What will I study?
This course seeks to develop the core skills you will need to successfully study a degree at undergraduate level in the UK.
There is an initial semester of English (the English Foundation Course) which will prepare students for the two semesters of International Foundation Programme that follow.
After this, you will study 6 modules in total over the other two semester. These modules will help you develop the academic and English skills needed to successfully make the transition to studying in the UK and include global studies topics and a wide range of cultural texts to aid your learning. In addition, weekly topics of global studies are used across two modules to develop a broad understanding of core issues and how they can affect business.
You will also undertake 2 modules that will focus more on the world of business and IT, aiming to develop your business acumen. The first of these modules will introduce you to Information Technology and the impact this has on society. You’ll also gain practical experience using different computer software so you’ll be able to produce documents, spreadsheets, presentations and databases to a professional standard.
In the second of these modules you will be introduced to business and management. It aims to give you a greater understanding of some of the principal functions of business and an awareness of the impact of the internal and external environment.
Teaching and assessment
The International Foundation Programme in Business prepares you for a wide range of programmes within business by introducing the key concepts that will be built upon in your undergraduate studies. You will be taught by staff who have a combination of academic and real-world business experience, meaning that you can benefit from the theory and how this is applied to real case studies.
It also provides a solid grounding in general studies though core modules in English language to enable you to understand key texts through reading and critical analysis skills. These modules also focus on writing essays and reports, grammar – all of which will prepare you for your undergraduate studies.
In addition, you will also cover core aspects of ICT to enable you to perform at the level expected at undergraduate study. You will use a range of key software to produce documents, reports, presentations and illustrations of data.
The programme specifically develops your awareness of academic culture in the UK as well as intercultural issues to enable you to integrate well into student life within a UK university. It helps you to participate fully in lectures, seminars and project work and develop your independence. Intercultural skills are also an important employment tool that will be useful for you in the future.
The programme is designed to provide a solid foundation to studying in a British university and you will benefit from staff who are used to supporting international students through this important transition. Teaching and learning is carried out through seminars, lectures, tutorials and workshops, totaling around 15-20 hours per week. In addition, you will be expected to spend 15-20 hours a week on independent study through self-directed learning. Teaching and self-directed learning also makes use of the University’s electronic learning portal (Blackboard) and you will be encouraged to use the technology in preparation for your future studies.
You will be taught by module tutors to support your academic needs. In addition to this, you will be allocated a guidance tutor at the start of the programme. Your guidance tutor is your first point of contact for anything outside of the classroom that affects your learning. You will meet your guidance tutor at the start of each semester for a formal meeting. In-between this you can arrange to meet them at any point and they may also contact you if they need to meet you. All conversations with the guidance tutor are confidential and they will always be the first point of contact should you need them.
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