Saint Leo University
The Bridge Program offered at Saint Leo University (Tampa Bay area, Florida) is designed to help international students face and overcome the challenges of adjusting to a foreign culture, mastering the academic target language, and becoming part of their new academic community, while thriving academically.
Bridge is an English for Academic Purposes program designed for international students whose language proficiency does not meet the University requirements; the courses support the development of academic language skills and prepare students to successfully take their mainstream classes. Depending on the language proficiency level, students join either the fast one-semester track or the regular two-semester track.
The program is an excellent choice for intermediate and advanced-intermediate language learners. Unlike a traditional English language school, it provides a direct pathway to the university classes. Here are some examples of how students benefit from the curriculum and program design:
- The credits earned are recognized as academic credits and are counted towards graduation. While in the program, students can earn up to 23 elective and 7 general education credits.
- The programs overarching goal is to develop students academic skills.
- While in the program, students take their first general education university courses.
- Students become active members of Saint Leo University, an academic community that has a century-long tradition of welcoming students of all faiths.
- The class size is capped at 10-15 students and the overall Saint Leo University student-teacher ratio is 14:1.
- Students enjoy learning at the beautiful state-of-the-art campus of the oldest Catholic institution of higher education in Florida.
- Saint Leo is ranked as one of the top universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report.
After the program, students report that they feel more at ease and confident with American culture and their academic language skills as well as with the demands and requirements posed by academic life within the U.S., as demonstrated by the following quotes:
“Participating in the Bridge Program gave me the chance to meet students from all over the world. I made a lot of friends. The Bridge Program helped me improve my academic writing.” — Ammar Mohrat
“I feel really satisfied and happy with all my experiences during this semester, and I look forward to the next one.” — Valeria Vespolli
