This 12–week intensive English language program develops knowledge, skills, and strategies for academic success in the Queen's Faculty of Law Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law. It is offered exclusively online.
Classes
There are 22.5 scheduled class hours per week; while the vast majority of this time is synchronous, some class time may be given over for asynchronous work. Students should expect to spend more than 30 hours per week in total on class time, homework, and extra practice. The classes focus on integrated practice in all four language skills — listening, reading, speaking, writing — and introduces learning strategies common in Canadian post-secondary education, such as critical thinking and task-based learning, while following standards of academic integrity. Assessment is completed frequently through tests, essays, presentations, and projects which demonstrate students' mastery of the material taught in class. Classes usually take place between 8am and 4pm Kingston time, though every effort is made to make a convenient schedule for all participants within those times.
The 12-week program is composed of 4 courses:
- Core — 15 hours per week of integrated skills development at a University Preparation level.
- Lab-Spoken — 3 hours per week of focused speaking and listening practice.
- English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) — 3 hours per week of individualised practice researching and communicating about your major/research focus.
- Elective — A 1.5 hours per week course devoted to students' interests in which English is used practically to learn other topics/skills. This class is ungraded, but has a participation/attendance requirement to pass.
To meet the conditions for the language requirement of the Queen's Faculty of Law Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law course, you must get an average grade of A (85%) across your Core, Lab-Spoken, and ESAP courses, as well as meeting the minimum attendance requirements as outlined in our policy guide.
Student Life
Program fees include online activities, such as films, games and discussion clubs. Kingston-based students studying online can also join our in-person Student Life Program activities.
Admission Requirements
Students entering this program should have an advanced language level and must take part in an online English Placement Test prior to acceptance.
Based on their English Placement Test (EPT) scores, students may be advised not to join ESLA 850 if their English level does not meet a minimum requirement.
Please note that successful application and/or completion of ESLA 850 does not grant advanced standing in any application to the Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law
Students for this course are accepted exclusively through a selection process involving English language testing and interview by Queen's School of English.
You can register your interest here.
You do not have to submit a language test as part of the ESLA 850 application process. If you wish to satisfy the language requirement for the Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law without taking ESLA 850, you may be required to submit a language score. Please consult the Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law website for details of the requirements.
Students who do not achieve an average of an A (85%) have not met the threshold necessary to achieve a language waiver for the Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law program.
If you are interested in pursuing other graduate level programming at Queen's, an A- (80%) would grant you a language waiver for the majority of graduate level courses, while a B (73%) would grant you an undergraduate studies language waiver.
No refunds, deferrals or discounts will be given to students on the basis of not achieving the grade necessary for a language waiver.
Students who meet the conditions of the language waiver and achieve an average of an A (85%) across the ESLA 850 course would be able to use their language waiver as part of an application to the Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law. No further testing would be necessary.
Please note that passing ESLA 850 DOES NOT grant advanced standing to any Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law application, and that students are responsible for managing their own application to the Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law program.
The bespoke 12-week program only operates online, and so while Queen's School of English does offer a similar ESLA 150 course on site, it would not be adapted for the extremely high-level students who normally participate in the Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law program, nor would it be focused on needs which are specific to that group.
If you complete our online Expression of Interest, you will be contacted by Queen's School of English to arrange for English language placement testing. If you are successful in that test and place into the ESLA 850 course, you will receive an invoice and payment instructions.
The current tuition cost for a semester of ESLA 850 is $5,800, though additional student fees and textbook costs will apply.