English Preparatory School

School Home Page

General Information

The school is comprised of the Intensive English Division (IED) and the Modern Languages Division (MLD) and offers education to around 7,550 students within the university. The Intensive English Division offers intensive instruction in English for students preparing for university programs, whilst the Modern Languages Division offers service language courses to university faculties and schools.

Besides university faculties and schools, the School of Foreign Languages also provides language learning opportunities to the community and associations. The School of Foreign Languages also aims to integrate students into university life through the provision of an extensive range of extra-curricular activities.

Intensive English Division

The SFL Intensive English Division at Eastern Mediterranean University offers intensive English instruction to prospective freshman students. Upon successfully completing the school's language program and fulfilling all the academic requirements of the school, students may enroll in their departments/programs in Faculties and Schools. (Note: The Departments of Turkish Language and Literature, Turkish Language Teaching and the Pre-School Teacher Education and Elementary School Mathematics Teacher Education Programs, as well as the Electrical and Electronics Technology, Construction Technology and Computer Aided Technical Drawing Programs of the School of Computing and Technology are excluded from these procedures.)

 

1. English Proficiency Tests and Exemptions

Newly registered students who want to be exempted from the SFLIED must;

  • (a) pass the SFL English Proficiency Test or;

  • (b) have successfully completed the English Preparatory School of the Middle East Technical, Bosphorus, or Bilkent University, or;

  • (c) have the following minimum scores;

    • 500 from TOEFL

    • a passing grade from GCE

    • 5 from IELTS

    • C from FCE.

The English Proficiency Test (EPT) is administered in September, February, June and at the end of Summer School.

2. Level and Level Completion Tests

Since 1997-1998, the SFLIED has been offering an educational program with an emphasis on English for General and Academic Purposes. At the start of each academic year, Intensive English Division students take a Placement Test and are streamed into one of four levels: Beginners, Elementary, Pre-Intermediate and Intermediate.

Each semester is comprised of two modules, and at the end of a module, which normally consists of 8 weeks of intensive instruction and evaluation, students take a level test. Those who score 60 and above move on to the next level. Thus, an Intensive English Division student who is placed at the Beginners level will move on to the Elementary level, then to the Pre-Intermediate level, and then to the Intermediate level. In order to commence studies in their chosen departments, all students must pass the SFLIED English Proficiency Test. Students at the Intensive English Division may take this test upon the successful completion of the minimally required Intermediate/Upper-Intermediate levels. This requirement does not apply to the September Proficiency Test, which is open to all students.

The duration of a student's education at the SFLIED depends on his/her performance. The minimum duration is one semester (two 8-week modules) and the maximum duration is 2 years. Classroom attendance at the division is compulsory.  

3. Education System

In the light of an ongoing systematic curriculum development study, Intensive English Division has been developing a syllabus and materials for intensive language education with emphasis on communicative language learning and teaching methods.  

4. Educational Facilities

The SFL Intensive English Division has 65 classrooms in two buildings. Each classroom is equipped with a video player, a TV, a cassette player, and an overhead projector. There is also a fully integrated student self-study center (SSSC) in each building, comprising of a multi-media area, a library area, a listening area, a speaking area, and a video, DVD and satellite TV area. These classrooms and the SSSC are also used for students who take service English and foreign language courses.  

5. Extracurricular Activities

In order to enrich the social and cultural life of the SFLIED students, and to improve their interpersonal and group communication skills, a variety of activities is offered. These include conversation, drama, dance, mime, sightseeing, journalism, writing club, EMU Photography Club, EMU Chess Club, International Youth Service (IYS), film days, and sports activities. At the end of the year, students demonstrate their achievements through public performance.  

6. Student Counseling and Information Center

The main aim of the Student Counseling and Information Center is to promote educational activities among the student body. The staff of the center provide orientation to students by giving them information about the university and its environment. They also encourage students to improve their English reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. The Student Counseling and Information Center offers sessions to identify students' learning styles, improve their study skills and to help them follow individual self-study plans. Students can visit Senior Instructor Yonca AYBAY, the counselor, to discuss academic, and/or personal problems in a supportive environment.

Teacher Training and Professional Development

The approach to language teaching is contemporary, and is constantly updated through a series of teacher education programs. Over the years, the School of Foreign Languages has become an international center for a number of courses approved and moderated by the University of Cambridge , as well as establishing a number of in-house professional development courses. The vast majority of teachers in the school have thus gained internationally recognized language and language teaching qualifications, and are continuing to update their professional expertise.

Courses run at the EMUSFL include:

>> New Teacher's Program

  • COTE
    ( University of Cambridge Certificate for Overseas Teachers of English),

  • DOTE
    ( University of Cambridge Diploma for Overseas Teachers of English),

  • CELTA
    ( University of Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults),

  • DELTA
    ( University of Cambridge Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults),

  • CEELT II
    ( Cambridge Examination in English for Language Teachers),

  • CEM
    (Certificate of Educational Management),

  • CCTD
    (Certificate in Computers and Teacher Development).

Many teachers also take advantage of the opportunity to take MAs and PhDs either at EMU or elsewhere.

The School of Foreign Languages has evolved as a dynamic center for teacher training, not only within the university itself, but also providing courses for primary school and secondary school novice teachers, and language development courses for EMU administrative personnel, the TRNC Police Force, the TRNC News Agency, Ministry of National Education and Culture personnel, residents of Famagusta, and also for students preparing for the IELTS and TOEFL examinations.

Modern Languages Division

The Modern Languages Division offers education to about 5,600 students at the departmental level. For students who have successfully passed the English Proficiency Test and entered their chosen faculty or school, the MLD offers a range of English language service courses along with major modern languages including French, German, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Turkish. The English courses offered by the Modern Languages Division aim to improve students' general and academic knowledge of English, helping them to create solid career opportunities. In their chosen field of study, students will prepare themselves for advanced research. The underlying principle of all courses is to encourage students to be autonomous learners and to continue their language studies outside the university. In addition, the continuous assessment of courses and professional development opportunities for staff are given top priority to ensure high quality language education.

1. EFL Courses

At the MLD, it is assumed that the students will already have reached the minimum level of English to pursue their studies in their chosen departments. The primary aim of English service courses offered by the MLD is to develop students' reading and writing skills and strategies, and bring them up to an acceptable level for academic study in English. The contents of the courses include up-to-date, challenging, authentic textbooks and texts from a wide range of sources.

Modern Languages Division offers English courses to the following Faculties and Schools:

  • Faculty of Architecture;

  • Faculty of Arts and Sciences;

  • Faculty of Business and Economics;

  • Faculty of Communication and Media Studies;

  • Faculty of Education;

  • Faculty of Engineering;

  • Faculty of Law;

  • School of Computing and Technology;

  • School of Tourism and Hospitality Management.

2. Language Electives

Besides offering instruction in English, the Modern Languages Division also offers other modern languages elective courses which are open to all faculties and schools. Amongst these elective courses are FRE 111 and FRE 112 (French I-II); GER 111 and GER 112 (German I-II); ITA 111 (Italian I); GRE 111 and GRE 112 (Greek I-II); RUS 111 and RUS 112 (Russian I-II) and SPA 111 (Spanish I). Special emphasis is given to the practical use of the selected language in a wide range of contexts, with particular stress on basic grammar and spoken skills.
 

©2008 EMU-Computer Center