Student LifeUniversity of British Columbia

How to Navigate Your Degree

How to Navigate Your Degree

Failed a class? 

Didn’t get the credits you need? 

Here are some must-dos to make your degree journey stress-free.

1. Know Your Degree Requirements

Electives allow you to learn about topics outside of your major, while these can be great learning experiences it is important to keep in mind the requirements of your degree to ensure that you can graduate on time and without any surprise delays due to some missed credits. 

You must know and understand the courses you must take each year. You’ll also need to know which specific courses are offered within your degree and any prerequisites for your specialization. This will help you to plan ahead and ultimately, save you time, money, and stress!

2. Consider Any Alternatives

If you missed an important requirement or failed a class that’s a required prerequisite, consider taking distance education courses or registering for a course over the summer. 

You should explore all of your options before you get stressed out as most universities in Canada now offer distance courses which means you don’t necessarily have to be in a classroom to get those credits, and whatever situation you are having, this is worth considering.

Being flexible and open-minded is key, especially considering that sometimes life doesn’t go the way you wanted it to - and who knows? You might even find yourself finishing that course in just six weeks instead of four months.

3. Have a Plan B

It’s always nice and reassuring to have a backup plan - and honestly, we all know how frustrating it can get when your Plan A didn’t work out the way you wanted it to.

You should plan out exactly what to do if you fail a course especially those ‘important’ ones. In most schools, you can take them again over the summer if you have failed it in the winter session. 

It is important to know that some courses are not always offered in the summer session, and the worst-case scenario is your course will only be taught once a year, which means if you need that course in order to maintain good academic standing, you might have a problem.

Go to your faculty advisor and talk to them about your academic standing, this way you know exactly how your school determines who can continue in the program and who cannot, or else you might find yourself in first year struggling to get into second year.

4. Be Positive and Open-Minded

You might be super motivated and passionate about the things in your program, and if so that’s absolutely great! But it is also nice to keep in mind that our interests and abilities can and do change over time. 

Don’t pressure yourself if you had to switch your program, I know it is easier said than done especially if you’re in the upper years, but realistically speaking, why would you want to pursue something you’re no longer passionate about? Your degree and education costs money, time, and persistence - and I am sure you know that by now... so why not make the most out of it?

Even in extenuating circumstances, if you feel like sticking to your program, why don’t you consider your alternatives, just like we previously talked about - a lot of universities nowadays offer dual-degree programs, combined degree (i.e. MBA in five years), double majoring, and you can even declare a major in your faculty and do a minor in different faculty, these are now more common than you might think!