Intensive + AAEGS for Enterprise Risk Management Students

This two-course program is designed to get you ready to begin your Master of Science in Enterprise Risk Management at Columbia in the fall. It is open only to conditionally admitted students. 

Course One: Intensive Program (4 weeks)

This four-week intensive academic English program follows a project-based curriculum. Participants study academic skills and build their foundational English by exploring different aspects of one main topic. The work leads to the creation of a written and spoken project at the end of the course. 

Course highlights: 

• Academic English – our courses focus on preparing students to study at university in the US. This includes essay writing, presentations, note-taking and discussions.
• Integrated skills – each class focuses on more than one skill, which is a more natural way to learn a language.
• Thematic learning – grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation are best learned in context. Teachers explore different themes to provide content for students to discuss and write about. 
• Error correction – making errors is an important part of the learning process. We encourage as much spoken and written communication as possible, and provide plenty of oral and written feedback to help learners become more conscious of their language, and to help them improve.
• Team teaching – each course is taught by at least two instructors, who work together to create courses specifically tailored to the students. Each teacher brings their own style and expertise, so learning is constantly varied.
• Critical thinking – it’s not just about learning the language, but about learning to engage with themes and topics in individual ways. We teach students to be inquisitive and curious learners, and to really question what they see and read.
• Authentic Materials – instructors use as much authentic material as possible, from newspaper and magazine articles, to novels, plays, lectures, movies and music. Reading, listening to and watching real English all help expand vocabulary, improve comprehension, and make the language more ‘automatic’.
• U.S. Culture – learning about New York and the U.S. helps to make the learning experience richer and can help expand learning beyond the classroom.

Assessment: you must complete this course with a Pass grade and satisfy the Student Learning Outcomes. 

Course Two: Advanced Academic English for Graduate Students (6 weeks)

For a full description of AAEGS, see here

Assessment: You must complete this course with a grade of B or better.

Modality

The first Intensive course is offered both in-person and online. Taking the class in-person when possible is strongly recommended, but the online course offers the same content and goals. 

The second AAEGS course is offered in person only. 

Note: International students already in the US who will be transferring their I-20 to Columbia are only eligible to take the in-person course. 100% remote study on an F-1 visa is not permitted. 

Online Intensive

15 hours of live, on-camera, synchronous instruction per week via Zoom, Monday - Friday 7:00-10:00am Eastern Daylight Time + weekly meetings with course instructors

In-Person Intensive and In Person AAEGS

18 hours of class per week, Monday - Friday (4 x 3 hours; 1 x 6 hours)

Explanation of Fees*

**Important note: 

Students enrolled in the in-person intensive + in-person AAEGS will be billed for the Columbia Summer Health Insurance plan because your courses are more than 8 weeks long in total. 

Students enrolled in the online intensive + in-person AAEGS will not be billed for the Columbia Summer Health Insurance plan because ALP registration will happen after the Columbia Health Insurance enrollment deadline for Summer has passed. If Columbia Health changes this policy, ALP will notify you immediately. 

Activity Fee: this covers expenses relating to orientation, handbooks, events and activities.  
Instructional Support Fee: this covers class materials and expenses such as photocopying and guest speakers  
ALP Student Services Fee: this covers internal student services processing expenses. 
Technology Fee: this covers SPS technology expenses, including access to online course management software, Canvas, and tools used to develop online course content.   
Health and Related Services Fee: All ALP students are required to pay the Health and Related Services Fee. This fee covers access to Columbia health services such as medical, counseling, wellbeing, sexual violence response and disability services.
Estimated Living Expenses: this includes food, transportation, everyday expenses, and Housing. This gives an idea of how much money is needed to live in New York so you can plan financially. Students are not billed for living expenses.  
Estimated Total Cost of Study: When you apply for an I-20 you must show you have this total amount on your financial document. Two options are shown: the cost for 10 weeks of in-person study and the cost of 6 weeks in-person study. 

*Note: not all fees are refundable if students withdraw from the program. For a full explanation see the Withdrawal and Tuition Refund page of the ALP website.