Foundations Program

The credit-bearing Foundations Program (FP) consists of two sequential stages, FP1 and FP2. At each stage, students take three linked courses. Both FP1 and FP2 concentrate on developing students’ language and academic skills in readiness for their entry into the Academic Research and Writing Program. FP1 focuses more intensively on language work than FP2. In both FP stages, the main focus of each course in the triad is on a specific category of academic skills (see course titles below). Each course is taught through materials drawn from three major disciplines in the University: Business, Social Science, and Politics.

Students normally spend one semester in FP1 before progressing to FP2, providing that they obtain an average grade of C for all three courses in the sequence. Similarly, students normally spend one semester in FP2, then, provided that they again obtain an average grade of C for all three courses, they are promoted to the Academic Research and Writing Program. While students may repeat a semester if they fail either FP1 or FP2, they will not be allowed to spend more than four semesters in the FP. A student who fails to progress to the Academic Research and Writing Program after four semesters will normally be dismissed from the university. Moreover, if a student misses more than four class sessions in any one FP course, s/he may be withdrawn from the entire FP. When normal academic progress is maintained (five courses per semester, with no change of major), students placed into FP1 can complete their graduation requirements in eight semesters. In some cases, summer courses and/or an additional semester may be required to achieve this.

Foundations Program Stage 1

FP1 students take 3 linked courses:

ELD 150 Fundamentals of Academic Syntax (3 CREDITS).
ELD 151 Fundamentals of Academic Reading (3 CREDITS).
ELD 152 Fundamentals of Academic Writing (3 CREDITS).

In addition to the above sequence of courses, students may register in two other credit-bearing courses chosen from Mathematics, Computer Science, and Creative Arts.

Foundations Program Stage 2

FP2 students also take three linked courses:

ELD 160 Fundamentals of Conceptual Thinking (3 CREDITS).
ELD 161 Fundamentals of Academic Research (3 CREDITS).
ELD 162 Fundamentals of Academic Communication (3 CREDITS).

In addition to the above sequence of courses, students may also register in two other credit-bearing courses chosen from Mathematics, Science, Computer Science, and Creative Arts.