The International Foundation Year is a three-term programme of academic subjects, study skills and English language training designed to help international students succeed in a UK classroom environment and meet the entry requirements for undergraduate study. Once you complete the programme and achieve the required grades which is between 60% to 65% depending on the progression degree, you can enter the first year of your chosen undergraduate degree at the University.

Our Social Sciences programme will prepare you for a degree across a range of areas, including Film, History, Journalism, Politics, Television and Psychology. During your International Foundation Year you will study four modules.

Academic English Skills: This module will teach you how to read, write, speak and understand English. As you progress through the module you will be taught a number of English language skills, including:

Sentence structure when writing
Scanning content for key information
Learning how to construct and deliver presentations

Social Sciences with Mathematics: The main focus of this module is looking at society through the topics of culture and identity, globalisation, mass media, and crime and deviance. You will also study the methods used in sociological research, which includes a mathematical element. This will prepare you for your own research project. After completing this module you will have a good knowledge of the main concepts of sociology and its research methods, as well as an understanding of the influences shaping modern society.

When you arrive at the International Study Centre we will help you choose two of the following elective modules, depending on your degree programme.

Media Studies: Media Studies is provided as an elective module for students interested in pursuing a media-related degree or have a specific interest in exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of Media. Through the module you will develop an understanding of key concepts underpinning different activities and an appreciation of the critical views of media and culture.

Psychology: Our Psychology module covers the theoretical approaches to psychology, research methods, human memory, childhood development, stress and psychopathology. You will also carry out a practical research project, which involves completing and analysing the results of a psychological experiment. At the end of the year you will have a strong understanding of the key concepts and theories of psychology, as well as practical research skills.