ESLC General Information

The ESL Composition Program (ESLC) is one of the largest post-admission English as a Second Language programs in the United States, with a broad spectrum of courses for both graduate and undergraduate students. The goal of the program is to bring students' writing skills to a level at which they can perform successfully as writers in university courses.

The ESL Composition Office is located at 60 Arps Hall, 1945 North High Street, telephone 614-292-6360. The Assistant Director of ESL Composition and Spoken English Programs is Dr. Jack Rouzer. He will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the program.

For more information, please contact us at eslcomp@osu.edu.

The goal of the English as a Second Language Composition sequence is to bring students' expository writing skills to a level at which the students can successfully compete in regular University courses with American and other English-speaking students. Undergraduates who complete the ESL sequence enroll in English 110. Graduate students often write their M.A. or Ph.D. exams and theses soon after completing the ESL sequence.

The Office of Admissions notifies those international students who are required to take a placement test. The Office of International Education (OIE) informs new students about the date and time of the test. Students write a one-hour placement composition which is evaluated by trained ESL staff members. Students are placed in one of three levels corresponding to our courses: EDU T&L 106 (for undergraduates), 106G (for graduate students), or EDU T&L 107 (for undergraduates), 107G (for graduate students), or EDU T&L 108.01 (for undergraduates), 108.02 (for graduate students). Some students are Qualified on the basis of the placement composition; these students are not required to take any ESL courses. See more information about the Placement Test and exemptions from it.

The placement composition cannot be retaken, but at the beginning of the first week of each quarter, students write an in-class composition which is similar to their placement composition. If the in-class composition is substantially better than the placement composition, the student will be moved immediately to a higher course.

OIE, in conjunction with the ESL Composition Program, informs new international students each quarter of the procedures to follow to register for ESL courses. Continuing students are assigned a "window" or time period for registration. They should select a section of the appropriate course from the Master Schedule of classes at that time, and register using BRUTUS or on-line registration.

Students must demonstrate mastery of the material in one course before enrolling in the next. Students will not pass a course unless they pass the final examination with a grade of 'C' minus or better. A 'C' minus on the final exam, however, does not ensure a passing grade for the course; other course work must be satisfactory as well. The standard A-B-C-D-E scale is used for final grades.

We recognize, however, that students progress at different rates in their acquisition of a second language. In order not to penalize students who work diligently but who progress slowly, we sometimes assign them the grade of P (Progress). Such students should re-enroll in the same course the next quarter and not advance to the next course in the sequence. Undergraduate students should see their advisors for assistance in reregistering for the course. Graduate students should contact the ESL Composition office.

In order to compete successfully with native English-speaking students, those students who are required to enroll in ESL courses should enroll immediately, in their first quarter at OSU. Since students will derive maximum benefit from ESL instruction by continued work on English composition, they should enroll in ESL courses in sequence in successive quarters. Students and faculty should also note that ESL courses are rigorous composition courses. Students should plan to spend at least two hours per week on homework for every class hour.