Short-Term and Customized Programs

The Office of International Education offers customizable programs in English language and American culture; professional development courses; and teacher training courses. Programs can be designed based on the needs of your group, whether they be short- or long-term; professional or academic in focus; on-campus or on-site.

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About the Office of International Education's Specialized Programs

The programs below are a sample of current offerings.  Please contact us at [email protected] if you would like to discuss a specialized program for a group.

Experience two of the most exciting cities in the U.S., Chicago and New York City, while exploring social entrepreneurship.

This unique, 2-week, multi-city program is designed to introduce international and domestic high school students to the principles of design thinking and entrepreneurship focused on social good.​

For two weeks, students attend entrepreneurship workshops led by faculty in the Driehaus College of Business, in partnership with the Coleman Center of Entrepreneurship at DePaul University, and the Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies (CCPS) at St. John's University. Students will be encouraged to start a project from the beginning of formulating and designing a business idea, product or service using design thinking, and will work through the stages of ideation, market research, prototyping, costing and production to finalize the project.  The program is designed following an entrepreneurial accelerator format including plenty of hands-on and practical sessions to simulate the typical stages of development of innovative ideas. The program features off-campus excursions including some of the most famous historical and cultural sites in Chicago and NYC. Students are safely housed in secure housing facilities and supervised 24/7 by program staff. 

Visit go.depaul.edu/summerentrepreneurship for more details!

How to Apply

Applications are now closed for 2022.  Check back in early 2023 for program updates!

To be eligible for participation, students must be between 16-17 years old, and proficient in English. (Students should have the equivalent of a B2 level on the CEFR.)  If English is not your native language, please review the chart found here to determine whether your English proficiency meets this requirement.


FOR ACCEPTED APPLICANTS

Required Forms

Please submit ALL required forms to [email protected] 

Deposit Information

A non-refundable* $300 deposit is required by May 13, 2022 for this program.  An email with deposit details will be sent to all accepted applicants.


*Deposits will only be refunded if a visa cannot be secured in time for travel.

The English Language and American Culture Program at St. John's University is a short, intensive English program that introduces international students to U.S. academic and American culture while advancing their English communication skills.  Students are exposed to the American higher education environment, and experience American college campus life up-close.  This program can be customized to the needs of your group, and previous groups have included high school students, college students, and adults.

Contact

To request information about a customized English Language and American Culture program for your group, please contact us at [email protected].

The Junior Study Vacation Program at St. John’s University is a two-week, fun-filled program that introduces international middle and high school students to American culture while helping them build fluency in American English.

A Day in the Life

A typical day might include a casual breakfast on campus with fellow students, followed by three hours of English lessons using interactive exercises in a fast-paced, high-tech learning environment. Next might be a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with one of the University’s English-speaking Ambassadors. Then it’s an afternoon stroll through a unique neighborhood like SoHo. On the way back to St. John’s, students can indulge in some people-watching—a favorite past-time in New York City. By this time, their appetites are ready and, at St. John’s, great food is always plentiful. But the day isn’t over yet, and neither is the fun. Students can choose from a selection of fun campus events, such as dances, sports activities and movies. It’s a complete immersion in American language and culture each day!

English Language Lessons

Each morning, students in the Junior Study Vacation Program attend three hours of English language lessons. TIt is the goal of the Junior Study Vacation Program to help students develop their fluency in English as much as possible during their stay. We recognize that students have a unique opportunity to be fully immersed in the English language during their time in the program, and we try to maximize the potential of this situation. To this end, lesson materials center on the sights and sounds of New York City, allowing students to put what they’ve learned into practice immediately in the real world. For more advanced students, lessons include university preparatory material. Materials are engaging and interesting, while providing a rich and authentic language experience. Sources for activities are varied, and may include current news websites, online video content, and the University campus. Materials and activities are designed in alignment with the competencies outlined in the Common European Framework. Students are placed within levels by virtue of a first-day exam. Lessons are taught by qualified, dynamic instructors, using up-to-date methods and materials. 

Excursions

In the afternoons, students travel around New York City with a St. John’s University Ambassador, visiting the many exciting places the city has to offer. Whether it’s a visit to one of the City’s famed museums, or shopping on Fifth Avenue, there is always something to do. During this time, students have the benefit of an English-speaking Ambassador to help them navigate the city, as well as to continue their practice with American English.

Contact

Please contact us at [email protected] for more information about Junior Study Vacations.

The International Business and Entrepreneurship:Tools and Strategies Program at St. John’s University’s Manhattan campus is a unique program that introduces international students to basic concepts in international business and entrepreneurship together with the specialized language skills necessary to create, promote, and work in international business.  The campus is located in the heart of New York City, close to Union Square, the Village and SoHo.

Program participants will attend workshops in Business English & Culture and engage in a variety of practical activities such as role-plays to maximize English speaking skills. They will also attend classes taught by well-regarded professors in International Business concepts such as finance, marketing and design, technology and intellectual property rights. 

To apply the language and concepts learned in these workshops, and learn team-building skills, students will undertake a project working in groups to develop a business plan, culminating in an elevator pitch competition.

For inspiration and ideas, program participants will have the opportunity to visit both start-up and established businesses in New York City and to meet successful entrepreneurs.  An insider tour of Wall Street is also included.

The spring program is a two-week experience.  Participants may choose from two sessions.  Please check back here for future dates.

A four-week experience is available in the summer (dates TBD)

For more information, contact Alexander Tiger via email at [email protected] or via Line at alexandertiger.

Download the St. John's International Business and Entrepreneurship Tools and Strategies Brochure

Download the St. John's International Business and Entrepreneurship Schedule Sample

 

Business English programs and courses are offered at St. John’s Manhattan campus, home of St. John’s School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science, and the International Insurance Society headquarters. Its proximity to the business and financial hubs of the city, as well as the resources available to program participants within our facilities combine to provide the optimal environment for business professionals to enhance their language skills and cultural knowledge.

More and more multinational companies have adopted English as their language for conducting business. The challenge is that not all employees have had sufficient language training or have gained the confidence needed to navigate their way through the necessary language transactions they face every day.

Global English for Business Executives is designed to help non-native English speaking business leaders refine their English skills and cultural competence in order to communicate more effectively and easily in the global business environment.

Courses

Speaking in the Business World
Knowing what to say and how to say it may be the determining factor to a business’s success or failure. In this course, business executives will gain confidence communicating in English by engaging in role plays, mock interviews, formal and informal oral presentations, and simulated meetings to hone the English communication skills and culture-specific practices they will need in the global business environment.

Business Writing (memos, emails, reports, proposals)
The business world demands that written communication be clear and concise. In this course, business executives will learn and practice a system for writing that helps them generate and outline their ideas effectively and efficiently in emails, memos, short reports, and proposals. Business vocabulary and jargon are emphasized for more precise expression.

Grammar for Business Writing
In a business setting, accurate, fluid written communication is essential for clarity of meaning and the impression the writer wants to make. In this course, business executives will examine and correct troublesome grammar structures that are particular to non-native writers of English.

Customized Courses 
Courses can be created around the specific vocabulary and idiomatic expressions required for certain business groups. Such highly customized courses might necessitate sending a team member to sit in on corporate meetings – or other company interactions -- to identify the terminology to be used in materials for this course. The cost of highly customized courses will be determined depending on what is required to design such courses.

Contact

For information about program and course, costs, and schedules, please contact us at 212-277-5180 or [email protected].

Advanced English for Seminarians highlights religion as a linguistic work, and language as a chief tool for understanding a religion. Advanced language proficiency will assist the seminarian with reading and interpreting the canon of writings, preaching, blessing, hymn singing, reciting, studying and commenting on texts and issues. Students will work with some of the same written and spoken works that they encounter in Master’s degree programs. Individual guidance in written work is emphasized.

Course work aims to improve:

  • Religious Vocabulary
  • English for Bible Study
  • Liturgical Language (including ancient language a.k.a. archaisim)

Contact

To request information about Advanced English for Seminarians, please contact us at [email protected].

In teacher-training programs housed in the Office of International Education, methodology and materials development courses focus on current practices in TESOL/TEFL, including lesson-plan development and delivery, classroom management, and evaluation and assessment tools that align with ACTFL Pre-K-12 Proficiency Guidelines and TESOL Pre-K–12 English Language Proficiency Standards.  Program content is tailored to the unique needs of different classroom contexts.  

If you would like more information on professional development programs, please contact us at [email protected]