KV5008 - Study abroad year

This module is designed for all standard full-time undergraduate programmes within the Faculty of Engineering and Environment and provides you with the option to study abroad for one full year as part of your programme.

This is a 120 credit module which is available between Levels 5 and 6. You will undertake a year of study abroad at an approved partner University where you will have access to modules from your discipline, but taught in a different learning culture. This gives you the opportunity to broaden your overall experience of learning. The structure of study will be dependent on the partner and will be recorded for an individual student on the learning agreement signed by the host University, the student, and the home University (Northumbria).

Your study abroad year will be assessed on a pass/fail basis. It will not count towards your final degree classification but, it is recognised in your transcript as a 120 credit Study Abroad module and on your degree certificate in the format – “Degree title (with Study Abroad Year)”.

Pre-departure: students attend relevant presentations (including a Health and Safety briefing) and meet with the Module Tutor/Faculty staff to satisfy their specific requirements.

On Study Abroad: Support will be provided by the host University. Additionally, you will be allocated a Supervisor who is able to provide academic and pastoral support, and the Module Tutor and other relevant Faculty staff will maintain contact with you throughout the study abroad year.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
• MLO1: To acquire a broader, international and interculturally informed understanding of your subject discipline

Intellectual/Professional skills & abilities:
• MLO2: To experience different cultural approaches to learning, study and academic development

• MLO3: To acquire intercultural competence, cross-cultural literacy, and (where relevant) to practice foreign-language skills

Personal Values Attributes:
• MLO4: To develop enhanced, culturally sensitive communication and interpersonal skills

Formative assessment: This will vary according to host University

Summative assessment:
Transcript of Results (80%)
The module assesses your academic performance on modules studied at the host University and is graded on a pass/fail basis. In order to pass the module, you have to take and pass the equivalent of 120 Northumbria credits at the host institution (as documented by the transcript).

Presentation (20%)
You must undertake a 10 minute presentation after completing the Study Abroad year. The presentation will be given to the Module Tutor and your supervisor and must form an account of your Study Abroad year as well as containing reference to any issues/observations of an organisational, institutional, linguistic or cultural nature experienced during the placement.


Feedback: This will vary according to host University

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The module aims to introduce you to the experience of academic study in a different country, and you will be expected to develop resilience and flexibility as you adapt to different teaching styles and different administrative procedures, and to living in a new country. Regardless of the language of study, you are expected to develop your communication skills and gain a perspective by comparing your experiences.

The aim of the presentation assessment is to focus awareness of the impact of the time spent studying abroad, comparing expectations with realities and developing an awareness of the cultural and intellectual differences involved. You will be encouraged to critically engage with the academic practices and various modes of study within the host university, and to reflect on their educational development in the context of the challenges posed by everyday life in an unfamiliar social and economic environment.