What courses will I take?
The courses you take in the USI program will depend on your level of English Language Proficiency (ELP) and/or the amount of high-school courses work that needs to be completed.
You would normally be in one of three categories; English Language Studies, High School Studies, or Academic Studies, although your coursework may include courses from more than one category at the discretion of the academic advisor.
How many courses will I take?
You must be registered in a minimum of 9 credits per term to maintain your full-time status, as required by the Canadian government. Your USI academic advisor will work with you to develop the best academic plan to gain entry into your goal program.
If you have a low level of English language proficiency (less than 5.5 IELTS or equivalent), you will be given a placement test upon arrival at MacEwan and will be registered in the appropriate full-time English as a second language (ESL) course as determined by the results of your placement test.
ESL courses are 14 weeks long and consist of 4.5 hours per day of English language instruction. The normal progression of English language studies has USI students ultimately taking ENGL 086 to meet the English language proficiency requirements of their goal program.
If you are missing high school admission subjects or need to raise your high school admission average you will be enrolled in the appropriate high school courses needed to gain admission to your goal program.
If you need only one or two high school courses you may also be enrolled in some post-secondary coursework along with the high school studies. These courses work will count as credit toward your eventual goal program at MacEwan.
If you have a higher level of English language proficiency (IELTS 5.5 or equivalent) but do not meet the ELP requirement for your goal program, you will be enrolled in ENGL 086 (MacEwan’s highest level of English language studies) and will combine this with some post-secondary academic coursework. Successful completion of ENGL 086 will meet the ELP requirement for your goal program. The post-secondary academic course(s) you take will count as credit toward your goal program.
