Electives

Electives are modules you can take that are not part of your programme. There are three types of electives:

• York Language Electives (YLEs): see further information below

• York Interdisciplinary Modules (YIMs):  see further information below

• General Electives: modules offered by departments/schools to students across the university.

For York Language Electives and York Interdisciplinary Modules, you can apply directly on e:vision.  A complete list of all elective modules, including YLEs, YIMs, and general electives, and instructions for how to apply can be found on the university's electives page:

Complete list of electives and instructions for how to apply

There are restrictions on how many electives you can take. The university allows students to take up to 1 elective per semester, 2 electives per stage, and 3 electives across your degree. You can take at most 1 module at the level below your current level per year (a so-called 'dipdown').
Please note: York Language Electives will no longer be dipdown modules (see section below). 

Check the requirements of your programme to see when electives are permitted. If you have questions about the requirements, ask your supervisor or Programme Leader.

If you would like to apply for a general elective, you need choose a backup module from the list of available options on your programme and enter it in the app in Week 4.  Applications for general electives need to be made on the university's electives website. Applications for semester 1 general electives open in the summer, after the semester 1 timetable for 2025/26 is released. The deadline for applying for a general elective in semester 1 is 22 August 2025, and the deadline for semester 2 is 16 January 2026. 

If your application to take the general elective is successful, you'll be switched from the backup module to the elective.

You can choose from a wide range of languages to study, with options year-to-year likely to include ​​Arabic, Chinese, Classical Latin, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Medieval Latin and Spanish. York Language Electives are available at Beginner, Elementary, Lower-Intermediate and Intermediate levels. Depending on the language and level, each YLE may be available in both Semester 1 and Semester 2, or in one semester only. 

Please note that YLEs will run based on demand. Students interested in taking a YLE should ideally apply between Monday 3 February and Saturday 8 March on e:vision. This means that the YLE is timetabled at a time that does not clash with their core and option modules. 

If you have taken a York Language Elective in the past, you may remember that these used to be dipdown modules (pass/fail) modules. Language electives from Beginner to Intermediate level for the languages specified above now align with your academic stage rather than being available as dipdown modules. This allows you to take two language electives within the same year (one per semester) and continue learning a language if there is room for electives in both semesters according to your programme specifications. This also means that you will get a mark instead of pass or fail, and the mark will count towards your average mark for the year. 

You can find all details about language electives in the YLEs 2025/26 Guidance Document and on the YLEs website.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Eloísa Monteoliva García at eloisa.monteolivagarcia@york.ac.uk.

If you are interested in studying a language as an extracurricular activity, you can do so through our Languages for All programme. Our courses are open to students, staff and members of the public as an opportunity to study languages at a more relaxed pace.

You can visit the the Languages for All website to find out more about the extracurricular language courses available each semester, registration deadlines, costs and further information.

Please note: LfA courses aren't electives because they're not taken for credit. If you'd like to take an LfA course, it will be in addition to your accredited modules and you'll still need to sign up for 3 modules (60 credits) each semester.