EAS Pre-sessional English Programme 2023-24

August saw the culmination of the 2023-24 Pre-sessional English Programme (PSE) delivered by English for Academic Study. The PSE programme runs from January - initially with a small cohort of around 10 students - and grows steadily through Terms 2 + 3 towards the ‘Summer’ block with very large student intakes to our May, June and July courses. At its peak in the final 5-week block, the 2023-24 programme comprised a teaching team of 56 EAP teachers (English for Academic Purposes) guiding 750 students in over 100 class groups on six subject-specific bridging programmes: Accounting & Finance; Biomedical Sciences; Law; Pre-Masters Management; Science, Engineering Technology & Urban Planning; and Social Sciences, Arts & Education*. In these bridging programmes, developed through close engagement with colleagues in receiving Schools, students are guided through academic literacies, skills and language development working with tasks, texts and genres relevant to their target field. 
 
Happily, this year’s programme maintained a strong track record of positive results and outcomes for students, with over 97% meeting their required language condition for progression. Close co-ordination with central UofG Admissions meant that alternative options could be offered for those students who hadn’t quite managed to achieve their requisite scores on the Pre-sessional. In all, PSE students progress to over 200 academic programmes across all UofG Colleges and Schools, underlining the strong links between EAS, SMLC and the wider institution. 
 
The Pre-sessional is a vast and intensive programme with many moving parts, which makes for a considerable organizational and administrative challenge. Sincere thanks to colleagues in EAS, the Admin and Professional Services teams and all teachers, convenors, team leaders and well-wishers for steering us through a busy period. 
 
And a special thanks to SMLC colleagues who helped to arrange the use of Hetherington rooms as office spaces for our large cohort of visiting ‘Summer’ colleagues who make the PSE programme possible. 
 
*A seventh bridging programme in Education is in development for introduction in 2024-25! 

Pre-sessional English Social Programme 
 
The 2023-24 Programme also saw the revival for the first time since 2019 of a fully fledged Pre-sessional Social Programme with a series of events, trips and “Chat Club” sessions for students. The Social Programme provides essential opportunities and safe space for students at the earliest stages of their UofG journey to make connections, form extended friendship groups and build confidence. Highlights included trips to Culzean Castle, Loch Lomond, ‘West End Walks’, the Ladies Crafts Club and Karaoke and Games Nights! 
 
The Programme finale in August saw the much anticipated return of the famous Pre-sessional End-of-Course Ceilidh, with 150+ students and teachers enjoying a knees-up and some wonderful Scottish music and dancing in the GUU. A special way to round off a busy, humbling and happy summer. 
 
Huge thanks to Jenny as Co-ordinator and to the team of Social Programme Interns - Ruby, Grace, Eva, Aysha, Ross and Michelle - for the incredible efforts putting together a fantastic series of events for students. And a special mention to all those who have chipped in since 2019 (particularly during the online pandemic period) to maintain some essential social and cultural provision for PSE students.  

 

First published: 16 September 2024

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