International Pre-Masters Programme

You must have graduated from university with a good grade point average (GPA). Applicants will only be eligible for entry at postgraduate level if they have completed a full undergraduate degree programme.
 
There are September and January entry points into this programme. Please note that we will only consider you for January entry if you intend to study in the same field as your first degree or you have gained substantial work experience in the area you wish to study. If you want to change academic areas e.g. your first degree is in a science based subject and you want to study business at masters level but have no business work experience, then we will only consider your application for September entry. Please contact us if you have any questions about this.
 
The minimum language requirement for students joining in September is IELTS 5.5 (with a minimum of 5.0 in all skills) or TOEFL 525 PBT (3.5 TWE)/69 iBT (no skill below 14).
 
For students joining in January, the minimum language requirement is IELTS 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.0 in all skills) or TOEFL 550 PBT (3.5 TWE)/80 iBT (no skill below 14). Passes in other English language examinations such as Cambridge examinations may be taken into consideration if taken within the past two years. Please contact us if you need more details about this.

The International Pre-Masters Programme is designed to provide a structured pathway into graduate programmes related to the fields of Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Business Management, Law and Psychology for international students of high potential. The full-time programme aims to:
 

• Support you in gaining entry to some of the best postgraduate degree programmes at King’s and other top UK universities
• Provide you with a range of study, English and communication skills to help you succeed in your graduate study in the UK
• Improve your understanding of and ability to use academic English appropriately and effectively at graduate level
• Introduce you to the British educational system and the traditional lecture/seminar/tutorial format
• Provide you with a specially designed course related to the academic field in which you intend to specialise.

 
Teaching will be mainly classroom-based (full-time for an average of 20 hours per week) and will include self-study, research and revision. You will be taught in small groups (a maximum of 15 students) for your academic English and optional module seminars.

We know how difficult it can be to understand the UK academic environment and application system so we provide weekly workshops that introduce you to the culture and practices of the British education system. The weekly workshops and individual tutorials will help you to identify and successfully apply for postgraduate degree programmes at King’s and other UK universities.
 
Many of the students who follow our International Pre-Masters Programme go on to successful study at King’s – all of our 2007/8 cohort who applied for masters programmes at King’s have received offers for 2008/9 study. Our other students go onto successful study at other prestigious UK universities such as LSE, UCL, Imperial, St Andrews, Warwick, Bristol and Cambridge.
 
Students who wish to study their degree at King’s are eligible to follow a direct entry application route. This means that King’s departments see your graduate applications quicker and make faster entry decisions.
 
You will be fully supported in choosing your degree programme and the best university for your needs, making your direct entry applications to King’s, if applicable, and making your applications for graduate degree programmes at other British universities. We will also support you in preparing for any interviews that you might have to attend by providing input and practice in interview and presentation techniques.

The programme is made up of two core modules and one optional module.
 
Core Modules
You will be required to take the two following core modules:
 
I. Academic English for Pre-Masters Students The aim of this module is to improve your communicative English ability in an academic setting. You will practise and develop your listening, speaking, reading and writing skills as well as improving your grammar, vocabulary knowledge and pronunciation. This module will concentrate on the following specific areas:
 

• Listening & note-taking
• Reading academic texts
• Research skills
• Graduate essay writing
• Discussion & presentation skills
• Examination techniques

 
Term one gives you a foundation in the communicative skills that are required at university and on your graduate degree programme. You will have input in and practise those skills considered essential in UK universities such as approaching writing, avoiding plagiarism, dealing with academic texts, engaging in critical analysis and participating in lectures and seminars.
 
Terms two and three build on the progress you’ve made in term one, enabling you to really build on and manipulate the way you use your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills and strategies. You will further your understanding and knowledge of critical analysis and what this means in the UK and will take greater responsibility for your own language and skills development outside classes by applying taught strategies and feedback in your own work and study. You will also be expected to engage increasingly with the type and length of academic texts that you will deal with on your graduate degree programmes.
 
Students who want to enter the programme in January will need to be able to demonstrate that they have already acquired the skills developed in term one through their higher IELTS scores.
 
II. Culture, Theory & Society
The aim of this module is to introduce you to the key debates and perspectives on the contemporary issues that you will be expected to be familiar with when you start your graduate degree. It will also introduce you to the concepts of critical thinking and the evaluative expectations of a UK university environment. The module is divided into four units:
 

1. Britain
2. Political Systems & Power Relations
3. Economics, British Culture & Social Values
4. Modern Morality

 
These topics have been chosen for their universal relevance, but also in recognition that there is often a British institutional narrative that you need to be aware of and able to discuss before you can successfully put your thoughts and argumentation into convincing and credible analysis. Within the four units, the debate will be supplemented by an introduction to theoretical standpoints that you are likely to encounter in your future degree.
 
This module will also help you become more familiar with the university lecture – seminar system and help you understand typical academic assessment frameworks. These will be combined with a development of study skills to complement the core academic programme. Term one is used as a foundation term to introduce key concepts that are then expanded and developed in terms two and three.
 
Optional Modules
You will also select one of the following optional modules in addition to your core modules:
 
III. Business Management with Integrated Study Skills (Full)
The aim of this module is to provide you with an understanding of the world of business and of the environment in which it operates, with particular reference to the UK and the European Union. The first term gives you a formative grounding from which to explore more advanced topics within the study of business management later in the course. It deals explicitly with different business structures, and with the external influences upon business, with particular emphasis on the EU and the issue of globalisation.
 
In terms two and three, the course takes you through the main functional areas of business by means of such topics as marketing, human resource management and finance. In addition, current issues of importance in the world of business will also be addressed, with case studies forming an integral part of the course. These areas will include the growth of small firms, the role of big business, organisational structures, corporate social responsibility, business ethics, the impact of technological change, business cultures and the effect of government policy in the field of regulating business.
 
The integrated study skills will also support your academic subject knowledge by developing your vocabulary, reading, writing and speaking skills within the area of business management through the provision of pre- and post-lecture language support classes.
 
If you want to enter the programme in January, you will need to demonstrate prior knowledge of the content covered in term one in your application through reference to your previous study and/or relevant work experience.
 
IV. European Studies with Integrated Study Skills The aim of this module is to provide you with an understanding of the post-war European environment, with particular reference to the creation, development and expansion of the European Union. The first term introduces you to the history of the European Union, its major treaties and key EU institutions and gives you a thorough foundation in this area.
 
In term two, you will build on the first term’s historical perspective. You will examine both national and European influences on the European policy making stage and assess the democratic legitimacy of the project, the federal implications and ideals of EU citizenship. This will be complemented by scrutiny of the process (and results) of European elections, lobbying and interest groups at a trans-national level and concepts of EU citizens and borders.
 
Term three will revisit and update some of the ideas and arguments presented in term one (such as current discussions over ‘enlargement’), and will also increase your awareness of extra-EU debates which have an implicit effect on the European Union (e.g. the role of religion and the media).
 
The integrated study skills will also support your academic subject knowledge by developing your vocabulary, reading, writing and speaking skills within the area of European studies through the provision of pre- and post-lecture language support classes.
 
If you want to enter the programme in January, you will need to demonstrate prior knowledge of the content covered in term one in your application through reference to your previous study and/or relevant work experience.
 
V. International Relations with Integrated Study Skills (Limited places available)
This module gives you an introduction to the structure and changing nature of the world order in the 20th and early 21st centuries. It will also introduce key theoretical approaches to the study of international relations. The first term provides a foundation and historical backdrop to the study of international relations through consideration of the major theoretical approaches and examination of the major historical events of the 20th century. It will also provide a background narrative for the shaping of the world order in the post-Cold War era.
 
Term two examines the structure of International Relations in the post-Cold War world as determined through different approaches and analysis. Within this context, there will be a focus on the changing role of international organisations and institutions (e.g. the United Nations and the World Bank).
 
In term three, the uniting themes are ‘the concept of globalisation’ and ‘the challenges and opportunities with which the world is confronted in the 21st century’. You will be introduced to these issues through geographical (e.g. Asia and Africa) and thematic (e.g. energy and health) frameworks.
Throughout the course, the theoretical framework introduced in term one (in particular realism, structuralism and Marxism) will be revisited and re-examined as your factual knowledge and critical skills increase.
 
The integrated study skills will also support your academic subject knowledge by developing your vocabulary, reading, writing and speaking skills within the area of international relations through the provision of pre- and post-lecture language support classes.
 
If you want to enter the programme in January, you will need to demonstrate prior knowledge of the content covered in term one in your application through reference to your previous study and/or relevant work experience.
 
VI. Law with Integrated Study Skills (Limited places available)
This module gives you an introduction to English law. It also aims to develop your analytical skills together with a critical approach to judicial decisions. The course is divided into two parts: the first will examine the English legal system, with particular reference to the courts, the sources of law, the personnel and funding; the second part will focus on substantive law, crime, tort and contract.
 
The integrated study skills will also support your academic subject knowledge by developing your vocabulary, reading, writing and speaking skills within the area of law through the provision of pre- and post-lecture language support classes.
 
If you want to enter the programme in January, you will need to demonstrate prior knowledge of the content covered in term one in your application through reference to your previous study and/or relevant work experience.
 
VII. Psychology with Integrated Study Skills This module gives you an introduction to the exploration and understanding of human behaviour, taking into account historical influences on explanations of behaviour. Term one provides you with an introduction to a range of core areas in psychology and a formative grounding from which you will later be able to explore more advanced concepts. Discussion at this early stage will centre around the different theoretical perspectives that research psychologists take in their study of their subjects, and ethical considerations and research methods will be introduced.
 
Other topics covered in this programme include: individual differences (personality and intelligence), social and cognitive development, memory and perception, and social psychology (conformity, obedience and prosocial behaviour). Certain areas will be examined and evaluated through a variety of approaches (behaviourist, cognitive, social, psychological, etc). The final term focuses on descriptions and explanations of abnormal behaviour, such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and eating disorders.
 
The integrated study skills will also support your academic subject knowledge by developing your vocabulary, reading, writing and speaking skills within the area of psychology through the provision of pre- and post-lecture language support classes.
 
If you want to enter the programme in January, you will need to demonstrate prior knowledge of the content covered in term one in your application through reference to your previous study and/or relevant work experience.
 
Students following the IFP and IPP will attend the same lectures for the Culture, Theory & Society and optional modules. However, as the aims and expectations of undergraduate and graduate students are clearly different, you will be streamed into separate IFP and IPP seminar groups. These streams will use the lectures as content base, but will have a different seminar focus. For the pre-masters students, there will be more challenging seminar reading and tasks and you will be required to demonstrate your ability to synthesize and manipulate more content-complex texts.
 
Please note: applicants will be asked to indicate their preferred option(s) during the application process. Option modules are dependent upon a minimum number of students.
Personal Tutorials You will receive individual academic support and counselling through our personal tutorial system. This is a one-to-one weekly meeting between yourself and one of your academic English tutors. It is an opportunity for you to talk about the course, the progress you are making and any difficulties you are facing. These tutorials also give you the opportunity to receive individual feedback on your progress.
 
All language teaching materials are provided free but students may be required to purchase books for their optional subject modules.

You will be assessed on the programme through a combination of coursework (50%) and final examinations (50%) in all subjects. The coursework element for academic English will comprise written assignments, in-class tests and oral presentations. For academic subjects, you will be required to submit written assignments in each term. Final examinations take place in term three and assess your level of academic English and subject knowledge.

We also offer IELTS preparation classes within the programme and all students are encouraged to take the IELTS examination at the end of term one. We will make all the arrangements for you to sit the examination towards the end of each term (please note the registration fee for each exam is currently £100 and this is not included in your course fees).

Students may apply for accommodation in one of the College’s halls of residence. Details of location and the facilities offered by the residences will be sent to applicants with the offer of a place on the course. Please see the Accommodation Office website for further details.

Pre-masters students with an IELTS score of 5.5 (with a minimum of 5.0 in all skills) or equivalent are required to follow the course for one full academic year (September to June). Pre-masters students with a score of IELTS 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.0 in all skills) or equivalent, and with an appropriate subject background, have the option of joining the programme at the start of term two.
 
Term 1: 22 September – 12 December 2008: 12 weeks
(reading week from 3 November – 7 November 2008)
 
Term 2: 12 January – 27 March 2009: 12 weeks
(reading week from 16 February – 20 February 2009)
 
Term 3: 20 April – 26 June 2009: 10 weeks*
(reading week from 25 May – 29 May 2009)
 
* Teaching finishes by 5 June and all examinations are finished by 19 June 2009. Results are published between 3 July and 8 July, with your graduation ceremony taking place during this final week.
 
Fees
 
Fees for 2008-9 are as follows:
 

• September-June: £9,400 for overseas students and £6,900 for EU students
• January-June: £6,300 for overseas students and £4,700 for EU students

 
Once made an unconditional offer of a place on the September-June programme, you are required to pay a £3,000 (non-refundable) deposit before 1 July to reserve your place on the programme. We still accept applications after 1 July, but place availability may be more limited.
 
For students following the January-June programme, a £3,000 (non-refundable) deposit is required before 1 November to reserve a place. You can apply after 1 November, but place availability may be more limited.
 
If you need to apply for a visa or wish to apply for university accommodation, we would recommend payment of the £3,000 as soon as any conditions of your offer have been met so that you leave enough time for these processes to be completed before the course starts.
 
The balance of the tuition fees will be payable before the start of the programme. You will only be entitled to a refund if
 
(a) you are unable to obtain a visa and can provide documentary evidence that their visa application has been rejected
 
OR
 
(b) we are unable to run either your first or second option choice.

Prospective applicants for the International Pre-masters Programme may obtain an application form and a postgraduate prospectus from the English Language Centre at the address below. Application forms and option choice forms can also be downloaded from the links below. Completed application forms should be returned to the same address with the following:
 

• Original copies of university transcripts and graduation certificates accompanied by an official English translation
• 2 x passport size photographs
• Copies of certificates of examinations taken (e.g. IELTS, Cambridge examinations, etc.)
• Completed option choice form

Please contact us if you have any questions or you would like more information on any part of this programme:
 
English Language Centre
King’s College London
26-29 Drury Lane
London
WC2B 5RL
 
Tel: +44 (0)20 7848 1600
Fax: +44 (0)20 7848 1601
Email: elc@kcl.ac.uk