About the IEP at West Virginia University

Student Diversity

Students from many different countries attend the IEP each semester, with approximately one third of the students coming from the Middle East, one third from South America, and one third from Asia. This diversity ensures that students in the IEP have adequate opportunities to speak English inside and outside class and to learn about each others' cultures.

Academic Study

The diversity in the IEP is also reflected in the international student populations at West Virginia University, since approximately one third of IEP students become undergraduate students and another one third enter graduate programs. The remaining third are students who want to improve their English proficiency for personal or professional reasons.

Curriculum

Students at all levels of the program (elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels) follow a core curriculum of Communication Skills, Reading, Writing, Grammar, Vocabulary and elective courses. In addition, students attend several elective courses, such as TOEFL Preparation, Business English, English through the Arts, English through Drama, and U.S. Popular Culture.

ESL Credit Courses

In addition to the non-credit IEP courses, IEP teachers also teach the following ESL credit courses for students who are already admitted into the University.

· ESL Academic Reading/Writing

· ESL Research and Writing

· Academic Speaking/Listening

· ITA Fluency

Extra-Curricular Activities

In addition to learning English in the classroom, students are encouraged, to participate in extracurricular activities arranged by the activities coordinator in the IEP. In the fall and spring semesters, a Conversation Partner Program matches up IEP students with native speakers for one-on-one conversation, and for group conversation students can attend the Conversation Table at a local restaurant or coffee house. In addition, there are regular outings to restaurants, shopping, and local attractions.