2. How do pathways help the university?
• Pathways such as UAP institutionally prepare international students. They are more
likely to stay at the university to do a degree or masters.
• Pathways are a means of internationalising their campuses and help to widen the
horizons of local undergraduates.
• Pathways give international students a better experience; helping them integrate into
life on a foreign campus. As universities offer similar courses and compete for the same
students, the student experience is a key USP.
• By teaming up GUS business developers and agents who have extensive marketing
networks and reach, UCW profile will grow among international students who have the
means to pay premium-level fees.
3. What is the University Access Program?
The University Access Program (UAP) is a university pathway
program which teaches:
Language + ‘university level academic requirements’:
• Academic conventions common to English speaking universities
• Independent study
• Critical thinking
• Study skills
• A choice of specialization module
(humanities/science/business)
4. What will they learn on the UCW UAP course?
They will learn what IELTS & TOFEL cannot provide:
• Structuring of paragraphs, introductions and conclusions.
• Writing using variety of extended essay genres
• Paraphrasing and summarising, whilst avoiding plagiarism.
• Coherently synthesising the ideas of other academics with their own.
• Referencing styles and rules (such as Harvard and APA).
• Reading: How to source, skim, scan and select materials
• Critically evaluating sources
• Effective note-taking from lectures, and utilizing information recorded.
• Being able to express themselves clearly and confidently in tutorials and seminars.
• Giving clearly signposted/signalled, well delivered oral presentations.
5. How does the UCW UAP work?
This means you can decrease the entry requirement, on the condition they complete the UAP, and you
will not compromise academic standards.
6. UCW UAP Intake Dates
First intake will be in April 2014
• Program Length
o If a student has 6.0 in IELTS: 3 months
o If a student has 5.5 in IELTS: 6 months
o If a student has 5.0 in IELTS: 9 months
• Start and End dates
o April 7, 2015 – June 28, 2015
o June 29, 2015 – September 20, 2015
o Tentative: Sep 28 2015 to December 20 2015
• Program Cost is $3,500 for every 3 months
7. UCW UAP
• Students should choose UAP 15 hours as a core course, plus one specialist
module, depending on the focus of their desired UG/Graduate program
• They can choose:
– UAP plus English for Humanities and Social Science (15 hours p/w)
– UAP plus English for Science (15 hours p/w)
– UAP plus English for Business Studies(15 hours p/w)
8. UAPAssessment
• Continuous assessment via 10 weekly essays and assignments
• End of course exam
• Extended essay
• Students are examined on:
o Spotting plagiarism
o Note-taking and summary
o Paraphrasing and synthesis
o Timed essay
o Oral presentation and questioning
10. Assessment criteria
This is a guide to the criteria used by staff in assigning a mark to a written
piece of work. Broadly speaking, work is assessed on 7 criteria:
• Depth of research/range and quality of sources
• Range of knowledge
• Originality of thought
• Quality of argument and analysis
• Referencing
• Organization and presentation
• Accuracy, range and cohesiveness of language and academic register
There is a PDF “UAP Mark Scheme” which accompanies this presentation for more detail.
11. Why do pathways matter to the international student?
• International students have a better experience of university education after they
have been on a pathway program.
• They need less adjustment time.
• They learn more and have a better chance of success.
• They know how to study, what to study, and are in a better position to compete
with domestic students.
12. Why do pathways matter to faculty?
• They require less remedial assistance, which saves frustration time, resources, and
money.
• They are more able to meet academic requirements.
• There are fewer incidents of cheating and plagiarism.
• International students who succeed and achieve raise the reputation of the
department and the university.
• Better achievement and retention rates.
