UB English Course Placement for Undergraduate Non-Native Speakers of English

Undergraduate students admitted to UB who are non-native speakers of English are placed into the Communicative Literacy 1 (CL1) English course (ELI 105) primarily on the basis of standardized English proficiency exam scores. The most common test scores used for this purpose are scores from either the TOEFL iBT or the IELTS exams that students typically submit with their UB applications.

• All non-native English speaking students who meet or exceed each of the four sub-section scores on either the TOEFL iBT or IELTS exams should be placed in a “Z” section of ENG 105. ENG 105Z sections are reserved exclusively for non-native writers of English, the course syllabus is tailored to the specific needs of non-native writers of English, and instructors do not assume that students have significant pre-existing knowledge of American culture.
• International students may request placement into a “non-Z” section of ELI 105 only by fulfilling both steps:
  1. Obtain approval from the program director for English as a Second Language
     
  2. Meet one of the following conditions:
     • Scored substantially higher than the four sub-section score minimums described in the ELI 105Z placement rubric
     • Scored substantially higher than 550 EWRS on the SAT and did not submit TOEFL or IELTS exam scores
     • Did not submit SAT, TOEFL, or IELTS exam scores
• Non-native speakers of English who are USA citizens or permanent residents and who have been admitted to UB as domestic students should be advised to meet with the ELI program director for English as a Second Language to confirm whether placement in an ELI 105Z or a “non-Z” section is most appropriate.
  

• The ELI 105Z placement rubric is based on TOEFL and IELTS exam sub-section scores (not total scores) for each of the four skill areas.
• All non-native English speaking students who meet or exceed each of the four subsection scores should be placed in ELI 105Z.

All non-native English speaking students who score below the minimum sub-section scores specified in the ELI 105Z placement rubric should be placed into ELI 100Z (Introduction to Academic Writing) and/or ELI 411Z (Spoken English) based on the pre-CL1 placement rubric.

Depending on a student’s specific sub-section scores, placement could be:

• ELI 100Z (only)
• ELI 411Z (only)
• Both ELI 100Z and ELI 411Z

Students required to take ELI 100Z and/or ELI 411Z must adhere to the following three conditions during their first semester:

1. Students must take the required ELI 100Z (Introduction to Academic Writing) and/or ELI 411Z (Spoken English) course(s) in their first semester.
2. Students who are required to take both ELI 100Z and ELI 411Z may not register for more than four courses total during their first semester (this total includes the two required English courses).
3. Students must achieve a final grade of “C” or higher in each English course to fulfill this English course requirement. If a student receives a final grade of “C-” or lower in either English course, the course(s) must be repeated the following semester until a final grade of “C” or higher is earned.

If the final course grades for both ELI 100Z and ELI 411Z are “C-” or below, the four-course limit applies until this English requirement has been met.