EACH year, half a million overseas students apply to study for a postgraduate degree in the UK, US and other English-speaking countries. Paying full fees, these students represent a significant source of income for the universities. As a result, a growing number of universities and private colleges are offering foundation or pre-masters courses.
These are designed to bridge the gap between undergraduate studies and postgraduate degrees taught in English.
In the UK, at least a dozen universities now run courses designed to cater to the needs of students from overseas regions including Russia, Japan, China, Southeast Asia. Among them, Heriott Watt, Salford, Leeds Metropolitan, Luton and Greenwich University are offering pre-masters courses for the first time this year.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) grade 5 is the minimum entry level of English demanded by university pre-masters courses, and one of the aims of the courses is to bring language proficiency up to a level 6 or above. Students develop language skills through classroom interaction and by being part of the wider community, living among native English speakers.
SOAS (The School of Oriental and African Studies), part of London University, runs the UK's oldest established pre-masters course, the foundation diploma for postgraduate studies. Last year SOAS prepared 80 foreign students — mostly from China, Southeast Asia, Iran and Russia — for masters degrees at UK universities.
Sue Yates, head of the department of international foundation courses and English language studies at SOAS, believes a pre-masters course should do a lot more than boost language skills. It is more about preparing students from different cultural backgrounds to succeed in the UK academic world, she says. "We prepare them to look at a variety of sources, analyze the pros and cons, put forward their own ideas, challenge their tutors and take part in rigorous discussion."
However, Yates is unhappy at what she sees as a lack of control over the proliferation of pre-masters programmes. Some form of external validation is needed, as there is no universal recognition of the quality of such courses. "The British Council approves language schools and there is a benchmark system for access to higher education courses for domestic students," says Yates. "But so far there is no UK-wide benchmark for foundation courses for international students."
