www. northumbria. ac. uk49 English Language Requirements Research students are required to include a 500- word summary of their proposed research topic as part of the application process. All applicants must have a satisfactory level of English, with the minimum being IELTS 6.5, although IELTS 7.0 may be required in some areas. Students with IELTS qualifications must have no individual component of IELTS more than 0.5 below the required overall grade. For more information please contact the International Office or our regional office responsible for your country. English Language Pre- sessional Courses Pre- sessional courses are available through our English Language Centre. Students have access to excellent tuition from experienced staff in language laboratories which include audio, video, satellite TV and other advanced IT facilities. Flexibility for your Research Degree Many international students follow full- time MPhil or PhD degrees with us, however an increasing number prefer flexible enrolment arrangements, allowing them to continue their professional careers in their own country. This type of enrolment is called split- site and it may be possible, for example, when there is a strong link with a local university. Contact the International Office for more details. Accommodation Students from overseas will usually be offered a place in University accommodation if they apply to Northumbria before the annual deadline. For those who prefer private accommodation, Newcastle offers a wide range of reasonably priced privately rented accommodation. Our Accommodation Office is here to help you find somewhere to live. How to Apply and Further Information The research application form is available from the Graduate School webpage www. northumbria. ac. uk/ graduateschool under the " How to apply" section. You should contact the relevant School Research Administrator for further information. The International Office website www. northumbria. ac. uk/ international contains a range of useful information about living in the UK, the University and region, as well as the contact details for our regional offices in Thailand, India, P. R. China and Malaysia. The International Office can be contacted at: International Office 21 Ellison Place Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST UK Tel + 44 ( 0) 191 227 4274 Fax + 44 ( 0) 191 261 1264 Email international@ northumbria. ac. uk www. northumbria. ac. uk/ international

50Centre for Excellence in Teaching The Centre for Excellence in Teaching & Learning in Assessment for Learning ( CETL AfL) The CETL AfL is designed to promote developments in assessment and deliver substantial benefits to students, teachers and institutions. Our approach to Assessment for Learning means that students will benefit from assessment which does far more than simply test what they know. There are three general areas of activity within the CETL AfL. These cover: . Enhancements to modules and programmes using AfL approaches . Developing improved student engagement . Research into assessment, teaching and learning CETL Pedagogic Research Expertise Research into learning and assessment is an integral, vibrant element of CETL AfL activities. CETL AfL staff are at the centre of a network of research expertise in teaching, learning and assessment that extends across Northumbria's schools and beyond to national and international networks. CETL AfL staff are involved in projects in Denmark, Australia and Europe and have given papers at international peer- reviewed conferences in South Africa, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany and Japan to name but a few. CETL AfL staff continue to produce high- quality research outputs such as books and publications in peer- reviewed journals. A list of staff publications are available on the CETL website www. northumbria. ac. uk/ cetl_ afl/ pubandpres/. CETL AfL has research staff and PhD students working on a range of projects that include studies of student transition from China to the UK, the influence of assessment for learning environments on international students, studies of authenticity in learning in the social sciences, staff perceptions of assessment ' cultures' across disciplines and developing understandings of difficult concepts in Engineering. CETL's current PhD students are benefiting from a learning environment where they work closely with their supervisors and other PhD students and are based in an excellent collaborative working environment with access to state-of- the- art resources and facilities. Our PhD students are well- integrated with CETL AfL research activities and they get involved with presenting alongside their supervisors and collaborating on publications at an early stage. CETL AfL staff have a range of expertise and can effectively supervise students in areas that include the impact of assessment on learning, student engagement, internationalisation and curriculum design. The Centre for Excellence in Teaching & Learning in Assessment for Learning ( CETL AfL) is the national centre for expertise in Assessment for Learning and a home for innovation, development and research into assessment, learning and teaching at Northumbria University.