English Language Services offers Communication for Academic and Professional Success (CAPS) courses for international graduate students. These courses focus on building multilingual students’ communications and critical thinking skills in unique interdisciplinary classroom environments. CAPS courses meet the needs of international students to provide academic support for Illinois Tech graduate courses and the language skills and strategies graduate students need to integrate into the global workforce.
Different requirements will apply based on students’ individual needs and their graduate programs. For more information, view the application requirements and checklist for graduate students. Note: For Institute of Design students, a specialized English for Design program is offered in partnership with the Institute of Design.
Graduate students who are not required to take English communication (CAPS) courses but wish to improve their English fluency, listening and reading comprehension, or academic writing can also opt in, allowing them to choose to take an English communication course based on their individual needs.
Benefits
CAPS courses help to increase English proficiency and aid multilingual international students in adjusting to life and achieving academic success in the United States. Courses offered each semester provide linguistic support and training in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Highly-qualified faculty deliver carefully designed lessons to help students learn, think, and express themselves in the English language while learning the critical thinking and communication skills needed for internships and the global workforce. Our unique interdisciplinary classroom environments allow students to work across the campus with students from a variety of programs and backgrounds.
Courses provide resources and training to achieve academic, social, and professional success. CAPS courses help students gain:
- Linguistic proficiency to collaborate in discussions and on projects
- Sociocultural competence to be successful in North American academic contexts
- More seamless acculturation to life in the U.S.
- Increased confidence, fluency, and ability to apply critical thinking skills
Courses
See below for more information on Illinois Tech’s English language courses and also, visit the University Bulletin (catalog) for course descriptions.
Writing in the University for Multilingual Speakers of English (CAPS 051) will enable students to read, discuss, and write a variety of texts on key academic topics (linguistics, engineering, business ethics), apply the writing process to academic work, and develop critical thinking and writing proficiency. Prerequisite: Placement based on TOEFL/IELTS scores.
Chicago Voices (CAPS 052) will enable students to engage with academic lectures and authentic listening material, lead and participate in discussions, and give formal presentations on life in Chicago. Prerequisite: Placement based on TOEFL/IELTS scores.
Global Issues Through Literature (CAPS 053) will enable students to read, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize texts to explore human experience, formulate questions, and produce original academic or creative writing. Prerequisite: CAPS 051 or placement based on TOEFL/IELTS scores.
Telling Your Story: Advanced Language Skills for Academics and Work (CAPS 054) will enable students to apply advanced language skills in describing their background, culture, and accomplishments, as well as in presenting and discussing disciplinary/major-related topics and technical information to general audiences. Prerequisite: CAPS 052 or placement based on TOEFL/IELTS scores.
Advanced Communication for Multilingual Speakers (CAPS 059) will enable students to develop advanced communication strategies to discuss problems, negotiate solutions, and incorporate data and evidence in both academic and professional situations. Prerequisite: Placement based on TOEFL/IELTS scores.
Graduate students who are not required to take courses but wish to improve their English fluency, listening and reading comprehension, or academic writing can also opt in to courses, allowing them to choose English communication courses based on their individual needs. Note: Subject to departmental approval. Email els@iit.edu for more information.
Prior to arrival at Illinois Tech, international students who are required to take English language courses will be informed of their course placements based on their English proficiency test scores submitted at the time of admission. Students required to take these courses must take at least one CAPS course each semester until they have completed their requirements. Students are able to take more than one CAPS course per semester by request. Students who are not required to take courses but would like to opt in should email els@iit.edu.
For more information on Illinois Tech’s English language proficiency requirements, please review Illinois Tech’s admission requirements for international graduate students.
The tuition for CAPS courses can be found on Illinois Tech’s Office of Student Accounting website. Prices may change without notice as the university determines annual course fees.
Am I Required to Take English Communication Courses?
If you are an international student and do not meet Illinois Tech's English Proficiency Requirement, you must enroll in our English communication courses. Please visit the application requirements and checklist page and view the English Proficiency Requirements entry in the application checklist for more information. Email els@iit.edu for more information.
I Am a Transfer Student. Do I Need to Take English Courses?
Policies differ for international students transferring to Illinois Tech from other United States institutions. Please visit the application requirements and checklist page and view the English Proficiency Requirements entry in the application checklist for more information.
Which English Courses Do I Need to Take?
Required courses are based on your submitted English proficiency test (TOEFL or IELTS) scores and will be communicated with you in advance so that you may register for them alongside your other university courses.
Graduate students must register for one of their required courses each term starting their first term studying on campus. You can opt to take more than one course your first semester by emailing els@iit.edu.
Can I Opt into English Courses?
If you are not required to enroll in our English communication courses but are interested in doing so, please email els@iit.edu for more information so we can determine the courses that will most benefit you.
Can I Submit New Higher TOEFL/IELTS Scores to Waive the English Language Courses?
Any test scores submitted after your admittance must be submitted by July 15 to be considered for the fall semester or December 1 for the spring semester.