If you're seeking to enhance your academic and creative skills before pursuing an Masters degree course, the Integrated Pre-Masters pathway provides the ideal preparation.

Open to both UK and international students, the Integrated Pre-Masters offering an enriching foundation for those transitioning to postgraduate education.

The course, which begins in either September, January or May (one semester), focuses on developing critical thinking, advanced creative problem-solving, and research skills, alongside refining study skills for academic purposes – all to ensure you’re fully ready for postgraduate life.

Throughout the course, you will have the opportunity to define your creative subject specialism while building an advanced portfolio of work. You’ll benefit from access to dedicated studio spaces and workshop-based resources tailored to support your creative growth.

Educational visits within the UK are integral to the experience. In previous years, students have explored museums and galleries in cities like London, Brighton, and Oxford. These trips will help enrich your research and inspire your creative projects.

Additionally, you’ll benefit from personal development tutoring, which will support your academic growth and help you refine your specialist pathway. And, if you need to enhance your English language skills, you can opt to join a pre-sessional English course to improve your IELTS score as well.

Integrated Pre-Masters (One Semester Option):

For students who meet the language requirement of IELTS 6.0 overall (with no band below 5.5) with a strong portfolio/personal statement, we also offer a one-semester version of this course, lasting 15 weeks. This is an accelerated pathway to postgraduate study, allowing you to focus intensively on your chosen subject area.

Please note: Students choosing the accelerated pathway should have a more advanced portfolio/personal statement to meet the requirements of the shortened course.

Whether you’re from the UK or abroad, the Pre-Masters pathway will give you the confidence, skills, and creative insight needed to transition smoothly into a postgraduate degree course with the knowledge and experience to excel.

Course
information

Students with a creative practice-based focus: A recognised bachelor’s degree or 3-year diploma with a strong portfolio in a relevant subject.

Students with a management-based focus:  A recognised bachelor’s degree or 3-year diploma with a strong personal statement/work experiences in a relevant subject.

Your portfolio
Your portfolio of work should demonstrate your prior learning, creativity, and relevance for your subject area. You can either email your portfolio (ideally in PDF format) or upload your work to a file-sharing website (e.g., You Tube, Flickr, Drop Box). Further information on how to compile a portfolio and the process for submission of your work will be provided on the Applicant Portal.

Minimum English language requirements:
You need an overall IELTS score of 5.5 with 5.5 in each component or an equivalent UK Visas and Immigration recognised qualification. We offer various length of English Pre-sessional courses to support you with gaining the required English improvement.

 

 

 

To apply for the Integrated Pre-Masters course you need to select your postgraduate degree course and apply directly to UCA using the application link on your selected course page.

View our postgraduate courses