Student Profile

About me

Name: Saziye
Course: Applied Linguistics and TESOL MA
Study mode: Full time
Where I’m from: Turkey

Choosing Newcastle

The biggest reasons for my choice were the University’s ranking, the professors on my course and the city of Newcastle itself. The University having a high ranking and good reputation are important factors, however I believe the nature of the city also has a great impact on decisions. The fact that Newcastle is a lively and student friendly city gives you the whole package.

Studying at Newcastle

What I enjoy most about studying my course is that it brings linguistics and TESOL together, which gives us the opportunity to explore different areas in this particular field. There is a range of modules available, so under one course title each individual can choose a different path to pursue.

You are able to take modules from across departments, including English, Education, and cross-cultural communication. This means the course provides a broad set of options to choose from. My previous experience at undergraduate level was that the structure was much more rigid.

Being a postgraduate student in a different country is a great experience for me, in my situation the difference is not only between undergraduate-postgraduate but there is also a difference between the countries’ education systems. The lecture hours are much lower than I expected which makes the individual studying hours higher, it takes time to adjust to the idea that you now have to arrange your time and studies yourself. The class-size is bigger than my previous studies, which I believe has its advantages and disadvantages. I would recommend the course to my friends.

Postgraduate community

I cannot say I have made a great use of the networking opportunities outside of my course, however I do feel part of the postgraduate community of my own course. We socialise outside of class as a course, and Welcome Week was helpful in introducing me to other students studying at Newcastle. Our department also has a common room where you can socialise or work.

Funding my studies

Before I started the course I got emails regarding the NUIPS awards, telling me about the scholarship and saying that I, as an international student, was eligible to apply. I am mostly self-funded (by my parents actually), however I received the Newcastle University Turkey Scholarship which is £5,000 off my tuition fees.

Career aspirations

I want to become a researcher in my field and if possible continue with a PhD after my graduation. First of all the education at Newcastle is helping me obtain the basic skills to be a researcher, which include critical thinking, reading, and academic writing.

Being taught by professors who are highly successful in their fields is a great opportunity, every lesson expands my understanding of the field of study, so it has helped to broaden my perspective and outlook on the subject.

Accommodation

I live in University accommodation, Leazes Terrace to be exact. The process for arranging accommodation is very clear and easy to follow, you can find all the information you need about the accommodation online, including virtual tours! Since the system was so good it was indeed easy for me to choose and book my accommodation.

Living in Newcastle

The thing I love most is the liveliness of the city and how the University and city centre are so close. You can walk to almost anywhere and everything you need is close by! I would definitely recommend it to my friends.

Remembering Newcastle

Since it has only been six weeks since my postgraduate experience started, I’m not sure what my highlight thus far has been. However if I had to choose something I would choose the early arrivals week activities since they gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of new people and make friends