Combined Pre-sessional

Course detail Description

The Combined Pre-sessional course includes online and face-to-face learning, offering you flexibility in the way you study. The first four weeks of the Combined Pre-sessional course take place online. You will then come to King’s to study the remaining part of the course on campus, meeting your tutors and classmates face-to-face.

There are three course lengths to choose from, depending on your current level of English and the English language requirements you need to meet for your degree offer:

• 15-weeks
• 10-weeks
• 6-weeks

Use our Pre-sessional English calculator to see what English language score is required for your degree and which Combined Pre-sessional course you should take.

During the course you’ll focus on reading, writing, listening and speaking English in an academic setting, and develop useful academic skills like notetaking, library-based research, essay writing, discussion, presenting, critical reading and active listening.

You’ll also have regular tutorials during which you will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss issues related to your studies on the course.

During the online component of the course, you will be exposed to:

• E-lessons made up of high quality bespoke videos, interactive exercises, and collaborative tasks
• Live classes with your tutor & classmates (using a video conferencing tool)
• Live tutorials (using a video conferencing tool)
• Lectures
• Social forums to interact with your classmates.

Pre-sessional course

We also offer a face-to-face Pre-sessional course, delivered on the King's campus from day one. There are various course lengths, depending on your needs.

Extra preparation

Do you meet the academic conditions for your degree and the English language requirements, but feel like you could improve your academic English before starting your degree?

The 6-week Combined Pre-sessional course is a great choice to build your confidence and help you to be better prepared before starting your studies.

If you need a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you may also be eligible for an integrated CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies), covering your Pre-sessional course and your main degree.

Please contact our Admissions team for more information.

Term Dates Pre-sessional Programme timetable ProgrammeMandatory
online induction Online start date Face-to-face start date End date

15-week Combined Pre-sessional

w/c 13 May 2019* 20 May 2019

18 June 2019

6 September 2019

10-week Combined Pre-sessional

w/c 17 June 2019*

24 June 2019

23 July 2019

6 September 2019

6-week Combined Pre-sessional

w/c 22 July 2019* 29 July 2019 27 August 2019 6 September 2019

*To be completed flexibly at some point during this week.
Please note: the face-to-face start date is when the on-campus induction and teaching begins.

Course purpose

The purpose of the Combined Pre-sessional course is to help you:

• meet the minimum language entry requirements for your chosen degree course
• improve your academic writing
• practise seminar skills and academic discussion in order to express arguments more clearly and concisely
• make you a more effective reader
• develop your grammatical competence
• acquire lecture listening and note-taking skills
• improve your understanding of and ability to use academic English appropriately and effectively in an academic environment
• develop your independent research abilities
• introduce you to UK academic culture
• develop your digital literacy skills

Course format and assessment

Teaching

The first four weeks of the Combined Pre-sessional courses are studied online. These classes will include a combination of self-directed interactive learning units, discussion forums, and collaborative tasks.

15-week and 10-week Combined Pre-sessional

The first four weeks will be studied online and you will typically be expected to participate in online tasks for approximately 10 hours per week plus, on average, 10 hours of self-directed study. Some weeks will see more contact hours than others.

For the on-campus part of the course, a typical week includes approximately 17 contact hours, usually including online and face-to-face time; however, some weeks will see more contact hours than others.

6-week Combined Pre-sessional

The first four weeks of the course will be studied online where you will typically be expected to participate in online tasks for approximately 12.5 hours per week plus, on average, 12.5 hours of self-directed study. Some weeks will see more contact hours than others.

For the on-campus part of the course, a typical week includes approximately 17 contact hours, usually including online and face-to-face time; however, some weeks will see more contact hours than others.

Assessment

Typically, students may be assessed by means of any of the following:

• Essay(s)
• Viva(s) (a written or oral explication of a piece of research)
• Oral presentation(s)
• Exam(s)
• Seminar(s)
• Portfolio(s) of work, written and/or oral

The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give a good indication of what to expect. However, they may change if the course content changes.

Read more

Structure

Year 1

The Combined Pre-sessional course is taught through a combination of online and face-to-face learning including lectures, seminars and classes and you are expected to dedicate time to self-study and independent research tasks.

Students will be allocated to one of 4 modules, dependent upon their target degree course:

The ‘Academic English’ module will be taken by all 6-Week Combined students and students on any Pre-sessional programme aiming to progress to:

- The Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy

- The Dickson Poon School of Law

- Arts & Humanities (with the exception of CMCI and DDH)

- The science and health faculties (NMS, IoPPN, FoLSM, Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care)

The 'Management' module will be taken by students aiming to enter management-related courses delivered by King's Business School.

The 'Finance' module will be taken by students aiming to enter finance-related courses delivered by King's Business School.

The 'Cultural Industries and Digital Humanities' module will be taken by students aiming to enter programmes delivered by the Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries and the Department of Digital Humanities.

The Management, Finance, and Cultural Industries & Digital Humanities modules contain a mixture of core, general content and language and skills central to the target subject area. The Academic English module focuses on the ability to use academic English vocabulary, genres of text, and skills relating to a wide range of academic situations and topics.

Please note that the module a student takes is determined by their target degree course; students cannot opt for an alternative module.

You will study the following:

English for academic purposes

The course helps you to develop your academic essay writing, language, and research skills, as well as your critical reading and listening abilities.

Seminar and presentation skills

The course also helps you to develop your oral skills, focusing on your ability to express ideas clearly and concisely, to present and defend a position, and to listen and respond to other people’s ideas.

Tutorials

Students’ progress is monitored carefully. Regular tutorials are arranged throughout the course, during which you will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss issues related to your studies on the course.

Required Modules

Students are allocated to one module. 6-Week Combined students are allocated to the ‘Academic English’ module. For all other Pre-sessional programmes, the module to which a student is allocated is determined by their target degree course.

Optional Modules n/a