Cambridge Summer School

The Granta Academy’s Cambridge Summer School is a unique experience, designed to fully immerse students in every aspect of Cambridge life. Participants live in University college accommodation for two weeks, where they take their meals (breakfast & dinner) and participate in daily social activities with fellow classmates. During the day, students attend lectures on their chosen topic and work closely with their instructor and classmates to develop critical thinking skills. Our class sizes do not exceed six students, and each student meets with the instructor weekly for one-on-one tutorials. In true Oxbridge style, these tutorials offer students the opportunity to delve deeper into their area of study under close supervision. Students will also be required to complete an independent project as part of their course, through which they will learn essential research and communication skills.

In addition to academic mastery, our Cambridge Summer School experience emphasizes personal growth and university preparedness. To this end, we incorporate myriad extracurricular experiences into our two-week program, including our distinctive Personal Narrative Workshops and University-affiliated guest speakers. For more information about the various components of our program, visit our ‘Why Us?’ page.

Biochemistry

This course will introduce students to the central concepts that underpin biology and chemistry, allowing them to develop a strong foundation in chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. The first week of lectures will emphasize chemistry; topics to be explored include molecular structure, energy pathways and chemical reactions. The second week of teaching will transition to an emphasis on biological principles; students will learn about topics such as homeostasis and enzyme regulation, as well as conservation and transfer of biological information. Virtual laboratory sessions will complement and enhance lectures. Students will complete virtual labs under the remote supervision of their instructor, and be responsible for completing lab reports. In addition to coursework grounded in the natural sciences, students will be responsible for an instructor-guided independent research project.

Biotechnology & Genetics

This course will introduce students to the genetic principles underlying biology, and their applications in the realm of biotechnology. Students will learn to read genetic structures, identify mutations, and consider inheritance patterns. Though inheritance certainly comprises concepts related to population biology and ecology, this class will focus rather on the molecular aspect of genetics. Inheritance will be considered in context of disease, and population trends will be discussed briefly, but we will be most interested in understanding how DNA is mutated in nature and manipulated artificially. This will lead to an in-depth exploration of how scientists and researchers are using biological principles to manipulate genetic material for medical, agricultural, and industrial applications. Students will come away not only with an understanding of how various biotechnology techniques are carried out and applied, but also with a deep consideration of the ethics surrounding some of these procedures, particularly within the realm of medicine.

Computer Science

This course offers students the opportunity to hone the skills necessary to think creatively as a programmer. Computational thinking involves looking at a problem and working out a way a computer might be able to help you solve it; this course will guide students through this process. Combining all aspects of modern computer science, the course explores the theory, experimentation, and engineering that form the basis of the designing computational systems. As well as providing an introduction to the discipline’s theory and foundation in economics, law and business, this course will also allow students to develop practical skills, such as programming in various languages and hardware systems.

English Literature

Our English Literature course exposes students to a range of texts dating from a variety of periods. Students will read prose, poetry and drama; selected texts include a Shakespeare play, a novel and an anthology of poems. Class time is dedicated to the deeper understanding and unpacking of assigned texts, as well as a study of the history and cultural theories of English Literature. Students will learn how to read critically as well as develop their essay writing skills. Our instructor also has experience in the world of creative writing, having studied under Joyce Carol Oates and Jeffrey Eugenides; if students are keen, they will have the option to develop and workshop creative pieces for the independent project.

French

This is an intermediate level immersive course in French. Students should have introductory level knowledge; this class will serve to enhance mastery of grammar, writing, and conversing in French. Writing and speaking will be improved through composition and class discussions of cultural/contemporary issues. Students will be encouraged to use their French in class, as the ultimate goal of this course is to move students toward fluency. All students will present a final project to the class in French.

Psychology

Our psychology course introduces students to the theory underlying this evolving field of study, as well as the biological correlates that characterise our understanding of the human mind and behaviour. Students will engage in a comprehensive overview of the scientific study of thought and behaviour as they explore topics such as perception, communication, learning, memory, decision-making, persuasion, emotions, and social behaviour. We will spend time exploring how these aspects of the mind develop in both children and adults, and how they vary across people. A significant portion of the class will be dedicated to understanding the physiological correlates of these behaviours, as we ask how the ‘healthy’ body functions, and how it deviates from this established norm in context of illness and injury.

Medicine

This course will introduce students to the foundations of medicine, including basic anatomy and physiology as well as human behaviour and ethics. With a solid grounding in the scientific principles governing the human body, students will join their instructor in solving various case studies. In addition to medical sciences, students will learn about the ethics of medicine, and be asked to consider the ways in which the profession of medicine necessitates an understanding of and commitment to patient autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. The instructor will furthermore introduce students to the social and cultural aspects of medicine, and challenge students to think about these factors in context of defining health and illness. A large part of this course will revolve around case studies, so students should be prepared to apply problem-solving skills in a group setting.

Economics

This course is designed for those who want to approach Economics with the lens of Macroeconomics and Development Studies. The syllabus is aimed at students with limited or no previous exposure to economics, intending to provide them with a basic understanding of key concepts, and their application in a modern, global environment. Each lecture will seek to introduce a set of key economic concepts, and then to illuminate them by employing them in the context of contemporary debate. Unlike most introductory economics courses, which focus heavily on the technical aspects of economic models, this module seeks to focus much more heavily on the core intuition of economic analysis and on learning to understand its application in real-world contexts.

Engineering

This course introduces students to the range of engineering disciplines and the engineering method of problem-solving, as well as sustainability and other issues associated with the practice. You will learn how engineers use key scientific principles of design, ethics and safety to solve real-life structural and mechanical problems, and gain a broader understanding of their role in a global society. Seminars address aspects of chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental and mechanical engineering, with a concurrent emphasis on the core research, analysis and communication skills required to be a successful practitioner.

Mathematics

Since Sir Isaac Newton was Lucasian professor at Cambridge, the university has been synonymous with the study of mathematics. This course offers an introduction to the fundamentals of higher mathematics, providing a backdrop to its concepts, theories and applications. Through the exploration of topics such as algebraic systems, calculus, probability and special relativity, you will learn how to think “mathematically”, gaining experience in constructing rigorous proof and communicating mathematical arguments with concision and clarity.