Pre-Sessional English for Academic Purposes Programme 2024
The Pre-sessional is a full-time intensive 8-week course run in July and August each year, designed primarily for students who aim to go on to postgraduate study at The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC).
Who should take this course?
The Pre-sessional is designed for students with conditional offers for UNNC postgraduate degree programmes, and who do not yet have the required level of English language ability for direct entry.
Comparison between IELTS and Pre-sessional Course
Why should you take the UNNC Pre-sessional Programme instead of IELTS?
The chart shows you the difference between IELTS and our Programme which can better prepare you for study at UNNC and other overseas universities:
Skill | IELTS | Pre-sessional |
Writing |
Writing task 1 - (comparing data) 150 words
Writing task 2 - (to what extent) 250 words
|
Coursework-1500 word essay on subject-specific topics |
Listening |
30 minutes (4 recordings about daily topics or educational background) |
Listening and note-taking practice in an authentic academic context |
Reading |
3 long texts taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers |
Coursework reading lists are subject-specific and have been compiled through collaboration with the Faculties. Students must not only be able to understand the texts but also be able to use them to support their ideas in their writing and speaking |
Speaking |
Oral interview 11-14 minutes with general topics |
Group Discussion and seminar practice to discuss an academic topic |
Presentation |
not assessed in IELTS |
Students present on an academic topic |
Referencing Skills |
not assessed in IELTS |
Students are introduced to the functions and use of academic referencing and then assessed as part of the coursework |
Research Skills |
not assessed in IELTS |
Students research a topic related to their field of study, along with lectures on research skills from the library The Master Preparation Course includes workshops on effective research techniques along with practice |
Feedback |
not assessed in IELTS |
Comprehensive feedback provided by highly experienced EAP experts |
Course Content
The Pre-sessional Programme is designed to develop both your academic English language ability and academic study skills. On the course you will learn how to:
- read academic texts effectively and efficiently and undertake research specific to your degree programms
- write for your degree programms, applying appropriate academic conventions
- deliver an academic presentation related to your degree programs and participate effectively in an academic discussion
- listen to academic lectures effectively and efficiently, and take notes as required
- use appropriate grammar and vocabulary to support clear written and spoken communication
Accreditation
Authoritatively accredited high-quality courses: 35 academic English and academic content courses are accredited by the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL).
Demo Class
Meet the Tutors
Gareth Morris
Senior Tutor for Pre-sessionals
Gareth joined UNNC in July of 2023 and has worked on the Postgraduate Pre-sessional Programmes and International Pathways Course. Prior to joining UNNC Gareth worked for two years at the Perse School (Suzhou) and a decade at Xi’an Jiao Tong-Liverpool University (XJTLU). During his time at XJTLU Gareth also completed his doctorate at the University of Exeter. His current research interests are in the areas of leadership and management, motivation and satisfaction, recruitment and retention, professional development, organisational and educational psychology, and health and wellbeing. More details are available here: Gareth Morris - University of Nottingham Ningbo China
Dawn Buckley
RWRS Module Convener
Dawn has taught EAP in China since 2014, gaining experience in three Sino-foreign partnership university contexts including UNNC, as well as in a public university context. She has also worked on Pre-sessional programmes in the university of Bristol, UK. In addition, prior to coming to China, she accumulated several years of experience teaching English in other countries, including summer and year-round programmes. Her current research interest is in technology enhanced learning and the development of self access educational materials.
Michaela Seserman
LDP Module Convener
Michaela has been teaching English since 2005. She has worked at the University of Bradford and the University of Liverpool in the UK teaching English for Academic Purposes. In Liverpool, she contributed to the course and later became one of the summer coordinators. In 2019, she moved to China and is now using her experience and knowledge on the summer course at UNNC. She has a background in linguistics, with an interest in using mobile technology to support language acquisition.
Comments from Former Students
The Pre-sessional Course at UNNC provides me, a Chinese university graduate with no prior exposure to an all-English instructional environment, with unprecedented opportunities to access a whole new educational system in advance. It has greatly benefited me through systematic training in writing, listening, presentations, and seminars. The responsible and professional tutors who play vital roles in guiding my learning path during this journey have also left a deep impression on me. Additionally, I have made friends with some of my classmates, which has made my upcoming academic life less lonely. Looking back at that journey in the Pre-sessional Course, I still appreciate it immensely, and I feel that it was a valuable experience.
I graduated from a Chinese university. The Pre-sessional Course helped me to adapt to the English-speaking environment at UNNC and makes the study in PG programme easier. During the course, tutors are friendly and encourage us to speak up. Everyone has the opportunity to express their own opinions. Also, the course trained our critical thinking skills by giving open answer questions. The life in the Master Preparation Course is fulfilling, there are new things to learn and new tasks to complete everyday.
Pre-Sessional Entry Requirements
Acceptance on the course is based on an applicant’s language and academic performances.
The course will normally only accept applicants who are within 0.5 of the required IELTS (or equivalent for other accepted language test) for entry onto their degree programme. The subskill score is not required for students with IELTS overall 6.0. Subskill scores must come from the same exam.
Please submit your qualified language test report via Application Hub.
Accepted test | Target language requirement for your PG degree course | Language requirement for Pre-sessional | Target language requirement for FOSE PGT and MRes degree courses | Language requirement for Pre-sessional (subskill score is required) |
IELTS (Academic version)
|
overall 6.5 |
overall 6.0 |
overall 6.0 |
overall 5.5 with no less than 5.5 in any element
|
TOEFL (iBT) |
overall 90 |
overall 80 |
overall 80 |
overall 72, minimum 17 in Writing, 15 in Listening, 14 in Reading and 19 in speaking
|
PTE (Academic)
|
overall 71 |
overall 65 |
overall 65 |
overall 59 with no less than 59 in any element
|
Pre-sessional Completion
To complete the Pre-sessional and be eligible to progress to their chosen degree programme, students are required to:
- Attend all classes
- Complete all course assignments
- Pass the overall course assessment
Successful completion of the Pre-sessional programme is recognised by UNNC as an IELTS equivalency. There is no need for you to retake the IELTS examination before you enrol for your degree programme at The University of Nottingham Ningbo China.
Please note, however, that Pre-sessional completion is no guarantee of an offer from a UNNC UG/PG programme, students must still meet the academic requirements.
The Pre-sessional is not valid for progression to PG programmes in subsequent academic years.
Applicants who intend to progress to study at an institution other than UNNC should check with that institution if completion of the UNNC Pre-sessional will be recognised as an IELTS equivalency. There is no guarantee that this is the case.
When does the Pre-sessional take place?
Course | Provisional Date | Application Deadline |
8-week
|
15th July 2024- 6th September 2024
|
Mainland Chinese students,
Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao students
|
30th June 2024 |
Note: UNNC reserves the right to cancel the Pre-sessional programme if there are insufficient participants or special circumstance. Specific dates may be changed according to the academic calendar.
Pre-sessional Fees
Tuition and materials fee |
Accomodation fee (optional) |
28,000 RMB |
2,250 RMB |
How to apply
The application for Pre-Sessional will be open on Application Hub soon.
Please submit your qualified language test report via Application Hub.
If you have already submitted the required language test report, you do not need to resubmit them.
Please find here the guidance on how to apply for Pre-sessional Course on the Application Hub.
FAQs
What is the entry requirement of the Pre-Sessional course? Is the subskill score required? Can students apply with the best score?
The applicant needs to be a conditional offer holder, and have a required IELTS (Academic) score.
The subskill score is not required. Subskill scores must come from the same exam.
Does Pre-sessional accept other language test besides IELTS? What is the requirement?
The Pre-sessional also accepts students’ applying with TOEFL and PTE results. For details please refer to the ‘entry requirement’ section on the webpage. TOEFL iBT home edition, PTE online, Duolinguo and other language tests are not accepted.
Where should I submit the language test report?
Please submit your qualified language test report via Application Hub.
If a student has met the direct entry requirement, can s/he still apply for the course?
Yes, unconditional offer holders can apply for the Pre-sessional. However, unconditional offer holders may choose the Postgraduate Preparation course (
link here) instead.
How can I know the application result?
Please check the application status on the admission system.
Can I cancel my application?
Yes. Students can cancel the application on the admission system at any time.
When will the payment be made and how?
The payment will be made after the application deadline. We will email you when it begins.
What is the content of the course and the schedule?
Where will this course take place? Are there online courses?
The course is delivered in person in UNNC.
There are no online courses currently.
What is the language used in the class?
All courses are delivered in English.
What is the passing rate of the final exam?
For your reference only, in 2022 and 2023, the Pre-sessional passing rate was 100%.
How do students progress to the PG programme after passing the pre-sessional course?
After completing the Pre-sessional course, students will receive the unconditional offer and progress to UG programme in September.
Can the result be used for applying for the PG programme in the future?
The exam result cannot be differed to subsequent years. Results are only applicable for the PG programme in the same year.
Is the accommodation provided?
Students can stay on or outside the campus. The logistics department will provide dormitories for students who choose to stay on campus.
For enquiries, please contact:
University of Nottingham Ningbo China
199 Taikang East Road, Ningbo, 315100, China
E. admissions@nottingham.edu.cn
T. +86 (0574) 8818 0182