First Year Programme
PG Premaster Programme
Course Outline
The overall aim of the Pre-Masters Programme is to help you succeed in your future studies at UNNC. The programme will equip you with the language and study skills that you will need to manage your studies independently and to meet the demands of your future academic course.
To achieve this aim, you will need to be able to use English in a wide range of academic situations. On your future course, for example, you will have to read textbooks and journals, listen to lectures in your subject and make notes on what you have read or heard. You must then be able to use this information to write assignments and discuss your subject with teaching staff and other students.
The Pre-Masters Programme is organised to help you achieve these goals. The academic English language courses are provided by the Centre for English Language Education (CELE) and the Content courses are organised by the various academic divisions of UNNC. We view the relationship between tutors and students as a partnership: tutors will help and guide you through your time in the Pre-Masters year, while you will be expected to make the effort to develop and extend your language and study skills in order to reach the required level to move on to your academic course.
The Pre-Masters Programme is divided into two semesters. Semester one begins with the Introductory Module, intended to be an intensive introduction to develop your fluency in English and to orient you towards studying in an English-speaking environment. In semesters one and two you will study a combination of academic English courses and content courses, which are designed to develop the specific language and study skills you will need for your post graduate course.
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Semester
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Module Code
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Module Title
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Credits
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Description
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|
I
II
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X10FCF
|
Pre-Masters Listening & Speaking in Academic Contexts
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10
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ALL
|
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X10FCG
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Pre-Masters Academic Oral Presentations
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10
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ALL
|
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X10FCH
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Pre-Masters Reading and Writing in Academic Contexts
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10
|
ALL
|
|
X10FC3
|
Introduction to Information Technology
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15
|
IB, IC, IS, ES
|
|
X10FC7
|
Introduction to Business Economics
|
15
|
IB
|
|
X10FC6
|
Media and Texts: Society
|
15
|
IC, ES, IS
|
|
X10FC8
|
Media and Texts: Culture
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15
|
IC
|
|
X10FCI
|
Pre-Masters English in Specific Academic Contexts [Arts & Social Sciences]
|
20
|
ALL
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|
X10FCJ
|
Pre-Masters Independent Research Project
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10
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ALL
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X10FC5
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Introduction to Analytical Thought
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15
|
IB, IC, IS, ES
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|
X10FC4
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Introduction to Business Methods
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15
|
IB
|
|
X10FC8
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Media and Texts: Culture
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15
|
IC
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|
AS0001
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Western Civilisation
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15
|
IS
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Module Descriptions: English Language Modules
Semester One
Reading and Writing in Academic Contexts: focuses on developing essential strategies, skills and language that will enable students to cope with the reading and writing demands of their postgraduate-level study.
Timing: 4 hours per week (2 x 2 hours), supplemented by a further 70 hours of self-directed study.
Assessment Weighting
1 x 1000 word individual coursework essay 40%
1 x 60 minute mid-semester reading exam 25%
1 x 2 hour end of semester reading/writing exam 35%
Academic Oral Presentations: focusing on the development of appropriate language, strategies and skills for the effective delivery of oral presentations in postgraduate academic contexts.
Timing: 2 hours per week (1 x 2 hour seminar), supplemented by a further 70 hours of self-directed study.
Assessment Weighting
1 x end-of-semester group informative presentation 40%
(5 minutes per speaker)
1 x end-of-semester individual persuasive presentation 60%
(10 minutes per speaker)
Listening & Speaking: focusing on the development of appropriate language, strategies and skills for understanding academic lectures, taking effective notes and participating in seminar discussions at a postgraduate level.
Timing: 3 hours per week (1 x 2 hours + 1 x 1 hour), supplemented by a further 70 hours of self-directed study
Assessment Weighting
1 x 60 minute end-of-semester listening and note-taking exam 60%
1 x 20 minute in-class group seminar discussion 40%
Semester Two
Pre-Masters English in Specific Academic Contexts [Arts & Social Sciences] focusing on the development of language and skills for reading, writing, listening and speaking, with specific reference to postgraduate Arts & Social Science academic contexts.
Timing: 6 hours of classroom contact per week (3 x 2 hour seminars), supplemented by a further 140 hours of self-directed study.
Assessment Weighting
1 x 20 minute in-class seminar discussion 25%
1 x 90 minute end-of-semester listening/note-taking exam 25%
1 x 2 hour end-of-semester reading/writing exam 50%
Pre-Masters Independent Research Project focusing on the development of core language, strategies and skills that will enable students to complete an extended secondary research project in an area related to their future academic discipline.
Timing: 3 hours of classroom contact per week (1x2 hour + 1x1 hour seminar)
providing opportunities for initial learning, practice and tutor feedback, supplemented by a further 70 hours of self-directed study.
Assessment Weighting
1 x 2000-2500 word secondary research project, providing
a critical evaluation of a topic relevant to one or more
aspects of your future academic discipline. 60%
1 x in-class individual oral presentation (10 minutes)
on a topic related to (though not exactly the same as) one
or more aspects of the written research project. 40%
Module Descriptions: Content Modules
Introduction to Information Technology
Module code: X10FC3
Credits: 15
Module content:
This module introduces the history, concepts, recent developments, and effective use of information communication technology (ICT). Throughout your time at UNNC, you will be required to produce essays, reports, reviews, spreadsheets, financial reports and present them in a professional manner. In this module we will help you develop the skills you need in order to achieve this.
The lectures will deal with the history of computing and examine different types of computing, its components, peripherals and software, examine the Internet and possible future directions within the industry. The seminars take place in computer labs and employ a hands-on approach to enable you to use the 2007 Microsoft Office System effectively for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations.
Introduction to Business Economics
Module code: X10FC7
Credits: 15
Module Content:
This module introduces students to the basic microeconomic theory of the market and the firm. The topics covered include economic systems; resource allocation; market demand, supply and equilibrium; the theory of the firm (production, cost and revenue); market structure (perfect competition and monopoly); the theory of games.
Module Aims:
To introduce students to basic microeconomic tools and concepts in order to prepare them for further studies in business and related areas.
Learning Objectives & Outcomes:
Knowledge and understanding:
This module develops a knowledge and understanding of the concepts and principles involved in the study of business economics.
Intellectual skills
This module develops skills in the use of a range of techniques to initiate and undertake critical analysis via the application of economic theory in a business context.
Professional/Practical skills
This module develops an appreciation of business, and in particular the analysis of market structure and economic systems.
Transferable/key skills
This module develops skills that will enable participants to present and communicate ideas and arguments effectively in both written and oral contexts.
Method of Assessment: One 2 hour examination
Media and Texts: Culture
Module code: X10FC8
Credits: 15
Module content:
This module aims to familiarise students with some of the basic concepts of media and culture and ways in which media texts can be treated as a means to gain insights into the dynamics of culture through examining a range of communicative contexts, diverse media and texts such as film, music, print media and television. The module therefore further develops students' skills and techniques of analysing media texts for the purpose of gaining knowledge and understanding of media representations of culture within and across cultures thereby also helping them develop intercultural awareness. Students will be able to adopt a comparative approach to the analysis of media texts drawn from different cultural contexts such as British, their own and others. Aspects of culture to be explored include: values, norms, high versus popular cultures, global versus local, diversity and ideology.
Introduction to Analytical Thought
Module code: X10FC5
Credits: 15
Module content:
This module introduces the fundamental components of analytical thought for study at UK universities: logic and reason; belief and truth; thought and problem solving; persuasion; academic argument across disciplines.
In particular, it develops skills in analytical thinking and reasoning. It focuses on the abilities to problem solve and to present, evaluate, support and defend an academic argument or viewpoint. It also enables participants to develop confidence in their own reasoning, tolerance of ambiguity, and flexibility and fairness in considering different viewpoints.
Introduction to Business Methods
Module code: X10FC4
Credits: 15
Module content: This module provides a grounding in quantitative and qualitative analysis with emphasis on understanding and analyzing data. Students will learn how to apply statistical techniques in order to solve business problems. Students will develop skills in the use of spreadsheets for data analysis and in the interpretation of results. A group project forms part of the assessment which will enable students to improve their team working and management skills.
Media and Texts: Society
Module code: X10FC6
Credits: 15
Module content: This module aims to familiarise students with the basic concepts of media and society and ways in which media texts can be treated as a means to gain insights into the dynamics of society through examining a range of communicative contexts, diverse media and texts such as film, music, print media and television. The module develops students' skills and techniques of analysing media texts for the purpose of gaining knowledge and understanding of media representations of society within and across societies. Students will be able to adopt a comparative approach to the analysis of media texts drawn from different societies such as British, their own and others, thereby helping them develop intercultural awareness. In addition, students will be able to look at and question how media texts represent the world, whether it is fact or opinion. Students will be encouraged to begin to analyse media texts in relation to institutions, political ideologies and identities.
Western Civilisation
Module code: AS0001
Credits: 15
Module content: This module surveys and analyses some of the major developments in the making of the West from the Age of Greece and Rome through medieval and early modern times until the French Revolution. This addresses key ideas and forces in the growth of Western Civilisation before the onset of the modern era including the Renaissance, Reformation and Enlightenment. Particular attention is paid to social, political and economic forces that have shaped the development and outlook of major European cultures.
The module consists of weekly lectures and seminars. Further details on content and class activities will be provided at the start of the semester.