Natural Sciences

This module provides a full semester of studies in Natural Sciences at an agreed partner University in a foreign country, normally where the language of instruction is English; this may be in Europe, North America, Australia or elsewhere. It provides the opportunity to gain knowledge of material that is not covered at Exeter, or that is studied from a new perspective. In addition it allows you to experience how other cultures learn, perceive and use the sciences. Study at other agreed partner Universities where the language of instruction is not English may be approved subject to the requirement that the student can prove fluency in that language to A level equivalence. The module is open to MSci students only and you must have achieved an average of 60% in each of your first and second years to be considered.  Note that in exceptional circumstances the semester abroad may take place in term 2 rather than term 1, with this module scheduled accordingly.

This module aims to provide you with a unique opportunity to study Natural Sciences abroad for a full semester. You will have the opportunity to gain knowledge of material that is not covered at Exeter, or that is studied from a new perspective. If offers you the chance to experience the exciting challenge of settling in a new environment both socially and academically. It also gives you chance to discover different teaching methods, strengthening your own academic skills. On a personal level, it will teach you how to independently overcome the difficulties of settling in a different country with different habits, rules and culture. This alone is a highly valuable gain of the module.

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

• 1. Describe in detail science material that is not covered at Exeter, or that is studied from a new perspective
• 2. Discuss how other cultures learn, perceive and use natural sciences

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

• 3. Account for different approaches to teaching and learning, and log and summarise these experiences in a report

Personal and Key Transferable/Employment Skills and Knowledge:

• 4. Work independently over an extended timescale
• 5. Reflect on your own personal and cultural background by comparison and contrast to living and working in a different country and culture

This is specific to the host University concerned. The semester abroad will be taken in the first semester of the third year only (in exceptional circumstances the semester abroad may take place in term 2 rather than term 1. The programme of modules studied overseas will be chosen to be roughly equivalent to the workload of 60 Exeter credits.

If you fail the Semester of Science Studies Abroad (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%), you will be required to submit a Semester of Science Studies Abroad report of 3000 words. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will count for 100% of the final mark and will be capped at 40%.

If you fail re-assessments taken as a result of referral (i.e. following initial failure in the module), you will be failed in the module and as a consequence you will be failed in the programme and your registration as a student of the University will be terminated.

Reading list for this module:

Yes

• ELE page: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=4873
• Web of Science
• Scopus