About the Program:
The English Preparatory Program (EPP) is designed for students who are working to meet the English proficiency requirements for admission to the American College of the Middle East (ACM) which is affiliated with Purdue University.

The EPP program consists of three terms of full-time study of the English language and features small classes (no more than 20 students), student-centered learning environment, and considerable individualized instruction.

The EPP program offers a rigorous series of courses in listening, speaking, reading, and writing English, with an emphasis on academic writing and preparation for the ACM admission examinations. Each skill is briefly described below as stated by the author of Garnet Education course books- Phillips, T. (2004):

Listening: The listening component at each level of the Skills in English series is designed to build skills that help students survive in an academic institution where lectures are wholly or partly in English.

Speaking: The speaking component at each level of the Skills in English series is designed to build skills that help students take part in speaking in English in class and in tutorial groups.

Reading: The reading component at each level of the Skills in English series is designed to build skills that help students survive in an academic institution where reading research is wholly or partly in English.

Writing: The writing component at each level of the Skills in English series is designed to build skills that help students survive in an academic institution where written assignments are wholly or partly in English.

For EPP students Please click here to go to EPP Website

Course Objectives and Outcomes:

The primary program objective of EPP is to prepare students for entry to the academic courses at ACM by building their English language competency, developing their language learning strategies, and stimulating their critical thinking. In order to achieve admission into ACM, students need to successfully complete all three EPP levels.

The following outcomes are addressed:

1. Understanding of spoken English in a variety of forms (discussions, presentations, lectures, interviews, conversations).

2. Participating in discussions and presenting information orally in English.

3. Reading and comprehending college-level and professional writing in English

4. Producing writing in English that not only displays understanding of material, but also applies critical thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, inference, argumentation).

5. Using reading and writing as tools for learning and research.

6. Knowing how to use tools and strategies (such as a dictionary and thesaurus) to increase vocabulary, and how to apply online resources to their writing and speaking for further development of English skills.

The extent to which these outcomes are reached will be measured by performance in the exams and essays required in the courses and by students’ performance on selected exit measures.


Class Meetings:
Classes meet four hours per day, four days per week and daily attendance is crucial for success in these courses. In addition, students are to attend two hours weekly in the Academic Communication Lab, which is established to help all our students master the skills needed for effective communication in academic and professional contexts.

EPP Faculty
Faculty who teach in our English program are teachers of English as a second language with experience in academic English education and higher education learning. They have dedicated their careers to helping nonnative speakers become comfortable and fluent in English in both academic and social context.