Sessions

 

 

Eight-Week Sessions

The Intensive English Program (IEP) at UNL conducts five 8-week sessions during the academic year. The primary mission of the IEP is to help students prepare for academic study at UNL or other institutions where English is the language of instruction. However, many students who undertake study in the IEP have other goals, and some come simply for the fun and challenge of a comprehensive English curriculum in the heartland of the United States.

The IEP always offers quality instruction in the core skill areas of grammar/usage, reading/writing, and listening/speaking. Special topics courses are offered on a rotating basis. Some of the more recent ones have focused on American Topics, Pronunciation, TOEFL® Preparation, and Current Events. We keep classes small and maintain multiple levels of study.

The classroom isn't the only learning environment in the IEP, though. Once or twice each session, faculty, staff, and students give the books a rest for a day and take a cultural field trip. Recent activities have included a tour of the Nebraska state Capitol, bowling, ice skating, an all-American cook-out, and a visit to a pumpkin patch with young students from Norwood Park elementary school in Lincoln. We believe these cultural events are key to giving our students a well-rounded educational experience.

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Summer Four-Week Session

Since 2002, the Intensive English Program (IEP) at UNL has offered a 4-week session between our summer and first fall 8-week sessions. This condensed program of study is ideal for those who are unable to commit or uncertain about committing to a lengthier program. It can also fill a potentially troublesome gap in the study of IEP students who plan to continue into the first fall session from the full summer session.

As with our 8-week sessions, The 4-week summer session includes instruction at several levels in the core skill areas of grammar/usage, reading/writing, and listening/speaking. Cultural field trips also play a significant role in giving students a comprehensive educational experience. Starting in 2008, the 4-week session will be formally known as the American Culture Program in order to reflect the greater emphasis on the cultural aspect of the curriculum.

Please click in the sidebar for printable IEP applications in Adobe® Acrobat® format (follow the sidebar link to get the latest version of Acrobat Reader™ free), or contact the PIESL office for application materials or more information.

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Special Groups

While usually focused on the regular IEP sessions, PIESL is also committed to numerous special intensive English programs. We work with other administrative units at UNL as well as institutions worldwide to coordinate instruction and cultural activities for student groups on a contractual basis. In the summer months, especially, PIESL keeps very busy. During the summer of 2001, PIESL welcomed over 100 students who came to UNL for special English programs, including students from Chu Lin Secondary School in Taiwan, Senshu High School in Japan, and Senshu University in Japan.

PIESL extends a warm welcome to the National Collegiate Network of Japan, a new partner in providing quality English instruction. Since summer 2002, NCN students have joined the IEP student body in the 8- and 4-week sessions. As is the case with most of the IEP students, the students of NCN aim for degree programs at UNL. PIESL wishes all of them a pleasant and productive time in Lincoln!

Committed to continued growth, PIESL welcomes inquiries from any group that might be interested in arranging a curriculum of study beyond the offerings of the standard IEP. Please continue to visit this site, as well, for announcements of future special programs.

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