Program Description

ECULA provides high-quality intensive language instruction to international students, professionals, and the local community. ECULA’s instructors all have master’s degrees or higher as well as considerable teaching experience both in the US and overseas. That experience gives them special insight into what overseas students coming to a foreign country can face. Our instructors teach not only English as a second language (ESL) but have also taught many other languages, and we utilize small classes to optimize your class experience. The Office of International Affairs houses the program and provides many opportunities for integration with the ECU community and the surrounding area in Greenville, North Carolina. Additional activities and travel opportunities, including a reception with the mayor of Greenville, are sponsored by the Office of International Affairs and available to ECULA students.

ECULA students engage in American culture through involvement in the university and the community. Additionally, attending ECULA provides a wonderful introduction to ECU’s campus, facilities, faculty, and classes. You can enjoy physical activities in the one of the best-equipped student recreation centers, which features indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a rock climbing wall, weight lifting and cardio equipment, an indoor track, aerobic rooms, and squash and racquetball courts.

In accordance with the regular university schedule, ECULA offers two 16-week sessions a year beginning in August and January. In 2012, the summer session will run for a period of eight weeks, but starting in the summer of 2013, this will increase to 10 weeks. Classes are held four hours each day Monday through Friday and include grammar and writing for college; reading and vocabulary building; oral communication skills; and note-taking and study skills. Class size is limited to 15 students, whose placement in their classes is based on the results of a written online placement test and a personal interview upon their arrival.

A unique feature of ECULA’s program is a weekly pronunciation and articulation laboratory that is held in cooperation with the university’s Department of Communication Sciences in order to improve students’ oral communicative abilities. In addition, there is a weekly film series and a weekly guest lecture series by members of the ECU faculty to introduce students to a variety of academic disciplines and lecturing styles. Free additional tutoring by qualified native English-speaking students is also offered.

East Carolina University

ECULA is located on East Carolina University’s Main Campus of 530 beautifully landscaped acres in downtown Greenville. It is the fastest-growing campus of the University of the North Carolina system. ECU has nine undergraduate schools, a graduate school and two professional schools—the Brody School of Medicine and the School of Dental Medicine—and was ranked by Forbes magazine in 2010 as 36th in its America Best Buy College story.

A city of parks and bike trails, with the River Tar flowing nearby, Greenville is a small (population 85,000), safe, and friendly town, which will welcome you with traditional Southern hospitality. It is 87 miles from the wide, sandy beaches of the Atlantic Ocean and 85 miles from the vibrant “Triangle” cities of Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill. Greenville has a mild climate and experiences all four seasons. In spring, summer, and autumn, the Farmers’ Market sells fresh fruit and vegetables, and in the summer there is an “umbrella market” in the town as well as free concerts on the Commons.

North Carolina

The approximately 54,000 square miles of North Carolina stretch from the Atlantic Ocean beaches in the east to the Appalachian Mountains in the west: Mount Mitchell, at 6,684 feet, is the highest point in the eastern United States. North Carolina is a popular tourist destination, not only because the many state parks offer myriad activities but also because it has many historical attractions. There are also many shopping outlets that sell everything from designer clothes to furniture at bargain prices. It’s a wonderful place to live in or to visit.