Preparation for Academic Studies in Higher Education

Applications for PASHE courses ​​​​​​

Please note that applications may close earlier than the deadlines below if all places on the course are filled.

11-week course

• Deadline for applications: 1pm UK time 17 May 2024.
• Course dates: 10 June - 23 August 2024.
• Course fees: £7,800.

8-week course

• Deadline for applications: 1pm UK time on 7 June 2024.
• Course dates: 1 July - 23 August 2024.
• Course fees: £7,200.

Your place on a course is only confirmed when you have paid your fees, and you should expect to do this shortly after being offered a place. Please also note that we will only make one PASHE offer per applicant in 2024.

Other important information

For UCL conditional offer holders, PASHE assessment results will be sent to Central Admissions at UCL.

Students who have achieved the required language level, and who have met all other conditions of their offer, will subsequently receive an unconditional offer and be issued with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). They will need this CAS to apply for a visa to study in the UK.

Paying tuition fees

Course fees are normally payable not more than 2 weeks after the offer is made. Offer holders will receive information via email on how to formally accept their offer and, pay the course fees.

Refunds

Refund requests must be received by the refund request deadlines below to be considered and are subject to a 10% administration charge. Refund requests must be submitted by email to pre-sess@ucl.ac.uk

11-week course refund request deadline – 1pm UK time 17 May 2024

8-week course refund request deadline – 1pm UK time 7 June 2024

No refund will be made if you withdraw or are withdrawn (for example, because of poor attendance) from a course after it begins.

More information on living expenses can also be found on UCL International Student Support webpages.

By the end of the PASHE course, students should be able to:

1. Operate at a linguistic level required for entry to undergraduate or postgraduate level study as stipulated by UCL English language requirements.
2. Identify line of argument in and critically review a range of academic texts at a level appropriate for the commencement of undergraduate or postgraduate level study in education and/or the social sciences.
3. Recognise features of a range of academic texts and use this knowledge to plan, draft, and review and edit written assignments at a level appropriate for the commencement of undergraduate or postgraduate level in education and/or the social sciences.
4. Read widely, confidently and effectively, engaging with depth, volume and complexity of text appropriate at undergraduate or postgraduate level in education and/or the social sciences.
5. Select and use appropriate source materials effectively, employing accurately-formatted in-text citation and a corresponding accurately-formatted list of references.
6. Recognise the main points of lectures and take notes effectively.
7. Participate confidently in seminars and other classroom discussions, including agreeing, disagreeing, asking questions and seeking clarification.
8. Plan, draft, review and edit a presentation at a level appropriate for the commencement of undergraduate or postgraduate level study.
9. Reflect upon and respond to formative feedback and feed-forward in written and oral tasks.
10. Be familiar with, and apply, independent learning and study strategies, including digital literacy, for research and writing in undergraduate or postgraduate education studies.
11. Recognise the importance of engaging actively and fluently by working in pairs or groups, as appropriate for seminars at undergraduate or postgraduate level study.

The course will focus on academic texts in the field of Education and include:

• English for academic purposes (EAP) and language development.
• Critical reading, writing, speaking and listening.
• Structure and coherence in academic writing.
• Extensive reading, note-taking, summarising and referencing.
• Presentation speaking practice.
• Senubar and classroom discussion.
• Lectures by academics in the field of education.

Weeks A-C (11 week students only)

This part of the programme focuses on general English for academic purposes (EAP) and will offer a broad introduction to the above areas. In particular, students will:

• Develop structure, coherence, accuracy and clarity at paragraph level, by planning, drafting, reviewing and redrafting a portfolio of short written tasks.
• Be introduced to academic conventions (citation and referencing).
• Deliver a number of short presentations.

Weeks 1-8

This part of the programme focuses on the notion of criticality in postgraduate studies and will continue to develop learners' proficiency in EAP skills. In particular, students will:

• Continue to improve structure, coherence, accuracy and clarity in writing at a level appropriate for the commencement of postgraduate study by planning, drafting, reviewing and redrafting a fully referenced argument essay.
• Gain further practice, and consolidate knowledge, in following academic conventions (citation and referencing).
• Deliver a number of short presentations.
• Complete end-of course summative assessment.

Tutor groups are kept small, with average class sizes of 12 -14 students.

The 2024 PASHE course will be delivered online and provide a balance of tutor-led teaching and self-study.  Students will be expected to spend a significant number of hours working on assignments and self-study tasks using the PASHE Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and meeting one-to-one for online tutorials with their tutors.

Each part of the PASHE programme includes:

• self-study and online group workshops facilitated by course tutors
• lectures delivered by academics in the field of education
• tutorials – all students will have either an individual or group tutorial each week
• regular online group discussions
• formative feedback throughout the course
• peer evaluation and feedback throughout the course.

Whilst this means that you will be able to carry out all your studies remotely, the pre-sessional is an intensive and full-time commitment requiring active engagement and participation, and up to seven hours of daily study from Monday to Friday.

Before starting the PASHE course, we strongly recommend that you explore IOE's Writing Centre Online.