The English Language Center at RIT

The English Language Center at Rochester Institute of Technology is designed for students who plan to attend a university in the United States. The English Language Center offers six sessions throughout the year:

• Winter B term, 8 weeks, starts early January
• Spring term, 11 weeks, starts the second week of March
• Summer term, 11 weeks, starts the first week of June
• Summer B term, 7 weeks, starts the first week of July
• Fall term, 11 weeks, starts the first week of September
• Winter term, 11 weeks, starts the last week of November

RIT

RIT is a private technological university located on a beautiful, large, modern campus. Seventeen thousand students attend the nine colleges of RIT: Applied Science and Technology, Saunders College of Business, Kate Gleason College of Engineering, Imaging Arts and Sciences, Liberal Arts, Science, Golisano College of Computer Science, the federally-funded National Technical Institute for the Deaf, and the newly formed College of Health Sciences and Technology. RIT offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in international business, photography, computer graphic design, telecommunications, packaging, printing, computer science, micro-electronic engineering, bio-technology, imaging science and many other exciting and innovative programs.

Rochester, NY

Rochester is located in western New York State and has metropolitan population of about 1,000,000 people. Rochester is known as the World Image Center, and home to major international corporations such as Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb.

Rochester has a vibrant arts scene and hosts many film festival and cultural festivals each year. The western New York region has many lakes, rivers and forests and offers numerous opportunities for recreational activities such as bicycling, hiking, swimming, golfing, tennis, sailing, camping, fishing and snow skiing. Rochester is 140 kilometers from Niagara Falls, 270 kilometers from Toronto, Canada and 585 kilometers from New York City.

English Language Center Classes

The English Language Center offers small class (a maximum of 16 students), taught by a professional staff of instructors who hold master's degrees in Teaching English as a second language or applied linguistics.

The main goal of English Language Center courses is to prepare students for university-level work in English. Full-time students in the intensive English program have at least 20 class-hours weekly in grammar, reading, writing, conversation and vocabulary. Classes are offered at three skill levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. At the advanced levels, a variety of elective courses are offered: Lecture Note-taking, Pronunciation, TOEFL preparation, writing research papers, presentation skills, critical thinking, writing styles, analysis and problem-solving, in the news, reading in science and technology and other interesting courses are available as electives to students in the higher intermediate and advanced levels.

Orientation

During the first few days, students participate in orientation activities to become familiar with the English Language Center, RIT and the city of Rochester. They also take English language proficiency tests and are placed at the level which best serves their needs. Instructors from the English Language Center are assigned as advisers to help students with cultural adjustment, housing, and university admission. Advanced level students may be permitted to take one or two classes at the university for credit. Students on student visas may work on campus and enjoy university life. They live in dormitories and eat in cafeterias with American students. Students with a C average in English classes receive a certificate.

Fun

Events and activities are also offered for ELC students every week: trips to Niagara Falls and other nature parks, visits to local museums and art galleries, and opportunities for sport and recreation. The English Language Center also helps its students connect to the social and academic life of RIT by helping students connect with student clubs and academic department activities.

Housing and Campus Facilities

The ELC arranges on-campus housing for our students upon request. Many students enjoy living in the residence halls, usually with an American roommate. The newly constructed Global Village residence hall offers apartment-style suites, some of which are equipped with kitchenettes. RIT student housing is also available at the RIT Inn and Conference Center, a nearby former luxury hotel with shuttle service to campus. Students share double rooms with television, private baths and two double beds. Additionally, there are several privately-owned apartment complexes immediately adjacent to campus and in the surrounding area which are popular with older students and students with families.

Students have full access to all RIT facilities: library, fitness center, indoor track, indoor Olympic-sized swimming pool, tennis courts, indoor ice-skating rink, a health center, an inter-faith center and several cafeterias

Accreditation and Standards

The English Language Center subscribes to the guidelines of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, and TESOL: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. It has met the standards and is a member of University and College Intensive English Programs (UCIEP) and the American Association of Intensive English Programs (AAIEP). The Rochester Institute of Technology is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.