What will I study?
The University of St Andrews offers award-winning teaching alongside varied and unique module choices.
Faculties
You will be admitted to an exchange and study abroad programme through one of the University's Faculties: Arts, Divinity, or Science (exchange and study abroad students are not permitted to take modules in the Faculty of Medicine). Within the Faculties of Arts and Science, academic subjects are grouped into Schools and Departments.
Your degree programme, background and module choices will be used to determine the most appropriate Faculty for you.
Teaching
Teaching at St Andrews is innovative and research-led. Class sizes and modes of teaching vary depending on subject and level, from traditional lectures to small tutorial groups, lab classes and fieldwork.
When not attending lectures, tutorials and workshops, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve:
- working on individual and group projects
- undertaking research in the library
- preparing coursework assignments and presentations
- preparing for examinations.
The module catalogue gives an indication of available courses for undergraduate and postgraduate students. You can search for a particular module or browse and filter modules by discipline, School, or level of study.
You will be taught by a teaching team with expertise and knowledge of your subject as well as postgraduate research students who contribute to the research and teaching in their respective disciplines.
In addition to the studies in your Faculty, optional academic support is available through practical study skills courses and workshops hosted within the University.
The University’s Student Services team and our Advice and Support Centre (ASC) can act as the first port of call for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Their task is to reflect back, to suggest options, to create support strategies and open doors; throughout the whole student experience, night and day. They can provide additional support in other areas, for example in circumstances arising from disabilities or long-term medical conditions.
Assessment
The University operates on a 20-point common reporting scale for grades. Find out more about the common reporting scale.
Each module you take will be assessed in the same semester in which you are taught. Assessment varies across subjects and modules, but is usually in the form of assessed coursework and exams at the end of the semester. Examinations are typically held during a dedicated exam diet with revision time provided beforehand. The module catalogue details assessment methods for each module.
Students who fail the assessment for a particular module with a grade between 4.0 and 6.9 are offered an opportunity to resit the module. Reassessments are generally held in St Andrews in August unless a specific arrangement is in place with your home institution.
When you pass a module, you will receive the credits for that module as well as a grade. This grade will appear on your transcript, which you will receive when you have completed your studies.
Schools and Departments provide feedback on every assessment, with a view to improving your performance in future.
Modules
As an exchange or study abroad student, you can take modules from Faculties other than your own (except Medicine) where the timetable allows and where you have the appropriate background.
Students usually take 60 credits (30 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) per semester or 120 credits per academic year. This typically means you will take between three and four modules per semester.
Most modules at St Andrews, particularly at Honours level, involve a significant amount of course-based research, which provides students with an opportunity to refine their independent research skills and prepare for postgraduate study.