Bellevue University offers a new approach to learning

English as a Second Language

Bellevue University is one of the first higher education institutions to adopt the philosophy that ESL courses are the same as any other foreign language learning courses. Our ESL courses are regular credit-bearing academic courses

Credit Earning – You earn 3 credit hours from each ESL course which will be counted toward graduation.

At Bellevue University, the English as a Second Language courses are considered regular academic disciplines and offer three credit hours, the same as our other courses.

Credit hours received from ESL courses are counted toward graduation as electives.  In contrast, most universities offer no credit or partial credit for ESL course work.

Inexpensive --- The ESL tuition is the same as any other courses.

ESL courses have the same tuition rate as Bellevue University’s other courses.  Following through with our philosophy that ESL courses are the same as other language courses, we offer these classes at the same rate as our other regular tuition courses.

Compared to other universities’ ESL courses which cost over $2,000 for 6 to 8 week session, our program’s tuition cost is very reasonable.

High Standard ---  Focused instruction and enhanced curricula to meet the same high expectations as  regular college courses.  Click here for more details.

Convenient Scheduling --- Courses are offered three times a year.  Click here for more details.

Mainstreaming --- Students at the advanced level are allowed to take other courses while completing ESL classes.  Click here for more details.

Quality of the Program

Bellevue University English as a Second Language Program provides high quality and academic based instruction to undergraduate and graduate international students as well as residential students.  This program is designed for students to improve their English to succeed in college and offers four levels of courses in English reading and writing; grammar; and listening and speaking.

Each course is enhanced with on-line components.  Students study not only in the classroom but also in our computer labs and with their own computers at home.  The courses are taught by instructors who have at least master degrees, with training and experience in teaching English as a Second Language.
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Courses Offered

Course descriptions

This course is designed to help students with very little English proficiency to understand and use basic English grammar correctly in both written and spoken communication.   Students develop control of fundamental grammatical structures including basic tenses, verbs-to-be, parts of speech and their functions.  Prerequisite:  English placement test (3 credit hours)

This course is designed to help very limited English proficient students to develop oral fluency and accuracy by intergrading speaking, listening and pronunciation skills.  The course focuses on various aspects of pronunciation including stress, sounds rhythm and intonation so that students can understand and practice basic language functions in oral communication. Prerequisite:  English placement test (3 credit hours)

This course is designed for students with very little English proficiency to develop and practice essential reading skills and strategies including extensive vocabulary practice.  Students acquire writing skills on the paragraph level with the emphasis on accurate grammatical usage and spelling. Prerequisite:  English placement test (3 credit hours)

This course is designed for students with low intermediate English proficiency to be introduced to more refined grammatical structures including modals, present perfect tense, and WH-questions. The course emphasizes direct application of the learned rules of grammar to improve oral and written communication. Prerequisite: ESL 130 or English placement test (3 credit hours)

This course is offered to students with low intermediate English proficiency for improving oral communication and active listening skills and strategies necessary for academic study.  The course focuses on academic lecture comprehension, note taking skills, discussion based on the lecture information, TOELF listening and speaking exercises.  Prerequisite: ESL 140 or English placement test (3 credit hours)

This course is designed to help students with low intermediate English proficiency to increase reading speed and comprehension through building up academic vocabulary and working with various academic texts.  Students expand their abilities to write descriptive, process and comparison paragraphs. Prerequisite: ESL 150 or English placement test (3 credit hours)

This course offers intermediate English proficiency level students to further develop in their understanding of form, meaning and usage of grammatical structures including passive voice, noun clauses, adjective clauses and adverbial clauses.  The course aims to help students to apply grammatical complexity and accuracy to their writing and speaking. Prerequisite: ESL 230 or English placement test (3 credit hours)

This course is designed to develop the oral and aural skills of intermediate level English proficiency students.   Giving in-class presentations and participating in class discussion, and TOEFL listening and speaking exercises are the focuses of the course.  Prerequisite: ESL 240 or English placement test (3 credit hours)

This course builds on the reading skills and writing skills the low intermediate level student have developed in ESL 250.  Students continue to expand their academic vocabulary and learn how to organize, paraphrase and summarize academic written English.  The writing component focuses on essay writing and its organization.  Prerequisite: ESL 250 or English placement test (3 credit hours)

The course is designed for limited English Proficient students who already have attained intermediate level grammatical structures.  Students develop skills in understanding form, meaning, and usage of complex structures including gerund and infinitive usages, conditional sentences, and reduction of adverbial clauses.  Prerequisite: ESL 330 or English placement test (3 credit hours)

This course is designed for advanced level students to strengthen their English proficiency while becoming familiar with the TOEFL Test questions and test taking strategies.  The course provides practice of integrated skills in reading, listening, speaking and writing. Prerequisite: ESL 330, ESL 340, ESL 350 or English placement test (3 credit hours)

This course is designed to help advanced students develop the ability to interpret  and critically analyze written academic English. Students are engaged in more complex and lengthy writing in comparison-and-contrast, argument, and cause-and-effect essays.   They also learn how to use the convention of quotation, citation and paraphrasing. Prerequisite: ESL 350 or English placement test (3 credit hours)

Program Dates and Schedule

Fall 2008 : August 27 – November 16, 2008
Winter 2009 : November 26-March 1, 2009
Spring 2009 : March 10 – May 31, 2009
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Class Schedule Sample

Language Lab Schedule Sample

Mainstreaming

When students reach ESL 400 level, they are allowed to take some regular courses such as Culture 100 and English Composition 100.
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Application Information