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Ten minutes with... the pre-sessional team

We spoke to the pre-sessional team to learn more about their work this summer.

The pre-sessional team includes Nigel Prentice, Director of Studies; Penny Mosavian, Assistant Director of Studies; and Tina Perrins, Tracey Howe and Marie Kettell, Administrators, in the Centre for Applied Linguistics.

The summer pre-sessional is...

an intensive programme of English language and study skills for international students who are heading for Masters courses in the coming academic year. It is the final two Phases of our 5-Phase year-round Pre-sessional Programme. This year we expect the unprecedented number of over 500 students, divided into over 30 classes taught by around 50 tutors. The students are grouped based on their destination departments and degrees, so that we can teach them the language skills most relevant to their future studies.

Our administrators have been processing applications since January, but over summer-time our focus switches to...

welcoming the newly-arrived students, settling them into their on-campus accommodation, helping with their questions about study visas and all aspects of life and study at Warwick, and – last but not least – teaching them!

It’s a great time of year because...

we get to meet the students just as they’ve arrived at Warwick, fresh off their flights and full of enthusiasm.

One of the biggest challenges at this time is...

the practicalities of organising accommodation, classrooms, the social programme and tutors for such a large course.

People may not realise but...

teaching English skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) with a focus on the discipline-specific demands of particular subjects is a highly skilled job involving intensive preparation and research.


Learn more

Learn more about the pre-sessional programme

Interested in learning more about the work of the Centre for Applied Linguistics? Shadow Helen Spencer-Oatey, winner of the University Award for Global Contribution (Individual).

The pre-sessional team