English Language Proficiency
In order to take full advantage of the education that Princeton University affords them, graduate students must demonstrate a level of oral proficiency in the English language sufficient to participate successfully in all the various activities that comprise a graduate education, including classwork, research and teaching. The English Language program was created to determine students' English language needs and to provide instruction and support to non-native speakers of English.
Accordingly, the Graduate School requires that all non-native speakers of English who have not earned their undergraduate degree in a U.S. college or university, and who scored 26 or below on the Speaking sub-section of the iBT TOEFL, have their oral English proficiency evaluated by the English Language Program staff. Students are invited (but not required) to attend a four-day orientation and English-language workshop prior to the beginning of the Fall Term, normally during the week after Labor Day.
At the start of the Fall Term, international students will be given a placement test to evaluate their oral English proficiency. At the recommendation of a University committee, the Graduate School has established that passing either the placement test or the Princeton Oral Proficiency Test (POPT) qualifies a graduate student to be appointed as an assistant in instruction (AI) and attests to the student's proficiency in spoken English. The standards for achievement on the placement test are as follows:
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Students who pass the test with a score of 5 or above will be eligible to teach whenever they are appointed as AIs.
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Students who receive a score of 4.5 or less are required to participate in the English Language Program (ELP) oral communication classes during their first year of study. These will include four hours of coursework.
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Students who score a 4 or above on the placement test, may elect to take the POPT upon successful completion of their first term in ELP classes.
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Students who score below 4 on the placement test will be required to participate in 5 hours of coursework, plus one tutorial hour during their first two semesters at Princeton, and will only be eligible to take POPT after successful completion of two semesters in ELP classes. Students who do not pass the POPT are required to continue in the ELP until they pass.
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A six-week summer intensive English program is required for those who have not passed POPT by the end of their first year of graduate study.
For questions regarding this policy, please contact David Redman at (609) 258-3902. For questions regarding testing and English Language Program classes, please contact the ELP office at (609) 258-6929.
Preparation for Teaching
Beginning with the 2003-04 academic year, teacher training is mandatory for all graduate students who are appointed to serve as Assistants-in-Instruction (AI) for the first time at Princeton. The McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning conducts AI training workshops twice a year, in early September (for Fall Term AI'sd in late January/early February (for Spring Term AI'sbr>
International graduate students may attend AI training workshops at any time, but must attend and successfully complete one of them before serving as an AI.