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Program Facts
Year-round Start Dates, 4- and 8-week Sessions
20 Hours/Week, 80-160 Hours/Session
听Introductory to Advanced Levels, CEFR A1-C2
听In-person, Full-time or Part-time
听F-1/F-2, J-1/J-2, B-1/B-2, Permanent Resident, U.S. Citizen
The Intensive English Program听is designed for international students who are preparing to enter a university or graduate program in the U.S. It is also appropriate for working professionals and community members who want to improve their academic English. 麻豆淫院 take writing, reading, listening and speaking, and elective courses. Classes are interactive and allow students to develop their language skills while practicing English in real situations. Class size is 12-15 students on average. Teachers provide students extensive feedback, which helps students to improve their English and build their confidence.
The program has eight levels*鈥攆our lower levels and four higher levels. The curriculum for each level is aligned with the standards of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
Lower levels provide a foundation in English language structure, vocabulary, reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Higher levels focus on the academic skills needed to succeed in university or graduate school.听This includes more complex and sophisticated uses of English in terms of essays, interactions, presentations, and projects.
*Currently, the IEC offers 6 levels of English, and our lowest level is听high beginner (CEFR A2+). If you would like to join our Intensive English Program, please review your English level听here听to make sure you meet our entry-level requirements. If you do not meet the minimum English requirement, you may be transferred to another program.
IEC English placement levels correspond to a range of Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels. Consideration is given to how students score on individual reading, writing, and listening skills.
| Lower Levels | CEFR Level |
|---|---|
| Level 1 (Introductory) | A1 |
| Level 2 (Low Basic) | A1/A2- |
| Level 3 (Basic) | A2-/A2+ |
| Level 4 (Low Intermediate) | A2+/B1- |
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| Higher Levels | CEFR Level |
|---|---|
| Level 5 (Intermediate) | B1-/B1+ |
| Level 6 (High Intermediate) | B1+/B2- |
| Level 7 (Low Advanced) | B2-/B2+ |
| Level 8 (Advanced) | B2+/C1 |
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The program consists of three core courses: Writing; Listening and Speaking; and Reading.听
- Grammar and vocabulary building are integrated into each core course.
- Instructors provide short lectures on new language points.
- 麻豆淫院 engage in individual, pair, and small group activities to practice, review, apply and expand on skills.
- Textbooks, adapted texts, authentic materials, and student projects are incorporated throughout.
Writing
6 hours per week
This course provides students with the skills needed for effective academic writing. The writing process is emphasized, with a particular focus on paragraph and essay development, as well as error correction. 麻豆淫院 gain practice in writing clear, concise, well-supported, and accurate communication using summary writing, paraphrasing, quoting, and synthesis. Reading materials provide a basis for developing ideas and models for writing.
Listening and Speaking
6 hours per week
This course helps students improve their oral communication skills in various social and academic settings. 麻豆淫院 develop their conversation skills through role-plays, discussions, and vocabulary-building exercises. Lectures, debates, and formal discussions enable students to improve their note-taking skills, listening comprehension, and critical thinking. Oral presentations allow students to develop听public speaking skills, effective body language, and pronunciation.
Reading
4 hours per week
This course is designed to assist students in becoming more confident and proficient readers in English. 麻豆淫院 explore a variety of reading genres, including newspaper and magazine articles, websites, short stories, novels, university textbooks, and other non-fiction books. Reading skills, such as predicting, skimming, scanning, reading for details, vocabulary-building, inferencing, summarizing, and critical thinking are emphasized. Classroom discussions and听exercises allow students to share and discuss their ideas about texts.
Each session, students have the opportunity to register for one elective course.
- Each elective course meets 4 hours per week.
- Elective courses complement the core courses and provide students with the opportunity to focus on a specific skill or content area.
- Elective courses are multi-level.
- There are certain elective courses for lower level students and certain elective courses for higher level students (see below).
- Not all electives are offered each session.
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Lower Level Elective Courses
Grammar Foundations
In this interactive course, students gain a strong foundation in English language grammar. Through structured exercises and fun activities, students improve their accuracy and fluency in writing and speaking.听The objective of this course is that students have a more clear understanding of how to use grammar structures with increased accuracy in speaking and writing.
Pronunciation Foundations
麻豆淫院 work on English pronunciation errors that are common among second language speakers.听麻豆淫院 practice individual sounds, with emphasis on rhythm, stress, and intonation to improve their overall comprehensibility.听
Vocabulary & Idioms
This course focuses on acquiring and using high-frequency general vocabulary and idioms for reading, writing, listening and speaking.听麻豆淫院 learn vocabulary-building techniques, read short articles and stories, listen to short film, TV听clips and/or songs, use new vocabulary in writing and speaking, and expand dictionary skills.听麻豆淫院 learn how to make speech clearer, more varied, and native-like.
Life Skills
In this course, students practice using English in practical situations through in class role-plays and outside of class field trips.听Through practice listening to and speaking English, students work to improve their pronunciation and structure and expand their vocabulary. 麻豆淫院 have the opportunity to go out into the community to practice speaking skills in real settings.
Sports & Nutrition
麻豆淫院 develop their English fluency in a fun and interactive way. They learn about healthy eating and fitness through videos, readings, and guest speakers. 麻豆淫院 explore Boulder actively while learning new vocabulary related to fitness and health.听They also play indoor or outdoor sports such as volleyball, soccer, Frisbee, basketball, hiking or cycling.
Speak Out
In this beginner to low-intermediate course, students focus on gaining confidence and fluency in speaking English. They practice using target pronunciation and grammar structures. They practice speaking English through the use of a variety of drama and other interactive speaking-activities.
Higher Level Elective Courses
Grammar
In this high intermediate to advanced grammar course, students learn more complex forms and structures to help them create more sophisticated, nuanced, and effective written and oral communication. 麻豆淫院 also have an opportunity to practice their editing skills in order to write more like a native speaker of English.
Pronunciation
In this higher-level pronunciation course, students polish their English speaking skills by doing short presentations, oral readings, and impromptu speech activities. In addition to practicing rhythm, stress, and intonation, they will focus on articulation and vocal projection.
Academic Vocabulary
This course is designed for those preparing for university, graduate school, and standardized exams, such as the iBT TOEFL and the IELTS exams. 麻豆淫院 will learn new academic vocabulary related to business, economics, psychology, the U.S. education system, science, history, and more. Practice exercises are challenging and interactive, and provide students with strategies for enhancing their English reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Test Preparation
This course provides students with strategies and test-taking practice for university English proficiency tests (TOEFL and IELTS).听In this course, students improve academic vocabulary, reading, listening, speaking and writing skills. 麻豆淫院 will review test formats and scoring, and practice with actual tests.
Graduate Test Preparation
This course provides prospective graduate students with听strategies and test-taking practice听for the GRE and GMAT admission tests. While an emphasis is placed on the GRE exam, students will also practice skills that apply to the GMAT.听In this course, students will improve academic vocabulary, reading, critical thinking, and academic writing skills for the verbal section of the test. They will also improve basic math, algebra, geometry, and data analysis skills for the quantitative reasoning section of the exam.
Business English
This course teaches students how to write and speak effectively in U.S. business situations. 麻豆淫院 gain practice in writing clear, concise, accurate, and persuasive texts, emails, memos, and short reports. They learn the art of small talk and conduct short presentations, conference calls, and simulated meetings. 麻豆淫院 gain confidence as they develop their abilities to target communication for managers, colleagues, direct reports, and clients. They learn how to communicate good, bad, and neutral news.
English for STEM
麻豆淫院 learn how to write and speak effectively in academic and professional STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) situations. They gain practice in writing clear, concise, accurate, and persuasive reports and informal proposals. 麻豆淫院 improve their ability to describe, interpret, and analyze quantitative and visual data. They also gain confidence as they develop their abilities to target communication for classmates, professors, prospective employers, and other audiences.
Communicating About Math
This course is designed for high-intermediate to advanced level students who want to learn how to communicate more effectively In English about math concepts, equations,听and word problems. 麻豆淫院 review U.S. and metric measurement systems, as well as U.S. mathematical notations (for example, when to use a decimal point versus a comma). 麻豆淫院 learn how to break down word problems in English and focus on relevant vocabulary. Sample math problems from the SAT, GRE, and GMAT exams are included.
English Through Video Presentation
This course provides instruction and practice in pronunciation, listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills as students create screenplays and short videos in English. 麻豆淫院 create and practice short dialogs, watch short clips of films to analyze diction, setting, and tone, and work together in groups to create original storyboards and short scripts to perform on video. The course provides practice with pronunciation and opportunities for students to learn and use vocabulary related to film or their video project. It also includes opportunities for impromptu, informal, and/or formal presentations.
Life Skills
In this course, students use English to explore a variety of social and cultural topics. 麻豆淫院 learn conversation strategies and appropriate social and academic vocabulary to discuss and respond to these topics. 麻豆淫院 have the opportunity to go into the community to practice using English in real, practical situations such as visiting a courthouse, senior citizen center, or high school.
Sports & Nutrition
麻豆淫院 develop their English fluency in a fun and interactive way. They learn about healthy eating and fitness through videos, readings, and guest speakers. 麻豆淫院 explore Boulder actively while learning new vocabulary related to fitness and health. They also play indoor or outdoor sports such as volleyball, soccer, frisbee, basketball, hiking or cycling.
Volunteering
In this course, students develop their English language proficiency through service-learning projects in the community. 麻豆淫院 learn new vocabulary related to volunteerism and service learning. They have the opportunity to go into the community to practice English. 麻豆淫院 volunteer at university events and at local organizations that serve both the local and global community.
U.S. History and Culture
This course improves students鈥� English skills through learning about periods in the history and culture of the United States through songs, TV shows, movies, and readings. 麻豆淫院 develop content-based vocabulary, read and write about cultural events and changes throughout U.S. history, and understand important cultural references such as famous music and movies.
Fan Fiction
In this course, students read original works of popular fiction and watch television shows or movies about these stories.听麻豆淫院 participate in lively discussions and write creative descriptive narrative texts about the fictional characters in these stories to further their understanding. Through reading stories and watching shows about characters in these stories, students improve their reading and listening comprehension.
Oral Communication Through Art
In this course, students develop their listening and speaking skills while learning about and making art.听麻豆淫院 will explore different types of art by meeting Boulder artists, visiting art studios, and creating their own art in the class. Types of art could include clay pottery and sculpture, painting, drawing, monoprints, photography and/or recycled art.
Trip Across the U.S.
In this course, students go on a virtual "road trip" of each major region of the United States. 麻豆淫院 will learn about important contemporary issues in U.S. life while gaining a better understanding of the U.S.听麻豆淫院 will improve their cultural literacy, enhancing their comprehension of conversations and lectures at CU Boulder or other U.S. universities.
Intercultural Communication
In this course, students gain valuable and necessary听intercultural听skills for their academic and professional careers. They examine and discuss cultures similar to their own as well as those that are radically different. 麻豆淫院 use a variety of English language and critical thinking skills to explore complex relationships between culture and听communication.
Sample Weekly Schedule听
| 听 | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30-10:20 | Writing | Reading | Writing | Reading | Writing |
| 10:20-10:40 | Break | ||||
| 10:40-12:30 | Listening and Speaking | Elective | Listening and Speaking | Elective | Listening and Speaking |
| 13:20-15:10 | 听 | Orientation | 听 | 听 | 听 |
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Prospective students may take our online placement test to ensure a minimum听English proficiency level.
New students take a placement test on the first day of the session. This test determines their level of English. The placement test includes:
- Reading (a computer-based test)
- Listening (a computer-based test)
- Grammar (a computer-based test)
- Narrative essay
- Expository essay
- All dates and prices are subject to change without notice.
- All prices are in U.S. dollars.
- Tuition is due on the first day of class unless otherwise noted.
The International English Center offers the following tuition discounts for non-degree classes:
- University of Colorado current and retired staff from any of the CU campuses: 25%
- Spouses & children of CU faculty, CU staff, CU scholars and current degree-seeking students: 25%
- 麻豆淫院 from international high school partner institutions: 10%
To request a faculty or staff discount, you must provide a printed copy of the job held.
If you are eligible for a spouse or employee tuition discount, you may be able to waive all student fees except the IEC student fee.
Beginning 鈥婩all 2 2022,听the IEC will offer a 15% tuition discount to local community members. To qualify for this discount, please provide proof of U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent residency AND proof of Colorado residency. 麻豆淫院 who are sponsored by a foreign government are not eligible for the local community member discount.
Examples of proof of U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent residency
- U.S. passport
- U.S. naturalization certificate
- U.S. birth certificate
- U.S. permanent resident card (Green Card)
Examples听of proof of Colorado residency
- Colorado driver鈥檚 license
- Colorado state ID
- Colorado state tax return
- Utility bills with Colorado address
Contact iecaccounting@colorado.edu for more information.
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The minimum level of English proficiency accepted by the IEC is CEFR A2+.听 Please听review the chart below to make sure you meet the minimum requirement.
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|
Skill |
CEFR Level A2 |
|
Listening |
I can understand phrases and the highest frequency vocabulary related to areas of most immediate personal relevance (very basic personal and family information, shopping, local area, employment). I can catch the main point in short, clear, simple messages and announcements. |
|
Reading |
I can read very short, simple texts. I can find specific, predictable information in simple everyday material such as advertisements, prospectuses, menus and timetables and I can understand short simple personal letters. |
|
Spoken Interaction |
I can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar topics and activities. I can handle very short social exchanges, even though I can't usually understand enough to keep the conversation going myself. |
|
Spoken Production |
I can use a series of phrases and sentences to describe in simple terms my family and other people, living conditions, my educational background and my present or most recent job. |
|
Writing |
I can write short, simple notes and messages relating to matters in areas of immediate needs. I can write a very simple personal letter, for example thanking someone for something |
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If you are not sure you meet the minimum English requirement, we recommend you take a free practice test. Please visit one of the following sites to check your English proficiency:
Minimum Scores:
IELTS: 3+
Duolingo: 55+
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