New intensive English language courses for postgraduate entrants

China’s first Sino-foreign university introduces special English language courses to equip students for its UK postgraduate degree programmes. Full story below…

The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) has launched a suite of courses aimed at developing the English language proficiency of students who would like to enrol for its postgraduate degree programmes.

The programmes are aimed at postgraduate students hoping to study at the British university but who do not yet have the required level of English language ability for direct entry.

All academic programmes at The University of Nottingham Ningbo China| are delivered in English and students graduate with UK degrees from The University of Nottingham, which also has campuses in Nottingham, UK| and Semenyih, Malaysia|.

Most of the students at UNNC are Chinese, however an increasing number of international students are enrolling for programmes. Student numbers are on the increase from, in particular, Russia, Indonesia and Thailand at UNNC, which opened its doors as China’s first Sino-foreign university in 2004.

The new English language pre-sessional programmes, so-called because they run before the next academic session or year, will be held over five to 10 weeks during the summer vacation from July to September.

The programmes will be delivered by the University’s Centre for English Language Education|, which has more than 60 experienced tutors who are specialists in teaching English for academic purposes to non-native English language speakers.

The centre is one of the largest of its kind in Asia and is at the heart of the University’s support system for international students whose first language is not English or whose qualifications were not obtained in an English-medium education system.

Eliot Wright, senior tutor and Pre-sessional Programme co-ordinator, said: “We specialise in preparing students for success in their chosen academic studies.

“Our new pre-sessional programmes are carefully designed to prepare students who do not have the required level of English language ability for direct entry.”

The programmes are aimed at lifting individual IELT, TOEFL or CET scores – all measures of English language proficiency – to the minimum required for entry to the University’s degree programmes.

Students who hold conditional offers on the basis of their English language abilities have the opportunity to raise their skills. They are required to attend all classes and successfully complete all assignments in order to progress to their chosen degree programmes without retaking English proficiency examinations.

“A pre-sessional course prepares students for the demands of their future studies by introducing them to the teaching and learning practices of a British university. It helps develop English language ability as well as study skills,” said Wright.

The programmes include intensive sessions on: academic vocabulary; reading skills; research skills; analysing and describing data; writing essays and dissertations; and, oral presentation skills.

Douglas Bell, head of the Centre for English Language Education, said: “We recognise there is a demand for pre-sessional programmes here in China where there is a huge appetite for British education.

“We believe that our postgraduate student population will increase significantly as applicants take the opportunity to hone their English language reading, writing and presentation skills under the guidance of one of our dedicated tutors,” he said.

The University of Nottingham Ningbo China offers postgraduate degree programmes across its faculties: Social Sciences, which includes a branch of one of Europe’s best business schools|; Arts and Humanities; and Science and Engineering.

The University’s Graduate School is expanding rapidly. It is offering attractive PhD scholarships in all academic disciplines.

The University recently announced that it would be awarding about 100 full PhD scholarships on a competitive basis in the fields of energy and the digital economy.

For more information about our Pre-sessional Programme| in summer 2012, our postgraduate degree programmes or our PhD scholarship opportunities|, please visit The University of Nottingham Ningbo China website|.

See our latest student videos| to hear about what life is like at our unique university in China. Or, you can download the university’s international student prospectus here|.

Ends

Issued by The University of Nottingham Ningbo China

For more information or an interview with an expert please contact Eliot Wright, +86 (0) 574 8818 0185, Eliot.wright@nottingham.edu.cn|, or Jackie Hadland, or Jackie Hadland, Communications Officer, The University of Nottingham Ningbo China on +86 (0) 574 8818 0940, +86-134 2935 5876, jackie.HADLAND@nottingham.edu.cn|.

 

Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham, described by The Times as “the nearest Britain has to a truly global university”, has award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia.

The University of Nottingham Ningbo China, the first Sino-foreign collaborative university, was opened in 2004 with the Chancellor of The University of Nottingham, Professor Yang Fujia, as its founding President.

The University is committed to providing a truly international education for its 40,000 students, producing world-leading research and benefiting the communities around its campuses in the UK and Asia.

More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranked the University 7th in the UK by research power.

The University’s vision is to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health.

More information about our degree programmes at http://www.nottingham.edu.cn|