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.

Politics
Exploring some of the themes, concepts and events that have shaped the contemporary political scene, you will begin your degree with our core module in Politics in the Modern World. You are also encouraged to take the optional module International Relations: theory and practice.
During your degree, you will learn from academics many of whom are committed to both teaching and research. As you continue with your studies, you will increasingly specialise through a varied range of modules which focus on topical questions concerning government and politics in Britain, Europe and the world. 
In your second year, you have the opportunity to spend a year abroad at one of our partner universities, currently these are located in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and the USA. The year provides an opportunity to experience a different society, culture and political system while furthering your studies.

In your final year, you have the opportunity to undertake a sustained investigation of a specific political subject that interests you via the dissertation option.

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.