Trinity Pre-Sessional Programmes

I really recommend the PSP EAP course, which I attended online in May 2021. As a non-native speaker of English, we have many misconceptions about learning the language, such as obsessing over memorizing grammar, and understanding every word when listening. We put much effort into it, often our performance in English does not improve despite all the hard work. Sometimes we lose confidence in ever learning to speak fluent English, especially if we don’t get the IELTS score we need. I was one of those people! Whilst two months is not enough to learn a language, it is more than enough time to learn a language effectively. In the PSP course, you will gain effective English learning methods, such as how to give a presentation, how to write an academic essay, and how to think critically and communicate your argument in English. These skills play an important role in our university studies. You will also have the opportunity to interact and make great friends with students from different backgrounds and cultures before you start your main degree course. I highly recommend the PSP..

I attended the PSP last summer despite having already reached the minimum language requirements for my degree course. My main reason for enrolling was that I wanted what life and studying in Trinity was like. In the PSP, not only did I improve my language skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, but I also learned how to use Trinity’s virtual study platform, Blackboard, and how Trinity’s marking system works. In terms of the group discussions, group presentations, assignments, etc, I found that all of these aspects of the programme are just like real academic life in Trinity. As for the teachers, they are professional and patient. They care about everyone in the class and ensure that everybody understands the content of the course. You just have to raise your hand at any point if you are confused! If you are hoping to study in Trinity and you want to know more about Trinity life, the PSP is definitely your best choice.

Thanks to the Pre-Sessional Programme, I was well prepared to write essays in my postgraduate course. In English academic writing, the structure and language are completely different, so honestly, I was really relieved that I learned these skills before starting my lectures. Also, we had many opportunities to give presentations and do group work every week, so I had fulfilling days and enjoyed them. Even though it was delivered online due to Covid-19, the course was well-organised, and the teachers were really engaging. It was such a great opportunity to make friends in both the same and different disciplines. It was very much a happy moment then for us to meet up in person after arriving in Dublin. I highly recommend the programme to future students..

This course laid a valuable foundation for my postgraduate career. There are well-experienced teachers to give you proper guidance, a variety of tasks to give you practical training, and a relaxed class atmosphere to give you enough space to share ideas. Personally speaking, the most crucial aspect of this course is that it teaches you how to do research in the language of academia, such as how to read academic articles more effectively and how to write academic essays correctly. After taking this course, I found that I become more rigorous and logical in my thinking when facing difficult academic topics in my postgraduate courses. This course definitely helped me in my academic career here.