[WIP] Tasters

What are ‘Tasters’?

Reach Cambridge Taster courses are designed to supplement and augment your education during your time with us in Cambridge. Taster courses allow you to try a ‘taste’ of another academic subject that will sit alongside your main academic course. We also have tasters that can broaden and hone your leadership or project management skills by joining our Community Outreach or Young Leaders Taster courses. Whatever you’re craving, Reach Cambridge Taster courses can offer you an enriching addition to your Reach experience!

When will Tasters be held?

Taster courses are held during all Summer programs. Taster courses consist of five hours of classes spread across weekday afternoons (after subject classes in the mornings). This means you can maximise your learning potential while still being able to enjoy the excursions, activities and other non-academic sides of the Reach Cambridge experience. Please note, each taster course involves missing two afternoons of activities and free time.

Available Taster Courses

Architecture

Cambridge is a beautiful University City, boasting 800-year-old architecture, modern structures, and everything in between. This provides an inspiring backdrop for introducing students to the study of architecture as an academic practice. From the creative and expressive to the technical and precise, this taster course provides a fascinating introduction to the way in which architects think and design. Students have the opportunity to create their own basic designs and find out more about the different career opportunities in architecture.

Community Outreach

Join Reach Cambridge’s Community Outreach taster course to explore how you can make a meaningful impact on society. By examining real-world examples of successful outreach and development initiatives, you will learn how to create your own plan to uplift and improve the community around you. Through this exciting taster, you will learn valuable skills in teamwork and project management and leave with the tools to inspire positive change in your community.

Creative Writing

During the Creative Writing taster course, students learn a range of strategies that help them develop as a writer. With activities designed to spark creativity and exercises aimed at advancing composition skills, this taster helps students to explore their full creative potential. Whether students are interested in writing fiction, poetry or articles, they will find this enriching taster to be a perfect addition to any one of our summer programs.

Cybersecurity & AI

This course combines the two exciting and important disciplines of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI). Cybersecurity is one of the most pressing challenges of our time and developments in artificial intelligence are progressing at a rapid pace. In this taster course you will receive a solid introduction to these exciting areas of study.

Data Analysis

Knowing how to read and interpret data is a vital skill in today’s society, allowing leaders and citizens to make informed decisions. In this taster course students learn how to plot and interpret graphs and how to understand the basic statistics behind big and small data. They will leave equipped with a better awareness and understanding of human behaviour, while gaining tools which will improve their future employability.

Economics

Which nation will be the next economic powerhouse? What is money? How do banks work? If you want to find out answers to these questions while also learning the foundational principles of economics, this taster course is ideal for you. No previous knowledge required!

Engineering

Explore the fundamentals of problem-solving, innovation, and design that are at the heart of engineering. Ideal for those curious about how things work, this course highlights the exciting role of engineering in transforming the world around us.

Filmmaking

Short films have become one of the basic means of communication and presentation – from vlogs made by social media in influencers to Snapchat and Instagram movies. And it has never been easier to do it from home – documentaries shot on iPhones have been known to win Oscars! Improve your filmmaking skills with this practical taster course which will allow you to learn valuable skills for filmmaking and editing.

History & Politics

There may be no better place to look at past, present or future, than the heart of Cambridge where medieval buildings have long been paired with cutting-edge research to help drive the UK and the world onwards. Taking students out of the classroom to look at history in person as well as in theory, this taster examines where we’ve come from, in order to understand where we are going. War, politics, monarchy, discovery – the past is always within us, even in the cobbles beneath our feet!

International Espionage

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a real spy? How much truth there is in James Bond movies? What is really happening behind the scenes in international politics? This taster course gives you an insight into what real-life spies and agents do, including code-breaking, contact boxes and the various dangers of the trade. It also introduces you to some of the most (in)famous personalities in the history of espionage!

Introduction to Coding

Learning to code is essential for all those who wish to stay on track with the rapid technological advances of the modern world. In this taster course, students learn the basics of programming and create their own algorithms, similar to the ones behind our computers, iPhones and webpages. It’s perfect for those who have no prior experience with programming and want to learn this useful and fascinating 21st century skill!

Law

Explore key legal principles, learn how the justice system operates, and dive into real-life case studies. Perfect for anyone who has a passion or curiosity for law or considering it as a future degree or career. This course will help you develop critical thinking and argumentation skills while giving you a glimpse into the role of law in society.

Music Composition

Have you ever wondered how film scores and music for advertisements are developed? If so, this taster course is for you! Put your creative hat on and incline your ears in order to make your own music under the supervision of professional musicians and composers.

Neuroscience

Delve into the study of the brain and its complexities, gaining insights into how it influences behaviour and thought. Perfect for those interested in the workings of the mind, this course will develop your understanding of one of the most dynamic areas of science today.

Philosophy & Ethics

Do you ever wonder about the big questions like what it means to be alive, or how to be good in a world as complicated as ours? Philosophers have been asking these questions for centuries and some of their suggestions may surprise you. This taster asks students to dig in deep and bring their thinking caps with them for sessions all about reality and our place in it. Based on lively, respectful debate and deep contemplation, this taster is perfect for anyone looking to challenge their assumptions and expand their mind.

Photography

Can’t help but look at the world as through a frame? Get stuck staring at each perfect beam of light? For everyone who has ever used a camera to interpret the world, or anyone who wants to, the photography taster course proves that you don’t need the most expensive tech to get that breathtaking shot. Bring along your smartphone, and head out to capture beauty, emotion, and all those thousand-word-stories waiting to be snapped in the world around you.

Pre-Hospital & Emergency Medicine

Have you always wondered what really happens inside the ER? What to do in case of an accident? How to help a person collapsing in the subway? Taught by passionate professionals with extensive experience in teaching emergency medicine, this fully practical taster course will help you to gain life- saving skills whilst having fun

Psychology

Psychology examines the human mind, behaviour and experience, through both scientific research and conceptual theorising. From Freudian psychoanalysis to the latest advances in brain-scanning, Psychology addresses the question of what it is to be human through a focus on the way we think and act. Requiring both rigorous scientific method and profoundly open thought, no other subject addresses both the Sciences and the Humanities in quite the same way. We provide students with an engaging introduction to the many different areas of the discipline that can be pursued at university level.

Robotics

Our Robotics taster course provides a hands-on experience with electronic circuits and introductory coding. You’ll design, construct, and program your own device, acquiring the foundational skills needed to explore future technological advancements.

Study Skills

What does it take to succeed in university and in life? How can you take care of yourself, emotionally and psychologically, while doing your best every step of the way? Complement your passion for learning with concrete skills to help you thrive and succeed, through sessions covering everything from revision techniques and exam preparation, to essay writing, interview skills and more.

Young Leaders

What does it take to be a young leader? In a world as bustling and busy as ours is today, stepping up to make a difference can be a daunting task. In the Young Leaders taster course, students explore these questions with experienced leaders in their own rights. Together, students ask the hard questions, mind-map techniques they can use to make the impact they want to see, and feel empowered to be mature, outspoken and passionate young people in the world today.

How much does a Taster course cost?

Our Taster courses cost £495 (or choose 2 for £895). This covers five hours of teaching, plus excursions outside of the classroom (where relevant) and any materials you may need.

Why should I do a Taster? Do I have to?

There is absolutely no obligation to add a Taster course onto your Reach Cambridge application. However, we would recommend doing at least one to make the most of the amazing teaching available through the Reach Cambridge program. Taster courses will also give you chance to interact with the city of Cambridge in a different way, as well as the opportunity to meet even more likeminded students from all over the world.

In addition, all courses will culminate in a certificate of participation, and some may constitute the basis of experience to put on your CV or resumé, to show that you have demonstrated an interest in your Taster subject and have started to pursue it with greater determination. For example, at the end of the Community Outreach course, you will be able to mention to schools and potential employers that you completed five hours of community outreach in the summer of your own volition. This is also great if you are passionate about something which your current school cannot offer. For example, if you dream of becoming a leading Robotics engineer but your school offers nothing of the kind, by taking Introduction to Robotics, you will be able to show you are committed to learning about this subject and have made steps to take this curiosity to the next level.

Extra-curricular courses show potential future employers and higher education that you have tenacity, curiosity and are unafraid to try new things; that you are committed to self-improvement and broadening your knowledge and skillset. Who doesn’t want to give that impression?!

Plus – they’re all guaranteed to be lots of fun!

Can I do more than one Taster?

Yes you can! Add up to one taster per week of the summer program… that means up to four taster courses if you’re doing a four-week course (i.e. 20 hours of extra knowledge – a full day’s worth!) and six taster courses if you’re taking a six-week course. You can choose a different taster every week to make the most of your time at Reach and explore all of the areas that you are interested in. Please note, each taster course involves missing two afternoons of activities and free time.

Can I do Tasters instead of Courses?

Tasters are designed to be added on to your Reach Cambridge application, meaning that you must choose at least one subject to study as your ‘Major’, as it were. These will make up your morning classes. Reach Cambridge offers a wide variety of subjects, and you can choose a Taster which complements your main course or which goes in a completely different direction – the choice is yours!

How do I add a Taster course to my Reach Cambridge application?

You can add a Taster course on at the initial stage of submitting an application. If you’ve already submitted an application, simply email info@reachcambridge.com and we can make the necessary changes to your online account.

Let your curiosity run free! What will you choose?

Click here to choose your program and make your application today!

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