Degree/Diploma in English
Student Newsletter
Newsletter for
2010-11
Now available to download in pdf format [3pgs, 34KB]
News for External BA/Diploma in English Students
Dear Student,
News for BA/Diploma in English Students
Welcome to a new academic year! If you are a new student, then I would like to offer you a very warm welcome to the programme. If you are a continuing student, I hope that you had a relaxing summer break from studies, and are now refreshed and revitalised for another year of studying with the University of London International Programmes (formerly the University of London External Programme).
I am also writing to inform you of a couple of support schemes that you may wish to take advantage of over the next few months:
To encourage participation, this year we are once again offering an extensive range of discounts (including ‘early bird’ discounts for all registrations received by FRIDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2010).
In response to student demand, the schemes have been updated this year in the following ways:
- e-seminars will now begin in the winter term, to coincide more closely with individual schedules
- more e-seminars will focus on study skills needed for literary studies;
- e-seminars will be supplemented by a small selection of recordings of internal lectures (available in the Spring Term)
- the deadline for the essay marking scheme has been brought forward to 1 February, so that students can get feedback more quickly (I'm sorry to say that is not possible to mark essays prior to this owing to available staff resources)
- we are now able to receive essays through the English Moodle VLE via the portal (all students should have received a login and password to the VLE). This will enable tutors to collect and return work more promptly than in the past (we aim for within three weeks). In order to make this a viable process, we will no longer be accepting essays by email or by post (both these systems cause considerable delays to the marking process, resulting in students getting work back too late in the academic year to apply any of the feedback effectively). Instructions on how to submit your essay via the English Moodle VLE are uploaded on the VLE, under ‘Study Support’ (see the document entitled ‘How to submit essays via the VLE’). They are also available on request.
E-seminar Scheme
How it works: Goldsmiths organises a range of English online seminars (e-seminars) via the English Moodle VLE (virtual learning environment). E-seminars offer a virtual experience of university classes and are led by Goldsmiths staff teaching Internal versions of External units. For this year's programme, please see the schedule [pdf: 2pgs, 35KB]. No special computer ability is needed to take part – just basic internet proficiency. A key benefit is that students can print out a record of the discussions (something you can't do so easily in a face-to-face scenario), so instant notes on the topic are made!
Each e-seminar runs over the course of one week, from Wednesday to Tuesday, following this structure:
1. Students login to the e-seminar a week or so in advance to check the tutor’s opening message
regarding preparatory reading and initial questions to explore. Most students post a short
email introducing themselves.
2. On Day 1 (Wednesday), the tutor makes a response to the students’ postings, and sets some
further questions to be discussed and answered by Day Three (Friday).
3. On Day 3 (Friday), the tutor makes another response and sets questions to be discussed over Saturday and Sunday.
4. On Day 6 (Monday), the tutor makes a response and sets some concluding questions to be discussed by Day 7 (Tuesday)
5. On Day 7 (Tuesday), the tutor provides summary comments and suggestions for further study of the topic
Registration:to secure your place in an e-seminar, please complete the registration form [doc: 2pgs, 87KB] for e-seminar choice and payment of fees (by 19 November for early bird rates, or at LEAST TWO WEEKS before the e-seminar is due to begin). VLE access will be granted upon receipt of your registration.
Costs: £21 per e-seminar, or £17 per e-seminar at early bird rates discounts of up to 40% are available for wider participation in support schemes. See registration form [doc: 2pgs, 87KB] for further details of discounts.
Essay Marking Scheme
How it works: Students submit practice exam essays to Goldsmiths and receive detailed written feedback from tutors who teach Internal versions of External units. Full details regarding preparing the essay are available online.
Registration: please complete registration form [doc: 2pgs, 87KB] for payment of fees (by 19 November for early bird rates, or at LEAST TWO WEEKS before the essay is due).
Essays are to be submitted through English Moodle VLE by 1 February 2011. No essays will be marked prior. We aim to return essays within three weeks. Instructions on how to submit your essay(s) can be downloaded [pdf: 2pgs, 21KB].
Costs: £26 per essay, or £21 per essay at early bird rates. Discounts of up to 40% are available for wider participation in support schemes, please see registration form [doc: 2pgs, 87KB] for further details of discounts.
May I take this opportunity to wish you all the best for your studies in 2010-2011. If I can ever be of assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Very best wishes,
Dr Sarah Barnsley
Course Director, External English Programme
Goldsmiths College, University of London
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 717 2990
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7919 7453
Email: s.barnsley@gold.ac.uk
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