Graduate Preparation Program: Description

The Graduate Preparation Program is designed to prepare you for successful study at the Graduate level. This 8 month program teaches both the English communication skills and the academic skills you need to be successful in university study.

This two semester program offers 20 hours of classes per week with the following content:

Semester 1: 4 courses

1. Writing 1 (60 hours)
2. Listening and Speaking 1(60 hours)
3. Critical Reading 1  (60 hours)
4. IELTS Test Preparation (60 hours)

Semester 2: 4 courses

1. Writing 2 (60 hours)
2. Listening and Speaking 2 (60 hours)
3. Critical Reading 2 (60 hours)
4. Research Foundations(60 hours)

Entry requirements
• A four year bachelor degree from a recognized university with a B average or highr
• Advanced level Engish skill: IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT79
• Plan to enroll in graduate studies

Why enroll in the Graduate Preparation Program?
• Enhance your career and achieve your personal enrichment goals by increasing your English writing skills
• Communicate effectively in intercultural academic situations
• Build confidence in your own writing and speaking skills
• Learn Western rhetorical styles
• Prepare yourself for your academic and professional future
• Prepare yourself for the IELTS test
• Build the skills you need for timely progression through your graduate degree program

The Graduate Preparation Program will provide a bridge to academic and cultural life at the University of Guelph and other Canadian Universities. The content and delivery of this program will teach skills to support the international graduate student when living, working and studying in a Western academic setting. This intensive, cultural immersion and academic skill-based program focuses on:
• Developing the English skills you need for successful academic study
• Preparation for graduate level course work, conducting seminars and research
• Building skills for effective formal and informal communication
• Developing confidence in oral presentations
• Strengthening writing skills for academic and professional purposes
• Developing a cultural understanding of classroom interactions
• Learning the collegial expectations of graduate professors
• Developing teamwork skills in a cultural context
• Learning the networking process of academia
• Developing confidence for full participation in the classroom
• Teaching skills to work as an international teaching assistant in an English classroom
• Developing an academic profile and statement of research interest
• Identifying, applying and interviewing for appropriate graduate programs
• Understanding the academic environment
• Learning effective adaptation techniques for international students
• Developing critical thinking and analysis skills

Features
• An academic advisor who will assist the student through the application process for graduate study
• Native English speaking conversation partners