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This paper investigates admission procedures of Master of Arts programs of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (MA TEFL) in Iran in comparison with universities around the world. Along with a view of the centralised national MA TEFL entrance exam held in Iran during the past three decades, we investigated admission requirements for comparable graduate programmes of 110 universities in 32 countries and regions. Our qualitative content analysis of this body of data revealed five major categories of admission requirements: Teaching Background, Statement of Purpose, Letter of Recommendation, Interview and Curriculum Vitae. Based on a comparative account of these categories in various universities, we argue that rather than traditional measurement-oriented exams, graduate programmes in general and language education programmes in particular, need to rely on multiple types of admission requirements that provide evidence as to the personal characteristics of applicants, their background and experiences, and their prospects and visions.

Background. The demand for hospice and palliative care is growing as a result of the increase of an aging population, which is most prominent in North America. Despite the importance of the topic and an increase in hospice and palliative care utilization, there still are gaps in research and evidence within the field. Aim. To determine what gaps currently exist in hospice and palliative/end-of-life care research within the context of a North American setting to ensure that future directions are grounded in appropriate evidence. Methods. Using Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework, six peer-reviewed, and four grey electronic literature databases in healthcare and the social sciences were searched in mid-2019. 111 full-text articles were retrieved, with 25 articles and reports meeting the inclusion criteria. Major themes were identified through thematic context analysis: (1) clinical, (2) system access to care, (3) research methodology, and (4) caregiving-related research gaps. Results. Findings include strategies for engaging stakeholder organizations and funding agencies, implications for other stakeholder groups such as clinicians and researchers, and highlight implications for policy (e.g., national framework discussion) and practice (e.g., healthcare provider education and training and public awareness). Conclusion. Reviewing and addressing targeted research gaps is essential to inform future directions in Canada and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]