International Foundation Programme

You will learn through a mixture of face-to-face sessions of different kinds, and also very importantly, through study in your own time.

The aim of these is not just to expand your grammar, vocabulary etc., but also to improve the skills you need to use your English in university study. As a result, much of class time is spent on tasks: actively doing things with your language.

These may be small in-class exercises (reading & analysing a text, listening to a recorded conversation, writing a paragraph etc.); or they may be part of a larger preparation for a final product: e.g., reading several texts to produce a written assignment or inform a group discussion.

A normal part of doing these tasks is working with other students, in pairs or groups; so, learning to communicate effectively with other students is an essential part of what you learn.

Different subjects are taught in different ways, so you may well not just experience a normal ‘lecture’ where the teacher presents and you take notes; even these will include questions to answer, short tasks to discuss in groups etc. There may also be:

• seminars: a chance to present and discuss prepared material (e.g. your analysis of an important text; solutions to a problem) in whole-class or in smaller groups
• tutorials: an opportunity to discuss individually or in very small groups specific things in the course: e.g. helping you plan and write an assignment
• practicals: these may vary from lab work in sciences to field trips or even making a short video; again, they may well involve working with other students

The focus will be on the knowledge, theories, methods etc. of particular subjects such as the study of contemporary media or analysing business processes. In other words, you will experience teaching as you will expect to experience it in your main degree course.

The IFP (International Foundation Programme) core module tutors are experienced teachers specialising in English for Academic Purposes. In the subject modules you may also be taught by tutors from the relevant academic departments.

In Semester 1, you should expect to be on campus four days per week. Most classes will start at 9am and end before 1pm, with some classes starting at 2pm and ending at 4pm.

In Semester 2, you can expect to be on campus three or four days per week. Some classes will start at 9am and end before 1pm, while other classes will start at either 1pm or 2pm and end at 5pm. Your schedule in Semester 2 will depend on whether you start your course in September or January, as well as which modules you are studying.

All IFP-taught modules will be on campus in Canterbury. If you are concerned about your ability to attend, you should discuss this when you apply.

Passing the course will count as evidence of satisfying the B2-level language requirements for undergraduate study. Certain degrees may ask for higher levels of English. In these cases, you will normally need to achieve a higher grade in the IFP.

You will be advised during the year on the next steps you must take to apply for and progress onto your intended degree course.