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.

Social Studies
The International Foundation Year in Social Studies leads to a choice of undergraduate degrees in the Faculty of Arts and Social Studies and the Faculty of Science and Technology. To prepare for your degree, you will study core English language modules and subject modules. Degree options include Philosophy, Sociology, and Film.

You will learn about global issues and contemporary events, including business, culture, politics and environment. Other areas of study include advertising, social media, psychology, and theories that relate to media and modern society.

English Language
Uncovering the secrets of the English language is a rich and rewarding experience. From how the English Language functions and sounds, right through to how we can apply language study to a real-world context, our English Language degree allows you to delve deep into this fascinating subject. The study abroad option is an exciting and informative experience for anyone who is thinking of working abroad during their career. It’s a chance to broaden your horizons and make international contacts. 

We are a very large Linguistics and English Language department which means that we have a wide range of optional modules available to you throughout your degree programme. Our academics cover a very wide range of language study specialisms, and our students benefit from their expertise in lectures, seminars, tutorials, and supervisions. They will teach you from day one in small classes designed to challenge you as a linguist.

You will begin your academic career with us on the core English Language module. How do you describe the English Language in terms of its grammatical and sound systems? How does it function in different contexts? How does language interact with society? As well as exploring these questions, you will explore newer and emerging fields such as conversation analysis, corporate communication, and corpus linguistics.

Our first year system allows you to select two other modules in your first year, giving you increased choice and flexibility. This might be linguistics or another subject that complements your major.

You’ll spend your second year at one of our partner universities around the world, which could include the U.S.A., Europe, Canada, or Australia. Here you’ll move on to core subjects such as English phonetics and English grammar, but you will also be able to benefit from the courses offered by our partner universities, some of which we may not offer here at Lancaster. Our academics here at Lancaster will ensure that the programme you select whilst studying abroad is appropriate. We are careful to support you in benefitting from the study abroad experience, ensuring that there is a smooth transition into third-year when you return from abroad.

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.

Exciting options await when you return to Lancaster for your final year. They include core courses in Advanced Phonetics and Corpus-based English Language Studies. Optional courses include Forensic Linguistics and Language in the Workplace. As a third-year undergraduate, you’ll also write your dissertation, exploring a topic that you’re particularly interested in. This is overseen by a member of staff from our department who specialises in your particular area and, given the size of the department, our academics can supervise a very wide range of subjects covering most students’ special interests.

An English Language degree is well-suited for careers in education, publishing, the media and information technology. It is valued in fields involving international communication, such as science, trade and international relations. Studying abroad is a great way to make your CV stand out. It will enable you to develop additional skills in communication, cultural awareness, and you'll experience different styles of teaching and learning. We offer an English Language degree which teaches you the skills of data analysis, academic writing, and argumentation, and we are confident that our teaching, combined with your willingness to learn, will put you in a strong position to move forward in your career.