Elective Courses

Short Definition

Elective Courses are courses that students can choose to take, often outside of their major requirements.

In-depth Overview

Elective Courses

Long definition: Elective courses in higher education are classes or subjects that students can choose to take based on their personal interests, career goals or academic preferences. These courses are typically not mandatory for a specific degree program but allow students to tailor their education by selecting topics that align with their individual academic and professional aspirations.

Etymology: The term "elective" originates from the Latin word "electivus", meaning "to choose". It reflects the core idea that students have the freedom to choose these courses based on their preferences.

Synonyms or related academic terms: Optional Courses, Choice Courses, Selective Courses.

Examples of Use:

• As part of their degree requirements, students must complete a certain number of elective courses in addition to core courses.
• John decided to take elective courses in psychology to complement his major in business administration.
• Elective courses offer students the flexibility to explore diverse subjects such as art history, environmental science or philosophy.

Translations:
Spanish: Cursos Electivos
French: Cours à Option
German: Wahlfächer
Italian: Corsi Eletti
Portuguese: Cursos Eletivos
Japanese: 選択科目 (Sentaku Kamoku)
Chinese (Simplified): 选修课程 (Xuǎnxiū Kèchéng)
Hindi: वैकल्पिक पाठ्यक्रम (Vaikalpik Pathyakram)

Visitors interested in exploring elective course offerings at universities can search for relevant programs using the uniRank World Universities Search Engine.

unirank Glossary Classification

Miscellaneous higher education terms > University academic terms