Course Listing for Nonnative Speakers

 

Student outcomes for each level align with approximate CEFR levels

Intermediate (CEFR B1+)
High Intermediate (CEFR B2+)
Advanced (CEFR C1)
Advanced Transition (CEFR C2)

Courses

Weekly Schedule—Fall and Spring Semesters*

Intermediate

At the intermediate & high Intermediate levels, students take:

Core: Reading and Writing—10 hours per week

Reading and Writing is the most important class students take in the program. Students focus on developing academic writing of 500-word essays based on adapted readings; by level 3, students write 1,500-word research essays based on reading unadapted materials.

Communication Skills—5 hours per week

Communication class focuses on listening and speaking skills. Students work on various academic styles of presentation, pronunciation, note-taking skills, interview skills, observation and evaluation of classroom dynamics, interaction with and support from native speakers, group discussion and debate.

Integrated Skills/Content-Based Courses—4 hours, 20 minutes per week

The Integrated Skills courses give students a chance to expand their vocabulary, exercise their reading, discussion, note-taking, academic writing and formal presentation skills and engage with abstract concepts and theories. Course topics can range from math, globalization, speech, psychology, ecology, sociology, sustainability, leadership, and civil rights.

Advanced

At the advanced levels, students meet with an advisor, and take up to 21 hours* from the following courses:

Advanced Reading—5 hours per week

Advanced Reading is based on un-adapted fiction and non-fiction readings. The focus is on reading strategies, critical reading and thinking skills, vocabulary acquisition skills and increased reading speed.

Advanced Writing (two levels)—3-5 hours per week

Advanced Writing includes extensive practice in academic writing: developing a wide variety of sentence types and rhetorical patterns; appropriate writing and formatting conventions – in particular, as related to research skills (databases, reference materials, and internet resources); issues of academic integrity; and research writing conventions (citation and documentation). Students work on 1,750-2,500-word field study, argument analysis, and extended research writings.

Seminar—5 hours per week

Seminar focuses on an academic subject area in direct preparation for undergraduate/graduate classes. Students are required to produce a research paper, which is used as the basis of a thirty-minute oral presentation. The content of the Seminar varies from term to term, thus making it possible for transition-level and part-time students to repeat this course. Typical topics are Film & US Culture, Global Issues, Sustainability, and Technology and Society.

Integrated Skills/Content-Based Courses—4 hours, 20 minutes per week

The Integrated Skills courses give students a chance to expand their vocabulary, exercise their reading, discussion, note-taking, academic writing and formal presentation skills, and engage with abstract concepts and theories. Course topics can range from math, globalization, speech, psychology, ecology, sociology, sustainability, leadership, and civil rights.

Intercultural Development - 2 hours per week
Supervised Audit—hours vary

Supervised Audit entails full participation in an undergraduate class as well as weekly meetings with a supervisor to synthesize course content. The focus is on the note-taking, aural comprehension, and application of language skills required for success in an academic setting. (hours vary)

*Undergraduate Classes/Pathway Program—hours vary

Students accepted to the Undergraduate program (including some exchange students) may take undergraduate classes for credit. Check with AES for more information on the conditions and requirements for taking AES and undergraduate classes simultaneously.   Contact Us!

 

Weekly Schedule—Fall and Spring Semesters*

Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Intermediate to Advanced Levels (full time)

9:10-11:20AM

Core: Reading and Writing

Core: Reading and Writing

Core: Reading and Writing

Core: Reading and Writing

Core: Reading and Writing

11:30AM-12:30PM

Communication Skills

Communication Skills

Communication Skills

Communication Skills

Communication Skills

12:30-1:50PM Lunch
1:50-4:00PM  

Integrated Skills

 

Integrated Skills

 

 

Transition Courses-Advanced (full or part-time)

9:10-10:10AM

AES-222

Advanced Research Writing

 

 

AES-222

Advanced Research Writing

 

AES-222

Advanced Research Writing

10:20-11:20AM

Advanced Reading

Advanced Reading

Advanced Reading

Advanced Reading

Advanced Reading

11:30AM-12:30PM

Seminar

Seminar

Seminar

Seminar

Seminar

12:30-1:50PM Lunch
afternoon (time based on catalog)

AESC-270

Intercultural Development