Study at Cardiff | International

Core modules

• English Language & Study Skills 1 (10 Credits)
• English Language & Study Skills 2 (10 Credits)
• English for Academic Purposes (10 Credits)
• British Social & Cultural Environment 1&2 (20 Credits)

• Integrated Study Skills (10 Credits)

What English language modules will you study?

The overall aim of the English language and study skills input is to help you meet the demands of academic study during your Foundation programme and to prepare you effectively for the academic scheme you will proceed to afterwards.

English Language & Study Skills 1 (10 Credits)

This module aims to improve overall ability in English and to develop academic study skills for immediate use. On completion of the modules, you should be able to:

• use reading strategies to perform successfully, indicating an understanding of their importance and benefits;
• demonstrate knowledge of and ability to manipulate the language: be able to produce a variety of sentence forms in structured paragraphs, with attention to accuracy in an academic style;
• understand listening extracts of differing lengths and types, e.g. dialogues and monologues, social situations, lectures and talks, radio programmes, news interviews, etc;
• use his/her spoken skills effectively in a range of informal and formal situations, demonstrating an ability to exchange information, discuss, problem solve, express attitudes and justify opinions.

English Language & Study Skills 2 (10 Credits)

This module aims to develop advanced language and study skills; produce confident manipulators of the English language who work very effectively, if not always accurately, at this high level in a culturally acceptable way.

On completion of this module, you will:

• be expected to use the structures of the language with greater ease and increased fluency;
• show an increased understanding of the relationship between the language and its culture, and demonstrate an understanding of the use of an appropriate style/register;
• have acquired a level of English to enable them to cope well with their academic studies across the skill areas.

English for Academic Purposes (10 Credits)

This module aims to teach generic study skills and subject specific study skills.

The module includes using the facilities in the University libraries to locate books and journals, methods for effective reading and note-taking, basic data analysis, producing a variety of written texts using a language style appropriate to the specific subject (Business, Law, Engineering), planning and giving presentations.

British Social & Cultural Environment 1&2 (20 Credits)

This module aims to prepare you for your studies at Cardiff University while developing and consolidating the language and study skills introduced in English Language & Study Skills 1.

On completion of the module you will have an increased awareness of British life and culture and a basic knowledge of the identity and culture of Wales and the nature of its language.

Integrated Study Skills (10 Credits)

This module aims to introduce you to basic computing skills and Cardiff University specific systems and packages and to provide techniques for future improvement, improve overall ability in English and to develop and practise academic study skills for immediate use

On completion of the module you should be able to:

• gain access to a range of software packages
• demonstrate an understanding of how to integrate listening /reading and note-taking skills to construct a written academic text
• use synthesis skills to produce written work which is correctly referenced, avoiding plagiarism
• produce a Powerpoint presentation
• create simple graphs and charts and transfer information for use in a word document

Personal Development Plan

During the course you will also be given the opportunity to complete a Personal Development Plan (PDP) which will improve your ability to understand what and how you are learning and help you reflect on and plan your own learning.

The PDP will help you to get the most out of your student experience by encouraging you to take responsibility for your development and raising your awareness of the variety of opportunities for development.

PDP is not just an important process for your time at university but will prove to be a useful skill throughout your life. Learning and development are continual processes and engaging in PDP will help you to develop a positive attitude to all aspects of learning.