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2012-2013 Academic Catalog and Handbook

English Language Institute (ELI)

The purpose of the English Language Institute (ELI) is to develop the language and academic skills of students whose native language is not English and to raise their level of cultural and spiritual awareness in order to prepare them for academic and social success at George Fox University.

The Intensive English Program, taught in the ELI at George Fox University, prepares international students to meet the challenges of academic study in English.

International students who score less than 500 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), less than 173 on the computer-based TOEFL, less than 61 on the Internet-based TOEFL, or less than four on the Test of Written English will study intensive English approximately 14 hours per week while they also are enrolled in one or two regular university courses. ELI students may take up to 19 hours a semester, with a maximum of 4credits of non-ELI course work.

To prepare international students to enter into academic life at George Fox University as full and successful participants, ELI courses develop the students' general English proficiency, academic skills, and cultural, spiritual, and social awareness. Lower-level courses stress basic language skills, whereas higher-level courses concentrate increasingly on academic skills.

The core courses at each level develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, as well as vocabulary and grammar. Cultural orientation, interaction with native speakers in the university community, and attendance at campus functions and academic lectures are incorporated into ELI learning activities.

At the highest level, students enroll for credit in one regular academic course together with ELI courses that are designed to help develop the language and academic skills necessary for success. In order to successfully complete the ELI and be admitted to George Fox University as a traditional undergraduate, students must fulfill the following: write at level 4 or higher on the ELI writing test; successfully complete the advanced level of the ELI with a grade of at least C in every class; earn a grade of at least C (no less than 70 percent) in the designated regular academic course; receive the recommendation of ELI faculty based on English language skills and academic performance. After completing the ELI, international students enroll for at least 12 credits in non-ELI courses at George Fox and pay regular tuition. During their first semester they are also required to take ESLA 295 Writing Tutorial (1) to support their transition.

Students receive academic credit for their ELI course work as follows: up to 16 credits for 100-level courses and up to 15 credits for 200-level courses. ELI credit counts as elective credit toward a bachelor's degree.

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