Course Catalogue

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The University of Glasgow Widening Participation Summer School is a four-week course to aid transition into University level study. With up to ten hours of scheduled class time each week, students will gain an overview of their chosen subject and the ways it is taught in a Higher Education environment. They will have a chance to develop the learning skills required to be successful in the subject and take part in subject-specific assessment with opportunity for feedback throughout the course

The timetable allows for two hours of teaching time per day, every day, Monday- Friday, for a four-week period over June and July. Some departments may choose to not to use all contact time, and to direct students to additional independent study in these timetable slots instead.

Students must meet at least one of the following criteria:

-Be a pupil at a Summer School target school, in either S5 or S6

-Be holding a conditional offer from the University of Glasgow which requires them to pass the Summer School

-Be care-experienced

-Be an offer-holder at the University who has been recommended to take part in Summer School by the Disability Service

-Be an offer-holder at the University who has completed a SWAP or UoG Access course.

-Be a student for whom attendance at the Summer School has been recommended as being beneficial for their progression to and performance in Higher Education.

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University of Glasgow Widening Participation Summer School (Academic Subject 1)

University of Glasgow Widening Participation Summer School (online Academic Skills module)

Assessment is conducted using a variety of methods which vary according to the academic department. Assessment level is standardised across subject areas: the equivalent of a 2,500 word essay. This assessment breakdown given as an example in section 19 is for the Physics course. In this case, the final grade is calculated from the following components:

-Assessment of lab work, worth 20 marks (25%)

-Written exam of 90 minutes duration (as shown in Section 25 below), with questions covering all the topics on the course, worth 30 marks (37.5%)

-Group report, worth 30 marks (37.5%)

A second example for the Politics course is:

-Essay (1200 words) on Section 2 of the course (50%)

-Written exam of 2 hours duration. Students answer questions on Sections 1 and 3 of the course (50%)

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

The course aims to ensure that students are confident and knowledgeable about their chosen subject, and are well-prepared to succeed in it when commencing full-time studies at university level. Each course will:

■ Introduce students to their chosen field of study, and familiarise them with the key concepts and knowledge they will require at University level.

■ Develop the skills required in that field of study, including those necessary for different types of classes (e.g., lectures, seminars, tutorials, labs, fieldwork), and give students the opportunity to experience the different types of teaching and learning common to the subject.

■ Encourage students to engage critically with a range of appropriate sources, research and evidence pertaining to their subject, and demonstrate how such material can be used in coursework or assessments.

■ Assess students using methods common to their chosen field of study. This may include written examinations, oral assessments, essays, presentations and can involve elements of continuous assessment such as evaluation of notes taken in laboratories or field experiments or a student's participation in a seminar.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Summarise key ideas and issues of the academic discipline, and engage in critically informed discussion in a small group environment.

■ Employ a range of approaches to problem-solving and analysis of subject matter covered in the course curriculum.

■ Comprehend the types of evidence and research that are associated with the particular academic discipline, and critically evaluate these in an independent manner.

■ Express an informed argument about the subject by drawing on a range of source materials and synthesising them coherently.

■ Understand and apply the rules and conventions of referencing when writing an academic piece of work.

■ Apply the knowledge gained on the course to practical contexts or tasks associated with the subject, with support and oversight from teaching staff where appropriate.

■ Work with others in ways typical of undergraduate teaching styles common to the subject - this may include, but not be limited to: seminar discussion, group projects, group labwork, fieldwork, or presentations.

■ Navigate the University's Moodle site and use it confidently to support subject-specific learning.

Students must attend at least 75% of the formal contact hours, and submit at least 75% of required coursework.