Masters Entry Diploma at Birmingham Graduate School in UK

Intakes:                             January / April / July / October
Duration:                          1 Year
Course Fees:                     £ 3950
Awarded By:                     University of Wales
Entry Requirements:  *Hold a qualification which is recognised by the University as being
                                               equivalent to at least 240 credits (completed CQFW level 5); and
                                             *IELTS level of 5.5 or GCSE grade 'C'

The Masters Entry Diplomafor international has been created for those who at present do not have sufficient academic qualifications to embark on a master’s programme in the UK. For example, if they are Chinese, they may well have a three year Diploma rather than a four year degree. They may also have IELTS of 5.5 when at least 6.0 is generally required for acceptance into a UK Higher education institution. The Masters Entry Diploma over a year of study helps the student reach IELTS 6.5 and also introduces him/her to the academic discipline that is necesssary for studying at Masters Level. It is hoped that students who successfully complete the Masters Entry Diploma will stay on at Birmingham Graduate School to take the MBA degree.

Aims and learning outcomes:

There are many reasons why students need additional preparation before entering post-graduate degree level studies.  These include:

• The need to improve English language skills.Even students who are good at using English for general communication will need to improve such things as their vocabulary, their reading skills, the accuracy and style of their writing;
• The need to get used to university education in Britain as academic life in Britain is often very different from foreign students’ own educational culture. For example ways of teaching (such as seminars and tutorials), and forms of assessment (writing extended research papers) may be different.
  

• The need to understand the intellectual culture of study in Britain: this so-called ‘critical or analytical thinking and argumentation’ is an essential element of academic life and students need to learn how to present their own ideas within that culture;
  

• The need to learn or improve study skills:  many students need to learn to read faster and more efficiently, to structure essays in an appropriate way, to develop skills for listening to lectures in another language while taking notes at the same time.
  

• The Masters Entry Diploma for International Students sets out to prepare international students both educationally and linguistically for graduate study.  Within the general aims listed above, the BD will prepare the student to do the following:
  

• Understand a wide range of both written and spoken language and communication, including academic texts;
  

• Take an active part in tutorials and seminars and make clear oral presentations;
  

• Produce written academic English appropriate for graduate study in a variety of formats, including essays, projects and reports;
  

• Gain an internationally recognised English language qualification;
  

• Find, analyse, critique and use information from many sources, including libraries and the Internet;

• Be able to work well as an independent learner;
  

• Make appropriate use of IT facilities, including word-processing and other skills considered necessary for graduate study;
  

• Experience what it is like to study in Britain; through this experience, to develop a greater awareness and understanding of the cultural differences and expectations of studying in Britain.

Programme Structure:

The Entry Diploma consists of three main components, totalling 120 credits:

• English language and academic skills.  60 credits
  

• An introductory course in either Management or Law.  30 credits
  

• A dissertation project.  30 credits

University of Wales regulations concerning marking schemes will be adhered to.

The programme is taught over the three terms of the academic year. During Terms 1 and 2 the student will participate in a range of English language and academic skills courses take the equivalent of one module of an introductory academic course on either management or law, take IT training courses in the Computer Centre if needed, and complete a short Cultural Insights Task.  Term 3 is devoted to the writing up of the independent dissertation project as well as English language and academic course assessments and examinations. In addition, students will take the IELTS test at the end of Term 1 and Term 2.