Our Programmes

The General English courses are for learners of English as an additional language who want to improve their proficiency in everyday use or in preparation for academic or vocational studies.

Most learners who take our General English courses do so as part of an English language pathway to tertiary study in New Zealand. The General English language courses therefore provide an important English language foundation for more academic study, and familiarise learners with the style of learning they will experience on their NZCEL and tertiary programmes.

We offer General English courses at CEFR levels A1 (Elementary) to C1 (Advanced).

If you successfully complete a CEFR level, you will be eligible for a certificate of completion from UUNZ.

Learners who successfully complete these courses can use English effectively for a variety of everyday, professional and/or academic purposes. Your level of proficiency — A1 (Elementary) to C1 (Advanced) — will depend on the level of course you complete.

To enrol on one of our General English courses, learners must be at least 16 years old and display the appropriate level in the UUNZ Placement Test.

Lessons are practical and communicative. You will learn by completing tasks individually, in pairs and in groups, and receiving feedback from your teacher.

Lessons focus on developing your language systems and skills through tasks in your coursebook and other activities devised by your teacher.

There are a maximum of 16 learners in each class. The only exception to this is if you are a member of a tour group — in this case, your class may be larger.

The course content is based on a core coursebook. We have selected coursebooks which help you develop language for everyday communication as well as explore engaging and topical global issues. You will also have opportunities to learn about New Zealand's unique history and culture, including Māori and Pacific perspectives.

You will have 20 hours of classes per week and a further approximately 2 independent learning hours. Classes are typically scheduled between 8.30am and 6.00pm. You will receive a copy of your timetable when you enrol.

You will complete a progress test in Week 5 and a final, summative test in Week 9. The four skills — listening, reading, writing and speaking — are tested separately, and the tasks and text types are all based on what you have studied during the course.

To complete the course, you must:

• Attend all 9 weeks of the course
• Pass the end-of-course assessments in Week 9

If you do not pass the end-of-course assessments, you can re-enrol for another 9 weeks and attempt the assessments again. If you re-enrol, you will usually study a different coursebook and sit different end-of-course assessments.

Learners who successfully complete a General English level can move up to the next level.

Learners who complete the B1+ and B2 level General English courses can also take our NZCEL placement test and then study either NZCEL Level 4 or 5.

Graduates of this qualification have the English language and academic skills to:

1. Understand extended, complex oral academic texts on a wide range of topics.
2. Participate flexibly and effectively in extended spoken academic discourse on a wide range of topics.
3. Understand extended, complex written academic texts on a wide range of topics.
4. Write well structured, sophisticated, extended academic texts on a wide range of topics.

To enrol on this programme, students must be at least 18 years old and meet ONE of the following requirements:

• Have successfully completed the New Zealand Certificate in English Language (Academic) (Level 4)
• Have an overall IELTS score of 6.0 (Academic or General Training) with no band score lower than 5.5 within the last 2 years
• Have an overall Cambridge First or B2 First for schools score of at least 172 with no score lower than 165 in each skill, within the last 2 years
• Have an overall Pearson Test of English (Academic) score of at least 46, with no band score lower than 36, within the last 2 years
• Achieve an equivalent of CEFR mid B2 in the UUNZ Placement Test

Lessons are practical and communicative. You will learn by completing tasks individually, in pairs and in groups, and receiving feedback from your teacher.

Lessons focus on developing your language and academic skills through tasks in your coursebook, and providing assessment practice and feedback through activities in our Learning Management System, uPortal.

There are a maximum of 16 learners in each class.

The 16-week programme is divided into four modules, with each module focusing on a particular topic. The topics address contemporary global issues, and they have been chosen to ensure that they prepare you for a wide range of tertiary subjects.

The topics also make connections to the New Zealand context, including Māori and Pacific social, cultural, environmental, scientific and historical perspectives.

• Module 1 — Language and culture: The value of language learning; the relationship between language and culture; Māori and Pacific culture, world view and language; impact of colonisation and revival
• Module 2 — Business: The 21st century workplace; work-life balance; Māori and Pacific business and leadership models
• Module 3 — Modern life: 21st century cities; the importance of public spaces; reflecting Aotearoa New Zealand's cultural diversity in urban design
• Module 4 — Environment: The energy crisis; sustainable alternatives to landfill; application of kaitiakitanga to contemporary environmental issues; Pacific responses to climate change

You will have 20 hours of classes per week and a further approximately 18 independent learning hours.

You will have 5 hours of classes per day Monday–Thursday. Classes are scheduled between 8.30am and 6.00pm. You will receive a copy of your timetable when you enrol.

Fridays are dedicated to guided independent learning, e.g. carrying out research and completing assignments.

There are three summative assessments for each of the four skills — 12 in total. Assessments are scheduled throughout the 16 weeks, and you will have several chances to pass most assessments.

• Listening: Listening exam (a monologue); listening exam (a dialogue); summary and evaluation of an academic spoken text
• Speaking: Oral presentation; two group discussions
• Reading: Reading exam (text 1); reading exam (text 2); summary and evaluation of three academic written texts
• Writing: Essay under test conditions; research report; essay completed in class under your teacher's supervision

To complete the programme and be awarded the qualification, you must:

• Attend all 16 weeks and complete the required learning hours
• Pass all 12 assessments

If you do not pass the programme, you can re-enrol and reattempt different versions of the assessments you haven't passed. You will not have to repeat assessments you have already passed. However, you must attend all classes and participate fully.

Graduates of this qualification can enrol on many postgraduate programmes in New Zealand at Levels 8 and 9.