14-week programme

If you need a longer period of study to meet the English language condition for your degree, this in-depth course will provide opportunities to improve your language proficiency through a wide range of authentic academic tasks, such as research proposals, literature reviews and case studies. You will learn how research is carried out and communicated at Heriot-Watt University.

The 14-week programme includes 14 weeks of teaching plus 1 revision week, totalling 15 weeks.

Dates and fees

• Start date: Monday 3 May 2021
• Revision week: Monday 28 June 2021 – Sunday 4 July 2021
• End date: Friday 13 August 2021
• Deadline for applications: Friday 16 April 2021
• Fee: £5,020
• Location: Entirely online or 8 weeks online plus 6 weeks on campus (subject to government regulations or legislation re Covid-19). 

Entry requirements

• Undergraduate entry level IELTS 5.0 with no skill lower than 4.5
• Postgraduate entry level IELTS 5.0 with no more than one skill at 4.5
• MSc Translating and Interpreting IELTS 6.5 no skill lower than 6.0

Assessment

Ratio of examination to coursework is 30:70. You are required to achieve a mark of 50% overall for the combined coursework and exam components in order to be recommended to proceed to your degree studies at Heriot-Watt University.

Assessment for the Project Pre-Sessional course is:

• Five practice writing tasks, which will be peer-reviewed with teacher feedback;
• an Annotated Bibliography to show that you can collect and evaluate sources in your subject area;
• a Literature Review to explore a research concept in your subject area developed from your Annotated Bibliography;
• a Poster Proposal outlining the focus for your literature review and case study report;
• a Case Study Report in which you apply the subject concept developed in your Literature Review to a specific case in the real world;
• a Lecture Investigation which involves working in a group to lead a seminar discussion;
• a Reflective statement to show your awareness of what you have learned in the course;
• Timed formal exams in Reading for Writing and Listening.

For full details of the Project Pre-Sessional course, view the course outline.

How to apply

Find out how to apply for a Pre-Sessional Academic English course.