English for Communication

The English for Communication Program

The English for Communication Program is designed to help students develop a mastery of English sufficient to engage in meaningful communication about most aspects of daily life.  Students in this program concentrate on developing the ability to confidently handle most high-frequency social situations.  The English for Communication Program gives students opportunities to expand their knowledge of the idioms and slang that are indispensable to living and working in the real world of spoken English.  Performance and achievement criteria in this program require that students demonstrate an ability to understand and use such expressions in practical situations.

Students placed in the English for Communication Program are expected to be able to participate effectively in most conversations regarding practical, social, and professional concerns of interest to the student upon exit from the program.

Course requirements for the English for Communication Program are as follows:

  • Intermediate Grammar I, II, and III
  • Intermediate Conversation I, II, and III
  • A minimum of 240 hours (i.e., 20 hours/week per 12-week term) of intermediate-level elective coursework. *

Program requirements for students who are placed at the beginning of the English for Communication Program can be met in as little as one year.  Students can take elective coursework in the program beyond the 240-hour minimum requirement; however, they must complete all program requirements within two years.
*Intermediate-level elective coursework can be chosen from among the following subject areas:  Idioms, Pronunciation, Vocabulary, Reading/Writing and Listening/Speaking course pairings, and Intermediate TOEIC and TOEFL Test Prep.