Switching extra courses such as Divination and Arithmancy

Great beirniny · #1 08-28-2007, 21:56

Hey guys, I was wondering if you thought that a fourth year could switch from Arithmancy to muggle studies in the middle of the 3rd marking period.
Thanks for answering!

harrypotterfangirl21 · #2 08-28-2007, 22:58

I'm not sure about this, but I don't think that they could. After all, wouldn't Harry and Ron have skived off Divination then?

No, I think that the classes you pick for your third year are the ones you have to stick with until you take your OWLs.

Stubbornly_appeared · #3 08-28-2007, 23:10

My first respose to this was no, but then I remembered how Hermione said something at the end of POA when Ron mentioned usuing a fellytone along the lines of "Honestly, Ron, you should take Muggle Studies next year."

So I think you might be able to change after third year, but I don't know about after that. It might require some catching-up, though.

cmwinters · #4 08-29-2007, 03:07

I sincerely doubt it. Hermione dropped Divination but we only have that one example of a student doing that, and in the middle of the period, especially one so late in the year, you wouldn't have the background in the class to keep up with what the assignments and exams were.

AurorKeefy · #5 08-29-2007, 09:06

I am inclined to think it would be possible, though extremely unlikely. As Cmwinters and Stubbornly Appeared pointed out, anyone changing subjects after the first term or two of third year is going to have masses to catch up with. Most students wouldn't be able to cope with that sort of self-study and catching up, but there are exceptions. I think people of Hermione and Percy's ilk (Rather than James and Sirius, say) would be able to put in the necessary reading to catch up, eventually.
Of course even students of that caliber would be at a huge disadvantage, so I think the circumstances for changing subjects would have to be fairly extreme. I don't think a dislike of it or an argument with the teacher (however severe) would cut it. I think we're talking about a Divination 3rd year in OotP, who is allergic to Centaurs. That kind of thing. So possible, but not greatly plausible.