The American Language and Culture Program

The American Language and Culture Program (ALCP) serves international students from many different backgrounds who need to develop their English language skills in order to successfully pursue academic studies at University of Detroit Mercy. The ALCP is not a stand-alone intensive English language program, and an I-20 cannot be issued for intensive English language (ESL) instruction. International students must be admitted to a degree program. Then, if supplemental instruction in the English language is needed alone or with academic coursework, ALCP coursework can be offered. Again, international students must apply to and be admitted to a degree program to receive an I-20 from Detroit Mercy.

The ALCP provides English-proficiency testing and placement services to newly-arrived Detroit Mercy nonimmigrant students and offers a structured program of classes in English as a Second Language (ESL) to those who lack sufficient proficiency. For almost all degree programs, we do not require that you demonstrate English proficiency to be admitted. However, undergraduate students applying to a program in the College of Engineering & Science must submit scores at the time of admission. Admissibility will be based on academic grades and TOEFL or IELTS scores submitted.

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    English proficiency testing and placement

    English Proficiency Requirements

    College Board's ACCUPLACER test, which Detroit Mercy uses in place of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), will be administered to first-time and transfer students. It is a computerized test that students will take at the McNichols Campus. Based on test results, students will be assigned accordingly.

    F-1 applicants and their F2 dependents, if they wish to apply to a degree program or become a part-time student at the University of Detroit Mercy, must take the English placement test (i.e. Accuplacer test) unless they meet one of the following conditions: 

    1. Their English Proficiency test scores have exceeded our minimum requirements. Our minimum test scores for the following tests are:
    • Internet-based TOEFL score: 80
    • Paper-based TOEFL score: 550&
    • Overall IELTS Band Score: 6.5
    • Duolingo test score: 105

    *High school applicants can submit either SAT or ACT instead of TOEFL or IELTS. The minimum score on SAT or ACT’s English section is respectively 400 and 17.

    1. They come from a country where English is the primary language (please see the specific country list below), or they have received secondary or higher education in those countries.
    • Australia
    • Belize
    • Canada (except Quebec)
    • Ireland, Republic of
    • New Zealand
    • St. Kitts and Nevis
    • St. Lucia
    • South Africa
    • Trinidad and Tobago
    • United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales)
    1. They have graduated from a U.S. high school or are studying in a college or university (excluding the ESL program) in the U.S.

    English Proficiency Testing

    The ACCUPLACER test for international students at Detroit Mercy has four sections: reading, language use, listening and writing. Questions in the reading, language use and listening sections are multiple choice. The writing section requires the student to respond in writing to a question or topic. The entire test takes approximately three hours to complete. Download sample test questions online.

    Click this link and scroll down to page 14 to see sample questions and answers for ESL-Reading Skills and ESL-Language Use.

    ALCP Placements

    Students who do not pass the ACCUPLACER test (allowing for full academic study), have the following placement options:

    ALCP 1010/5101 — Intensive English (21 hours per week) is a lower-level comprehensive English program that includes writing, reading, speaking and listening. Students who are placed in ALCP 1010/5101 can register only for English classes. Registration in ALCP 1010/5101 constitutes full-time enrollment. After completing ALCP 1010/5101, if students are in good academic standing (as designated by ALCP faculty), they will be retested using the ACCUPLACER test and placed accordingly. These courses are offered only on the McNichols Campus.

    ALCP 2011/5011, 2012/5012, 2013/5013 — Intermediate English (9 hours per week) is an intermediate-level course with three modules that emphasize reading (2011/5011), listening/speaking (2012/5012), and writing (2013/5013). Students who are placed in ALCP Intermediate English are required to register for both English classes and academic courses in order to meet the full-time enrollment requirement. In order to be considered full-time, graduate students taking one or two modules must register for 6 academic credits and those who are taking all three modules must register for 3 academic credits. Undergraduates taking one or two modules must register for 9 academic credits and those who are taking all three modules must register for 6 academic credits in order to be considered full-time. After completing ALCP Intermediate English, if students are in good academic standing (as designated by ALCP faculty), they will be retested using the ACCUPLACER test and placed accordingly.

    ALCP 3150/5315 — Academic Writing and Culture (3 hours per week) is an advanced-level course which focuses on academic writing skills. Students who are placed in ALCP 3150/5315 must also register for academic credits in order to meet the full-time enrollment requirement. Graduate students must register for at least 6 academic credits and undergraduates must register for at least 9 academic credits in addition to this course. After completing ALCP 3150/5315, if students are in good academic standing (as designated by ALCP faculty), they will be retested using the ACCUPLACER test and placed accordingly. Students who receive a final grade below C- in ALCP 3150/5315 must repeat the course.

    Students exiting the program are deemed to be sufficiently proficient in English to successfully engage in a program of academic study at the undergraduate or graduate level.

    ALCP Credits

    Students taking ALCP 1010/5101 receive no credit. Students receive a letter grade on their transcripts. No points for the grade are factored into the grade-point averages.

    Undergraduate students receive 3 credits for ALCP 2011, 2012, 2013 and 1 credit for ALCP 3150. These credits are not counted toward graduation requirements. Students receive a letter grade on their transcripts. Points for the grade are factored into the grade-point averages of undergraduate students.

    Undergraduate post-degree students receive zero credits for ALCP 2011, 2012, 2013 or for ALCP 3150. Students receive a letter grade on their transcripts. No points for the grade are factored into the grade-point averages of undergraduate post-degree students.

    Graduate students receive zero credits for ALCP 5011, 5012, 5013 or for ALCP 5315. Students receive a letter grade on their transcripts. No points for the grade are factored into the grade-point averages of graduate students.

    NOTE: If you are required to take supportive ESL coursework at Detroit Mercy (referred to as ALCP), you may have to defer starting your academic degree program by a semester or longer until you attain a satisfactory level of English proficiency to enroll in academic coursework. Prices for ESL/ALCP coursework can be found here.

    If you have any questions about the ALCP, please contact Alison Roberts (robertad1@udmercy.edu or 313-993-1079) or the ISO main contact (iso@udmercy.edu or 313-993-1205). 

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