I have applied for three level-eight degree programmes in UCD, in my CAO application. I am still somewhat confused about the concept of modularisation. A friend suggested that it means that you have to study subjects outside your degree programme of choice. Could you explain UCD's modularisation structure in plain English?

To answer your friend's suggestion, modularisation allows you to study two subjects outside your own degree programme, but you can also choose to stay completely within your own degree programme. All modularisation gives you is the choice to do either. Since UCD revised the undergraduate curriculum two years ago, students are still getting used to the idea of putting together modules to form their degree.

Here is a quick guide for students who have listed UCD degree programmes in their recent CAO application.

Each full-time year is divided into two semesters. Students take six modules each semester and are marked on continuous assessment, projects and/or semester exams.

Each course offers 10 core modules per year. In some cases, such as the BComm (DN015) students take all 10 core modules in common until third year, when they can specialise in streams such as marketing, accounting, management, finance and human resources.

With other omnibus degrees such as science (DN008) there is much wider choice in first year and students have up to 24 options from which to choose their 10 core modules.

There is a guide to the options on the UCD website www.ucd.ie. Click the CAO code DN008, and then click "picking first year subjects". This shows students the pathways that will open up from the combination of modules they choose. The science programme office also has a student help desk, and encourages first years to come along before they sign up for modules.

In Arts, (DN012) students can choose their 10 modules from three or four subjects in first year and specialise at a later year. The subjects are broken into six groups and students make their choices from the different groups. These groups are listed under "timetable" in the DN012 section on the UCD website.

With regard to the two elective modules, students are free to select their final two modules each year from throughout the university. This effectively means a medical student could take a module in music and a business student a module in archaeology but there are conditions. Firstly, students must choose their core modules first and cannot pick an elective that clashes with their core timetable. Secondly, there can be class size restrictions and finally some electives, especially after first year, may require prior learning.

Students are free to pick their two electives from within or outside their core subject area. Over the past two years, the breakdown between first-years choosing within and outside is about 50:50. Top choices among those picking outside are applied languages, psychology, computing, business management and law.

Having the choice of two electives each year gives students the opportunity to study a subject of interest that might be complementary to their core degree, such as history of art for an architecture student, or to delve deeper into their core degree by choosing modules within the degree, for example in theoretical physics students can take further modules in maths.

It can be daunting to work through all the modules so the best advice is to choose your degree according to your interests and your aptitude. Electives do not have to be chosen as part of the CAO process, so you have plenty of time to look into them. If you accept a UCD programme in August, you will have an opportunity to meet staff who can help you through the process.

Brian Mooney is the former president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors.

E-mail questions to bmooney@irish- times.ie