The program maintains memberships in the Association of International Educators: NAFSA, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). the Pennsylvania Council on International Education (PaCIE), and Three-Rivers TESOL. It has also been accepted for accreditation candidacy through TESOL TCA.

Fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Duquesne University is recognized as an approved institution by numerous governmental sponsoring organizations throughout the world. The university is situated on a scenic, 39-acre hilltop overlooking downtown Pittsburgh and within short walking distance of the city’s excellent cultural, recreational and entertainment offerings.

Duquesne University has been rated as the safest campus in Pennsylvania and one of the safest institutions in the country by USA Today, as among the top ten Catholic Universities in the United States by US News and World Report, and
Among the "300 Best Buys in American Higher Education" by Barron’s Educational Guide.

Program Schedule and Curriculum
The ESL Program is offered on the same semester schedule as Duquesne University three times each academic year:

* Fall Semester: September to December
* Spring Semester: January to April
* Summer Session: May to July

The program curriculum includes classes at basic, intermediate and advanced levels in the following learning areas: grammar, speaking, reading, writing, listening comprehension and note-taking, study skills and cultural orientation. Depending upon language placement test results, students study between twelve and twenty hours per week for fifteen weeks each semester. Each class meets four hours per week.

Classes are also available in computer applications, teaching and spoken English skills for graduate international teaching assistants, and in TOEFL test preparation.

Student Services Available on Campus
ESL Program students enjoy the same privileges as other Duquesne University students. ESL students have access to Duquesne University student life programs, services and organizations. The Vice-President for Student Life coordinates the Departments of Athletics, Student Development Office, Residence Life, Commuter Affairs, Health Services,

Student Programs and Activities---including more than one hundred campus student organizations. All provide an excellent setting for language learning and practice.

Key services include:
* On-campus housing is available in five residence halls and is available to accepted international students on a priority basis. Residence facilities remain open for occupancy by international students during holidays and academic break periods.
* Full-time Foreign Student Advisors assist with arrival orientation, application processing, and immigration requirements for students issued "F" and "J" visas.
* The program consults with the Duquesne University International Students Organization (ISO) which helps with meeting students upon their arrival in Pittsburgh.* Opportunities exist for visits to U.S. host families in and around the Pittsburgh area, in cooperation with the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors (PCIV).
* The program offers at no charge the Institutional Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) each semester.
* Students enjoy access to Duquesne University computer laboratories and the Des Places Language Center audio-visual laboratory for computer assisted language learning.
* An individualized tutorial assistance program, including native English speaker conversation partners serving in selected classes, is offered each semester.
* Each student is assigned an ESL Advisor to offer guidance throughout the program.* There are opportunities to combine ESL classes and academic program course work for qualified students, including those enrolled as non-degree students.
* The university awards academic credit for ESL courses completed by students enrolled in undergraduate Duquesne University degree programs.
* Students can earn a Certificate of Successful Program Completion after completion of each program level.

Learning Facilities and Computer Technology
Duquesne University is now in the excellent position of having completed most of its physical development needs for the foreseeable future. The University now ranks among state-of-the art institutions in terms of access to computer technology resources.

Residence halls have been updated for convenient student access and computer technology is also accessible both through campus-wide computer laboratories available in all Schools of Duquesne University.

Classrooms are equipped for instructional access to computer as well as other media technology facilitated through a campus media center. The campus library also offers access to state-of-the art information technology data bases and research resources.

The ESL Program Offices and Language Laboratory are housed in the Des Places Language Center. This facility also houses two language laboratories offering over forty computer-based and audio-visual resource stations, including access to internet and world wide web learning resources. ESL students enjoy additional access to these facilities for completing assignments and independent learning sessions after their regularly scheduled classes.

Cultural and Recreational Activities

Key activities include:
* Access to campus activities organized through the Duquesne University Office of Student Life, including more than one hundred student organizations and an array of athletic facilities including swimming, fitness and sports complexes
* Shopping trips & field trips to neighboring cities organized by the Office of International Affairs
* Participation in the annual Duquesne University International Night organized by the International Student Organization
* Access to national entertainment groups invited to perform at the Duquesne University Palumbo Center as well as to on-campus music recitals organized by the Duquesne University School of Music
* Extra-curricular conversation and social activities organized on a semester basis by the ESL Program
* Access to lecture series organized by the Schools of Liberal Arts, Natural and Environmental Sciences, Business, Education, Nursing, Law, and Health Sciences
* Convenient access to cultural and sporting events offered in downtown Pittsburgh, including dance, theatre, opera, symphony, as well as football, baseball, and ice hockey.

Program Costs and Refund Policy
Tuition in U.S. dollars for twenty hours per week of instruction, Housing Books, Health Insurance and Personal Expenses for the 2000-2001 academic year are as follows:

One Semester (four months): $ 7, 352
Two Semesters (eight months): $ 14,704
Three Semesters (eleven months) $ 20, 874

The ESL Program permits refunds during the scheduled "add/drop" period for classes printed in the Duquesne University Schedule of Classes. Otherwise, course fees are not refundable nor are they subject to the graduated tuition refund schedule in the semester academic calendar.