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.

Engineering and Computing
An International Foundation Year in Engineering and Computing leads to a choice of degrees in the Faculty of Science and Technology. To prepare for your degree you will study core English language modules, and subject modules for Engineering and Computing Foundation Year. Degree options include Chemical Engineering, Natural Sciences and Physics.

You will develop your understanding of Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Physics. Areas of study include number theory and graph theory (Pure Mathematics); vectors and variable acceleration (Applied Mathematics); and induction and inductors (Physics).

Physics
Our Physics degree equips you with a broad conceptual and practical working knowledge of physics, along with key transferable skills enabling you to embark on a wide variety of career paths. . The specialist teaching is informed by our world-leading activities in areas such as low-temperature physics and quantum technologies.

The core curriculum includes subjects such as Quantum Physics and Electromagnetism in your first year, Quantum Mechanics and Relativity in your second year, and Particle Physics, Atomic Physics and Condensed Matter Physics in your third year. This is complemented by laboratories where you will perform state-of-the-art experiments with sophisticated equipment and associated software. Alternatively in year 3, students can choose to do an extended industrially oriented group project in collaboration with a company or other external organisation. In years three and four, there is a wide range of advanced options which include subjects such as Quantum Computation, Matter at Low Temperatures, and Space Physics.

In your final year you will take part in an extended investigative project in one of our leading research groups, giving you access to world-leading facilities such as our unique Quantum Technology and Low-Temperature centres. Examples of recent project topics include vortices in superfluids, single photon photodiodes, nanoscale probe microscopy of graphene, quantum dots and other novel quantum nanostructures.