Electives make up a significant part of each course load and are simply courses that students choose, or elect, to take that are not apart of the required classes that make up a degree.

While they are usually up to the student to pick, granted they are chosen from an approved list, certain electives may help supplement certain majors.

“I encourage students to take courses which will help them develop some sort of skill set or reinforce some ability that is useful,” said John T. Collins, associate professor of political science and history at UNA. “I encourage them to take personally or intellectually challenging courses for their electives.”

Some advisors suggest electives based on their students’ majors and what would supplement their education the best.

“(I suggest electives) usually based on their major and what fits well with our major,” said John Hodges, associate professor of social work at UNA. “Some of our students take electives in sociology, psychology and Spanish which would go well with a social work major. I sometimes advise students based on classes that I’m hearing from advisees that are really worthwhile.”

Some advisors suggest electives that the student can tie in with both their personal interests and academics.

“(I typically) encourage students to select electives within their interests to the limit that they will be useful to them in either their degree or their minor,” said Cynthia Burkhead, assistant professor of English. “I do believe that many of the electives at the university can be connected to the major in a creative way.”

Some students may choose their electives based on personal interests.

“I just kind of choose whatever (elective) interests me,” said Ashley White, an entertainment industry major at UNA. “College is about just kind of choosing classes that could spark your interests in other places. I just kind of choose whatever interests me and if it changes my mind about something, cool.”

Some students only pick “interesting” electives after they make sure they have the classes they need for their major.

“I first make sure that I have everything that I need and then I look at electives that would qualify as my major — that would actually go along with it,” said Kelsey Hyche, a childhood development major at UNA. “Then, if I don’t find anything in those that seem interesting, then I pick one that sounds really interesting or that I would like to do that I might not get to do with my major.”

However, advisors suggest not taking an elective because it is easy.

“What I would say is don’t take a course because somebody told you it was easy — an easy A — and just sit there and waste that time,” Collins said.