Academic Guidelines

Level placement

The Intensive English Program and English Essentials offer five levels of study: Beginner, High Beginner, Intermediate, High Intermediate, and Advanced. Each tier can be completed in one semester.

Your placement exam score is used to determine your proficiency level, which in turn determines your classes. You must take four hours of class per day: two two-hour core classes. See a typical class schedule.

If you disagree with your initial course placement, you may appeal during the first week of classes. Placement appeals are reviewed using instructor recommendations and additional assessment-based evidence of English language proficiency. Final placement decisions are made by the Intensive English Program administration.

Attendance

In order to make sufficient progress to matriculate into a university, students are expected to attend classes regularly, do all assigned homework and turn in assignments on time, participate in class activities and discussions, and otherwise actively engage in the learning experience. Failing to attend classes can have a significant impact on class grades. If you miss class, it is up to the instructor whether you will be permitted to make up missed work or tests.

Making progress

Instructors will discuss their grading policies at the beginning of each semester and give their students a syllabus, or course plan, that details how their classes are graded. 

Student progress is measured through ongoing coursework, assignments, quizzes, projects, presentations, and end-of-course assessments in both Grammar, Listening and Speaking (GLS) and Reading and Writing (RW).

Successful completion of each course demonstrates achievement of the Student Learning Outcomes established for that course. Successful completion of both core courses at a proficiency level indicates that students have achieved the learning outcomes for that level and are prepared to progress to the next proficiency level.

Students will be able to monitor their grades in Canvas. Students who are failing their class at midterm will receive a midterm report. Final grades at the end of each semester are available on both Canvas and Campus Axess. Students may request a transcript from the Admissions Manager.

To advance to the next level, students must maintain full-time status and earn a grade of C (70%) or higher in both core courses.

If students do not pass a course, they will have to repeat the course.

Advancement through the program

Students who pass both courses at a level are considered to have mastered that level and must advance to the next level. Only students who fail a course are allowed to repeat a level. Students who have mastered a course will not be allowed to repeat that course.

English Language Proficiency

Each proficiency level represents increasing ability to communicate effectively in English across listening, speaking, reading, and writing. As students progress through the program, they develop from using English for familiar everyday situations to communicating independently in university-level academic settings.

The Intensive English Program curriculum is broadly aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), providing students with a progressive pathway toward advanced academic English proficiency.

To know what you will be able to do after each level, refer to our proficiency scale.

Semester Grade Reports

At the conclusion of each term, students receive a semester grade report summarizing their academic performance in each course. Percentage scores earned throughout the semester are converted to letter grades according to the grading scale below. Grade points are assigned based on each course grade, weighted according to the number of instructional hours, and used to calculate the student's cumulative grade-point average (GPA).

The cumulative GPA is updated at the end of each term to reflect all IEP coursework completed. Upon request, students may obtain an official transcript summarizing all courses completed and grades earned during their enrollment in the Intensive English Program.

Withdrawals and incompletes

Policies concerning withdrawals and incompletes are as follows:

W - Withdrawal

A grade of withdrawal (W) is given only in instances whereby a registered student has departed the school prior to the end of classes in a given term, and then only in serious and compelling cases where the cause of withdrawal is clearly beyond the student's control and the assignment of a final grade is not possible. Ordinarily, such cases would be limited to a death in the family, accident, or serious illness. A withdrawal constitutes total withdrawal from the LCI, and therefore a student who has withdrawn must re-apply for admission if he or she seeks to return. A grade of withdrawal may only be assigned by the LCI director.

I - Incomplete

An "incomplete" is assigned when a student has been doing satisfactory work in a course, but for unforeseen reasons is unable to complete course requirements within the required time frame for end-of-term grading. Such reasons must be judged appropriate by the associate director and the instructor. With this understanding, agreement must be reached between the instructor and the student as to when remaining course requirements must be satisfied, not to exceed 30 days from the end of the term. The instructor is responsible for assigning a final grade upon completion and evaluation of the work agreed upon. An incomplete mark (I) remaining on the student's record more than 30 days will automatically become a failing grade (F) and will be counted as such in determining grade-point averages.

Probation and expulsion

Students who fail their classes or do not meet attendance requirements in any given term will be placed on academic probation for the following term. Students on academic probation for a second consecutive term will be expelled at the conclusion of that term if they do not show evidence of progress.

Appropriate conduct is expected at all times. Improper behavior such as disrupting a class, interrupting others, speaking a language other than English in class, being rude to instructors or fellow students, and harassing others will not be tolerated. Instances of such conduct may be grounds for disciplinary action up to and including expulsion.

Written warnings are issued to students to document probationary status.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to follow the Virginia Tech Honor Pledge. This pledge states: "I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance on this assignment."

Plagiarism, or the act of representing another's written work as one's own, is considered academic misconduct in the United States. Plagiarism includes restating (paraphrasing) or quoting another person's writing in academic assignments, without full and clear acknowledgment of the author. Similarly, turning in an assignment completed by another person or a paper written by someone else is considered plagiarism.

A student who is found to have plagiarized another's work in an assignment may be failed for that assignment as a first offense. A repeated incident will result in more severe consequences ranging from failure of the course to expulsion from the program.

Further expectations with respect to student conduct are available in the LCI Student Handbook and the Code of Conduct.