Three students at Oxford Brookes University chatting and smiling while walking down the stairs in the new teaching building.

Two Year Master's Programme

MA, MSc

Develop academic study and communication skills to help prepare for postgraduate-level learning.

Key facts

Duration
Full time: Two years - Pre-Master's Diploma (September-May or January-August) plus master's degree
Part time: 2 semesters - January to August
Level
International pathways
School
Oxford Brookes Business School

About this course

This master's course includes a pre-master's year before your master's to develop your study skills, subject knowledge and academic language level. You will only need to make one application and you can apply for one visa to cover the whole two years of study.

This course will be suitable for you if:

  • you wish to take a master's in a subject that is different from your undergraduate degree
  • you wish to improve your study skills and academic language level before starting your master's course
  • you want to better understand the academic demands for studying at master's level in the UK
  • you have had a break from education and want to build your confidence before starting your master's

Many full-time master's courses at Oxford Brookes University can be taken as part of this two year course (See 'Progression and degree options' for further information).

See more information about our other one and two semester pre-master's courses.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

QualificationTypical offer
IELTS

IELTS 5.5 overall with 5.5 in all skills. For more information, please see our English language requirements.

Fees and funding

Fees

† Subject to change if the Government introduces its proposed international student levy of 6% of tuition fees.

In your second year the tuition fees are those for the relevant master's course.

Deposits and refunds

A £3,000 deposit is required to secure your place on this course.

In the unlikely event that you decide to leave within the first four weeks of the course we will refund the tuition fees minus the £3,000 deposit. No refunds are available after the fourth week of the course. For more information see our terms and conditions.

The fees that EU/EEA students starting courses at UK universities after the UK has formally left the EU are required to pay will depend on what is agreed as part of the UK's exit negotiations. Please see Brexit FAQs for the most up-to-date information.

Tuition fees
Fee types2026/272027/28
Home full-time£15,100£15,500
International full-time£15,100£15,500

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page.

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)

Learning and assessment

Combine your master's and Pre-Master's in one application

Year 1

In your first year you will study our Pre-Master's Diploma to improve your English language and study skills to the level needed for postgraduate study. You will also choose from a wide range of subject modules to improve your academic knowledge.

Year 2

In the second year you will transfer to your chosen master's course. On successful completion of the two year programme you will be awarded the master's degree of your course.

The following information is about your Pre-Master's in your first year.

Your pre-master's will be taught by highly qualified academic staff, who have many years of teaching experience in the UK and overseas.

You will be taught in a supportive multi-cultural environment to allow you to familiarise yourself with the teaching styles and life at an English speaking university.

Learning methods include:

  • lectures, seminars and tutorials
  • group and individual project work and presentations
  • supervised independent learning
  • critical thinking tasks.

There will be a maximum of 18 students in a class in your compulsory modules. Your subject specialisation modules may be larger.

Teaching hours

You will have 16-18 class hours each week, with approximately 20 hours per week additional time needed for homework, projects, assignments and independent study.

Classes are Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays), usually between 9am and 4pm. Some subject modules may be between 5pm and 8pm. Most classes are 3 hours long including a 10 minute break.

Assessment

Assessment is by means of a range of coursework, including essays and reports, in-class writing tasks, project work and presentations, listening and summary assignments, and the compilation of reflective portfolios.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

  • PREM5002

    15 credits

    This module enables you to write a case study, argument essay and a report, to effectively summarise and evaluate secondary sources, and to apply your reading...

  • PREM6001

    15 credits

    This module enables you to carry out research for reports, essays, seminars and other presentations effectively and appropriately. You will learn to apply your...

  • LOCAL-G7177

    This module enables you to develop and practise listening and speaking skills in the areas of: group presentations, voice and pronunciation, listening to...

  • PREM6005

    This module helps students explore a range of personal, interpersonal and global literacies designed to enhance postgraduate study, personal and professional...

  • PREM6003

    15 credits

    This module develops and practises advanced listening, seminar and presentation skills for academic purposes, and builds on skills acquired through the Seminar...

  • PREM6002

    15 credits

    This module offers the opportunity to undertake a research project leading to an extended research paper in your academic field (in the format of a report or...

Optional modules

  • LOCAL-G7169

    If you start your course in January, during the summer semester of your course you will take an **independent study module** instead of a subject module.

  • LOCAL-G7148

    If built environment is your area of interest, you can choose from: - Introduction to Architectural History and Theory - Essential skills in the built...

  • LOCAL-G7149

    If this is your area of interest, you can choose from: - Accounting and Financial Information - Raising Individual Financial Awareness - Management Accounting...

  • LOCAL-G7150

    If Computing is your area of interest, you can choose from: - Foundations of computation - Web Technology - The Human Computer Interface

  • LOCAL-G7151

    If Humanities, education and publishing is your area of interest, you can choose from: - Key Issues in Film - Publishing Principles - Publishing Business...

  • LOCAL-G7152

    If Science, nutrition and public health is your area of interest, you can choose from: - Physiology for human movement - Physical activity and health...

  • LOCAL-G7153

    If Social sciences, international relations and law is your area of interest, you can choose from: - Legal Method - Commercial Law - Corporate and business law...

How to apply

Use our simple, direct online application form. You should state on your application which Oxford Brookes master's you want to study during your second year.

For assistance with your application contact our admissions team on admissions@brookes.ac.uk

Our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, so module availability and course structures may vary from what is listed here. On rare occasions, we may also need to make updates to our course programmes after publication; for full details, please visit our changes to programmes page (opens in a new tab)