International Academy Gives Non-UT Students a Snapshot of U.S. University Experience
- Nov 7, 2019
- English Language Center
- By Jenan Taha
For international undergraduate students who want to gain a U.S. university experience while improving their English language skills, The University of Texas at Austin presents an exceptional new opportunity. The International Academy program offers tailored instruction in multiple focus tracks, access to the university’s world-class facilities, and enriching cultural activities for a well-rounded and rigorous experience.
The four-week program, which first began in 2018, is designed specifically to allow international undergraduate students to focus their English-language learning on an academic track related to their major and future academic and professional goals.
“Students gain a lot of opportunities from this program—they get to study on an American campus in a vibrant city, and they get to see a lot of new places through our cultural enrichment program,” special programs coordinator Rachelle Bumgardner said. “It’s amazing to see how much they grow in the four weeks they’re here. They learn a lot about themselves and they gain more knowledge in their field.”
Two hundred students representing more than 30 universities across China and Japan participated in the program this past summer, studying in eight academic tracks, including:
- Accounting
- Advertising and Public Relations
- Educational Psychology
- Engineering
- Language and Culture
- Petroleum Engineering
- Software Engineering
- Teacher Training
The program will offer 11 tracks in summer 2020 and two tracks in winter 2020.
Michael Smith, director of the English Language Center, said the program not only includes numerous academic opportunities, but also offers students access to research labs and organizations around Austin to give them hands-on experience.
“International Academy includes experiential learning and site visits,” Smith said. “This allows students to learn outside the classroom and see how theory meets practice in the real world.”
English instructor Ben Cunningham encourages international students to take advantage of the program not only to learn English, but to explore opportunities at one of the top-ranked universities in the world.
“I think one of the most rewarding parts about being here in this intensive program is being their teacher when they have this adventure to go to another country and learn a language,” Cunningham said.
Learn more and apply on the Texas Global website.
