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Who is the course for?

This upper-intermediate full-time programme is ideal if your academic qualifications meet the requirements for your chosen undergraduate or postgraduate course, but your English language level falls below the entry requirements of the academic course you wish to join.

What will I learn and how will this prepare me for employment / further study?

The learning on the Pre-sessional English Language and Study Skills programme will develop your communication skills in English, both individually and in group situations, including presenting and communicating your ideas both orally and in writing. Preparing you to successfully study within a UK university and within a globally diverse classroom or workplace.

To successfully participate in UK academic environment, we prioritise active engagement through interactive sessions and collaborative group work. Our instructors employ a task-based learning approach, ensuring practical application of language skills in academic contexts. Technology is seamlessly integrated, offering online resources, language tools, and virtual collaboration platforms to enrich your learning experience. 

Why should I study this programme at Northumbria?

The Pre-sessional English Language and Study Skills programme is your key to a successful academic journey at Northumbria University. Our experienced instructors provide personalised support, develop your confidence in your language abilities and introduce you to the facilities and services available at the university to enrich your overall learning experience. By choosing our programme, you invest in a solid foundation for academic success, forming connections that extend beyond the classroom.

How will I be assessed on the programme?

Throughout your learning, you will develop your English language skills within reading, writing, speaking and listening, in addition to final examinations that assess your overall performance against the programme learning outcomes.

At the end of the programme, you will receive an equivalent grade to IELTS for each skill of reading, writing, speaking and listening based on your final exam performance, which will be used to determine progression onto your target degree programme based on the programme’s English language entry requirements.

In the event you do not achieve your target grades, you will be offered the opportunity to continue learning on the programme, the dates of which will depend on the next intake for your target programme.

 

Course Information

Level of Study
Undergraduate

Mode of Study
7 months Full Time

Location
City Campus, Northumbria University

City
Newcastle

Start
January 2025 or June 2025

Fees
Fee Information

Modules
Module Information

Modules Overview Fees, Funding  and Scholarships How to Apply Apply Now

Fees and Funding 2024/25 Entry

UK Fee in Year 1: TBC

* The maximum tuition fee that we are permitted to charge for UK students is set by government. Tuition fees may increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, these are subject to government regulations and in line with inflation.


International Fee in Year 1: £7,800


Please see the main Funding Pages for 24/25 scholarship information.

 


ADDITIONAL COSTS

There are no Additional Costs

If you’d like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.

* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here

How to Apply

Please use the Apply Now button at the top of this page to submit your application.

Certain applications may need to be submitted via an external application system, such as UCAS, Lawcabs or DfE Apply.

The Apply Now button will redirect you to the relevant website if this is the case.

You can find further application advice, such as what to include in your application and what happens after you apply, on our Admissions Hub Admissions | Northumbria University



Modules Overview 2024/25

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

Year one

Year one

EF3056 -

Listening and Speaking Skills (Core,0 Credits)

The curriculum emphasises comprehension of spoken English through conversation, lectures and multimedia, with a gentle, scaffolded introduction to university study. You will develop the ability to extract key information and express yourself clearly on familiar topics and begin to understand relationships between arguments and topics. Interactive exercises and real-life scenarios will enhance practical communication skills, and vocabulary expansion will support effective expression. Pronunciation refinement and engaging activities aim to build confidence in both listening and speaking. Assessments are geared towards reinforcing B1-level competencies, ensuring you can navigate diverse spoken contexts with ease and proficiency.

More information

EF3057 -

Reading and Writing Skills (Core,0 Credits)

Through a variety of reading topics, you will develop your vocabulary and understanding of text construction, enhancing your reading comprehension and your ability to cope with higher volumes of reading. You will receive grammatical instruction in context to develop your language accuracy and range, ensuring you can communicate simply and effectively in writing.

More information

EF3058 -

An Introduction to Intercultural Communication (Core,0 Credits)

The module will help you to understand key vocabulary and concepts underpinning culture and provide the tools to understand how culture may impact on effective communication. Through application of cultural models and reflective exercises, you will enhance your self-awareness, preparing you to navigate group work more successfully.

More information

EF3059 -

Interactive Academic Discourse: Engaging in Lectures and Seminars (Core,0 Credits)

This module will develop your ability to comprehend extended spoken English, as well as interact and express yourself confidently in academic contexts. You will learn strategies to identify cues and inference to strengthen your comprehension of live and broadcast academic speech, such as lectures and multimedia. You will also develop vocabulary and language strategies that build your confidence to speak at length in English, such as for presentations and debates, in addition to real-time interaction in group discussions. By the end of the module, you will have the skills to engage in academic discourse on your chosen degree.

More information

EF3060 -

Academic Literacy: Understanding and Producing Scholarly Work (Core,0 Credits)

This module will refine academic literacy—essential for effective engagement in academia. You will develop skills to comprehend, analyse, and critically evaluate complex academic texts, refining written expression within formal discourse. The emphasis will be on elevating your English language skills to an upper-intermediate (B2) level to allow independent engagement with scholarly work once on your degree programme. By the end of the module, you will possess foundational skills for successful engagement with textual discourse and for effective written communication within your chosen field.

More information

EF3061 -

An introduction to Academic Projects and Working Collaboratively in Intercultural Contexts (Core,0 Credits)

The aim of the module is to develop your interaction and mediation skills, as well as your sociolinguistic awareness. You will learn key concepts and vocabulary about academic projects and embark on a collaborative project that reflects on the concept of culture. The collaborative project will develop skills in group work and your ability to communicate ideas effectively in English. Using reflective model(s), you will continually reflect on your communication skills and how culture impacts on the ability to communicate effectively, fostering independence for developing your English language skills and engaging with peers on your chosen degree programme.

More information

Modules Overview 2025/26

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

Year one

Year one

EF3056 -

Listening and Speaking Skills (Core,0 Credits)

The curriculum emphasises comprehension of spoken English through conversation, lectures and multimedia, with a gentle, scaffolded introduction to university study. You will develop the ability to extract key information and express yourself clearly on familiar topics and begin to understand relationships between arguments and topics. Interactive exercises and real-life scenarios will enhance practical communication skills, and vocabulary expansion will support effective expression. Pronunciation refinement and engaging activities aim to build confidence in both listening and speaking. Assessments are geared towards reinforcing B1-level competencies, ensuring you can navigate diverse spoken contexts with ease and proficiency.

More information

EF3057 -

Reading and Writing Skills (Core,0 Credits)

Through a variety of reading topics, you will develop your vocabulary and understanding of text construction, enhancing your reading comprehension and your ability to cope with higher volumes of reading. You will receive grammatical instruction in context to develop your language accuracy and range, ensuring you can communicate simply and effectively in writing.

More information

EF3058 -

An Introduction to Intercultural Communication (Core,0 Credits)

The module will help you to understand key vocabulary and concepts underpinning culture and provide the tools to understand how culture may impact on effective communication. Through application of cultural models and reflective exercises, you will enhance your self-awareness, preparing you to navigate group work more successfully.

More information

EF3059 -

Interactive Academic Discourse: Engaging in Lectures and Seminars (Core,0 Credits)

This module will develop your ability to comprehend extended spoken English, as well as interact and express yourself confidently in academic contexts. You will learn strategies to identify cues and inference to strengthen your comprehension of live and broadcast academic speech, such as lectures and multimedia. You will also develop vocabulary and language strategies that build your confidence to speak at length in English, such as for presentations and debates, in addition to real-time interaction in group discussions. By the end of the module, you will have the skills to engage in academic discourse on your chosen degree.

More information

EF3060 -

Academic Literacy: Understanding and Producing Scholarly Work (Core,0 Credits)

This module will refine academic literacy—essential for effective engagement in academia. You will develop skills to comprehend, analyse, and critically evaluate complex academic texts, refining written expression within formal discourse. The emphasis will be on elevating your English language skills to an upper-intermediate (B2) level to allow independent engagement with scholarly work once on your degree programme. By the end of the module, you will possess foundational skills for successful engagement with textual discourse and for effective written communication within your chosen field.

More information

EF3061 -

An introduction to Academic Projects and Working Collaboratively in Intercultural Contexts (Core,0 Credits)

The aim of the module is to develop your interaction and mediation skills, as well as your sociolinguistic awareness. You will learn key concepts and vocabulary about academic projects and embark on a collaborative project that reflects on the concept of culture. The collaborative project will develop skills in group work and your ability to communicate ideas effectively in English. Using reflective model(s), you will continually reflect on your communication skills and how culture impacts on the ability to communicate effectively, fostering independence for developing your English language skills and engaging with peers on your chosen degree programme.

More information

To start your application, simply select the month you would like to start your course.

Pre-sessional English Language and Study Skills

START MONTH
YEAR

JANUARY

2025

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Any Questions?

Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help.  They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.

 

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

Accessibility and Student Inclusion

Northumbria University is committed to developing an inclusive, diverse and accessible campus and wider University community and are determined to ensure that opportunities we provide are open to all.

We are proud to work in partnership with AccessAble to provide Detailed Access Guides to our buildings and facilities across our City, Coach Lane and London Campuses. A Detailed Access Guide lets you know what access will be like when you visit somewhere. It looks at the route you will use getting in and what is available inside. All guides have Accessibility Symbols that give you a quick overview of what is available, and photographs to show you what to expect. The guides are produced by trained surveyors who visit our campuses annually to ensure you have trusted and accurate information.

You can use Northumbria’s AccessAble Guides anytime to check the accessibility of a building or facility and to plan your routes and journeys. Search by location, building or accessibility feature to find the information you need. 

We are dedicated to helping students who may require additional support during their student journey and offer 1-1 advice and guidance appropriate to individual requirements. If you feel you may need additional support you can find out more about what we offer here where you can also contact us with any questions you may have:

Accessibility support

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If you’d like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.

* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here

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