Penn State Penn State: College of the Liberal Arts
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What speaking courses are available for international graduate students who are second language users of English?

International graduate students can take ESL 114G, American Oral English for Academic Purposes.

How can I register for the AEOCPT?

You cannot register yourself for the AEOCPT. Only departmental staff can register students to take the AEOCPT. Please consult with your department’s graduate administrative assistant about registering for the AEOCPT.

What should I do after taking the AEOCPT?

You can begin teaching if you scored 250 or above on the AEOCPT. If you scored between 200 and 249, you can register for ESL 118G. If you scored below 200, you can register for ESL 117G.

How do I register for ITA classes, i.e., ESL 117G and ESL 118G?

You can go to room 234 in Sparks Building and the Applied Linguistics departmental staff will help you register for ITA courses.

What writing courses are available for second-language speakers of English?

You can enroll in ESL 116G, Composition for Academic Disciplines, which is a graduate academic writing course designed specifically for international multilingual students.

How can I improve my academic writing skills?

In addition to taking ESL 116G, you may attend workshops and tutoring sessions offered by the Graduate Writing Center and EPPIC that focus on graduate academic writing.

How can I get help writing papers or my dissertation?

You can make appointments for individual consultations at the Graduate Writing Center (GWC) in Kern Building and with EPPIC writing tutors. You may also attend graduate writing workshops organized by the GWC and EPPIC each semester, and participate in the week-long Thesis and Dissertation Writing Boot Camp offered twice a year.

All Other Speaking Questions:

  • You can register for ESL114G, American English for Academic Purposes.
  • You can go to the Speaking Center in Sparks 7 (Penn State Learning) or attend an EPPIC workshop for help with presenting and participating in class. Ask your instructor for suggestions too!
  • You can find speaking tutors at the Speaking Center (Sparks 7) and at EPPIC tutoring, also in Sparks 7.
  • You can attend an EPPIC workshop on preparing for job interviews; you can also go to workshops and get advice at the Career Services building.