Academic programmes

Each credit-bearing course includes 48 hours of academic contact time. You are expected to complete pre-course readings as well as individual study before and after each academic session. You should expect to complete at least two hours of independent study each day, in preparation for these sessions.

An important part of UK academic culture is independent study. This usually involves working on your own or in small groups to research a topic and contribute to a seminar. Independent study is intended to develop skills such as critical analysis and problem-solving to help develop your own ideas. Most of the courses include group work designed to encourage team-working skills. As groups will include students from different countries, it is a good way of learning about working in a multi-cultural environment.

The format of your assessment will depend on your chosen subject but will include a piece of ‘formative’ assessment early in the programme which will help you complete final assessments and achieve the best possible grade. The final assessments consist of a presentation on the final day of the programme and/or written assignment due either by the end of the programme or within 2 weeks of the end of the programme, dependent on your chosen course.

Some courses involve an examination on the last day instead of a written assignment. Please see your individual course syllabus for more specific assessment details.

Many students are able to take summer school courses for credit and each course has been accredited at 15 Exeter credits and 7.5 ECTS. North American universities generally award 3 credits. If you wish to receive credit for your course please check with your academic advisor or international office at your home institution regarding transfer policies before you apply. We will be happy to supply any additional information that they need.

The University of Exeter standard English Language Level requirements apply to this programme and full details can be found on our International Students area. Below is an overview of basic guidelines for applying and if you are unsure if any of these apply to you, please contact iss@exeter.ac.uk to confirm.

Basic English language level requirements:

• Reside in a country for more than three months where English is a widely spoken or native language. This includes short term study where the course has lasted for 3 months or more
• Come from an English-speaking country
• Have a letter or transcript from your place of study to confirm that courses in your institution are taught exclusively in English (excluding English language courses)
• Have a qualification from one of the following with the minimum grades detailed below.

Our courses are a mixture of introductory levels up to pre-master level courses but do not require applicants to be studying on particular courses before applying. It may be beneficial to have a background in the area, particularly on our more science based courses like Preventative Medicine, but this is not a requirement.

Anyone can apply for any of the courses providing they are able to prove a GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 or above (or equivalent in their own country). For students who have yet to complete their first year or who are looking to try this before starting a degree programme, please contact iss@exeter.ac.uk to discuss entry requirements in more detail.

If you are unsure if you meet the entry requirements, you can email us to check or just apply and we will let you know if you have been successful. If you are not successful we will contact you to inform you what you need to gain a place on the programme.