Intensive English Courses in the USA

Aaccreditation is a process by which experts in a particular field determine common standards and choose to regulate themselves according to those standards. In order to become accredited, especially in the field of education, a program or institution participates in a voluntary process of peer review, designed to improve and assure the quality of the program or institution. Within the higher education community, oversight for education programs and institutions is the purview of accrediting agencies, state regulatory agencies, and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

The goals of accreditation in education include the following

Advancing standards and promoting excellence.
Publicly recognizing programs and institutions that meet accepted standards.
Assuring the quality of programs and institutions for students and the public.
Providing a means of ongoing self-assessment and continuing education for programs and institutions.
Providing an objective means for reviewing the quality of education and education services.

Accreditation is granted for 5 years to English language programs and institutions that meet the CEA Standards for English Language Programs and Institutions. Provisional accreditation is granted to those who substantially meet the standards but have minor standard-related deficiencies. Provisional accreditation is granted for not more than one year, during which time the site must meet Commission requirements for full accreditation. If the requirements are met within one year, the site becomes fully accredited for the remainder of the 5-year period.

The following universities offer intensive English programs. All of these programs offer at least 20 hours of instruction weekly at all levels, have language laboratory facilities, and possibilities for room and board on campus. All are open to all applicants. All programs have endorsed the TESOL Standards, indicating therefore that they attempt to meet defined standards of quality for ESL teaching and administration.

Certain programs will have additional advantages and services for international students. In some cases, usually at the advanced ESL level, students may take academic courses at the university while still enrolled in the ESL program. Other programs may provide academic placement, i.e., they will seek to find an appropriate college or university for foreign students upon completion of the ESL program.

The different types of services available in ESL programs are listed at the end of each entry and coded as follows:

a :      Student can take academic courses while still enrolled in ESL
b :      Academic counseling
c :      Program tries to obtain academic placement for ESL students
d :      Field trips, excursions, cultural activities
e :      Homestay (lodging and meals with an American family)
f :       Host Family program (visits to American families)
g :      Personal counseling
h :      Recreational and sport activities

* : Indicates that the program offers courses during the months of July and August

^a : Indicates that the program is accredited

ALABAMA

English Language Institute, Spring Hill College (a d g h *)
4000 Dauphin Street
Mobile, AL 36608
F 334-380-3090
Fax: 334-460-2190
E-mail : ieli@shc.edu
Web Site : http://www.shc.edu

English Language Institute, University of Alabama (a b d g h)
Box 870250
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0250
F 205-348-7413
Fax : 205-348-9266
E-mail : info@eli.ua.edu
Web Site : http://www.ua.edu/international.eli

The English Language and Culture Institute at the University of Alabama in Birmingham
E-mail: elci@uabl.edu