Undergraduate Course: Preparing for Undergraduate Study 1 (LLLG07121)
Course Outline
| School | Centre for Open Learning |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 7 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 0 |
ECTS Credits | 0 |
| Summary | This four-week course is a pre-sessional for 2+2 students who have already been accepted onto their degree programmes within the College of Science and Engineering. It is designed to prepare students for the transition into UK Undergraduate study and to assist in the development of their academic English skills. PUGS 1 is run in collaboration with CSE. Schools of Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biosciences, Geosciences, and Informatics provide input concurrently with PUGS 1. |
| Course description |
1) Academic Description
This pre-sessional EAP course is specifically for students on the Undergraduate 2+2 programme. Students complete the first two years of their degrees in China, and the final two years in Edinburgh. Students are awarded an Undergraduate degree from the university of Edinburgh. Schools involved in the 2+2 programme are Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biosciences, Geosciences, and Informatics. The course is essential for students on the 2+2 programme who have yet to achieve the English language requirements set out by their Schools.
PUGS 1 provides opportunities to develop academic skills typically required on their programmes in CSE: selecting, evaluating and using academic sources in a written assignment in the students' specialist field; developing their awareness of academic vocabulary and register for use in writing; researching, preparing and delivering a 10-minute individual oral presentation on a topic within the student's field and handling questions; listening to other students' presentations and responding with questions; listening to and taking notes from lectures and responding critically to their content in discussion; reading academic texts and responding critically to their contents in discussion; and preparing and presenting a Research Poster, responding to questions, and asking questions about other posters.
All PUGS 1 students undertake formative assessments during the course: University Writing, in the form of a 1500 word source-based written assignment; Speaking, in the form of a ten-minute individual oral presentation to the class followed by Q&A; and hosting their research poster.
2) Outline Content
The University Writing component includes work on selecting, evaluating, and integrating sources into writing, organising an essay (introduction, body, and conclusion), academic writing style and the use of cautions language. This is complemented by sessions on reading skills to promote economical and effective reading. Input leads to researching, planning and drafting a 1,500 word specialist essay in groups.
The Listening and Note-Taking component features video lectures and presentations. A variety of note-taking styles are used and evaluated to help students refine their existing note-taking skills. A guest lecture provides an opportunity for students to practice the skills covered in class. Tutors guide work on preparatory material suggested by the lecturer, the lectures, in which students take notes and are encouraged to ask questions, and follow-up tutor-led classes where students compare their notes, evaluate their performance in following the lecture and discuss issues relating to the content.
Academic speaking skills are developed through the Poster Q&A, Short Talk, and Seminar and Workshop Skills components. For the Q&A, tutors guide students through the process of choosing an article, and designing and hosting the poster. Preparation for the short talks is supported by classwork on presentation skills and language. The Seminar and Workshop Skills strand encourages the development of skills necessary for collaborative and interactive study; explaining issues and ideas, dealing with questions, and negotiating in groups.
3) Student Learning Experience
The course is delivered by course tutors, who work with classes of up to fourteen students. The course director, responsible for the operational management of the course, is based on-site.
After an orientation morning, students spend the majority of mornings in the classroom with their tutor, practicing academic language and skills and receiving feedback. Most days include work on writing tasks in a computer lab, also monitored by tutors. Afternoon classes are delivered by tutors within CSE Schools.
Students receive written formative feedback on their writing submissions, and both peer and tutor feedback on their performance in presentation tasks. Students have the opportunity to ask questions about writing feedback in post-writing classes after each submission. Students also attend group tutorials to discuss progress.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | Students are expected to bring their own laptops or tablets to access materials electronically when necessary.
No additional fees; student receive standard allowance of print credit. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2022/23, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Flexible |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Please contact the School directly for a breakdown of Learning and Teaching Activities |
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
No formal assessment |
| Feedback |
Individual written formative feedback given on weekly writing tasks using Grademark. Group written formative feedback given on final group essay using Word, with an indicative grade given. Written and oral teacher and peer feedback given on performance of short talk. Oral feedback given on research poster. A group tutorial to discuss progress, course content and feedback. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Have a greater understanding of the expectations and requirements of UK Undergraduate study.
- Work effectively with other students to compose a suitably academic 1,500-word group essay based on sources
- Select and evaluate academic articles and texts that can be integrated into writing.
- More confidently follow a listening text while taking effective notes.
- Confidently host an academic poster, answering visitor questions appropriately.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Enquiry and lifelong learning; aspiration and personal development; outlook and engagement; research and enquiry; personal and intellectual autonomy; personal effectiveness; communication |
| Keywords | Pre-sessional; Undergraduate,English,2+2,academic,language,writing,reading,listening |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Ms Rowan Murray
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Kameliya Skerleva
Tel: (0131 6)51 1855
Email: |
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