Choosing a course
Summer School offers over 90 courses with choices in twenty five subjects. The length of a courses varies from one day to up to five weeks and some are available in the evening. There are options for professionals, university students and those seeking to enter university and individuals studying for personal development or fun. Levels range from introductory to undergraduate degree level. For some courses, applicants may need some prior subject knowledge or experience.
Courses
To reflect diverse interests and to cater for people with different levels of background knowledge, many courses are of an introductory nature and require no prior study. For others some relevant experience or knowledge is required (and Middlesex students require the usual pre-requisites). More information is given under each course heading.
Most courses carry university academic credit. Others are shorter, special interest courses designed for individuals seeking to develop professional, personal or creative interests. These are not assessed and are recognised by the prefix- SUM. Students may study as many of those as they wish, timetabling permitting. Students will receive a certificate of attendance upon completion of the course. Classes are taught by Middlesex lecturers or outside practitioners
All courses (except Spanish and French options) are taught in English and require TOEFL 550 (IELTS 6.0) or the equivalent if English is a second language.
Credit bearing courses (modules)
These offer the opportunity to earn credits towards university qualifications at Middlesex as well as many other colleges and universities in the UK and elsewhere.
Middlesex was one of the first UK universities to base its academic provision on credit accumulation. Students 'earn as they learn' gaining academic credit for each module as it is successfully completed. An undergraduate honours degree requires 360 credit points gained at levels 1 to 3.
Modules included are taken from across the university's curriculum. In some cases they are only available at Summer School.
All accredited courses meet the high quality standards necessary for university approval, and have also been approved by external quality organisations (the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, Ofsted or professional bodies).
Due to the intensive nature of Summer School teaching, we do not recommend that students take more than two credit bearing modules (see below).
Assessment
Assessment requirements may vary from course to course but are usually based on a combination of coursework and examination, although some are either 100 per cent examination or coursework. Please see individual course descriptions for more information.
Examinations will take place on from Monday 3 to Wednesday 5 August 2009. Most coursework is due on Friday 31 July 2009 but this may vary and your lecturer will advise you of any alternative deadlines.
If you wish to study purely out of interest, accumulating no credit, you are welcome to attend most modules without taking any assessment. However, where assessment is based on group work all students are required to contribute in the interest of others within the group.
Course codes, levels and prerequisites
In addition to the title, each course is given a code of three letters and four numbers (e.g. BUS1000, POI3603) which is a shorthand form used by the university to categorise courses. The letters refer to the subject area with which the course is associated (e.g. BUS refers to Business).
The first figure of the code number pertains to the level of the course. Levels 0 and 1 being introductory, level 2 intermediate and level 3 advanced undergraduate level (e.g. POI3603 is a third level Politics course). Level 4 applies to postgraduate modules.
Though background knowledge may be useful for introductory courses it is not usually essential. Courses at levels 2 or 3 are likely to require some previous subject knowledge. This may have been gained through formal or informal study or work experience. The level of previous knowledge required is indicated under each course listing, either as part of the text or under the heading of 'prerequisites'.
Current Middlesex students often need to have successfully completed specific modules as prerequisites.
Credit transfer to other universities
It is often possible to transfer credits earned at Middlesex University Summer School to degree programmes at other universities in the UK and many other countries.
Please note that the acceptance of credits is at the discretion of individual institutions and, in the case of some countries, there may be no system for this in place.
Students should check with their home institution that the credit is transferable and the module appropriate for their study programme before applying.
The European Credit Transfer System has been developed to simplify credit transfer between universities throughout the EU. Using this system:
- 15/30 Middlesex credits equates to 7.5/15 ECTS credits.
- For students from the States, 15/30 Middlesex credit points are equivalent to 4/8 North American credit points.
Summer School as a pathway to higher education
Some Summer School courses are designed as pathways onto courses at Middlesex University. For instance the Introductory Psychology course, successful completion of which will enable non-graduates access to the BSc Psychology degree course. Another example is SUM0043 Music Access and SUM0046 Music Management which are designed as access courses for students lacking a sufficient music background but wishing to take a higher education qualification in the field.
The Advanced Diploma in Personal and Professional Development offers the opportunity to earn an award through Summer School and provides a bridge to Masters level study for students who do not possess the required formal entry requirements.
Summer School can provide an opportunity to sample a subject or try out life as a university student before committing to a degree programme.
If you are thinking of using Summer School credits towards a degree at Middlesex, please contact Middlesex University Admissions to discuss the possibilities (+44 (0)20 8411 5555).
