Program Overview

An International Foundation Year at our International Study Centre prepares you for your degree at Lancaster University. You will focus on English language, university-level study skills, and academic modules that relate to your degree subject.

Supporting your progression to the University
At the International Study Centre, we take every measure to ensure you are supported in your academic journey. Our programmes allow for increased time spent learning, researching and developing your skills. By studying with us, you will benefit from:

• Formal assessments at the end of each term.
• An improved English language module, Academic English Skills, providing greater opportunity for informal assessments and feedback.
• Combining and reducing the number of module assessments allowing more time to prepare.
• A personal tutorial system with a focus on your academic progress at key points of the academic year, creating action plans based on your performance and progession options.

Business and Management Studies
An International Foundation Year in Business and Management Studies leads to a choice of degrees at Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) – one of the top 100 business schools in the world. To prepare for your degree, you will study subject modules and core English language modules. Degree options include Accounting, Business Studies, and International Business Management.
You will learn how businesses operate, and how to prepare and interpret financial accounts. Other areas of study include economic policies, and international trade. Throughout the course, you will develop analysis and evaluation skills, and apply your knowledge to real-world situations.

Marketing (Study Abroad)
Studying Marketing at Lancaster helps to develop an understanding of many current and critical questions. Why do people buy a product or service? How are YouTube, vlogging and Instagram influencers changing the marketing landscape? What are the ethics behind collecting consumer data?

From sales to branding, consumer behaviour to distribution, marketing is crucial to a company’s success. Skilled professionals are required to develop, design and implement marketing programmes, processes and activities.

This degree provides an all-round understanding of marketing and includes a study of key areas including Brand Strategy, Marketing Communications and Global Markets. You will also study all aspects of Market Research, and gain a practical understanding of how marketing and advertising work in an organisational context.

During the three years of this degree, you will experience a broad range of learning opportunities, with a strong emphasis on collaborative working, that support your personal development as well as your academic skills. You will spend your second year at a partner university in North America or Australasia where you will study subjects including Marketing Research, Consumer Behaviour and Routes to Market. The chance to study in another country will give you an invaluable international perspective.

In your final year you will carry out a market research project with a real client which may include an international branded organisation, agency, charity or local company. These projects will strengthen your market research abilities and give you the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to the real world.

If you wish to gain a holistic understanding of current marketing theory and practice, you will receive an excellent grounding by studying with us. Past graduates have been employed as assistant brand managers, account executives and marketing managers across a wide spectrum of commercial and not-for-profit organisations.

Lancaster University will make reasonable endeavours to place students at an approved overseas partner university that offers appropriate modules which contribute credit to your Lancaster degree.  Occasionally places overseas may not be available for all students who want to study abroad or the place at the partner university may be withdrawn if core modules are unavailable. If you are not offered a place to study overseas, you will be able to transfer to the equivalent standard degree scheme and would complete your studies at Lancaster.

Lancaster University cannot accept responsibility for any financial aspects of the year or term abroad.