The Glasgow School of Art

The Pre-Sessional English for Creative Disciplines course is a discipline-specialist language and study skills course tailored to the needs of international students who have been offered a place on an undergraduate or postgraduate course at GSA on the condition that they improve their English up to a level required by a given GSA programme.

It is an intensive and demanding course that offers a unique opportunity to study English and essential academic skills in the context of the creative disciplines (Art, Design and Architecture), their specialist learning methodologies, practices and processes. This means the course is different from conventional language courses that, for example, focus on exam preparation, grammar or vocabulary practice.

The course combines content and language to create optimal conditions for contextualised language practice as well as inquiry and project-based learning to help the students develop as creative practitioners and life-long language learners. Based on the feedback from past students and GSA programme leaders, such an innovative approach is appreciated and crucial in allowing the students to transition successfully on to their prospective programmes.

Details of the curriculum, assessments, timetable and technologies used on the course are explained in the Student Guide.

The course comprises three modules, each built around a relevant theme and studio project and each progressively more challenging. In Summer 2023, the modules will be delivered as follows:

• Module 1: fully online, via a combination of a virtual learning platform and Zoom (videoconferencing platform)

• Modules 2 and 3: 

-        Option 1: on campus, combining daily face-to-face classes and online learning

-      Option 2: fully online, combining self- and collaborative study in own time and daily real-time contact with peers and the teacher via Zoom (videoconferencing platform)  

Entry Requirements

To apply for the Pre-Sessional English for Creative Disciplines course, students must have a conditional offer for any GSA programme which requires them to improve their language skills up to a level required by the prospective programme. These requirements will be different for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and so they affect the entry requirements for the Pre-Sessional course.

-        Option 1: Applicants who choose to attend module 2 and 3 face-to-face on campus must also have a UKVI approved English test, such as IELTS for UKVI (Academic) or Pearson PTE Academic UKVI, taken within 2 years of the proposed course start date.

-        Option 2: Applicants who choose to attend module 2 and 3 online must have an English test, such as IELTS Academic or IELTS Indicator, Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic, TOEFL IBT or TOEFL IBT at home, taken within 2 years of the proposed course start date.

Depending on the student’s current English language scores and the GSA UG/PG programme, the student can choose from three different course lengths: 14, 10 and 5 weeks.

Please refer to these Entry Requirements documents for details:

• IELTS
• Pearson PTE
• TOEFL

If you need further help with interpreting your language scores, contact the Pre-Sessional Administrator.

If the student already meets the language requirements of the prospective GSA programme, they are welcome to apply for the PSE course too; many students have done so in the past and they appreciated the opportunity of an extended induction to the GSA campus, teaching and assessment methods and content related to art, design and architecture.

14-week course

The 14-week course covers Modules 1, 2 + 3; Module 1 will be delivered online and Modules 2 and 3 in blended format on campus (option 1) or online (option 2).

The application deadline is 12 May 2023.

The course start date is 22 May 2023. Induction activities will take place in the week prior to the course start date with an online live session in the morning (GMT) on 19 May 2023. 

The tuition fee is £5,800.

There are no classes on 19-22 June 2023 to allow for travel to the UK.

10-week course

The 10-week course covers Modules 2 + 3; these two modules will be delivered on campus with elements of online learning (option 1) or online (option 2).

The application deadline is 9 June 2023.

The course start date is 26 June 2023. Induction activities will take place online as follows: For the students studying in person there will be an online/in-person session on 23 June 2023 (this depends on how many will arrive in Glasgow by then – TBC by email). For the students studying online there will be an online session on 23 June 2023.

The tuition fee is £4,300.

5-week course

The 5-week course covers Module 3; this module will be delivered in on campus with elements of online learning (option 1) or online (option 2).

The application deadline is 14 July 2023.

The course start date is 31 July 2023. Induction activities will take place as follows: For the students studying in person there will be a mix of online and in-person activities and for the students studying online there will be online activities. All the induction will take place on 28 July 2023.

The tuition fee is £2,200

Making an application

Download the application form here and email it to pre-sessional@gsa.ac.uk along with a copy of your offer letter and current English language qualification.

Contact

Any enquiries can be made to pre-sessional@gsa.ac.uk

Accommodation

Information about accommodation at GSA can be found here. Please do not use the online booking platform – instead send your enquiries to accommodation@gsa.ac.uk and remember to state that you are attending the Pre-Sessional English course at GSA.