Individualised Studies are a part of the curriculum that students independently select from their second semester or late (depending on the study programme). Individualised Studies consist of subjects from main study programme, other study programmess, Minor Studies, 20+ language courses, General University Studies. Subjects can be selected form students‘ home faculties and other University faculties. The list of Individualised Studies Subjects (Modules) can be found here.
Uniqueness
- Individualised studies provide the opportunity to gain a wider education, develop general competences. Choosing subjects from a certain field can be useful in the future, for example, make it easier to decide on postgraduate studies or plan a career path. The additional knowledge may be useful for job hunting in the future, as it allows to apply for positions requiring a wider range of competences.
Selection
- Individualised study subjects (modules) can be selected starting for the second semester of the first year (however, this depends on the study programme). Further selection of subjects/modules will have to be made in stages. Some subjects will be open to all students, while other subjects will be open to students who meet the pre-requisites. Choose your subjects according to your areas of interest, abilities, and desired career path. If you have any questions, feel free to use Univeristy’s student counselling services.
Responsibility
- It is important to pay attention to timetables when choosing individualised study subjects (modules). Each student is responsible for ensuring that individualised study subjects do not overlap with the timetable of compulsory subjects. However, in case selected subjects do overlap, students should select another individualised study subject there and select the subject during the next semester. Another option would be change the group of the main subject (if such an options is available).
WHAT SUBJECTS CAN BE SELECTED?
As there is a wide range of subjects (modules) to choose from, it is natural to wonder how these subjects differ from one another. You can find general descriptions of the subjects below. International students can select subjects form their main study programme, other study programmes, general university subjects and foreign languages.
What are general university subjects?
General University Studies are a part of individualised studies course units (modules) or can be selected separately (based on the main study programme). GUS covers various topics directed towards the development of general knowledge in a certain study field in all Undergraduate and Integrated study programmes at Vilnius University.
What foreign languages can be selected?
Vilnius University students of Undergraduate and Integrated study programmes can additionally study the chosen foreign language and thus expand their knowledge accumulated at the University. The list of avaibale foreign language subject can be found in the list of individualised study subject list.
HAVE QUESTIONS OR FIND IT HARD TO CHOOSE?
To make the choice of subjects/modules for individualised studies meaningful, you should keep in mind the importance of planning and looking forward in to the future. If you have any questions, it is recommended that you contact career counsellors and mentors, who can help guide to make better selection of individualised study subjects (modules).
Relavant information about individualised studies can be found on Univeristy’s Moodle platform. You can access the course here.
After joining the course you will find additional information:
- video about the registration process for individual studies;
- lists of subjects/modules for individual studies;
- additional advice from career counsellors;
- contacts of the University's lecturer-mentor network;
- also, you will have the opportunity to fill in a feedback form and contribute to the development of the Moodle course.
Vilnius University provides Career counselling which can help students get to know themselves better, goals for the future and identify the steps to achieve them. You can find out more about the careers center's services here.
Tips from Career Counsellors
Know yourself
Identifying your strengths and weaknesses, and a clear foundation of ones values will not only help you choose the right things that will be interesting to you, but also help you understand what kind of career you really want in the future: to be a specialist in the chosen field, or maybe the head of an organization? Whether you are interested in a government job or a non-profit organisation or you wish to contribute to the creation of Lithuania's future by developing your business?
Answer yourself the following questions:
- How do your interests and hobbies relate to the individual study subjects you want to choose?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses? Choose those things that match your strengths, but also think about those that can help you strengthen your weaknesses;
- Name three of your strengths and choose one you would like to improve on. Think of three examples (situations) that would prove of these traits. Ask 3–5 people who know you well (students, teachers, friends, family members) to provide examples as well. After receiving the results, identify your three most repeated features and the area that needs improvement.
Explore the possibilities
Find out which things are best suited for you. Evaluate not only the subject content but also the form. Think about whether you lack theoretical knowledge or practical skills such as public speaking, teamwork or problem-solving.
Answer yourself the following questions:
- What career opportunities will your selected subjects offer?
- Take a look at the World Economic Forum's "Future of Jobs Report" to find out about the most promising job fields and positions. Check which ones interest you the most.
- Now take a look at the descriptions of individualised study subjects and evaluate how these subjects match current labor market trends?
- How can these individual studies affect your academic and career path?
- Are you ready for the challenges that may arise when adapting to new study subjects (higher learning load, easier or maybe more difficult study subject).
- Is the field of this subject interesting enough that you are ready to explore it even after the lectures? For example, taking distance learning courses, talking to professionals in the field, etc.
Plan and make decisions
Remember that your study choices are your career choices, so choose responsibly! Knowing what are your future goals will allow you to start taking the first steps towards them now.
Answer the following questions for yourself:
- What are your long-term career goals and aspirations? That is, how do you see yourself 5 years after graduation? What is your ideal career scenario? And how do your individual studies fit into this scenario? If you don't have this scenario yet, create a vision for your career.
- When you are considering several suitable options and can't decide on a subject, a comparison of alternatives can help you decide. Find out how here.
If any issues related to selection occur, students have the opportunity to contact lectors-mentors from various University departments. Students can be consulted about academic or work-related goals and specific competencies related to a certain field. More information about mentoring can be found here.
Tips from lectures-mentors
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Faculty of Communication
Asist. dr. Saulė Jokūbauskienė
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I think it is important to take advantage of the opportunity to choose not only what is interesting, but also to maintain a systematic, complex approach in the general sense of the study period as if the puzzle pieces complement each other.
Today, in the digital age, it is important to highlight your originality, to be fully visible in an information field. Individualised studies can provide an opportunity to discover unexpected creative solutions.
I wish everyone to ask themselves, what do I want to do after my studies, what knowledge do I still need? Answers to these questions will be your guiding star, and studies will help you take the necessary path in the direction of your future.
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Life Siciences Centre
Dr. Renata Gudiukaitė
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The curator of your study program, the chair of the program or a mentor in a related field can tell you which subjects would be most valuable and will open up more career perspectives and job opportunities in the future.
Also, knowing your interests, and future vision vision can be useful in order to know what subjects would be the most useful.
It is important to check what subjects are offered in other study programs/university departments, which could help you to realise yourself in the future and will let you grow.
Are you interested in psychology, literature, philosophy, or law, but it is only a leisure activity? Have you dreamed of interviewing, and organizing events, but it remained only a dream or a hobby? Have you always been interested in the environment and life around you, but you chose to study history? Or maybe you want to learn a new foreign language?
When choosing individual studies, think about what subjects could help develop your personality.
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Faculty of Philosophy
Jurga Mataitytė-Diržienė
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When choosing individualised study subjects, first of all, you need to carefully study the list of mandatory subjects of your study program - not only their names but also review the description.
Another important thing is to research the field of work of the future profession you are interested in. Check out what organisations operate in this field, what groups of people they work with, or what social problems they try to solve. Try to assess what would be interesting to you for the next 40 years or more. 😊
Then look for individualised subjects that are related to the desired career path and would provide additional competencies.
And don't be afraid to ask lecturers for advice and help. Lecturers-mentors have a wider overview of the field and are more experienced. Therefore, insight and advice can help you make a better-informed decision.
And it should be remembered that the world is changing very rapidly and what may seem unnecessary today may be very important in just a few years. And of course, it can be the other way around.
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If you have any questions related to registration dates, individualised studies selection process or study process in general, we recommend contacting the academic counsellors at the Student Affairs and Career Office. Find more information or register for a consultation here.
Tips form Academic Consultants
- Stay up-to-date about registration information of Individualised study subjects (modules);
- If you have questions about registration or the content of Individualised study subjects, you are always welcome to contact the Students Affairs and Career Office or the academic counsellors in each academic department (faculty);
- Use the opportunity to contact the Individualised studies mentors or register for career consultation;
- Join the Moodle course “Individualised Studies”;
- Participate in events about choosing Individualised Studies.
Please note that the academic counsellors in the Student Affairs and Career Office can advise and offer alternatives not only on questions about Individualised studies options, but also on the entire study process or the challenges that arise.
If you have questions about the registration system, you can find the user manual here.
F.A.Q
How do I know in which study semesters I have to select Individualised study subjects (modules)?
You can check whenever you must choose Individualised study subjects in your study programme plan, for example:
Here we can see that in the 2nd study semester, in the addition to the compulsory courses, students will have the opportunity to choose 5 ECTS worth Individualised Studies.
Where and when will I be able to register?
The first registration will be start from the second semester (depending on the study programme). and continue in subsequent study semesters. The registration takes place in the VU eStudent environment (VUSIS) on the set dates each semester.
What subjects will be available for selection? What will be the main principles for choosing these subjects?
Some subjects will be open to all university students, while others will have specific prerequisites. When choosing study subjects (modules) of individualised studies, it is recommended to check whether there are no prerequisites for the subject.
Will the cost of tuition and study load change?
Selecting individualised studies does not affect neither the tuition costs neither the overall study load.
What happens if a group is not formed after selecting the desired subject (module) and the subject cancelled?
In case if the group is not formed, the individualised study subject will, unfortunately, be cancelled. In this case, students will be informed and will be able to register for another study subject. Registration will take place during the first two weeks of the new semester. Exact dates are published in the VU Study Information System (VUSIS).
What happens if a student gets a debt for an individual study subject (module)?
The student will be able to choose to repeat the course of the same subject and retake it or choose another individualised study subject to liquidate the debt.
How does individualised studies differ from an individual study plan?
The subjects of individualised studies, unlike the individual study plan, are provided in the study programme plan. An individual study plan is an individual arrangement of the subjects studied and their settlement during the semester(s), drawn up at the request of the student (and changed if necessary). Students can create an individual study plan, even if the program includes individualised studies, it means that the student has the right to submit a request to change the compulsory subjects of the study programme or their arrangement in semesters. However, we must emphasize that this is only possible with the approval of the study programmee committee/committee chairman.
Is it possible to change subjects of individualised studies after choosing?
Individualised study subjects can be changed during the first two weeks of the new semester. Exact dates are published in the VU Study Information System (VUSIS).
I want to choose individualised study subjects (modules), but I have special needs. Can I choose?
Individualised study subjects (modules) can be selected by all undergraduate students from the second semester of their studies (or later, depending on the study programme plan). If you have questions about the selection of individualised studies related to special needs, it is recommended to contact the Disability Affairs Coordinator. You can find more information about studies and individual needs here.
