Pre-Master’s Courses 2014/2015Advanced Diploma in British & European Studies Foundations of Diplomacy Course

‘…a most enriching experience…The opportunity to improve my critical thinking skills has given me the confidence to contribute to discussions in a positive, considered and meaningful manner… I feel both privileged and proud to have been a student.’ Kenneth, South Africa

Pre-Master’s Courses

The University of Oxford’s pre-master’s courses are ideal for international graduates and working professionals who would like to prepare for entry to master’s degree courses at leading British universities.

Why study at Oxford?

Global Reputation: One of the oldest and most prestigious universities in

the world with an unparalleled academic reputation.

Valued Qualifications: Recognised and valued by institutions and employers

worldwide.

Quality of Teaching: Your course will prove both academically challenging

and intellectually rewarding.

Personal Attention: Individual weekly tutorials and a high degree of personal

attention throughout your course.

College Membership: Associate membership of one of Oxford’s 38 Colleges

enables you to engage with academics and fellow students within a friendly,

intellectual and social community.

Modern Study Facilities: Access some of the finest library and study facilities

in the world.

Perfect Location: Just an hour away from London, Oxford is one of Britain’s

most glorious cities.

International Outlook: A truly international community with students

from 138 countries.

A unique learning experience

The Oxford pre-Master’s courses are offered by the Department for Continuing

Education and are taught at Rewley House in the heart of Oxford. Aimed at students

who intend to pursue Master’s degree studies at leading British universities, they

combine academic study across a number of disciplines with an intensive English

language enhancement programme.

Our courses not only help students to communicate confidently and fluently in spoken

and written English, but also to develop superior analytical, critical thinking and

presentation skills. Students also learn how to engage successfully with peers and

tutors in an intellectually stimulating international study environment.

Applicants should note that successful completion of our pre-Master’s course does

not automatically guarantee progression to Master’s degree courses at Oxford for

which separate application is necessary. Over the past few years, our students have

gone on to take Master’s degrees at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Bath,

Durham, Glasgow, St Andrews, and Warwick, as well as at King’s College London,

LSE and UCL.

Course benefits• Experttutors

• Smallclasssizes

• First-classacademicsupport

• Individualweeklytutorials

• Regularfeedback

• Highdegreeofpersonalattention

• Fullpastoralsupport

• Worldclasslibraryresources

• Allcoursebooksincludedinfees

• Allculturalvisitsincludedinfees

• Internetaccess

Admission requirements• Goodfirstdegreeinanysubject

• MinimumofIELTS6.5(orequivalent)

A warm welcome

‘An unforgettable programme! The holistic combination of interesting classroom learning and exciting field trips made the subjects taught come alive. Overall a thoroughly recommended course!’Rial, Singapore

To ensure you settle into university life, our pre-sessional programme has been especially designed to offer you a smooth transition not only to your full-time academic studies, but also to help you integrate successfully into everyday life in the UK.

Pre-sessional programme

Your pre-sessional course is intended as the first step on your

journeytobecomingaconfident, independentandresourceful

Master’s student. It offers you a unique academic, cultural and

social orientation programme which introduces you to Oxford’s

unparalleled learning and study resources, provides you with

contextual study skills practice and helps you develop successful

self-management strategies.

Academic Life• LearnaboutthehistoryandtraditionsoftheUniversity

• LearnhowtoaccesslibraryandITfacilities

• Developenhancedacademicwritingandstudyskills

Everyday Life• FamiliarizeyourselfwithOxford

• Collegewelcomeevents

• LearnaboutlivinginBritain

• Openabankaccount

Social Life• WalkingtoursofOxford

• Awelcomereceptionandlunch

• AvisittoLondon

• Joinuniversityandcollegesocieties

• AttendFreshers’Fair

Living in Oxford

Oxford offers students a wide variety of accommodation options

which can include:

• College(in-CollegeandinpropertiesacrossOxford)

• University(singleroomsandflats)

• Private(flat-share,flatsandhouses)

As soon as a student has been offered a place on one of our

courses, we provide information on both University and private

accommodation options. We let you know how to apply for

University accommodation and how to go about arranging

private accommodation.

Although many of our students are offered college

accommodation, we are unable to guarantee availability because

of the high demand.

Please note that accommodation costs are not included in your

course and college fees. For 2014-2015, you should budget

£150(approx.)perweekforaccommodationand£120(approx.)

per week for food, transport and entertainment.

Students should note that whilst we are happy to advise on

where to look for accommodation, it is ultimately a student’s

responsibility to make their own living arrangements in Oxford.

For more detailed information on accommodation options,

please visit www.conted.ox.ac.uk/198.

College membership

Associate student membership of one of the University’s 38

collegesenablesyoutoenjoytheuniquesociallifeofanOxford

college and to use a wide range of facilities which vary from

college to college, but usually include:

• Common Room

• Dining Hall

• Library(someoffer24-houraccess)

• IT facilities

• Café/Coffee shop

• Gym & sporting facilities

• TV room and bar

Students have enjoyed associate memberships to Keble,

Kellogg, Linacre, Mansfield, Merton, Queen’s, Regent’s Park, St.

Anne’s, St. Cross, St. Hilda’s, St. Hugh’s, Somerville, Wadham

and Wolfson Colleges.

Visit us

If you would like to visit the Department for Continuing Education

to see our facilities for yourself and to ask us any questions, we

would be delighted to welcome you at any time throughout the

year.PleasecontactJudithArneiltoarrangeavisit:judith.arneil@

conted.ox.ac.uk

The benefits of an OxfordPre-Master’s course

‘Joining the course was the best decision of my life. Thank you, Oxford, for the most amazing opportunity.’Gina, Philippines

Preparing you for success

Graduate success in the UK depends on many factors including

a high degree of proficiency in academic English and the mastery

and active synthesis of an integrated platform of non-linguistic

skills, abilities and knowledge. These include independent

inquiry, critical and analytical thinking and intercultural awareness.

You will be encouraged to take responsibility for your own

learning through the acquisition of new skills for self-management

and will learn how to work effectively in teams. You will also

be encouraged to benefit from the unique resources and

opportunities offered by a world-class university.

Academic and Personal Support

Whether you are studying overseas for the first time or have

already studied in the UK, we offer you a first-rate academic and

personal support network to help you to get the most from your

time at Oxford.

You will benefit from regular contact with your tutors, course

director and programme administrator, as well as from a

college attachment which will enable you to make the most of

opportunities for formal and informal interaction with peers and

academics in a vibrant and intellectually stimulating international

learning community.

Throughout your course, you will learn about social behaviour,

customs and values in the UK and will also explore ways of

enhancing your intercultural communication skills.

Independent Learning Skills

From day one, we will teach you how to think independently. You

will learn how to:

• developeffectiveself-managementskills

• prioritisetasksandstructureyourownlearning

• makeoptimaluseofyourtimeandresources

• identifyyourpreferredlearningstyle

• reflectpositivelyonyourlearning

• empoweryourselfthroughincreasedpersonalmastery

Critical Thinking Skills

We will introduce you to the expectations of graduate work in

the UK by helping you practise and develop your critical thinking

skills on an on-going basis to enable you to:

• findandevaluatereliablesourcesofevidence

• developaquestioningapproachtoyourreading

• evaluatedifferingviewpointsobjectively

• recogniseassumptions

• identifyflawsinanargument

• developeffectiveanalysisandargument

You will also develop and improve your academic reading skills

inordertoanalyze,reflect,evaluate,andsynthesizethedifferent

types of texts you read in an efficient and effective manner.

Academic Literacy Skills

You will benefit from a weekly academic literacy class, as well as

from a weekly individual academic writing tutorial. This will teach

you how you might use your reading in your writing and allow you

rapidly to improve your study and writing skills and enable you to

receive on-going personalised feedback on the development of

your academic writing and critical thinking skills.

To help you monitor your personal progress in both areas, your

essays will be returned to you in duplicate. One will contain

feedback on your academic performance in terms of argument,

critical thinking and research and the other will offer detailed

analysis of your English language writing skills in an academic

context. You will then discuss both sets of feedback with your

tutorandestablishpersonallearningobjectivestoadvanceyour

critical thinking and academic writing skills.

Transferable Skills

Our pre-Master’s course will equip you with valuable transferrable

skills which can be used beyond university and which are also

highly valued by employers. These include:

• communicationskills

• organisationalskills

• interpersonalskills.

• interculturalcommunicationskills

• presentationskills

At Oxford, we take a holistic approach to your intellectual and personal development. We appreciate that learning takes place through various channels including active participation in seminar and tutorial discussion, as well as more informally outside the classroom or lecture theatre environment.

Advanced Diploma in British & European Studies

A rigorous and intellectually stimulating programme taught through awiderangeofacademicsubjectsoverthreeterms.Thecourseispitched at final year UK undergraduate level and leads to the award of an Undergraduate Advanced Diploma in British and European Studies.

About the course

The course is ideal for students who...

• graduatedfromauniversityoutsidetheUK

• needtorapidlyimprovetheiracademicEnglishskills

• are looking for a challenging and stimulating pre-Master’s

course

• needtoimprovetheircriticalthinkingskills

• wouldliketooptimisetheirpotentialforsuccessinaBritish

university environment

• intend to apply for aMaster’s course in a subject that is

different from their undergraduate degree

Do you already speak English fluently?

We welcome applications from students with native or near

native speaker proficiency in English. In such cases, the

English language module is waived and you follow an additional

academic module. You must (in addition to your academic

courseassignments)submitassignmentstotallingnomorethan

10,000 words on your additional academic courses.

For more information on this option please contact us.

CollegeAttachment(optional)Students wishing to apply for a college attachment must indicate

their intention on the application form. Please note that an

attachmentincursanadditionalfeeof£2657.Formoredetails,

please contact the course administrator.

Course Fees 2014-2015

These are £13,888.

Course structure

Students take twomodules: Academic (British and European

Studies)andEnglishlanguage.

Academic Module - British and European Studies • BritishHistorysince1918

• TheFaceoftheNation?BritishPoliticsToday

• BritishSocietyToday

• HistoryofArt

• ReligioninBritainToday

• BritishCinema

• EnglishLiterature

• ProjectEurope?AHistoryofUnity(&Division)1792-1992

• EuropeanIntegration

• EuropeanPolitics2000-2015

Extended Academic Essay/Academic TutorialsIn your second term, you will choose a topic of special interest

to you for an extended essay which you submit at the end of the

third term. You will also benefit from the support of an academic

tutor who will advise you and supervise your work in weekly one-

to-one tutorials.

English Language Module• AcademicLiteracy

• CriticalThinkingSkills

• ContemporaryBritaininFocus:Reading

• EnglishGrammar

• ListeningandSpeakingSkills

• WeeklyAcademicWritingTutorial

You will also maintain a personal language portfolio in which

youwillsetindividuallearningobjectives,aswellasrecordand

monitor your progress and achievements.

British Heritage & Culture During your year at Oxford University, to help you discover the

real Britain, we include a series of study visits at no extra cost

such as:

• StPaul’sCathedral

• ContemporaryplayinLondon

• HousesofParliament

• AshmoleanMuseum

• NationalGallery

• ShakespeareplayinStratford-upon-Avon

Please refer to our website

for any course changes and updates.

Pre-sessional Course 201422 September - 3 October

Michaelmas Term 20146October-12December

Academic Module• BritishHistorysince1918

• HistoryofArt1

• ReligioninBritainToday

• ProjectEurope?AHistoryofUnity

(&Division)1792-1992

Assessment: 2 x 1,500-word essays on

any TWO of the above courses

English Language Module• AcademicLiteracy1

• CriticalThinkingSkills

• ContemporaryBritain:Focus

on Reading 1*

• Listening&SpeakingSkills1*

• EnglishGrammar1*

Assessment: Work totalling no more

than 3,500 words for courses marked*.

Hilary Term 201512 January - 13 March

Academic Module• HistoryofArt2

• BritishSocietyToday

• TheFaceoftheNation?

British Politics Today

• EUIntegration

Assessment: 3 x 1,500-word essays on

any THREE of the above courses

English Language Module• AcademicLiteracy2*

• CriticalThinkingSkills

• ContemporaryBritain:Focus

on Reading 2*

• Listening&SpeakingSkills2*

• EnglishGrammar2

Assessment: 1 x 2,000-word essay

for’AcademicLiteracy2’ANDwork

totalling no more than 2,000 words for

courses marked *.

Trinity Term 201521 April – 20 June

Academic Module• EnglishLiterature

• ContemporaryEuropean

Politics 2000-2015

• BritishCinema

Assessment: 1x 2,000-word essay

onanyONEcourseAND1x4,000

- 5,000-word essay on an academic

subjectofyourchoiceagreedwiththe

course director.

English Language Module• AcademicLiteracy3

• IELTSTestPractice

• Listening&SpeakingSkills3*

• EnglishGrammar3*

Assessment: Work totalling no more

than 2,500 words for courses marked*.

You are assessed throughout your course on a blend of classwork (includingshortwrittentasksandpresentations)andlongeressays.Uponsuccessful course completion, you are awarded a University of Oxford Undergraduate Advanced Diploma in British and European Studies.

A typical day starts at 9.15 a.m. and ends at 3.30 p.m. during which you take up to three 90-minute classes. You also benefit from small study groups and individual weekly academic writing tutorials, as well as guest lectures. The timetables below give an indication of a typical study week.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

9.15 am Academic Literacy Individual Tutorial English Grammar

10.45 am BREAK

11.15 am Religion in Britain Critical Thinking

Skills Reading Skills Listening & Speaking Skills

12.45 pm LUNCH

2.00 pm ProjectEurope Art History British History since 1918

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

9.15 am Academic Literacy Reading Skills English Grammar

10.45 am BREAK

11.15 am British Politics Individual Tutorial Listening & Speaking Skills

Critical Thinking Skills Academic Tutorial

12.45 pm LUNCH

2.00 pm British Society

Today Art History European Integration

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

9.15 am Academic Literacy English Grammar IELTS Practice

10.45 am BREAK

11.15 am English Literature Listening &

Speaking Skills IELTS Practice Individual Tutorial

12.45 pm LUNCH

2.00 pm European Politics 2000-2015 British Cinema Academic Tutorial

Michaelmas Term 2014

Hilary Term 2015

Trinity Term 2015

Foundations of Diplomacy Course

‘A brilliant experience! I was taught by ambassadors, ministers and distinguished academics, where else would I get an opportunity like this?’Vignesh, India

This full-time pre-master’s course is taught intensively over six months. It combines academic study in diplomacy, politics and international relations with classes in practical and public diplomacy, as well as offering a full programme of English language support.

About the course

Thecourseassumesnopreviousknowledgeof(orexperience

in) diplomacy/international relations and would be perfect for

those who...

• intend to pursue a career in diplomacy or international

business

• wouldliketodevelopexpertiseinpracticaldiplomacy

• needtoboosttheirEnglishlanguageskills

• arelookingforanintellectuallyrigorouspre-Master’scourse

• needtoimprovetheiracademicwritingandresearchskillsin

English

• haveafirstdegreeinadifferentfieldandintendtostudyfor

a Master’s degree in diplomacy/international relations.

Do you already speak English fluently?

We welcome applications from students with native or near

native speaker proficiency in English. In such cases, the English

language module is waived and students follow an additional

academic module. Students choose from a wide range of

lectures in international relations, politics, law and history from

the University’s varied lecture programme.

For more information on this option please contact us.

Study Modules

You take two modules: Academic and English language.

Academic: Diplomacy, Politics & International Relations You will experience a rigorous and academically demanding

programme of study taught by both academic tutors and former

senior British diplomats. This module offers a rich blend of both

academic and practical classes which includes:

• DiplomacyinPractice

• DiplomaticSimulations

• SkillsforPublicDiplomacy

• InternationalRelations

• EuropeanIntegration

• EuropeanPolitics2000-2015

• PoliticsandIdeology

• FoundationsofPublicInternationalLaw

English LanguageHighly experienced and well-qualified expert language tutors

help you rapidly improve your language skills and media interview

techniques. Your English classes will include:

• Diplomatic&ProfessionalCommunicationSkills

• AcademicLiteracy

• CriticalThinkingSkills

• ReadingSkills

• Listening&SpeakingSkills

• PresentationSkills

• EnglishGrammar

• WeeklyIndividualTutorial

• IELTSPractice

You will also maintain a personal language portfolio in which

youwillsetindividuallearningobjectives,aswellasrecordand

monitor your progress and achievements throughout the year.

You will work on this with your English language tutor.

CollegeAttachment(optional)For those students who wish to apply for a college attachment, we

would be pleased to arrange for associate student membership

status at Kellogg College. This would incur an additional fee. For

more details, please contact the course administrator.

‘A really top-notch course with a unique blend of theory and practice. Impressive library facilities and superb teaching in a friendly and supportive learning environment.’Miguel, Portugal

Pre-sessional Course 201430 September - 3 October

Michaelmas Term 20146October-12December

Academic & Diplomatic Practice Module• DiplomacyinPractice1

• SkillsforPublicDiplomacy

• InternationalRelations

• Politics&Ideology

• EUIntegration

Assessment:

2 x 2,000-word essays

1 x 1,500-word essay,

1eachof:Non-paper,Memo,Telegram,

Speaking note.

English Language Module• AcademicLiteracy1

• Diplomatic&Professional

Communication Skills 1

• Listening&SpeakingSkills1

• ReadingSkills1

• EnglishGrammar1

Assessment: Work totalling no

more than 3,000 words.

Hilary Term 201512January–27March

Academic & Diplomatic Practice Module• DiplomacyinPractice2

• DiplomaticSimulations

• EuropeanPoliticssince2000

• FoundationsofPublic

International Law

Assessment:

3 x 2,000-word essays

1 x viva voce examination

1 x diplomatic presentation

English Language Module• AcademicLiteracy2

• Diplomatic&Professional

Communication Skills 2

• Listening&SpeakingSkills2

• ReadingSkills2

• EnglishGrammar2

• IELTSTestPractice

Assessment:

Work totalling no more than

3,000 words.

Native English-speaking StudentsStudents who have been exempted

from the English Language Module

must(inadditiontotheaboveacademic

assignments)submitassignmentson

their elective academic courses. The

assignments must total 5,000 words.

Michaelmas Term: As above plus one

additional essay of 2,500 words.

Hilary Term: As above plus one

additional essay of 2,500 words.

UK and International Study VisitsYou will also benefit from the following

study visits to London and Vienna:

• Foreign&CommonwealthOffice

• ADiplomaticMissioninLondon

• HousesofParliament

• CabinetOffice

• ViennaFieldTrip(UN,OSCEand

MinistryofForeignAffairs)

ScholarshipsWe regret that we are currently unable

to provide any scholarships for our pre-

Master’s courses.

Fees 2014-2015Course Fee: £13,480.

You are assessed throughout your course on a blend of classwork (includingshortwrittentasksandpresentations)andlongeressays.Uponsuccessful course completion, you are awarded a University of Oxford Certificate of Course Completion.

You will have the opportunity to engage with peers from many different countries in practical seminars and lively discussion groups on a regular basis. Most recently we have welcomed students from Italy, Japan, Mexico, Montenegro, Romania and the UK.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

9.15 am Academic Literacy

Diplomatic & Professional

Communication Skills

English Grammar Listening & Speaking Skills

10.45 am BREAK

11.15 am Diplomacy in Practice Reading Skills Individual Tutorial Critical Thinking

Skills

12.45 pm LUNCH

2.00 pm International Relations EU Integration Politics & Ideology

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

9.15 am Academic Literacy

Diplomatic & Professional

Communication Skills

Individual Tutorial Listening & Speaking Skills

10.45 am BREAK

11.15 am Diplomacy in Practice English Grammar Reading Skills Critical Thinking

Skills IELTS Practice

12.45 pm LUNCH

2.00 pm Diplomatic Simulations

European Politics 2000-2015 Public International

Law

Michaelmas Term 2014

Hilary Term 2015

Foundations of Diplomacy Course European Field Trip to Vienna

Itinerary

Day 1 Diplomatic Vienna a.m. Depart Oxford

p.m. Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Day 2 International Organisations a.m. OSCE

p.m. UnitedNations

Day 3 Vienna’s Cultural Legacy a.m. Walking Tour: Old Town

Hofburg Palace

St Stephen’s Cathedral

Opera

p.m. Free

Day 4

p.m. Depart Vienna

There is no additional fee for this field trip which includes airport

transfers(UKandAustria),flights,B&Baccommodation,lunches

in Vienna and excursions and entrance fees. Students are

responsible for arranging their own travel insurance, any visa

costs, personal spending money and evening meals.

Pleasenotethattheabovescheduleissubjecttochange.

In 2015, we are delighted to introduce a European field trip to Vienna for our Foundations of Diplomacy Course students.

How to applyAdvanced Diploma in British & European Studies Foundations of Diplomacy Course

Advanced Diploma in British and European Studies Pre-Master’s Course

To apply for a place on the Advanced

Diploma in British and European Studies

Course, follow this simple four-step

process.

1. Download and complete the course

application form at www.conted.

ox.ac.uk/274

2. Email us:

• yourcompleted

application form

• copiesofyouruniversity

certificates

• copiesofyouruniversity

transcripts

3. Post us:

• Tworecentpassportphotos

4. Provide a letter of reference.

Course Dates 2014-2015Pre-sessional 22 September – 3 October 2014

Michaelmas 6October–12December2014

Hilary

12 January – 13 March 2015

Trinity 20 April – 19 June 2015

Fees* 2014 -2015Course Fee: £13,888

CollegeFee(optional):£2,657

*PleasenotethatyourfeesDONOT

include accommodation or meals.

Foundations of Diplomacy Pre-Master’s Course

To apply for a place on the Foundations

of Diplomacy Course, follow this simple

four-step process.

1. Download and complete the course

application form at www.conted.

ox.ac.uk/198

2. Email us:

• yourcompleted

application form

• copiesofyouruniversity

certificates

• copiesofyouruniversity

transcripts

3. Post us:

• Tworecentpassportphotos

4. Provide a letter of reference.

Course Dates 2014-2015Pre-sessional 30 September – 3 October 2014

Michaelmas6October–12December2014

Hilary

12January–27March2015

Fees* 2014 -2015Course Fee: £13,480

CollegeFee(optional):£2,657

*PleasenotethatyourfeesDONOT

include accommodation or meals.

Application

We accept applications for our

Pre-Master’s courses on a rolling

admissions basis which means that you

may submit your application at any time

during the year.

Application Deadline

Application deadline for both courses is

27June2014.

Telephone Interview

When we have received your

pre-Master’s course application

documentation and letter of reference,

we will get in touch with you to arrange

a telephone interview with our course

director. About a week after your

interview, you will learn the outcome of

your application.

‘A wonderful academic experience. I’ll never forget it.’Eldar, Azerbaijan

For more information on our courses, please visit our website at www.conted.ox.ac.uk.

Contact usTel: +44(0)1865270451Email: judith.arneil@conted.ox.ac.ukAddress: Pre-Master’s Courses University of Oxford OUDCE 1 Wellington Square Oxford OX1 2JA

Photography © Darrell Godliman