Program Overview

University Foundation in Education Stage1 at Hertfordshire International College (HIC) is designed to prepare you for entry to university-level program. During Stage 1 you will complete a range of modules relevant to your chosen degree, as well as modules concentrating on the skills that are vital for University level education such as Critical Thinking.

A Foundation pathway is available for students who:

• Don’t meet the entry requirements to enter university level study directly (but hold GCSE level qualifications)
• Feel that additional support at the start of university studies will help them stand a better chance of success
• Have been away from studies for a period of time
• Come from a different academic environment to that of the UK
• Require additional English language training

If you fall into any of the above categories, choosing an undergraduate pathway at Hertfordshire International College (HIC) is the right decision. Depending on your academic needs here at Hertfordshire International College (HIC).

Progressing from Foundation

Stage 1 will be the first stage in the 4 stage process. Meaning that on successful completion of stage 1 you will seamlessly progress to stage 2, which is the first year of a bachelor’s degree. There is no need to reapply, you will simply just progress between each stage until you reach the final stage and graduate with a degree from Hertfordshire International College (HIC).

BA (Hons) English Language with English Language Teaching
We give you:

• An understanding of applied language, to underpin a career in teaching English to non-native speakers
• A supportive, research-active academic team
• A flexible programme of study, allowing you to concentrate on areas you find especially interesting
• Access to huge online databases to underpin your original research projects
• CV-building potential through work placements and extra-curricular activities
• A guaranteed post-graduation interview with the School of Education

What's the course about?
How do we learn a second language? Why can it be so hard to become fluent in a language we learn later in life? By understanding how we learn language, we can understand how to teach it.

Through this BA English Language with English Language Teaching you’ll learn about the English Language but you will also learn about teaching English as an integral part of your course. And you’ll be taught by research-active academics working in cutting-edge areas such as language and gender, formulaic language, corpus studies, bilingualism, bilingual processing and codeswitching.

This combined programme of English Language and English Language teaching will give you an excellent grounding if you plan to teach English as a foreign language following postgraduate teacher training.  Alternatively you could be teaching children in primary or secondary schools whose second language is English.

In your first year, alongside core English Language modules, you’ll study language and mind, where you’ll analyse child speech transcripts and consider language acquisition. You’ll also explore the diversity of use of the English language including regional variants, pidgin and creole English, language and ethnicity, and slang and street English. In addition, you’ll take two English Language Teaching (ELT) modules each year.

Core modules in your second year focus on English grammar and the sounds of English. You can explore theories of how and why language developed and also have the option to take a language competencies module leading to a work placement. This could involve field work or observing teaching and learning methods in a college setting. We offer a career development module in your second year that will equip you to take up an English Language teaching work placement - perhaps teaching phonics to primary school pupils or teaching at a special needs school - or become a Stroke Association volunteer. You may also shadow speech and language therapists or help with specialist language teaching in sixth form college.