The Intensive English Program (IEP) offers 16-week sessions during the fall and spring semesters and an eight-week session during the summer. The IEP believes in providing personalized instruction; consequently, the class size is kept small (12 students on the average), allowing each student to receive a large amount of individual attention.
Courses are available for students with beginning, intermediate and advanced English proficiency. Students are placed in one of five levels of proficiency as determined by the results of the placement test administered at the beginning of the term. Students receive a minimum of 20 hours of instruction per week. The curriculum includes instruction in grammar, writing, reading, speaking, pronunciation, listening, vocabulary and library skills. In the higher levels, the program has a strong academic focus; students work on improving reading skills, writing research papers, developing note-taking skills and communicating effectively in a university setting. The courses students take at each level are as follows:
| Level | Courses |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Grammar with Writing I Guided Reading and Vocabulary I Listening and Speaking I Reading Skills I |
| Level 2 | Grammar II Listening and Speaking II Reading II Writing II |
| Level 3 | Grammar for Academic Purposes III Listening and Speaking for Academic Purposes III Reading for Academic Purposes III Writing for Academic Purposes III |
| Level 4 | Grammar for Academic Purposes IV Listening and Speaking for Academic Purposes IV Reading for Academic Purposes IV Writing for Academic Purposes IV |
| Level 5 | Grammar for Academic Purposes V Listening and Speaking for Academic Purposes V Reading for Academic Purposes V Writing for Academic Purposes V |
Length of study
The amount of time required to complete the program satisfactorily depends on many factors — the student’s English proficiency when starting the program, the aptitude of the student, the student’s effort and the student’s previous experience with English. Each student is tested upon arrival and placed in the appropriate level of proficiency. In general, if a student begins the program at Level 1 and completes each level in one semester, it would take the student five semesters to complete the program.