Pre-sessional Programme C

• Deliver effective oral presentations.
• Function within a variety of speaking situations in an academic context, including seminar discussions and tutorials.
• Identify key points in a lecture and take effective notes.
• Plan, structure, write and review extended pieces of writing.
• Demonstrate an understanding of academic writing conventions, to include in-text citation, referencing, direct quotation and bibliographies.
• Summarise and paraphrase effectively from written and spoken sources.
• Write reflectively on their academic development and independent learning.
• Use a range of reading strategies for different purposes.
• Critically read, analyse and evaluate academic texts.
• Locate, research and take effective notes from written sources.
• Work independently and collaboratively.

Part of your learning will be compulsory attendance at seminars. These are conducted by your tutor and include other pre-sessional students. These seminars allow you to discuss learning and ideas with your peers; develop speaking practice and use of academic language, and work with others.

The number of seminars and tutorials you have each week can vary slightly depending upon the timetable and assessment schedule. On average you attend 4 live seminar sessions per week as well as having a weekly individual tutorial with your tutor.

We understand the importance of having regular one to one tutorials with your tutor and these are carefully planned into your schedule. Typically held once a week, this time with your tutor is focused on key learning and assessment elements throughout the programme giving you time to ask questions and develop a deeper understanding of the personalised feedback you receive.

Throughout the programme, you will be regularly completing and submitting tasks.  Your tutor provides you with personalised feedback on these tasks which you can then apply to further improve your key skills. The feedback and tasks are also discussed in your tutorials.

We appreciate that undertaking study which may be different from what you are accustomed to can be challenging. A core team of highly experienced academic teaching and learning professionals who understand these challenges have designed the programme and provide extra support to help you achieve your learning goals in a supportive environment. We support you in a number of ways throughout the programme from seminars to your tutorials and buddy tasks.  However, we also provide other support systems:

We learn so much when we work with others and our understanding of a subject increases. Within the programme there are specific tasks and activities you do with your ‘study buddy’. A ‘study buddy’ is another student you work with and is allocated by your tutor. Your tutor will change who your ‘study buddy’ is during the programme to allow you to work with others and make new friends.

Independent learning is very important when studying at a UK university and is a skill that we help you to develop within the supportive environment. As well as undertaking learning within your seminar group, and with a buddy, there are many learning activities and tasks that you complete alone. You are then able to bring that learning and understanding to your seminar, study buddy or to your tutorials to get further help and guidance as you develop.

For both online and campus-based delivery, all students will be required to have the following technology for the full duration of their programme:

We also recommend that students use a headset with a microphone for use during seminars and tutorials