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Pre-sessional English Course

The Pre-sessional English Course is an optional offering that aims to prepare international students for their Master's studies at KTH. The course combines study skills and English for academic purposes. Students have the opportunity to learn about and discuss academic cultures and to participate in activities that will give them a sense of the prevalent teaching and learning practices at KTH. They will also improve their general as well as academic English skills.

Eligible students

Priority is given to degree-seeking fee-paying students, scholarship holders, and students participating in a study abroad programme. Other international students commencing their master studies at KTH autumn 2024 are welcome subject to vacancies.

Important information

The Pre-sessional English Course will take place on main campus and all the study material will be made available on Canvas, KTH’s learning management system. Course participants therefore need to be in Sweden and in possession of a KTH IT account in order to participate in the pre-sessional course.

Participation is free of charge. The participants will not receive academic credits after completing the course.

Course content

English

The medium for the entire course is English, with a dual emphasis on:

  • allowing the students to use and improve their General English in a supportive and language-focused environment.
  • ensuring students have the range of language and communication skills necessary to cope with and participate actively in their academic work.

Academic language

Academic language is taught explicitly and students will have the opportunity to develop their skills along three broad lines:

  1. the mechanics of formal writing (sentence and paragraph)
  2. style, appropriateness and register (levels of formality and informality)
  3. vocabulary of written and spoken English for formal and informal occasions

Study skills

With the aim of enabling students to make best use of the experiences and opportunities in higher education, sessions are offered on the following study skills:

  • Writing for academic purposes (e.g. essays, reports, correspondence)
  • Reading for gist/ reading for detail
  • Listening skills for lectures and seminars
  • Oral presentations
  • Communication skills for tutorials and viva voce examinations
  • Academic integrity and referencing
  • Examinations (administration, types, techniques, revision)
  • Giving and receiving feedback
  • Pair and group work

Contact

For questions regarding course administration (e.g. eligibility, course registration), please contact language-communication@kth.se .

For questions about the course content, please email Jane Bottomley, jabo@kth.se .

For other questions regarding services for international students, e.g., assistance with banking options, health care issues or insurance issues, or for more information about KTH's Arrival & Introduction programme, please send an email to info@kth.se . 

After this course

In the autumn, fee-paying students with or without scholarship commencing their study period at KTH are welcome to take part in our Introduction to the Swedish society, language and culture .