Electives

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

• Language Electives: 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 Language Electives and York Interdisciplinary Modules, you can apply directly on e:vision.  A complete list of all elective modules, including Language Electives, 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: From 2026/27, Language Electives are year long 20 credits modules which run over 22 weeks. Language Electives can count either towards your semester 1 modules or towards your semester 2 modules. This means that you will study the Language Elective alongside two other modules in one semester, and alongside three other modules in the other semester. 

Check the requirements of your programme to see when electives are permitted. If you have questions about the requirements, ask your supervisor or your 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 2026/27 is released. The deadline for applying for a general elective in semester 1 is 21 August 2026, and the deadline for semester 2 is 22 January 2027. 

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. Language Electives are available at Beginner, Pre-Intermediate and Intermediate levels. 

Please note that Language Electives will run based on demand. Students interested in taking a Language Elective should ideally apply between Monday 2 February and Saturday 7 March on e:vision. This means that their Language Elective  is timetabled at a time that does not clash with their core and option modules. 

You can find all details about Language Electives in the LFA General Information 2026/27 Document and on the dedicated departmental website.

If you have any questions, please email lls-ug-enquiries@york.ac.uk.

If you are interested in studying a language as an extracurricular activity, you can  visit the the Languages For All website to find out more about the extracurricular language courses available, registration deadlines, costs and further information. The courses are open to students, staff and members of the public.

Apply through our website between mid August to late September 2026. You can sign up to get a notification when registration opens.