Programme approval 2012/13
PROGRAMME APPROVAL FORM
SECTION 1 – THE PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
1. Programme title and designation
Pre-Sessional Course in English & Study
Skills for Academic Purposes
For undergraduate programmes only
Single honours
2. Final award
Award
Title
King’s College Pre-Sessional Course in
London PreEnglish & Study Skills
sessional
for Academic Purposes
Certificate
3. Nested awards
Award
Title
N/A
N/A
4. Exit awards
Award
Title
N/A
N/A
5. Level in the qualifications framework
Joint
Major/minor
Credit
Value
0
ECTS
equivalent
0
Any special criteria
Credit
Value
N/A
ECTS
equivalent
N/A
Any special criteria
N/A
N/A
Credit ECTS
Any special criteria
Value
equivalent
N/A
N/A
N/A
0 (zero): learning is designed to prepare
students for access to UG and PG level
courses at KCL and other British institutions
of higher education.
6. Attendance
Full-time
Mode of attendance
X
Minimum length of programme
Five weeks
Maximum length of programme
Eighteen
weeks
7. Awarding institution/body
8. Teaching institution
9. Proposing department
10. Programme organiser and contact
Details
Part-time
Distance
learning
King’s College London
King’s College London
English Language Centre
Miss Rachael Duncan
ELC
Drury Lane
rachael.duncan@kcl.ac.uk
Ext 1605
PAF modified by ASQ re: exit awards: 24th May 2010
PAF finalised for 2011/12: November 2011
PAF finalised for 2012/13: 23 August 2012
PAF modified re: entry criteria and new code: 6 December 2012
PAF re-finalised 2012/13: 6 December 2012
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Programme approval 2012/13
11. UCAS code (if appropriate)
12. Relevant QAA subject benchmark/
professional and statutory body guidelines
13. Date of production of specification
14. Date of programme review
Not applicable
International English Language Testing
System (IELTS) - University of Cambridge
Examinations / British Council & IDP IELTS
Australia
April 2008
2012/2013
16. Educational aims of the programme
The principal aims of the course are to:

Raise students’ understanding of and ability to use academic English appropriately
and effectively in an academic environment.

Ensure that students have met the minimum language requirements set for entry into
degree programmes.

Help students learn to adopt particular approaches to their studies and learn strategies
and skills that will enable them to succeed in the UK Higher Education system.

Allow students to familiarise themselves with the new environment and facilities of
the university before their main course starts.
17. Educational objectives of the programme/programme outcomes
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge
and understanding and skills in the following areas:
Knowledge and understanding
The programme provides a knowledge
and understanding of the following:
These are achieved through the
following teaching/learning methods
and strategies:
1. Academic English (spoken and
written)
2. Study skills
3. The academic environment within the
British higher education system
1 & 2: Small group classes, tutorials
and regular formative and summative
assessment. Additional support is
provided via self-access facilities,
including an open learning centre and
computer-assisted language learning
software.
3: Familiarity of the academic
environment within the British higher
education system is acquired via weekly
lectures and workshops.
Assessment:
th
PAF modified by ASQ re: exit awards: 24 May 2010
PAF finalised for 2011/12: November 2011
PAF finalised for 2012/13: 23 August 2012
PAF modified re: entry criteria and new code: 6 December 2012
PAF re-finalised 2012/13: 6 December 2012
2
Programme approval 2012/13
End of course assessment will be based
on a written project, an oral
presentation of the project, an exit test
(exit test comprises a reading, listening
and writing paper)
Skills and other attributes
Intellectual skills:
These are achieved through the
following teaching/learning methods
and strategies:
1. Develop analytical and critical skills
2. Problem solving
3. Apply linguistic skills learnt
All through a combination of traditional
and communicative language teaching
methods and approaches. The course
integrates various forms of delivery,
including workshops, tutorials and
lectures
Assessment:
A combination of coursework and exit
tests.
Practical skills:
These are achieved through the
following teaching/learning methods
and strategies:
1. Develop ability to carry out
independent research
2. Retrieve information from a variety of
sources
3. Read, write and speak English at a
sufficiently high level to cope with the
demands of UG and PG courses at
British HE institutions
4. Develop strong aural/oral skills to
understand lectures and participate in
tutorials/seminars
5. to be able to function linguistically and
socially appropriately on a day-to-day
basis in an English-speaking
environment
1 & 2. All students receive guidance on
conducting research and using primary
and secondary source material.
Students also receive instruction in the
structuring of academic essays
including referencing.
3, 4 & 5 Throughout the course students
receive tuition in the skills of listening,
speaking, reading and writing via
dedicated skills classes
Assessment:
Effective communication plays a key
role in the assessment of all areas of the
students’ work. The production of
regular written coursework
assignments, regular participation in
seminars, tutorials and informal
classroom discussions, and the delivery
PAF modified by ASQ re: exit awards: 24th May 2010
PAF finalised for 2011/12: November 2011
PAF finalised for 2012/13: 23 August 2012
PAF modified re: entry criteria and new code: 6 December 2012
PAF re-finalised 2012/13: 6 December 2012
3
Programme approval 2012/13
of oral presentations provide the means
for students to demonstrate skills learnt.
Generic/transferable skills:
These are achieved through the
following teaching/learning methods
and strategies:
1. Ability to communicate ideas
effectively orally and in writing
2. Effective time management
3. Ability to work as part of a group/team
4. Use IT
5. Assess the relevance and importance
of the ideas of others
1. Each stage requires students to
undertake written assignments and
regular feedback is given to students to
develop their understanding.
2. Management of time to meet
deadlines (specified at the start of the
course and final examinations.
1, 3, & 5. Tutorials / seminars, subject
support language classes with
interactive discussion and student
presentations develop teamwork skills
in addition to skills 1 & 5
4. Students receive an IT and ISS
induction session at the start of the
course to enable them to word process
their written assignments, access the
internet for relevant source materials,
use PowerPoint for presentations and
research using KCL databases.
Assessment:
1. Effective communication is an
important part of the assessment of all
areas of a student’s work
2. Time management is assessed in that
students forfeit marks if they fail to
submit a written assignment on time or
if they fail to attend an in-class
coursework assessment (e.g. an oral
presentation).
3. Group/team-working skills will be
assessed by whole-class, group and pair
work
4. The use of IT is assessed through the
wordprocessing of assignments and
through access to electronic sources of
information.
5. This is assessed through written
academic assignments and participation
in seminars, informal classroom
discussions and the delivery of oral
PAF modified by ASQ re: exit awards: 24th May 2010
PAF finalised for 2011/12: November 2011
PAF finalised for 2012/13: 23 August 2012
PAF modified re: entry criteria and new code: 6 December 2012
PAF re-finalised 2012/13: 6 December 2012
4
Programme approval 2012/13
presentations.
18. Statement of how the programme has been informed by the relevant subject
benchmark statement(s)/professional, regulatory and statutory body guidelines
The British Council inspected and re-accredited the English Language Centre, King’s College
London, in November 2009. The Accreditation Scheme assesses the standards of
management, resources and premises, teaching and welfare, and accredits organisations
which meet the overall standard in each area inspected. Points of excellence were noted in
course design, teaching, general management, tutors’ qualifications, accommodation and
leisure opportunities. The inspection report stated the organisation met the standards of the
Scheme.
IELTS assessment criteria are used as the benchmark for assessing students’ English level
during the application process. Elements of the IELTS assessment criteria will be used as a
benchmark for marking coursework during the programme. Students have the option of
taking IELTS externally at the end of the course.
19. Programme structure and award requirements (where relevant the information should
also differentiate the particular requirements of pathways within a programme or nested/exit
awards)
This course is a full-time, stand alone programme which begins 20 weeks prior to the start of
the academic year. It is divided into four stages with students opting to study for 5, 9, 13 or
18 weeks, depending on their level of English when applying and the conditions of entry they
have been asked to meet with respect to their English proficiency by their receiving
departments.
(a) numbers of introductory, core, compulsory and optional modules to be taken in each
year of the programme with related credit values
All elements of the course are compulsory
(b) range of credit levels permitted within the programme
Not applicable
(c) maximum number of credits permitted at the lowest level
Not applicable
(d) minimum number of credits required at the highest level
Not applicable
(e) progression and award requirements (if different from the standard)
PAF modified by ASQ re: exit awards: 24th May 2010
PAF finalised for 2011/12: November 2011
PAF finalised for 2012/13: 23 August 2012
PAF modified re: entry criteria and new code: 6 December 2012
PAF re-finalised 2012/13: 6 December 2012
5
Programme approval 2012/13
Not applicable
(f) maximum number of credits permitted with a condoned fail (core modules excluded)
Not applicable
(g) other relevant information to explain the programme structure
Please now complete the programme structure table, available in Excel from the Policy
Zone, “Forms” section
20. Marking criteria
Formative
Course work during both stage 1, 2 and 3comprises formal written assignments and a formal oral
presentation. Marks awarded for coursework during stages 1,2 and 3 are formative and do not count
towards the final mark. However, they do provide students with a good indication of their linguistic
strengths and weaknesses.
Summative
The stage 3 end-of-course assessment comprises:
-A 1,750 word written project on a topic related to the students’ own academic interest
-A 10 minute oral presentation of the project
-A 3.5 hour exam comprising an integrated reading, listening and writing paper, all related to the same
theme.
Students will receive a final aggregate mark based on their written project (45), oral presentation (15)
and exit test (40). The final aggregate mark will appear on students’ certificates as a percentage.
Percentage band descriptors corresponding to final mark bands also appear on students’ certificates
and these descriptors correspond with IELTS band descriptors. This ensures greater transparency in
understanding what language level a student has achieved.
A ‘fail’ now corresponds to a final aggregate mark of 49% or below. A mark of 49% corresponds to
being below IELTS 5.0, which is below the minimum pre-sessional entry requirement (IELTS 5.0).
All students are required to attend for a minimum of 80% of the course in order to fulfil the course
requirements and satisfy visa requirements.
Students with a conditional offer to study at King’s College London must meet the minimum English
language requirement for their programme. Minimum pre-sessional grades accepted as proof of
English level are shown for each School/department in the English language requirements tables of
College prospectuses on the website.
Students who have been issued with an integrated visa which covers both the pre-sessional and their
subsequent degree are required to submit all assessment and have completed this to the required level
to ensure progress onto their degree.
PAF modified by ASQ re: exit awards: 24th May 2010
PAF finalised for 2011/12: November 2011
PAF finalised for 2012/13: 23 August 2012
PAF modified re: entry criteria and new code: 6 December 2012
PAF re-finalised 2012/13: 6 December 2012
6
Programme approval 2012/13
21. Particular features of the programme which help to reduce the barriers experienced
by disabled students and ensure that the programme is accessible to all students who
meet the entry requirements
The English Language Centre can make arrangements to accommodate students with a
disability or another condition which might require special arrangements. Each case is
considered individually and a medical certificate is required to put arrangements in place.
PAF modified by ASQ re: exit awards: 24th May 2010
PAF finalised for 2011/12: November 2011
PAF finalised for 2012/13: 23 August 2012
PAF modified re: entry criteria and new code: 6 December 2012
PAF re-finalised 2012/13: 6 December 2012
7