Skip to main content
Languages, Linguistics and Film

Pre-Sessional Programme. Course Aims, Structure and Content

Summer Courses

Course A1: from June to September on campus for all 13 weeks

Course A2: from June to September online for all 13 weeks

Course B1: from July to September on campus for all 9 weeks

Course B2: from July to September online for all 9 weeks

Course C1: from August to September on campus for all 5 weeks

Course C2: from August to September online for all 5 weeks

Course D2: Foundations Pre-Sessional from July to September online only for all 9 weeks

Aims

- to develop your English for academic purposes so that you are confident in your use of English at university level

- to develop your academic literacy, so that you can succeed in your degree at Queen Mary

- to develop you as an autonomous learner, so that you can undertake independent study and research for your academic programme

- to introduce you to the UK, London and Queen Mary, so that you can become accustomed to your new life at university and in London.

Structure

All Pre-Sessional classes have a Writing/Reading teacher and a Listening/Speaking teacher. All courses consist of a weekly full class session with your classmates and your Writing/Reading teacher, 37.5 hours of group and independent study tasks checked and overseen by your two teachers and small group/individual tutorials /guided independent study with your two teachers.

For example: you will work on Academic Grammar and Vocabulary, Academic Reading and Writing, and Academic Speaking and Listening tasks. You will also be required to listen to lectures and answer questions, participate actively in seminars, read academic sources provided by your teachers, and research literature for your essays on campus or in the e-resources sections of the QMUL Library. 

Students must attend all classes and engage fully with the materials. Students are formatively assessed at the end of each four-week block of teaching, and summatively assessed in all four skills of Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing, at the end of the Pre-Sessional. 

Content

Academic English and study skills:

  • Academic listening: lecture comprehension and note-taking techniques
  • Academic writing skills for essays, reports and other types of university writing
  • Research skills
  • Academic reading and critical thinking
  • Incorporating your reading into your writing: referencing and citation
  • Academic speaking: Seminar presentation and discussion skills
  • Grammar and vocabulary workshops

Teaching and Assessment

Back to top