas submit their application as early as possible.

School-Specific Guidance and Restrictions

Several schools have specific guidance on module selection and the Schools of Design, English and Psychology have strict restrictions which you should check before making your application.

General School Guidance on Module Availability
Classics Department Module Selection Guidance
Design Module Selection Guidance
School of English Guidelines for ERASMUS Students

Postgraduate Modules

There is no guarantee that you will be allowed to take postgraduate (PG) modules even if you are currently studying at postgraduate level. 

Some Schools occasionally allow this but the following do not accept applications for PG modules under any circumstances: 
The Business School, Civil Engineering, Colour Chemistry, Design, Education, English, Health Care, History, Medical Physics, School of Modern Languages and Cultures, Politics and International Studies.

How Many Credits?

A full-time workload at Leeds is 60 Leeds credits (30 ECTS) per semester.  Please do not try to do more than this: remember that you will experience a whole new academic system, and it may take some getting used to.

However, you should apply for more modules than you need, in case some of your choices are already full.  We would recommend selecting a maximum of 80-100 credits per semester; please select the modules in order of preference when completing the online application form.

European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)

The University of Leeds module catalogue does not use ECTS credits.  In order to work out how many ECTS credits a Leeds module is worth, divide the number of Leeds credits by two (e.g a 20 credit Leeds module is worth 10 ECTS)

Choose the Right Level

It sounds obvious, but it will save you work later! 

The first number in the module code refers to the level at Leeds 1, 2 or 3.  Degrees only last three years in England, so even if you will be in your third year of study while you are at Leeds, this does not mean you will automatically be accepted for Level 3 classes.  Make sure you have covered the content of any pre-requisite classes listed in the module catalogue.  If it is not clear from your transcript that you have the pre-requisite knowledge for a class, you are welcome to upload a statement about this with your supporting documents.

Teaching Period

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 – January.
• ‘Taught Semester 2’ – this module runs from January – June.
• ‘Taught Semester 1&2’ – this module runs from September – June.
• ‘Taught Semester 1; Semester 2’ – this module is taught from September - January, and then again from January – June.