Foundation

Foundation

What is the International Foundation Program?

The International Foundation Program is designed to prepare you for undergraduate study in the overseas Institutes. You will improve your subject knowledge through attendance at lectures and seminars in your chosen subject area, and you will develop your English language skills in additional classes. Further you will…

  • Learn to deal with academic reading texts
  • Improve your general academic skills of taking notes from lectures
  • Develop your knowledge and use of academic grammar and vocabulary
  • Improve your writing skills through working on academic writing tasks and essays throughout the year
  • Learn to participate confidently in academic discussions and seminars and to give successful presentations
  • Progression
  • When you complete the programme you will be awarded with a Pathway Certificate in Foundation Studies by the University. Once you achieve minimum criteria to progress for undergraduate degree programme you are given an option either to follow the course in same University or a choice of your own.

Who Can Study Foundation Programmes?

If a student has not achieved good academic grades and holds lower English level score than a minimum entry requirements they are advised to take 2 – 3 terms foundation course. A minimum IELTS score of 5.0 is required for international students wishing to study a foundation, with no single element less than 4.5. If you have no formal English qualifications, you may need to attend an English language course or college prior to starting your foundation course. Documents and entry requirements needed are as follows:<>


Documents Required

  • Higher Secondary School Certificate & transcript
  • Secondary School Certificate & transcript
  • Personal statement
  • Scanned copy of passport and previous visas (if any)
  • Completed application form
  • Minimum IELTS score of 5.0 or equivalent
  • Reference letter from your high school teacher

Undergraduate

What is an Undergraduate Qualification?

An undergraduate qualification in the overseas Institutions is an academic step up from A-levels (or their equivalents) and is typically gained by completing a program of study at university. There are three broad types of course:

  • those that lead to a degree;
  • intermediate qualifications in the form of certificates or diplomas; and
  • those that combine academic study with workplace learning.

The variety of undergraduate courses and subjects on offer mean it is important to fully research which option suits you best. There are various different types of Bachelor’s degrees out there. But what do abbreviations such as B.Sc. or B.A. mean?

Bachelor of Engineering (B.Engg):

Bachelor of Engineering (B.Engg) is the degree awarded for Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics and petroleum subject. The duration of Bachelor in engineering degree is usually four years.


Bachelor’s Degree (BA, BSc):

Your choice of subject will determine the precise name of the qualification. Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BSc) is the most common, but there are others such as Bachelor of Education (BEd) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB). Your course will usually last three or four years, although some subjects such as medicine will take longer.


Higher National Diploma (HND):

An HND is equivalent to the second year of a Bachelor’s degree. It takes two years to study full-time or three years part-time. They differ from degrees in that they focus on vocational skills needed for specific areas of work.


Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE):

A DipHE is the academic counterpart to the HND, as it is also equivalent to two years of a full degree. It is usually awarded following the successful completion of two years of a full-time first degree at a higher education institution.


National Vocational Qualification (NVQ):

An NVQ at Levels 4-6 is equivalent to a degree. However, these qualifications focus more on practical skills than academic study, taking place within the context of your current full or part-time work. As NVQs are work-based, instead of taking exams you are assessed by demonstrating your ability to do a job over a period of time. You will be observed by an assessor and submit a portfolio, and your performance in each unit will be measured against national occupational standards.


Undergraduate Degrees

For your first degree, most students undertake a three-year/ four years bachelor’s, featuring a combination of seminars, workshops and lectures made up of different modules. Certain modules are optional, and as such you can tailor study to what you are most interested in. Science and engineering degrees usually take four years and include a research project or dissertation.  

Postgraduate

Postgraduate Courses

To begin a postgraduate degree, an undergraduate qualification is usually required. In rare circumstances where this is not the case, like an MBA or business course, a great deal of work experience relevant to the program is needed as an alternative.

Postgraduate degrees in the UK last just one year compared to two-year courses offered in other countries. You can therefore save money and time, returning to work within one year. A study by the Higher Education Statistics Agency carried out in 2013 showed that 85 per cent of those who completed postgraduate degrees were in full-time employment following graduation, compared to 73 per cent of first degree graduates.

Types of Postgraduate degree

Taught courses generally last for just one year in UK and two years in Australia, USA, Canada and Germany, China etc. Students will be assigned a tutor, and then weekly seminars and lectures will take place, divided into modules. Assessment will be via exam and/or dissertation.

Research degrees are completely different to taught degrees in that students will take much more responsibility for their work and schedule. The study is based around a substantial research project – often reaching up to 80,000 words – written as a thesis which then must be defended in an oral examination. A PhD is the most well-known research degree

Master of Research (MRes):

A Master of Research (MRes) degree is designed to provide training in how to become a researcher. Containing a significantly larger research element than MA or MSc programs, an MRes may give candidates an advantage if they wish to pursue a PhD or enter a career in research. Note that some institutions may refer to MRes-style degree programs as an MSc, so it’s worth checking the course content carefully before applying.

Master of Research (MPhil):

A Master by Research (MPhil) is an advanced research-based degree which allows the candidate to focus on a particular topic in-depth and independently, to complete a single large research project. An MPhil is often seen as a precursor to a PhD, and is often used by institutions to allow students to ‘test the water’ before commencing a PhD degree program.

This often takes longer to complete than other types of master’s degrees – though the length of time and the status awarded to an MPhil varies significantly depending on the country and institution.

Specialized and Professional Master’s Degrees

There are also more specialized types of master’s degrees, often focusing on a specific professional area. These are sometimes known as “tagged master’s degrees”, because they are ‘tagged’ to a certain field, or professional master’s degrees, because they focus on career development in a particular profession. Some professional master’s degrees start with the word Professional in the title, such as the Professional Science Master’s Degree (PSM), a hands-on degree with a heavy practical component giving students the skills and knowledge needed to work professionally in their chosen field.

Master of Science (MA):

A Master of Arts (MA) is usually awarded in disciplines categorized as arts or social sciences, such as communications, education, languages, linguistics, literature, geography, history and music. Candidates are taught through a combination of lectures and seminars, and assessed through an examination and/or a dissertation based on an independent research project.


Master of Science (MA, MSc):

A Master of Science(MS, MSc) is usually awarded in disciplines categorized as the sciences, such as biology, chemistry, engineering, health and statistics


Master of Studies (MSt):

Taught in only a few places (including Oxford, Cambridge, Canberra and Dublin), a Master of Studies(MSt) degree is comparable to the MA or MSc, requiring both classroom learning and the completion of a thesis and an examination.


Master of Business Administration (MBA):

The Master of Business Administration(MBA) is designed to give students the skills and knowledge required for career progression in business and management roles. Candidates are given broad training in all aspects of business, allowing them to apply their learning to a variety of careers.


Master of Laws (LLM):

The Master of Lawsdegree is usually taken after having graduated from a professional law degree and gives candidates the chance to combine their knowledge of the basic skills needed to become a lawyer with specialist knowledge gained through research in a particular area of law.


Master of Engineering (MEng):

The Master of Engineering degree can be either academic (with a focus on engineering theories and practice) or professional (with a focus on preparing students for work in the engineering field).


Master of Public Health (MPH):

The Master of Public Health has academic and professional elements, taking an interdisciplinary approach to areas related to public health. Students are taught how to monitor, diagnose and regulate the health concerns of communities through public policies. While some countries accept students with accredited bachelor’s degrees for the MPH, others only accept medical graduates.


Postgraduate Courses with Work Placements

The industry placement is undertaken between the taught part of the course and the individual project. Its aim is to allow students to acquire industrial experience and, especially, develop an appreciation of how the skills acquired in the taught part relate to problems in industry.  If for some reason students cannot or decide not to go on a placement, they revert to the normal variant of the course and proceed immediately to the individual project. Normally work placements are offered for a period of 6 months to a maximum of 12 months depending on the course structure.


Why study a Postgraduate degree?

  • Ability to build a strong network of contacts
  • Internationally recognized qualifications of the highest standard
  • The majority of postgraduates earn more over the course of their career
  • Improve your career prospects – certain careers require a postgraduate qualification
  • Studying in the Abroad universities will improve your English, the most important language in international business
  • Strong vocational foundation and good links with businesses/professional organizations

If you need to improve your English ahead of studying abroad, take an IELTS preparation course.

P.H.D

PhD Research Degree

Traditionally, a PhD involves three to four years of full-time study (can be six years or more if studied part-time), in which the student completes a substantial piece of original research presented as a thesis or dissertation. Some PhD programs instead accept a portfolio of published papers, while some countries require coursework to be submitted as well.


PhD through MPhil or MRes

Another option available for potential PhD candidates is to apply as a general research student or for an MPhil degree. This is a common path taken by PhD candidates. The MPhil is an advanced master’s degree awarded for research and can be suitable for students who do not have a strong research background. You will be required to take some taught courses to get you up to speed with things like research methods.


 When to Apply and What are the Requirements?

Generally speaking, PhD admission requirements relate to the candidate’s grades (usually at both bachelor’s level and master’s level) and their potential research capabilities. Most institutions require that candidates hold an honors degree or a master’s degree with high academic standing, along with a bachelor’s degree with at least upper second-class honors. In some cases, you can also apply for a PhD simply on the basis of your master’s degree grades. Grades-based PhD admission requirements may also be based on the type of funding you will be using – you may be able apply with lower grades if you self-fund your PhD.