1. No category

SOAS – University of London
Academic Development Directorate
Academic Teaching Development
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION (UG)
UK UNIVERSITIES DRAFT COMPARATIVE RESEARCH
This preliminary research document collates extracts from the websites of a number of UK universities; Cambridge, Oxford, UCL, and LSE.
Various elements of programme specification, where available, were collated under the headings as demonstrated in the tables below. It
should be noted that the information given on prospectus web pages is often overlapping between the categories, in particular in relation to
the Learning Outcomes and Learning, Teaching and Assessment categories.
1
ARTS AND HUMANITIES
UNI
OX
COURSE
BA
Archaeology
and
Anthropology
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT IT
WHO WOULD IT SUIT
PROGRAMME
STRUCTURE
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
TEACHING,
LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
Drawing on well over a
century of experience in
teaching and research,
outstanding museum and
library resources and the
cumulative knowledge of
literally dozens of
academics, Oxford’s Arch &
Anth course offers a
comprehensive guide to the
richness and diversity of
human cultural experience
throughout space and time.
By choosing to study here
you will be able to:
explore how
humans evolved
get to grips with
major transformational
processes in human history
such as the development of
farming, the emergence of
towns, trading systems and
the spread of world
religions
assess the relative
importance of
environmental, genetic and
social factors in
understanding patterns of
human growth and
Have you ever thought about
questions like these and wanted
to find out what answers there
might be for them?
Why is it a serious matter to
accuse someone of being a
witch in some societies, but not
in others?
Did Neanderthals sing as
they buried their dead?
Have societies really
evolved from simple to
complex?
Why did Europeans conquer
the Americas after 1492, not the
other way round?
Who built Stonehenge and
why?
Why did anyone ever start
to farm?
When did people start
developing museums and why?
Why do some cultures insist
that you marry your cousin and
others make it impossible?
How can we reconstruct
past climates and ecologies and
can this tell us anything about
possible future patterns of
environmental change?
Where did people like us
The Archaeology &
Anthropology course is
made up of two parts.
The first of these covers
your first year and is
called, in Oxford-speak,
‘Honour Moderations’.
Together the second and
third years form what is
called the ‘Final Honour
School’.
First Year: Honour
Moderations
The four courses that you
will be taking in this, your
first year as an
Archaeology &
Anthropology student,
are designed to provide
you with a general
background to the three
disciplines that feature
within the degree:
archaeology, biological
anthropology and social
anthropology. Further
details of these four
courses can be found
here. They also aim to
introduce you to the main
techniques and
First Year - In
addition to the
core papers the
Honour
Moderations
course includes
several classes, for
each of which
short assignments
need to be
completed. Overall
assessment,
however, is by way
of four unseen
three hour written
examinations that
you take at the end
of your first year.
See
http://www.
arch.ox.ac.u
k/undergrad
uateprogrammespecification
.html for a
highly
detailed,
structured,
and well
expressed
programme
specification
document
See
http://www.ar
ch.ox.ac.uk/un
dergraduateprogrammespecification.h
tml for a
highly
detailed,
structured,
and well
expressed
programme
specification
document
Second and Third
years - The Final
Honour School is
currently assessed
by eight
examination
papers, all of equal
weight, taken at
the end of your
third year. One of
these consists of
your thesis, and
2
nutrition
learn why societies
structure their families,
economies and political
systems in the ways that
they do
and investigate the
purposes that art and other
forms of material culture
serve in the representation
and reproduction of beliefs
and ideologies
And as well as that, you’ll
take part in an
archaeological excavation,
have the opportunity of
participating in other
archaeological or
anthropological projects
anywhere in the world and
undertake your own
original research. Combine
all of this with a superb
quality of teaching, an
unparalleled level of
personal attention from
those tutoring and lecturing
you, a wealth of extracurricular activities and
excellent career
opportunities and you’ll
wonder why you didn’t
think of Archaeology &
Anthropology before now.
http://www.arch.ox.ac.uk/u
ndergraduate-studies.html
first develop and how did they
spread to the rest of the world?
Why do we walk on two
legs not four?
How can archaeologists
date objects from the past?
If so, then Archaeology &
Anthropology at Oxford is
probably the degree course that
you’re looking for.
But maybe you’re concerned
that Oxford may not be your
kind of place? Don’t be! Our
students body is drawn from all
parts of the United Kingdom and
from across the world. Selected
purely on academic grounds,
without any concern for
background or schooling, its
diversity, enthusiasm and
vitality mirror the subjects that
form the Arch & Anth degree.
And getting in is not difficult as
you might think - roughly two in
every five candidates are
offered a place, so give it a go!
http://www.arch.ox.ac.uk/unde
rgraduate-studies.html
methodologies that
archaeologists and
anthropologists employ
and to the principal
theoretical perspectives
that they use.
Second and Third Years:
Final Honour School
In this part of the degree
you will take four core
courses and three
optional subjects of your
own choice. Further
details of the four core
courses can be found
here. The result is that
you can construct half of
the Final Honour School
to suit your own
interests, while retaining
a solid breadth across all
aspects of archaeology
and anthropology. We
feel that this offers you a
uniquely powerful and
flexible broad course that
avoids excessive
specialisation while
emphasising student
choice.
http://www.arch.ox.ac.uk
/undergraduate-coursedetails.html
the other seven of
unseen three hour
written
examinations.
Prizes are awarded
for the best thesis
and for the best
overall
performance in
Finals
examinations. For
both
archaeologists and
anthropologists
undertaking
original fieldwork
is frequently an
important part of
their research. For
this reason you will
be required to take
part yourself in a
programme of
approved
fieldwork as part of
your degree.
http://www.arch.o
x.ac.uk/undergrad
uate-coursedetails.html
3
UNI
COURSE
UCL
BA
Archaeology
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT IT
The UCL Institute of
Archaeology is the largest and
one of the most highly regarded
centres for undergraduate
studies in archaeology and
cultural heritage in the world
and is recognised for the
excellence of its teaching and
student experience as reflected
in its position in numerous
university league tables and
National Student Survey results,
including 100% for student
satisfaction. Institute degree
programmes offer an unrivalled
variety of course options,
covering a very diverse range of
archaeological topics in both a
theoretical and a practical
manner. This enables our
students to build a degree
tailored to their individual
interests, whether they have a
background in the arts, the
sciences, or a mixture of both..
A degree at the Institute
demands time and
commitment; it will challenge
your expectations and develop a
wide range of transferable skills.
The Institute is truly
international in both its outlook
and in its membership, with
students and staff from over 40
WHO WOULD IT
SUIT
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
Degree Structure
Classes at UCL take the form of
lectures and small-group
seminars, as well as laboratory
sessions. Most of the degree is
structured around a
combination of core courses,
which are fixed by us, and
optional courses chosen by you
from a wide range of
possibilities.
Year 1
In your first year, you will
receive a solid grounding in the
both practical and theoretical
methods in archaeology, as well
as an introduction to major
issues in world prehistory. All
students take … four core
courses:
You are also asked to choose
ONE of the … half-element
options:
Year 2
The second year provides you
with a more advanced
understanding of archaeology
and allows you to develop your
own specialised interests by
choosing options. All students
take the following four core
courses:
You are also asked to choose
several option courses to the
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
TEACHING, LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
Intellectual/subject
specific - Our BA and
BSc degrees are
designed to provide
extensive general
training in archaeology:
you can expect to learn
about a full range of
theoretical, analytical
and field methods from
some of the world's
leading archaeological
researchers. You will
also have the
opportunity to follow
your interests in
particular chronological
periods, geographical
areas or special fields of
study.
Transferable - As a
discipline, archaeology
prepares you for a wide
range of future careers,
both within the world
of archaeology or
heritage studies, and
far beyond. The
personal skills,
analytical techniques
and general ways of
thinking are all highly
transferable.
4
countries. The variety of
backgrounds, experience, ages
and nationalities, as well as the
vast array of resources and
facilities at UCL and throughout
London, ensures a rewarding,
stimulating and varied
undergraduate experience. The
following sections offer further
insight into what undergraduate
life is like at the Institute.
Our students are supported by
over 70 academic staff, who
provide a remarkably broad and
deep coverage of many topics
within archaeology . Despite our
size, we pride ourselves on the
quality and quantity of
individual attention that our
students get. We are housed in
a single building next to the
main UCL site, so we have our
own distinctive community life
but also benefit from full access
to the facilities of both UCL and
the University of London. We
offer a first class learning
environment, including frequent
lectures and seminars by
outside speakers.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeolo
gy/studying/undergraduate
value of 2 course units from the
wide range of 2nd and 3rd year
courses available each year
(further details).
Year 3
In your third and final year, you
continue to develop knowledge
of particular subject areas
through a choices of many
course options, but are also
given the chance to reflect
critically on your fieldwork
experience during the degree
(see below) and to write a
10,000 word dissertation on a
detailed subject that you will
choose with the help of a
supervisor. More precisely, all
students do the following:
a Fieldwork Portfolio
a Dissertation
You are also asked to choose
several option courses to the
value of 2.5 course units from
the wide range of 2nd and 3rd
year courses available each year
(further details).
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeolo
gy/studying/undergraduate/deg
rees/ba_bsc_archaeology/struct
ure
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/a
rchaeology/studying/un
dergraduate/degrees/b
a_bsc_archaeology
5
UNI
CAM
COURSE
BA
Archaeology
and
Anthropology
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT IT
WHO WOULD IT SUIT
PROGRAMME
STRUCTURE
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
Commonly called ‘Arch and
Anth’, our course is unique in
offering both breadth and the
opportunity to specialise. While
at most universities archaeology
and anthropology are studied
either as a single degree or
entirely separately, our flexible
course enables you to combine
a broad introduction and then
pursue advanced study in one of
Archaeology, Biological
Anthropology or Social
Anthropology from your second
year.
What makes us
human? Is there such a
thing as human nature?
Why are human
societies so different?
How do we find out
about the past when
there was no writing? If
questions such as these
absorb and interest
you, so could our
Archaeology and
Anthropology degree.
Cambridge is unusual
in combining the
constituent
disciplines during the
first year (Part I). This
provides a
comprehensive
introduction and
overview of the three
subjects and related
techniques, and
forms the bedrock of
your later
specialisation.
The Faculty is one of
the largest in the UK
with over 30 full–
time permanent
teaching staff. You
can expect to be
taught by leading
experts in their field
and each
department is at the
forefront of new
developments and
original research.
Our facilities are impressive and
the scope of our teaching and
research is global. Our Faculty
has two unique resources which
are used extensively in teaching
and research. The Haddon
Library is one of the leading
institutions of its kind, and the
Museum of Archaeology and
Anthropology houses collections
of world importance. Online
links offer access to these and
other resources. The Faculty has
a well–equipped IT lab and
purpose–built laboratories for
There are no specific
subject requirements
for Archaeology and
Anthropology, and
applicants with arts and
science backgrounds do
equally well. However,
what the course does
require is a genuine
interest in human
behaviour, biology and
culture. Students
should also be
comfortable reading,
thinking critically and
constructing arguments
based on readings and
In the second year
(Part IIA), you choose
the discipline you
wish to specialise in
(although you may
take some papers
from the other
disciplines and other
courses). Part IIA
provides a detailed
foundation in your
chosen subject; while
the third year (Part
IIB) offers specialist
options linked to
areas of current
All subjects include
lectures and
seminars,
complemented by
College–based
supervisions. In the
first year, most
students have
around eight
lectureseach week,
plusthree
supervisions and one
seminar each
fortnight. You're
assessed at the end
of each year,
primarily through
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
TEACHING,
LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
Transferable - The
analytical and
critical skills,
intellectual
versatility,
multicultural
sensitivity and
international
outlook you
develop are widely
sought after by
employers in fields
such as the media,
commerce,
management
consultancy,
diplomacy,
advertising and PR.
Other graduates
choose careers
which build directly
on their discipline,
including research
and teaching; work
for NGOs and
development
agencies; in
museums,
conservation, and
heritage
management; and
6
biological and archaeological
science. Links are maintained
with related research centres in
other university departments
and across the world.
For nearly a hundred years, our
former Archaeology and
Anthropology students have
gone on to become leading
figures in their discipline, doing
ground–breaking research that
has shaped the subject. These
include Edmund Leach, David
Clarke, Dorothy Garrod, Louis
Leakey, David Pilbeam and
Marilyn Strathern. Our
graduates also include the poet
Ted Hughes, sculptor Antony
Gormley, former deputy chair of
the Competition Commission
Denise Kingsmill, author Tom
Sharpe, actor Thandie Newton
and comedian Hugh Laurie.
http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissio
ns/undergraduate/courses/arch
anth/
other evidence.
http://www.cam.ac.uk/
admissions/undergradu
ate/courses/archanth/
research.
http://www.cam.ac.u
k/admissions/underg
raduate/courses/arc
hanth/
three–hour written
examinations though
some subjects may
include assessed
practical work
and/or a dissertation
of 10,000 words.
http://www.cam.ac.
uk/admissions/under
graduate/courses/ar
chanth/
health.
http://www.cam.ac
.uk/admissions/un
dergraduate/cours
es/archanth/
7
UNI
COURSE
KCL
BA
History
WHAT IS SPECIAL
ABOUT IT
WHO WOULD IT SUIT
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
The history degree
programme is designed
to develop your critical
thinking and
independence of
thought about the past.
The unrivalled range of
modules ensures that
you can choose a
coherent programme
of study to match your
interests whilst
studying in central
London. One of the
best history
departments in the
world, ranked 2nd in
the UK by The Sunday
Times newspaper
(2011).
Excellent graduate
prospects, amongst the
top five in the country
(Times Good University
Guide, 2010).
Graduates get top jobs
in a wide range of
sectors, including law,
business, government,
heritage, finance and
teaching.
A wider range of
periods and places than
most history degrees,
The career prospects for
King's history graduates
are excellent and are
ranked amongst the top
five in the UK, according
to the Times Good
University Guide (2010).
Students develop skills
which give them a critical
edge in the job market, in
particular the ability to
process information
quickly, think
independently and
present their ideas in
pressure situations.
Former King's history
students work for
national newspapers, in
top law firms, in the civil
service, in state and
private schools, in
heritage, banking and
business sectors and in
many different
universities across the
globe. Noted King's
history graduates include
Ronan Bennett (novelist
and screenwriter), Janice
Hadlow (Controller of
BBC Two) and Georgina
Henry (Executive
comment editor of the
The King’s History degree lasts
three years and is assessed
through a combination of essays,
examinations, presentations and
dissertations. Students choose
from a wide range of modules,
which cover historical topics from
Medieval times (c400AD onwards)
through to the present day.
Optional modules in Ancient
History are also available through
the Department of Classics. In the
first year, students choose
modules that span Medieval, Early
Modern and Modern History as
well as taking ‘Historical Skills,
Sources & Approaches’, which is
taught in small groups. In the
second and third years, students
select more focused options,
choosing from around 30 topics,
which have recently included: •
Alexander the Great • British
Imperial Policy & Decolonisation,
1938-1964 • Caribbean
Intellectual History, c1800 to the
present • The French Civil War,
1934-1970 • The History of
Australia since 1788 • History of
Political Ideas • The Norman
Conquest • The Northern Ireland
Troubles • The Origins of
Reformation in England • Political
Bonds in Late Medieval and
The King’s
History degree
lasts three years
and is assessed
through a
combination of
essays,
examinations,
presentations
and
dissertations.
http://www.kcl.a
c.uk/prospectus/
undergraduate/d
etails/name/hist
ory
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
TEACHING,
LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
You will be closely
engaged with staff
and other students in
regular lectures,
seminars and
supervisions. Most
teaching takes place
in seminars, which
usually involve
between 10 and 25
participants and are a
forum for discussion
in which students
have the opportunity
to engage with a
group and hone their
debating and
presentation skills.
Supervisions are
small seminar groups
of around 6 students,
designed to allow
students the
opportunity to
discuss and debate
certain set texts - a
particular source, for
example - so
developing their
critical historical
ability. If you elect to
write a Free Standing
Long Essayin your
final year, this will
8
from medieval Europe
to modern India.
Students are taught in
a friendly and
supportive
environment by expert
historians.
The central London
location offers students
easy access to worldclass museums,
collections and
libraries.
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/p
rospectus/undergradua
te/index/name/history
Guardian newspaper).
Recent graduates have
found employment as… •
Academic Historian •
Dealers Assistant
(Bonhams) • Research
Analyst (Ministry of
Defence) • Junior
Accounts Executive
(Chelgate) • Project
Assistant (Heron Evidence
Development) • Trusts &
Statutory Fundraiser
(Crisis UK) • Support
Worker (Sense) •
Departmental Runner
(BBC)
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/pro
spectus/undergraduate/i
ndex/name/history
Renaissance Italy • The Soviet
Union and Russia, 1945-2000 •
Women and Gender in Early
Modern England • Romans &
Barbarians: The Transformation of
the Roman West • Themes in the
study of Contemporary Africa In
the final year, students have the
opportunity to undertake a
research dissertation on a topic of
their choice, working under the
one-to-one supervision of a
member of staff. As King’s is part
of the University of London,
second-and final-year students
have the option of taking history
courses at other institutions (such
as UCL, and Royal Holloway),
which means our students have an
unrivalled choice of modules to
choose from. The King’s History
programme is unique in its set of
compulsory ‘History and Memory’
modules, where students consider
the role of history in the present
day, from its social and public uses
to the conflicts and controversies
it can generate.
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus/
undergraduate/details/name/hist
ory
See also more detailed course
structure at
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus/
undergraduate/structure/name/hi
story
also be taught in
supervisions, usually
on a one-to-one basis
with a tutor. From
the beginning of the
degree, you will
analyse primary
sources as well as the
writings of historians.
We ensure
undergraduate
students are exposed
to many different
approaches to
history, and
encourage you to
adopt a comparative
approach, looking at
the connections and
contrasts between
different periods and
places throughout
the degree. The
discipline of research
and writing is
essential to the
development of the
skills of the historian.
At King's, therefore,
we require an
extensive amount of
written work.
http://www.kcl.ac.uk
/prospectus/undergr
aduate/details/name
/history
9
UNI
COURSE
WHAT IS SPECIAL
ABOUT IT
OX
BA
History
See ‘What is special
about studying history at
Oxford’ at
http://www.history.ox.a
c.uk/prosundergrad/hist
ory/historycourse.htm
Oxford also attracts a
host of visiting speakers,
some as the guests of
the University and its
colleges, others at the
invitation of flourishing
student
clubs
and
societies. In coming to
Oxford you will be
participating in one of
the
most
vital
intellectual cultures in
the
world.
http://www.history.ox.a
c.uk/prosundergrad/hist
ory/historyteaching.htm
WHO
WOULD IT
SUIT
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
During the first year students study a
mixture of papers designed to introduce
them to ways of studying the subject
different from those they have
encountered at school, and to equip
them with skills appropriate to the work
they do later in the course. They choose
one period of British history, in which
political developments are related to the
broader contexts of social, economic,
and cultural change, and one period of
European History, which is taught in a
thematic fashion, enabling students to
sharpen their understanding of key
historical concepts. Skills acquired at
school in source criticism are built upon
through an optional subject in which a
historical problem is studied through
contemporary source materials. For their
fourth subject students work on
historical skills and methods, looking at
the writings of a leading historian in a
foreign language or exploring the
application of quantitative techniques to
historical research, or they take one of
the papers on Approaches to History or
the History of Historical Writing
mentioned above.
In the two years of study for Finals
students take a mixture of outline
courses and more specialist ones.
Students choose (in varying and flexible
combinations) two courses of British and
non-British History (including American
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
TEACHING, LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
The Oxford
History
course aims
to combine
specializatio
n with
breadth and
reflection.
All students
are required
to take a
paper in the
Disciplines
of History in
which they
draw
together
materials
from the
component
elements of
the course
and place
them in a
broader and
often more
theoretical
context.
http://www.
history.ox.ac
.uk/prosund
ergrad/cour
ses/modhist
.htm
Tutorials are at the heart of
undergraduate
learning
at
Oxford. Students have at least
one tutorial per week, for which
they are expected to write an
essay, which is then discussed
with a specialist. Tutorials
usually involve pairs of students
working with a tutor, and they
therefore offer an opportunity
for
an
in-depth
mutual
exploration of a topic. Tutors will
explain to you how you can
make your arguments more
effectively; they will give you an
opportunity to ask questions
about the material you have
been reading; and you will be
able
to
challenge
their
assumptions. In an independent
assessment of the quality of the
teaching of History at Oxford,
the majority of tutorials were
found to be excellent, bringing
students face to face with the
necessity for literate historical
argument, and developing the
critical and verbal skills so valued
in the world of work. And in a
questionnaire
of
students
finishing their history degree in
2002, around 90% rated tutorial
work and the opportunity to
learn
from
researchers
10
History and European and Overseas
Expansion) from the great variety on
offer. Students are encouraged to
develop interests and approaches
fostered during their first year. The
Further Subject and the Special Subject
both allow students to work on a
historical problem in a professional
manner, critically engaging with primary
printed materials. Both these subjects
are chosen from lists of about twenty
options covering most of the globe, and
reflecting various approaches to history.
All students doing History as a Single
Honours Course write a thesis in their
final year. By doing a thesis students are
able to undertake independent research
based on the study of original sources
with guidance from their tutors. Writing
one can be an exciting and intellectually
invigorating experience and the best are
published.
http://www.history.ox.ac.uk/prosunderg
rad/courses/modhist.htm (Also contains
more detailed breakdown of the course
structure / options)
themselves as very positive
elements of the course.
Although Oxford historians
believe that there is no
substitute for the intellectual
rigour of the tutorial system,
tutorials are complemented by
seminars and lectures. Seminar
groups in Oxford are small
(usually between eight and
sixteen members) and give
students an opportunity to
discuss each other’s work by the
presentation of papers in turn to
the group. Lectures are provided
on the Faculty’s courses, and the
size of the Faculty means that on
many of your options you will be
able to hear a variety of
contrasting viewpoints.
http://www.history.ox.ac.uk/pro
sundergrad/history/historyteach
ing.htm
11
LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
UNI
LSE
COURSE
BSc
Economics
WHAT IS SPECIAL
ABOUT IT
WHO WOULD IT SUIT
Is globalisation
increasing
inequality within
countries?
Between
countries? Why,
as economies
grow richer, are
people often not
any happier? Can
government
policies influence
this? Why are
some
governments
captured by elites
and more prone
to corruption
than others?
Should the
central bank bail
out failing banks or might that
encourage even
more failures in
the future? What
steps should be
taken now to
combat global
warming?
Questions such as
these, all of which
A first degree in
economics is an excellent
preparation for a range of
careers. Many of our
graduates choose to
pursue careers in the
financial sector on
graduation, for example
in banking and financial
services, analytical and
trading fields, advising on
mergers and acquisitions.
Others choose to join
international
organisations; to become
professional accountants
and auditors, or to take
up positions as economic
or management
consultants. A significant
number choose to go on
to graduate study, not
only in economics but
also in finance,
management,
development and other
fields.
The Economics
Department is regularly
ranked number one
outside the USA for its
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
We offer two single honours
degrees, in economics, and
econometrics and
mathematical economics. You
can also take economics as a
major subject with economic
history as a minor. The
following descriptions show
the pattern of studies for each
degree. The first year of all our
degrees will give you an
essential foundation in the
subject. The second year
concentrates on building a firm
grasp of core analytical
methods and applying them to
a range of problems, while the
third year allows you to
specialise and to apply those
methods to particular areas.
You can also take degrees that
combine economics in various
ways with economic history,
environmental policy,
geography, government,
mathematics, philosophy and
social policy. Details of these
degrees are in the separate
sections for those subjects; the
study of economics in all these
degrees requires core study in
economic principles and
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
You will have
around 12 hours of
lectures and classes
a week, plus
LSE100. Classes in
groups of around 15
students are the
main form of
interaction with
teachers.
You will have an
academic adviser
who will be
available to offer
general guidance
and assistance with
both academic and
personal concerns
on an individual
basis.
The courses are
assessed through
examinations in June
each year. The
project element of
the degree in
Econometrics and
Mathematical
Economics is
assessed through the
report you submit.
http://www2.lse.ac.u
Economics
provides the
means of
analysing the key
features of
problems by
formally
modelling
economic
relationships and
testing beliefs
about economic
behaviour against
the available
data. Studying
economics is
therefore about
developing
problem-solving
skills, including
mathematical and
statistical
techniques as
well as more
general analytical
skills.
http://www2.lse.
ac.uk/study/unde
rgraduate/degree
Programmes2011
/economics/overv
iew_and_features
TEACHING, LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
Intellectual - The
economics programme
at LSE aims to provide
students with a
thorough grounding in
the analytical methods
of economics and to
develop their skills in
applying these methods
to a diverse range of
problems, both
microeconomic and
macroeconomic, in
analysing and
constructing complex
arguments and in
communicating these
effectively.
Subject-specific - Our
BSc Economics provides
a well rounded coverage
of the whole area of
economics. The BSc
Econometrics and
Mathematical
Economics enables you
to build a particularly
strong quantitative
background, which is
becoming more and
more important for a
12
are being
examined by
economists at
LSE, illustrate the
broad scope of
economics today.
http://www2.lse.
ac.uk/study/unde
rgraduate/degree
Programmes2011
/economics/overv
iew_and_features
.aspx
published research in
economics and
econometrics. As an
undergraduate in the
Department, you will
have the chance to learn
from economists at the
cutting edge of their
field.
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/s
tudy/undergraduate/de
greeProgrammes2011/e
conomics/overview_and
_features.aspx
mathematics.
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/study/u
ndergraduate/degreeProgram
mes2011/economics/overview
_and_features.aspx
See also
http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources
/calendar/programmeRegulatio
ns/undergraduate/BScEconomic
s.htm for list of modules
k/study/undergradua
te/degreeProgramm
es2011/economics/o
verview_and_feature
s.aspx
.aspx
successful career in
economics. The BSc
Economics with
Economic History
provides an option for
students with a
secondary interest in
economic history and
who are less interested
in statistics and
econometrics.
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/s
tudy/undergraduate/de
greeProgrammes2011/e
conomics/overview_and
_features.aspx
13
UNI
COURSE
CAM
BSC
Economics
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT IT
WHO WOULD IT
SUIT
PROGRAMME
STRUCTURE
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
The Faculty of Economics at
Cambridge is one of the largest in
the UK. Past and present members
have played a major role in the
development of the subject: Alfred
Marshall, John Maynard Keynes and
many other distinguished
economists spent much of their
working lives as members of the
Faculty. The Faculty's Senior Chair,
Professor Sir James Mirrlees, was
awarded a Nobel Prize in Economics
in 1996 for his work on optimal
taxation and the theory of
incentives, and another recent
Faculty member, Professor Amartya
Sen, was awarded the Nobel Prize in
1998 for his work on welfare
economics and income distribution.
The present Faculty continues its
long–established interest in public
economics, macroeconomics,
competition and regulation
econometrics and economic theory.
Members of the teaching and
research staff are also involved in a
wide range of research projects.
We're looking for
students with the
intellectual
curiosity to
investigate
contemporary and
historical patterns
of economic
behaviour, and a
wide–ranging
interest in the
evolution of the
global economy.
You should also
have good
quantitative skills
and an interest in
applying
mathematical and
statistical tools to
the analysis of
economic issues.
http://www.cam.a
c.uk/admissions/u
ndergraduate/cour
ses/economics/
The Economics
Tripos is a
three years
degree
program in
economics and
consists of
three parts,
known as Part
I, Part IIA and
Part IIB. The
examinations
for each part
take place at
the end of the
first, second
and third year,
respectively,
and are
classed Tripos
examinations
(Firsts, Upper
Seconds (2.1s),
Lower Seconds
(2.2s) and
Thirds).
http://www.ec
on.cam.ac.uk/
prospect/ba/c
ourse.html
The exams are
stand-alone
examinations,
and marks are
not carried
forward to
later years.
The
candidates
will, however,
be required to
pass the
relevant
examinations
(i.e., to obtain
at least a
Third) if they
are to
continue from
Part I to Part
IIA or from
Part IIA to Part
IIB.
http://www.ec
on.cam.ac.uk/
prospect/ba/c
ourse.html
The Faculty remains committed to
using economics for the
improvement of public policy.
A substantial
number of our
graduates go on to
professional
See also more
detailed
description of
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
A1 To provide a
course in economic
principles and their
application that
stimulates and
challenges
students whose
abilities range up
to the highest;
A2 To develop
students'
competence in the
assimilation of
complex
arguments, the
analysis of
practical issues,
logical thought,
quantitative
techniques,
mathematical
skills, and effective
communication,
using a range of
teaching methods;
A3 To develop
skills that are of
value for
subsequent
careers, primarily
in professional and
managerial
occupations;
TEACHING, LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
Intellectual/Subject-specific Economics at Cambridge focuses
on giving you a sound
understanding of the core of
economics, pure and applied.
However, while the specialised
nature of this degree enables
you to concentrate on studying
economics in considerable
depth, the breadth of the aims
outlined above means that
economists need to employ
modes of thought and
techniques drawn from many
other disciplines, among them
history, sociology, mathematics
and statistics, and philosophy.
http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissio
ns/undergraduate/courses/econ
omics/
Transferable - At Cambridge,
you develop skills in
understanding complex
arguments, the analysis of
practical issues, knowledge of
economic conditions, analysis of
data, and effective
communication. Such skills are
of value in many careers, but
14
Recent Faculty staff have been active
on, among other bodies, the
Monetary Policy Committee of the
Bank of England, the Competition
Commission, the Low Pay
Commission and the Accounting
Standards Board, and several Faculty
members advise international
agencies such as the United Nations,
World Bank, IMF and OECD.
Other benefits of studying
economics at Cambridge include the
Marshall Library of Economics, one
of the finest in the country. It holds a
comprehensive collection of books,
journals and other papers in
economics, as well as convenient
study facilities on the same site as
the lecture rooms. Students also
have access to an extensive range of
statistical databases and software.
The student–run Marshall Society is
a must for all Cambridge economists:
it organises social events as well as
informal lectures from distinguished
visiting speakers such as the
Governor of the Bank of England.
http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/u
ndergraduate/courses/economics/
training in
chartered
accountancy,
actuarial work and
similar fields.
Others are
employed by
financial
institutions, or as
professional
economists in
industry,
government and
management
consultancy.
Former
undergraduates
who are especially
prominent in
public offices are
the Governor of
the Bank of
England, Mervyn
King, and the
Chairman of the
Financial Services
Authority, Lord
Turner.
http://www.cam.a
c.uk/admissions/u
ndergraduate/cour
ses/economics/
programme
structure at
http://www.ec
on.cam.ac.uk/
prospect/ba/c
ourse.html
And details of
individual
course
descriptions at
http://www.ec
on.cam.ac.uk/
prospect/ba/o
utlines.html
A course
outline table
can be found
at
http://www.ca
m.ac.uk/admis
sions/undergr
aduate/course
s/economics/
A4 To develop in
students a
knowledge of the
workings of
economic systems
and a sense of the
economic
dimensions of
social and political
issues;
A5 To cater for the
academic needs
and interests of
individual
students, while
operating with a
common
intellectual core;
A6 To attract,
select, and nurture
outstanding
students
irrespective of
educational and
social background.
Also see full course
aims and
objectives at
http://www.econ.c
am.ac.uk/prospect
/ba/aims.html
particularly in professional,
financial and managerial
occupations. They also provide a
valuable foundation for many
masters degree courses, both in
general economics and in
various specialised sub–
disciplines, if you're interested
in further study.
http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissio
ns/undergraduate/courses/econ
omics/
Therefore, our course aims to
develop your knowledge of the
workings of economic systems
along with a sense of the
economic dimensions of social
and political issues.
By integrating theoretical
insights with empirical
observation, you apply your
knowledge and understanding
to the practical issues which
arise in economic and social
policy, industrial and financial
management, and many other
spheres of life. This means that
our graduates are extremely
well qualified for a wide range
of jobs and further courses.
http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissio
ns/undergraduate/courses/econ
omics/
15
UNI
COURSE
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT IT
WHO WOULD IT SUIT
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
TEACHING,
LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
16
UNI
COURSE
LSE
LLB Law
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT IT
Teaching by a large, diverse staff
of leading scholars in their
specialist fields
learning within a talented and
diverse student cohort; teaching
and learning within the
intellectually challenging and
cosmopolitan setting of one of
the world's leading social science
institutions; teaching and learning
at the heart of legal London, in
close proximity to parliament, the
law courts, the inns of courts, city
firms and government
departments; teaching and
learning that equips graduates
with the range of skills they will
need to excel in their future
careers.
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/
law/programmes/llb/llbprospective.htm
The Law Department at LSE
organises a
series of lively events and evening
lectures,
given by distinguished lawyers,
throughout
the academic year. Recent
speakers include
Lord Bingham, the senior Law
Lord, Justice
Scalia, a senior Justice of the US
Supreme
WHO
WOULD IT
SUIT
PROGRAMME
STRUCTURE
See UG Prospectus
p. 86 at
http://www2.lse.a
c.uk/study/undergr
aduate/pdf/Under
graduateProspectu
s2011.pdf
See also
http://www.lse.ac.
uk/collections/law/
programmes/llb/LL
B%20Options%202
011-12.pdf for a
detailed document
on course options
ASSESSMENT SUMMARY
See the Law Handbook
(especially p. 23) at
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collec
tions/law/programmes/llb/
Handbook2010(2).doc
Most courses at LSE are
taught through lectures and
compulsory classes which
are small discussion groups.
In some courses,
you may have seminars
instead where a short
lecture leads on to group
discussion.
You can expect about 12 to
15 hours of tuition each
week. You will have
examinations at the end of
the year on the courses you
have taken. Some of the
optional courses are
examined by essay. You
must pass each set of
examinations to progress to
the next stage of the
degree.
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/stud
y/undergraduate/degreePr
ogrammes2011/law/overvi
ew_and_features.aspx
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
To equip students
with a sound
understanding of the
foundations of legal
knowledge, enabling
them to obtain
exemption from the
common professional
examination; to offer
students the
opportunity to study
law from an
extensive catalogue
of optional subjects,
covering the entire
range of legal
knowledge;
http://www.lse.ac.uk
/collections/law/prog
rammes/llb/llbprospective.htm
TEACHING, LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
Subject specific/ Intellectual
- to expose students to a
wide range of disciplinary
approaches to legal study,
encouraging them to reflect
on the complexity of legal
practice and of the variety
of ways of understanding
law's role in contemporary
society.
To develop students'
analytical and research
skills, equipping them with
the generic skills they will
need in their future careers;
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collec
tions/law/programmes/llb/ll
b-prospective.htm
In addition to being a
preparation for the legal
profession, knowledge of
law and the analytical and
logical reasoning skills it
develops will be valued by
many employers. The
qualities we hope you will
develop while studying law
are independent and
original thought, and
analytical and logical
reasoning about many
17
Court, and Professor Jeremy
Waldron, from
New York University School of
Law. The Department of Law also
runs joint double
degree programmes with
Columbia University
Law School in New York and the
University
of Southern California. These LSE
LLB/JD (juris
doctor) programmes are open to
students at
both institutions and applications
are invited
from LSE students during their
second year of study
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/study/und
ergraduate/degreeProgrammes20
11/law/overview_and_features.a
spx
varied aspects of human
activity, which will be of
value even if you are not
necessarily planning to
become a lawyer.
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/stud
y/undergraduate/degreePro
grammes2011/law/overvie
w_and_features.aspx
18
UNI
UCL
COURSE
Law
WHAT IS
SPECIAL
ABOUT IT
WHO
WOULD IT
SUIT
To promote an
understanding
of the role of
the law as it
governs
relations
between
individuals in
society, and
between the
individual and
government.
To cultivate an
ability to
analyse
complex issues
that are raised
in disputes
and to find the
relevant
principles of
justice that
should be
used to find a
solution to the
dispute.
To develop an
ability to
communicate
in a clear and
effective way,
both in writing
and orally.
No previous
knowledge
of law is
assumed or
required.
http://www.
ucl.ac.uk/la
ws/prospect
ive/undergr
aduate/inde
x.shtml?llb_
hons
The Law
Faculty
offers a
wide range
of subjects
and employs
a variety of
teaching
methods.
The degree
programmes
it runs
provides
both a
general
liberal
education
and a basis
for careers
not only in
PROGRAMME
STRUCTURE
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
TEACHING, LEARNING, ASSESSMENT
See also detailed
programme specification
at
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/law
s/prospective/undergrad
uate/index.shtml?prog_s
pec0405
Assessment is by way
of unseen written
examinations and
essays as set out
above, the criteria
for which include
clarity of expression,
independent
thought, familiarity
with the relevant
information, critical
ability, ability to
assess the work of
others. Essays must
be submitted, wordprocessed, on time
and there are
penalties for nonsubmission. Essays in
the third/fourth year
require independent
research, often using
the internet, to be
successfully
completed. Oral
presentation skills
are not formally
assessed.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk
/laws/prospective/un
dergraduate/index.sh
tml?prog_spec0405
The degree
programmes are
Intellectual Reason critically;
Analyse and
interpret texts and
other legal
material;
Demonstrate and
exercise
independence of
thought;
Apply knowledge
and legal principles
to situations which
engage doctrinal
disputes
Intellectual - Intellectual skills are
developed through the teaching and
learning programme outlined above.
Each course, whatever the format of
the teaching, involves discussion of key
issues, practice in applying concepts
both orally and in writing, analysis and
interpretation of material, and
individual feedback sessions for
students on work produced.
Students take four
subjects per year, and
also receive a short
introduction to legal
method at the start of
year 1. Eight compulsory
subjects are taken in
years 1 and 2, and the
third year consists of four
optional subjects.
Many subjects are
formally assessed by
100% examination in
May, but some are
assessed by a
combination of
examination and
coursework or solely by
coursework. Students
also receive informal
assessment of written
work during the year, and
in year 1, sit practice
examinations in January.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/law
s/prospective/undergrad
Practical Retrieve, sift and
process
information from
primary and
secondary legal
sources;
Synthesise
information and
other material;
Express themselves
clearly in writing;
Plan, undertake
and complete a
research project
resulting in a long
essay of maximum
8,000 words;
Practical/Transferable - In their first
year students receive instruction,
training and opportunities for practice
and feedback on the use of the law
library and indexes, and of material,
including primary legal sources, on the
internet. Students attend a mixture of
lectures, seminars and tutorials from
which they can draw models for the
synthesis of material, and the
processing and analysis of material.
They are required to submit practice
essays for formative feedback, for
some of which they are given full
advice on reading and for others of
which they are expected to find their
own sources. They are required to
participate in tutorials and seminars
and prepare presentations, to hone
their communication skills. They
receive supervision for the writing of
the long essay in their third/fourth
year, and for the writing of essays in
19
To foster an
understanding
of transactions
between
individuals and
governments,
both
nationally and
internationally
.
To develop an
enthusiasm for
research into
legal and
social issues.
To promote
the values of
our founders
(justice, liberty
and equal
rights for all)
through
critical analysis
and an active
interest in law
reform.
http://www.uc
l.ac.uk/laws/pr
ospective/und
ergraduate/in
dex.shtml?pro
g_spec0405
the legal
profession
but also in
fields as
diverse as
the civil
service, local
government
, the social
services,
higher
education,
the armed
forces,
business,
industry, the
media,
finance and
accountancy
.
http://www.
ucl.ac.uk/la
ws/prospect
ive/undergr
aduate/inde
x.shtml?pro
g_spec0405
uate/index.shtml?llb_hon
s
See also detailed degree
structure at
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/law
s/prospective/undergrad
uate/index.shtml?degree
_structure
organised on a
course-unit system,
in which students
take a number of
individual courses,
each assigned a
course-unit value
depending on the
amount of work
involved. UCL has
extended this system
to assign each course
a European Credit
Transfer System
(ECTS) value. ECTS
allows students to
gain recognition for
academic
achievement at
participating
institutions across
Europe, which can
assist UCL students
who wish to pursue
educational or career
opportunities
throughout Europe.
One course-unit is
equivalent to 15 ECTS
credits.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk
/laws/prospective/un
dergraduate/index.sh
tml?teaching
Evaluate ideas and
sources in terms of
doctrinal
coherence and
implications for
law in social and
other contexts.
Transferable Structure and
communicate ideas
in writing;
Oral presentation;
Manage time and
work to deadlines;
Work
independently;
Find information
and use
information
technology;
Be self-reliant;
Assess the
relevance and
importance of the
ideas of others
http://www.ucl.ac.
uk/laws/prospectiv
e/undergraduate/i
ndex.shtml?prog_s
pec0405
optional subjects.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/prospective
/undergraduate/index.shtml?prog_spe
c0405
Most subjects are taught by weekly
lectures or seminars combined with
biweekly tutorials, but teaching
methods vary (especially in year 3) and
may consist of seminars or lectures
with or without tutorials.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/prospective
/undergraduate/index.shtml?llb_hons
A variety of teaching methods are
used, including lectures, seminars,
tutorials, role-playing exercises and
teamwork. In each subject, students
usually have three hours of contact
with teachers each week. A great deal
of emphasis is laid on small-group
classes or tutorials, in which individual
attention can be given to students.
These tutorials take place fortnightly,
typically in groups of eight to ten.
There is also substantial student
participation and class discussion in
seminars on the basis of prepared
work. A developed system of Peer
Assisted Learning also exists.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/prospective
/undergraduate/index.shtml?teaching
20
LANGUAGES AND CULTURES
UNI
COURSE
WHAT IS SPECIAL
ABOUT IT
CAM
BA
Linguistics
Here at Cambridge
we have
internationally
acknowledged
expertise across a
wide
range of languagerelated disciplines,
and
studying linguistics
will give you a truly
interdisciplinary
education. Our
Department is
relatively unusual, in
the
British context, in
that it has developed
within the Faculty of
Modern and
Medieval
Languages which is
concerned with
European languages.
This means our
course and our
research benefit
greatly
from input by
colleagues
WHO WOULD IT SUIT
PROGRAMME
STRUCTURE
Are you curious about our most
crucially human attribute,
language? Does a subject which
straddles the divide between arts
and sciences appeal to you? Then
the course in linguistics may be for
you. From October 2010 entry it
will be possible to follow the
Linguistics course from Year 1 right
through to Year 3.
The main requirement for studying
linguistics is a lively curiosity about
the nature of language. It may be
that you've been struck by a
language that puts its verbs in a
different position in the sentence,
or wondered why languages
change (making Chaucer hard to
understand, for instance), or been
puzzled that automatic speech
recognition software gets a
perfectly clear word wrong, or
realised that an utterance such as
'it's cold in here' may mean more
than the words (understood: 'do
close the window!'), or been
excited to learn that languages as
diverse as Welsh and Hindi have a
common ancestor. Basically, if
you've found yourself asking
'why?' or 'how?' in relation to
Linguistics is divided into
a one-year Part I and a
two-year Part II,
subdivided into Parts IIA
and IIB. Part I, where you
follow four lecture series,
provides a foundation
across a wide range of
linguistics taught within
the Department of
Linguistics. Part II allows
you to specialise in the
areas which particularly
interest you, and in both
IIA and IIB there is a wide
choice of lectures taught
within and beyond the
Department, the latter
including the linguistics of
particular languages. Part
IIB includes an element of
individual research as you
write a dissertation on a
topic of your choice.
For those interested in
linguistics the Linguistics
Tripos provides the
opportunity to focus
exclusively on linguistics.
For those interested in
combining some
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
TEACHING, LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
Linguistics graduates,
like other humanities
graduates, find
employment in a wide
range of professions.
The fact that linguistics
provides a broad
interdisciplinary
training, developing the
ability to analyse
quantitative data,
construct abstract
(grammatical) models,
and test alternative
hypotheses, means that
linguistics graduates
emerge with the kind of
transferable intellectual
skills that are highly
sought after by
employers.
http://www.mml.cam.a
c.uk/ling/courses/ugrad
/default.html
21
specialising in
the linguistics of
particular languages.
http://www.mml.ca
m.ac.uk/ling/courses
/ugrad/ling_brochure
.pdf
language, linguistics is for you.
Because linguistics is
interdisciplinary we don't require
specific A-level subjects, and
welcome applicants whose profile
is science-oriented as well as artscentred. Some formal study of
language, either through learning
languages or through English
Language A-level, does however
serve as a good preparation.
http://www.mml.cam.ac.uk/ling/c
ourses/ugrad/default.html
Careers for which linguistics
provides a particularly good
specific preparation for vocational
training include speech therapy,
teaching (especially of languages),
speech and language technology
(developing and improving
computer-based applications such
as speech recognition and
translation software), and even
forensic linguistics (in cases where
authorship or voice identity may
be at issue). Familiarity with the
range and essence of human
languages is a huge advantage in
careers where rapid learning of
unfamiliar languages may be
involved, such as the Diplomatic
Service.
http://www.mml.cam.ac.uk/ling/c
ourses/ugrad/default.html
linguistics with other
subjects it remains
possible, as has long been
the case, to select within
the Modern and Medieval
Languages Tripos one or
more papers taught by
the Department of
Linguistics. Students in
some other Faculties can
'borrow' one linguistics
paper. It is also possible
to do Part II of the
Linguistics Tripos having
completed a Part I in
another subject.
http://www.mml.cam.ac.
uk/ling/courses/ugrad/de
fault.html
See also the course
outline at
http://www.mml.cam.ac.
uk/ling/courses/ugrad/de
fault.html
And the course brochure
at
http://www.mml.cam.ac.
uk/ling/courses/ugrad/lin
g_brochure.pdf
22
UNI
COURSE
UCL
BA
Linguistics
WHAT IS
SPECIAL
ABOUT IT
WHO WOULD IT
SUIT
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
Would you like
your studies to put
you at the centre
of the intellectual
universe? Are you
interested in
solving puzzles? Do
you find it difficult
to decide between
the Arts and the
Sciences? Would
you like to
understand how
the human mind
works? Do you find
languages
fascinating? If you
answered 'yes' to
any (or all!) of
these questions,
perhaps you
should think about
studying linguistics
at UCL.
http://www.ucl.ac.
uk/lifesciencesfaculty/degreeprogrammes/balinguistics/
Teaching is delivered through a combination of lectures,
small-group teaching (tutorials or backup classes) and
material and a virtual learning environment. Some courses
also involve workshops or practical classes. Typically, each
course involves a weekly lecture of one or two hours, a one
hour backup class in which you meet with a group of
between five and 12 students and a staff member to
discuss topics covered in the lecture, and a virtual learning
environment where you can access course material, a
course discussion forum and other activities.
Each course is
assessed and
examined
separately,
often by a
combination
of essays,
exercises and
examinations.
Your
performance
in a course is
always
assessed in
the same
academic year
in which you
take it.
http://www.uc
l.ac.uk/lifescie
ncesfaculty/degree
programmes/b
a-linguistics/
In the first year your courses are all compulsory, providing
a foundation in linguistics and helping you assess where
your own interests and strengths lie. In your second and
third years you choose from a range of intermediate and
advanced courses within a requirement to complete
courses in the three core areas of: Meaning (Semantics and
Pragmatics); Pronunciation (Phonetics and Phonology); and
Sentence Structure (Syntax). Additionally, in your third
year, you will undertake a research project, involving a
deep and sustained study of a subject in which you are
especially interested.
In the second and in the final year, you can also take
options offered outside Linguistics, and there is a huge
choice of courses including language courses taught by the
UCL Language Centre.
For further information on the programme structure, click
here.
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
TEACHING,
LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
The BA
Linguistics gives
you an education
in various
aspects of
language. At the
core are courses
about sentence
structure
(syntax),
meaning
(semantics and
pragmatics) and
pronunciation
(phonetics and
phonology), but
you will also be
given the
opportunity to
explore other
themes, such as
language
acquisition or
language
processing.
http://www.ucl.a
c.uk/lifesciencesfaculty/degreeprogrammes/balinguistics/
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/lifesciences-faculty/degreeprogrammes/ba-linguistics/
23
UNI
COURSE
CAM
BA Asian
and
Middle
Eastern
Studies
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT IT
What makes our Faculty
unique is the way in which
teaching is conducted.
Because of our size, the
Faculty acts like a second
College and there are
excellent opportunities to
meet and mix with students
from other courses as well
as from other Colleges.
Our course is very flexible
with numerous options and
combinations available. You
can study Arabic, Chinese,
Hebrew, Japanese or
Persian. In addition, you can
combine Arabic, Hebrew
and Persian with each other
or with subjects from other
faculties such as a modern
European language
(provided you have an A
Level/IB Higher Level in the
European language) or
Egyptology.
http://www.cam.ac.uk/adm
issions/undergraduate/cour
ses/ames/
WHO WOULD IT SUIT
No prior knowledge of
any of the languages is
expected from applicants
and it's more important
to do some exploratory
reading around the
subject(s). Part I is
designed to
accommodate beginners,
and there are no specific
subject requirements:
just intelligence,
enthusiasm and stamina.
However, if you wish to
combine Arabic, Hebrew
or Persian with a modern
European language, you
need to have an A
Level/IB Higher Level in
the European language.
The range of career
options open to
graduates is vast. Besides
those who go into
research, many graduates
use their subject directly
in subsequent
employment. Examples
include journalism,
business and commerce,
teaching overseas, the
Civil Service (especially
the Foreign Office),
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
Part 1
In Part I, which normally
takes two years, you get a
thorough grounding in the
language(s) of your choice,
while your study of the
cultural component is
gradually increased.
Whether the culture is
classical or modern, a
variety of paper options
may be offered in the
literature, history, religion,
politics, economics,
anthropology and society of
the region you've chosen.
Part II
You spend your third year
abroad, studying or working
in a country where the
language you're learning is
spoken. In the fourth year,
greater specialisation is
possible and most students
write a dissertation on a
topic of their choice.
http://www.cam.ac.uk/adm
issions/undergraduate/cour
ses/ames/ (Also has more
detailed course outline)
Assessment
methods vary
from paper to
paper but may
include written,
translation, oral
and/or listening
examinations,
and coursework.
Most students in
Part II also write
a dissertation of
up to 12,000
words, which is
submitted in the
fourth year.
http://www.cam
.ac.uk/admission
s/undergraduate
/courses/ames/
On our course
you learn the
languages that
give you access
to the source
material
essential to
understanding
the life and
civilisation of the
people you're
studying.
Learning the
modern spoken
forms enables
you to
communicate
directly with
people from the
area, and
through studying
the classical
languages you
gain an even
deeper
understanding of
the culture.
http://www.cam
.ac.uk/admission
s/undergraduate
/courses/ames/
See also further details of
course outlines at
http://www.cam.ac.uk/adm
TEACHING,
LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
What makes our
Faculty unique is
the way in which
teaching is
conducted.
Because of our size,
the Faculty acts like
a second College
and there are
excellent
opportunities to
meet and mix with
students from
other courses as
well as from other
Colleges. Another
advantage of being
part of a small
faculty is that
teaching mainly
takes place in small
groups. As such,
teaching is geared
to your needs.
You're taught
through a mixture
of lectures,
seminars and
classes, and
supervisions, and
you can typically
expect between 10
and 12 hours of
teaching each week
24
NGOs, or international
scientific agencies.
However, even if you
choose not to stay in a
related field, employers
are often impressed by
the initiative you've
displayed to tackle a
difficult language. Our
graduates have also gone
into banking, marketing,
law, and one runs a
successful travel agency
specialising in tours of
China.
http://www.cam.ac.uk/a
dmissions/undergraduate
/courses/ames/
issions/undergraduate/cour
ses/ames/outline.html
(although this will
vary depending on
the papers and
languages being
studied).
http://www.cam.ac
.uk/admissions/un
dergraduate/cours
es/ames/
25
UNI
COURSE
OX
BA
Oriental
Studies
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT IT
WHO WOULD IT SUIT
PROGRAMME
STRUCTURE
Oriental Studies has a long
history in Oxford. The Bodleian
and other libraries have
acquired magnificent
collections. The Oriental
Institute, Institute for Chinese
Studies, Bodleian Japanese and
Indian Institute Libraries offer
loan collections in their
respective fields. Adjacent to
the Oriental Institute is the
Ashmolean Museum, which
houses superb collections. The
Sackler Library includes the
principal library for Egyptology
and Ancient Near Eastern
Studies.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admission
s/undergraduate_courses/cours
es/oriental_studies/oriental_stu
dies_.html
A degree in Oriental Studies is
not a vocational degree, but a
wide range of employers
appreciate the skills our
graduates gain from their
studies. Careers options exist
in finance, the media,
commerce, the Civil Service,
law, accountancy and the arts.
Around 30% of Oriental
Studies graduates go on to
further study.
Recent Oriental Studies
graduates include a
management consultant and a
marketing executive in the
motor industry. Triska Hamid,
who graduated in 2008 says: ‘I
started in head-hunting, then
completed the management
scheme at Lush. The desire to
use my degree led to
freelance translation. I’m now
Editor in Chief of Technology
World, a Middle Eastern IT
magazine.’
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissi
ons/undergraduate_courses/c
ourses/oriental_studies/orien
tal_studies_.html
See
http://www.ox.ac.uk/a
dmissions/undergradua
te_courses/courses/ori
ental_studies/oriental_
studies_.html for
description of the
structure, content and
assessment of the
range of courses within
the degree
In the humanities, Oriental
Studies is unique in introducing
students to civilisations that are
radically different from the
Western ones that form the
basis of the curriculum in most
British schools and colleges.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admission
s/undergraduate_courses/cours
es/oriental_studies/oriental_stu
dies.html
E.g. Chinese:
st
1 Year - Elementary
language in classical
and modern Chinese
History and culture
nd
2 Year - Year abroad
at Peking University
rd
3 Year - Extended
language classes and
historical study
Options: Ancient
history; Literature;
Modern society and
politics; or subsidiary
languages: Tibetan,
Japanese, or Korean
http://www.ox.ac.uk/a
dmissions/undergradua
te_courses/courses/ori
ental_studies/oriental_
studies_.html
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
TEACHING,
LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
E.g. Chinese:
st
1 Year - First
University
examinations
rd
3 Year - Final
University
examinations
Oral
examination;
eight written
papers;
dissertation
http://www.ox
.ac.uk/admissi
ons/undergrad
uate_courses/
courses/orient
al_studies/orie
ntal_studies_.
html
26
UNI
COURSE
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT IT
KCL
BA
Hispani
c and
Modern
Greek
Studies
Spanish:
One of the country's most
highly rated Spanish
departments for teaching and
research.
Programme taught by staff
who are experts in their field.
Central location offers easy
access to a wide range of
institutes and centres that
promote Hispanic culture.
Opportunity to study
abroad for a year offers
students the chance to immerse
themselves in culture and
society and achieve language
fluency.
Lively department social life
through the student-run
Hispanic Society.
Byzantine & Modern Greek:
King's is one of only three
UK institutions that teach
Byzantine & Modern Greek to
BA degree level.
The department at King's is
the largest of its kind, with all
staff active in research at
international level, in a wide
range of fields.
Location makes
collaboration possible with
WHO WOULD IT
SUIT
PROGRAMME
STRUCTURE
Recent graduates
have gone on to
gain employment
in a variety of
areas including
business and
commerce,
finance, marketing,
accountancy, law,
the Civil Service,
the media,
charitable and
non-governmental
organisations,
while others have
remained in higher
education to gain a
teaching
qualification or
continue their
studies at
postgraduate level.
Recent graduates
have found
employment as….
• Product Manager
(event production
company) •
Customer Support
Advisor (trading
company) •
Member Services
Executive
(Streetcar) •
Our programmes offer
students a flexible yet
coherent structure within
which to explore the
richness of the Hispanic
and Lusophone worlds.
Each year, you will follow
a core language module
and take options in
literature, culture and
history, covering a wide
range of historical
periods. Our programmes
enable you to build
incrementally upon your
knowledge and develop
areas of individual
interest which form the
basis of your final-year
modules (which include a
dissertation option).
Progression from year to
year depends upon
passing the required
number of credits as the
compulsory language
module.
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/pro
spectus/undergraduate/h
ispanic_studies_and_mod
ern_greek_studies/details
See more detailed course
structure at
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
TEACHING, LEARNING,
ASSESSMENT
Subject specific - King's is
one of only three UK
institutions that teach
Byzantine & Modern Greek
to BA degree level, and
most of our modules are
taught in small groups.
Language teaching is
'communicative', using a
wide range of authentic
materials, including video
and computers, while also
providing a firm grounding
in writing and grammatical
skills. Literature, history and
linguistics classes are
discussion-based.
Transferable - The
literature, history and
language of Greece and
Spanish-speaking countries
are intellectually and
culturally important, and
the political and economic
significance of these
countries is immense. This
degree gives access to this
wealth of possibilities and
helps you develop
transferable skills such as
linguistic fluency, analytical
and communication skills.
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/prosp
27
many Greek cultural
organisations based in London.
Students are offered the
opportunity to improve their
language skills during a year
studying abroad.
Graduates go into a wide
range of professions, including
law, government service,
journalism, teaching and the
financial services industries.
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectu
s/undergraduate/hispanic_studi
es_and_modern_greek_studies
Political
Researcher •
Receptionist
(veterinary
practice)
http://www.kcl.ac.
uk/prospectus/und
ergraduate/hispani
c_studies_and_mo
dern_greek_studie
s/details
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/pro
spectus/undergraduate/h
ispanic_studies_and_mod
ern_greek_studies/struct
ure
ectus/undergraduate/hispa
nic_studies_and_modern_gr
eek_studies/details
We are located in the heart of
London, within easy access to a
wide range of institutes and
centres (eg the Instituto
Cervantes, Camoes Institute)
that promote Hispanic and
Lusophone culture including
theatre, music, and art. The
Maughan Library contains an
extensive collection of material
on the Hispanic and Lusophone
worlds, including several in the
Rare Books collection. Within
London there are other
important complementary
collections in the libraries and
research institutes of the
University of London and the
British Library.
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectu
s/undergraduate/hispanic_studi
es_and_modern_greek_studies/
details
28
UNI
COURSE
WHAT IS SPECIAL
ABOUT IT
UCL
BA
Hungarian
and East
European
Studies
We are unique in the
Western world for
the number of East
European languages
offered at degree
level, which you will
study in combination
with literary,
historical and social
science specialisms.
Contributing to the
UCL/SOAS Centre for
Excellence in
Teaching and
Learning (CETL) ¡V
Languages of the
Wider World, the
department houses a
wealth of resources,
most importantly the
SSEES Library, with
its collection of
books, newspapers,
films, and TV
recordings.
You will be able to
attend talks by
country and region
experts and visiting
politicians and enjoy
the huge benefits of
studying in London, a
global city with
WHO
WOULD IT
SUIT
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
As you progress through
the degree, compulsory
language courses are
tailored to your existing
knowledge, and you also
take a compulsory
literature or culture course
each year. You are
encouraged to develop
and pursue your own
interests through choosing
options from within three
pathways:
Language and
Literature
Social Science
History.
Your third year is spent
abroad which is an
invaluable experience; not
only does it bring the
language and culture you
are studying to life, it also
strengthens your
resourcefulness and selfreliance as you adapt to
your surroundings and
take responsibility for your
learning. You will normally
spend this year studying at
a university in your chosen
country, but alternatives,
ASSESSMENT
SUMMARY
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
TEACHING, LEARNING, ASSESSMENT
Your degree will train
you to the highest
level of proficiency in
speaking, writing and
understanding in
your chosen
language(s), whether
you begin with no
prior knowledge or
already have a good
command of the
language. Our
degrees are designed
to equip you with
language fluency,
cultural competence,
historical knowledge
and social
understanding, but
also bring many
other benefits. Your
ability to consider
issues from an
international
perspective will be
greatly enhanced and
you will develop your
ability to gather and
organise information,
and to express
yourself clearly.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk
/prospstudents/prospectus/
Subject-specific - Language teaching
benefits from dedicated resources,
including technological support
through computer-aided language
learning facilities, video and DVD
materials, and the internet. The
methods we will use to teach and
assess you are varied, to ensure that
they are best suited to the knowledge
and skills being imparted or measured.
Assessment will include written, oral
and aural examinations, presentations,
extended essays and the project you
undertake during your year abroad.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospstudents/prospectus/ssees/eelc/degre
e/index.shtml
Transferable - Equipped with language
fluency and a deep understanding of
the social, political and historical
factors affecting the region, you will be
strongly placed to find employment in
international organisations where such
specialist knowledge is valued.
Our degrees also provide transferable
skills, such as in organisation and
communication, valuable in any career.
A specialist Careers Adviser is available
for individual consultations, and there
is help and advice on the presentation
of your CV and interview technique, as
well as events bringing potential
29
sizeable East
European
communities, and a
host of cultural
events with an East
European dimension.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk
/prospstudents/prospectus/
ssees/eelc/offer/inde
x.shtml
such as work placements,
may be possible.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/pros
pstudents/prospectus/ssees
/eelc/degree/index.shtml
See also
http://www.ssees.ucl.ac.u
k/ueelc.htm
ssees/eelc/degree/in
dex.shtml
employers to SSEES enabling you to
research your options.
Our degrees also provide transferable
skills, such as organisation and
communication, valuable in any career.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospstudents/prospectus/ssees/eelc/career
/index.shtml
30