First, do all of my upper level coursework relate to my field? This is a very good question. The only way to know for sure is to ask yourself what you hope to achieve with your degree. If, for example, you are interested in becoming a doctor or a lawyer, you might want to consider a more advanced degree such as the Masters of Science degree in Medical Organization and Management. These require many more credit hours than your standard Bachelor’s degree and can take four years or more depending on your area of concentration and how fast you wish to pursue your studies.
Secondly, is any of my upper level coursework important to me? If you are pursuing a higher degree, then you should be able to answer this question. Answering this question means that you have carefully considered what your career goals are, and this will play a large part in what type of coursework you choose to pursue. As such, if you are pursuing a degree in Social Work or Social Service, for example, you will not be able to take much more than a semester of upper level coursework in these subjects, and will likely do all of your coursework through your bachelor’s program.
Thirdly, is the course material important enough to me that I need to do upper level coursework? In short, you need to be extremely motivated to complete your courses. This does not mean that you must be obsessed with your studies, only motivated. If, for instance, your upper level coursework involves learning medical Terminologies, then learning them is important to you, but if you are already knowledgeable in these, it would probably be senseless to do upper level coursework in the medical field.
Fourthly, is there a specific course of action that I need to take to achieve my upper level coursework goals? The only course of action that you need to take for your upper level coursework is one that will allow you to move forward in your educational path. It may be that you want to gain a Bachelor’s in Social Service, but do not really care about gaining knowledge in Law or Business Administration. In this case, do what you need to do in order to make the most of your time, without having to worry about what you want to do with your life.
Fifthly, is there a particular person or department that I should focus my efforts on in upper level coursework? In this case, again, you will have some leeway. But do keep in mind that many instructors will view you more favorably if you choose one topic that is relevant to their own teaching style. Also keep in mind that some topics are easier to teach than others. So choose wisely.
Sixthly, how much can I personalize what is considered upper level coursework? You can always choose to tailor your assignment to meet the needs of your instructor. Although this usually yields better results, sometimes the material is too general for your instructor to meet your needs.
Seventhly, what is considered upper level coursework? An upper level coursework is completed after completion of the lower-level coursework, plus the requirements of your instructor. It is often an elective or a project that requires additional lab hours and sometimes independent study in order to complete it. For this reason, it is not typically required for entry into most graduate programs.
