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English Language Courses

Our English courses enable you to improve your language skills and feel more confident when studying in English. Our courses give you the opportunity to improve your English language skills in a supportive learning environment whilst developing your academic study skills.

Pre-sessional English

What courses do you offer with Pre-sessional English?

We offer Pre-sessional English with the following courses:

Law:

  • LLM International Commercial Law
  • LLM International Business Law
  • LLM Master of Law (General)
  • LLM Data Protection and Intellectual Property

Business:

  • MSc Strategic Business Management
  • MSc Strategic Business Management with Professional Practice
  • MSc Project Management
  • MSc Project Management with Professional Practice
  • MSc Business Analytics
  • MSc Business Analytics with Professional Practice
  • MSc Marketing
  • MSc Marketing with Professional Practice
  • MSc Cyber Security Management
  • MSc Cyber Security Management with Professional Practice

Who is Pre-sessional English for?

Pre-sessional English is for students who need to improve their English language level to meet the language entry requirements for their chosen degree course.

What will I learn?

  • How to use academic English effectively in a range of communicative situations
  • How to research, plan and produce written and oral assignments 
  • How to engage effectively and with integrity with a range of technological study tools
  • Applied study skills such as note taking, summarising and referencing (for example, using OSCOLA and Harvard)
  • You will have the chance to meet your future course leaders and lecturers for your main degree course. You will also learn about our facilities and resources, and become familiar with university systems, services and processes, so you will feel comfortable and confident when you join your main degree.

How will I learn?

Our Pre-sessional English is highly interactive. You will have daily group workshops, based around digital and physical resources. You will work in small groups, pairs and individually on a range of immersive, engaging communicative activities. Classes run from Monday to Friday, for five hours each day. You are also expected to undertake 15 hours per week of independent study.

You will produce an e-portfolio each week, consisting of a reflective journal and a progress report on your coursework assignments. Your lecturer will provide weekly feedback on this work, so that you can continually improve and develop your skills.

You will have regular confidential 1:1 tutorials with your lecturer, where we will provide guidance and support on both academic and pastoral matters.

You are expected to bring a laptop to class with you but printed materials will be made available if required.

How will I be assessed?

Our Pre-sessional English has three assessment components:

1. Online exam, with a Reading, Listening and Writing section
2. Written coursework report
3. Group seminar presentation

You must sit and pass all components. If your assessment scores meet the required English language level for your main degree programme, you will have passed the PSE.

Transition and Progression Requirements

In order to transition onto your main degree programme you must sit, successfully complete and pass all three assessment components of Pre-sessional English.

If you do not pass all three assessment components of Pre-sessional English you will not be able to continue onto your main degree programme and your Student Route Visa will no longer be valid.

Please see our Terms and Conditions for further details.

How long is the course?

Pre-sessional English runs for 7 weeks and ends shortly before your main induction and enrolment period.

Entry Requirements

Please check the IELTS requirements for your main degree programme using the table below:

Programme

Programme English Requirement   

7 Week Pre-Sessional English Requirement  

Postgraduate Programmes in Law (LLMs)

6.5 overall  

6.0 each element  

6.0 overall  

5.5 each element  

Postgraduate Programmes in Business (MScs)

6.5 overall  

5.5 each element  

6.0 overall  

5.0 each element  

 

Please note: Students requiring a visa for these courses must provide one of the following Secure English Language Tests (SELT) with the appropriate score obtained: IELTS for UKVI, PTE Academic UKVI or UKVIISE.

 

Key information

Dates*:
7 week Pre-sessional English: Monday 11 November to Friday 10 January 2025 (including 2 weeks Christmas/New Year holiday)

*Please note these dates are subject to confirmation.

Location: Pre-sessional English is held at our London Moorgate campus.

Seven week course: £1,500

This non-refundable fee includes all learning materials and test fees.

Please note: You will be required to make an advance payment of £6000 towards your tuition fees and we will take £1500 from this advance payment to cover the Pre-sessional English course whilst the remainder will go towards your main course.

  1. Do I have to attend all my Pre-sessional English classes?

Yes. This is an intensive course, with 25 contact hours per week. You need a lot of practice to improve your English language level. If you are a Visa student, you are required by the UK Home Office (UKVI) to have very high attendance.

  1. What happens if I am ill and unable to attend class?

If you are so ill that you are unable to attend class, you must let your teachers know as soon as possible, and before the class is due to start. We may ask for evidence, such as a doctor’s note.

  1. Do I need to study outside class?

Yes. Pre-sessional English, like all courses at The University of Law, requires you to do independent study. This means that you will prepare, review and do practice tasks in your own time. For Pre-sessional English, you are expected to do 15 hours per week of independent study.

  1. What happens if I do not pass my assessments?

If you do not pass a Pre-sessional English assessment, you will have one chance to resit. Please note that the resit assessment will take place very quickly, so you will not have much time to prepare. This is because Pre-sessional English takes place shortly before transition to your main programme.

  1. Can I interrupt my studies and return to complete Pre-sessional English at a later date?

No. You cannot intermit, interrupt or suspend your Pre-sessional English. If you have to leave Pre-sessional English for any reason, your Visa sponsorship will be withdrawn.

  1. Will I continue to receive English support after I transition to my main degree programme?

Yes. All students at The University of Law are eligible to attend our wide range of English language classes, as well as our extensive Study Skills programme.

How to apply

Please select your chosen course from the list below to complete our online application form.

Alternatively, if you have already applied to one of the courses listed above without Pre-sessional English and do not currently meet our English Language requirements, we will contact students who are eligible to transfer to a course with Pre-sessional English.

Applications close before the start of Pre-sessional English. Please visit our key application and enrolment deadline page to see the date in which you must apply by for both our Pre-Sessional English and your main course. Students who require a Student Route visa should be aware that the deadline to apply for a visa outside the UK is 7 weeks before the course start date.

Please be aware that no late starts are permitted on our Pre-sessional English.

In-Sessional Support - Academic Language and Communication

Elevate your Academic English by attending our online workshops and 1:1 online tutorials.

The workshops cover topics such as critical reading skills, grammatical accuracy, expanding your vocabulary and clear and concise writing, along with specialist topics such as legal writing and conducting client interviews.

Our tutorials provide an opportunity for 1:1 guidance in developing Academic English skills, giving students in-depth support to meet their language needs.

Workshops and tutorials are bookable through the Elite Institution page or you may contact [email protected] for more details.

Contact us

For more information on our English language courses, please email our international team.