1st year taking 2nd year courses?

College Life
1

<p>Hey all,</p>

<p>I’m currently a first year student majoring in Economics and Philosophy.
I really do enjoy my course, and we’re required to take at least two electives alongside out major subjects, so I decided to take French and drama. However, next semester, I plan to drop drama and take English. What I really want to do is take English 202, mainly because my uni’s first year English classes are huge and really suck (course material). I’ve always been pretty spot on with my English, so I’m really keen to take 202. My South African university says the course has no perquisites (others state you’ll need to have taken 2 modules at 1st yr level, or require so many university credits, etc.). But I do not know if you can take courses that are not your year or below (eg. 3rd year student taking 2nd year course).</p>

<p>Is it allowed at most universities?
Do you recommend taking a course above your level? (Expected knowledge?)</p>

<p>We’re currently in between semesters, and I’m not near the admin office to ask for any help with this matter.</p>

<p>Thanks a million, guys</p>

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<p>Are you going to school in the states? I ask because most of what you said didn’t make a lot of sense to me.</p>

<p>At my university, to take any English 200+ class, you have to take 101 and 102 first.</p>

<p>As for taking classes that aren’t your “year”, that’s pretty common. Most courses at US schools aren’t specific to a certain year in school unless it’s a very tracked program such as engineering. But for most majors, you take things whenever you can fit them in. That sometimes means taking basic general eds as late as last semester or as early as first semester. It just depends.</p>

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<p>OP mentioned “South African university”…</p>

<p>But it is not generally that unusual for a first year student to take more advanced courses due to having completed the prerequisites ahead of time (if there are any prerequisites). Nor is it unusual for a more advanced student to take an introductory course in a subject outside of his/her major subject.</p>