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.

Religious Studies with Chinese

A degree in Religious Studies with Chinese allows you to explore the themes, concepts and events that have shaped religious life in the modern world, whilst studying Chinese language and culture.

You will begin your degree with the core module Religions of the Modern World and one core Chinese module which is designed for beginners with little or no prior knowledge of Chinese Language or Culture.

In your second and third years you will take Religious Studies modules that cover topics such as Religion in Society: Theories and Methods; Gender and Religion; Religion and Violence, Religion and Violence; The Politics of Race and Indian Philosophical and Religious Thought. You will also continue to take Chinese Language modules and in your final year you will take a course on Chinese Culture and Society. 

Throughout your degree we will help you to develop skills in critical thinking and in examining controversial issues from multiple perspectives. We aim to enable you to graduate from this degree programme having gained a deeper awareness of cultural diversity and an informed understanding of the conflicts and challenges of the contemporary world.