Preparation for the Year Abroad Experience

Outline of Activity

This activity will involve taugh sessions including: General Introduction to the Year Abroad preparation programme: Making the most of the year abroad: duties and responsibilities, English Language Assistants Sessions (British Council representative), What is the EDGE Award? Dissertation, Diploma in Area Studies, International Academic Studies for Language Assistants, placement and Erasmus, Spain: the country, the universities, schools, dissertation preparation, France: the country, the universities, schools, dissertation preparation, Germany: the country, the universities, schools, dissertation preparation, Navigating university websites for online enrolment etc, Living abroad: problems and strategies, Role of the International Office. Erasmus grant applications - Submission date for the location choice forms, Surviving & Thriving (Health & Safety abroad) (LAs/ H&S staff), Online enrolment/ paperwork / EDGE Award coursework submission, Online enrolment/distribution of paperwork, TIDYING UP LOOSE ENDS - EDGE Award coursework feedback.

Learning Outcomes

• Have an understanding of the location options open to students from their area of study.
• Recognise the transferable skills that preparation for and experiencing the Year Abroad will give them.
• Know the processes they need to go through to secure grant-funding for their Year Abroad, and the negotiate the bureaucratic systems of the target country/ies, university/ies, and/or workplace(s) they will be visiting
• Understand the study and research skills required to prepare well for the dissertation/ study project they will be carrying out during their Year Abroad.
• Develop the study and research skills required for completion of a successful dissertation/ study project they will be carrying out during their Year Abroad
• Weigh up complex variables and their potential impact on future experiences
• Independently assimilate information to help inform decision-making and evaluate the possible outcome(s) of decisions.
• Reflect on and improve their own learning, decision-making and performance
• Ability to assimilate varied and changing information to help inform future planning
• Ability to liaise with employers and/or university coordinators in a foreign language/country.
• Ability to research requirements for living, studying and working abroad
• Ability and flexibility to negotiate the different bureaucratic processes of other EU countries
• Improve their IT skills by word processing, internet search, online form-filling.

Assessment Details

Reflective log to include evidence in appendices of the following:

• notes from briefing sessions
• choice(s) of destination with 200 word summary outlining academic and personal reasons for choice
• draft choice of modules to be taken and justification
• draft synopsis of two topics for their Dissertation (possible topics, sources, timeline, evidence of reading around the topic) - 2 sides of A4 in the target language.

Level of Commitment

50 hours:

14 taught sessions plus 34 hours of effort.

Related Staff

David Barr

ICT Technical Support Executive Assistant
ICT Customer Services & Support Division
+44 28 9536 5020
d.barr@ulster.ac.uk
BA-02-022 - Belfast campus

Find out more about David Barr

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