PLACE’s student handbook has a lot of useful information for future and current students and is a great place to find answers to your questions. Read more or jump to the handbook sections below:
Welcome
On behalf of PLACE faculty and staff, we warmly welcome you to Colorado State University! We are thrilled to have you here with us and to help you reach your English language goals whether for personal, professional, or academic purposes. Our highly qualified faculty and staff have the knowledge and experience to help you gain the skills you need to improve your English. During your time with us, you will have opportunities to interact with the Fort Collins community, the CSU campus, and other people from around the world. We understand that learning a new language in a new environment can be challenging, which is why we are dedicated to supporting you and making your experience here as rewarding as possible. We are genuinely excited to be a part of your English language learning journey, so thank you for choosing us!
Program Overview
Intensive English Program
The IEP is an intensive, immersive language experience that is typically one to three semesters long, based on the needs of each individual student. When students arrive, they
participate in language testing that places them at one of three levels for each course: Literacy, Fluency, STEM English, Business English, and an Elective. The IEP courses are not CSU credit-bearing courses but are specifically designed for IEP students before entering CSU or another university. Full-time students are expected to be in class 18 hours a week, and classes are held during the fall semester (two 8-week terms),
spring semester (two 8-week terms), and summer semester (one 8-week term). Our classes are designed to focus on the important skills needed to be a successful university student.
Year-1 Program
In addition to the IEP, students conditionally admitted to CSU may participate in our Year-1 Program. This program is for new students whose placement scores test out of two Level 3 courses or for continuing students who have completed at least two Level 3 classes. Also, students with clear admission to CSU may elect to participate in the Year-1 Program for a more supported start to their university experience. The
program lasts one semester, with start dates in August and January. The program is one semester
long but can be repeated for a second semester if a student is still taking Level 3 courses. Undergraduate students enrolled in this program must maintain at least 2.0 grade point average (GPA) and graduate students must keep at least 3.0 GPA to remain eligible for the program. A student who completes the Year-1 Program will have met the language proficiency requirements for admission to a CSU undergraduate program; however, additional requirements may be necessary for graduate students. Students in the Year-1 Program will take a minimum of 6 hours of IEP classes per week per semester and a minimum of 6 credit hours of undergraduate or 3 credit hours of graduate coursework per semester. If you pursue the Year-1 Program option, you will work with an academic advisor to help you choose the undergraduate or graduate classes that are best for you.
English for Academic Purposes
Through the Department of English, PLACE offers undergraduate English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses. These courses are open to IEP students who don’t have a full course load and are ineligible for the Year-1 Program as well as directly or conditionally admitted CSU students.
Placement
Placement Testing
During orientation week, new students take two placement tests. At PLACE, we use the Oxford Placement Test (OPT), Use of English and Listening, plus our own writing exam to determine a student’s course levels. The OPT is taken online and graded automatically. OPT scores are used to place students into their Fluency, Business English, and Elective classes. The writing exam score is used to place students into their Literacy and STEM English courses. For the writing placement exam, 2-3 instructors score the student’s work based on a rubric that examines both writing and grammar skills. The average score of both or all three ratings is used to determine the final writing placement score. If you are a full-time student and test out (get a placement score higher than Level 3) of any skills, you may be enrolled in the Year-1 Program to maintain your language visa status.
Your placement test results may indicate that you should take classes at two different proficiency levels (e.g., Level 1 Literacy, Level 2 Fluency), and many PLACE students do. IEP policy states that you can take classes at two different levels, but no more than one level apart – meaning you cannot be enrolled in Level 1 and Level 3 courses at the same time. If you take classes at two levels, your placement in the Elective will be determined by the lower of the two levels. For example, if you place into Level 1 Literacy and STEM
English, and Level 2 Fluency and Business English, you would enroll in a Level 1 Elective.
| SCORE AVERAGE | LEVEL PLACEMENT |
| 1.0-1.99 | Level 1 (CEFR A2-A2+) |
| 2.0-2.99 | Level 2 (CEFR B1-B1+) |
| 3.0-3.99 | Level 3 (CEFR B2-B2+) |
| 4.0-4.99 | Year-1 Program |
Appeals and Level Adjustments
New students whose placement scores end with a .70-.99 (e.g., 2.73) are eligible for a course-level appeal and can retake the placement test(s) for those courses.
Retesting for students appealing their placement will take place on Monday morning of Week 1. Once the second set of test scores is determined, we will use the higher of the test scores to recalculate the placement for the student. If the appeal score is within the range of scores for the next level, the student will move up to that next level in that skill area. If the score is not high enough, the student will stay at the level they originally placed into. Appeal results will be emailed to students the Monday afternoon of Week 1 or will be communicated to students by the Program Manager on the second day of classes.
Late Placement Policy for New Students
New IEP students must arrive no later than the Sunday before the first week of classes so they
can take the late placement exam on Monday morning of Week 1 and start attending their
classes on Tuesday of Week 1. Except in extenuating circumstances permitted by PLACE
administration, all students, both new and continuing, must be in classes no later than Monday
of the first week of classes for the session.
Students taking late placement tests may be eligible to appeal their placement level, following
similar policies and procedures listed above – with retesting to occur on Tuesday of Week 1.
Level Placement for Returning Students
If a student returns to the IEP after being away for more than one semester, they will be required to retake the placement tests. This is to ensure that the student’s current level of English proficiency is equivalent to the level the student progressed to prior to leaving the Intensive English Program.
Mid-Semester Intake
If you join our program at a Term B intake (October, March, July), you will participate in placement testing procedures. However, because you will be joining a level at the midpoint, slightly higher proficiency is needed to join Levels 2 and 3 than in Term A (see scores below).
| SCORE AVERAGE | LEVEL PLACEMENT |
| 1.0-2.49 | Level 1 (CEFR A2-B1) |
| 2.5-3.49 | Level 2 (CEFR B1+-B2) |
| 3.5-4.0 | Level 3 (CEFR B2+) |
Schedule
Classes are designed to focus on the important skills needed to be a successful university
student. Fall and spring semesters consist of two 8-week terms. Summer consists of one 8-week term: Term A. PLACE follows CSU’s calendar for holidays and breaks. Each full-time student will take 18 hours of class per week – with a 21-hour option available. Below is an example of what your schedule might look like when you are a full-time student at PLACE. Keep in mind that this is an example schedule and yours may vary based on your proficiency needs or other factors.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
| 9:00- 10:30 | STEM | Fluency | STEM | Fluency | Literacy (until 11:00) |
| 10:45- 12:15 | Literacy (until 12:45) | Business | Literacy (until 12:45) | Business | |
| 1:00- 2:30 | Elective | Elective |
Grades & Level Progression
Passing a course
For students to progress through the program, they must earn an S (80% or higher) in their classes. At the midpoint (end of Week 4), if a student is at risk of not passing a course, they will meet with a member of PLACE administration to discuss their progress. At the end of the term, if you successfully pass a course, you will move on to the next course or level. If it is the end of Term A, you will continue in the same level in Term B. If you pass all of your classes at the end of Term B, you will move to the next level. When you have completed all of your Level 3 courses (pass all classes in Term B of Level 3), you have successfully completed our Intensive English Program. If you pass Level 3 classes in some skills but have not completed the program, you may be enrolled in the Year-1 Program and take CSU courses to maintain your full-time enrollment and visa status. Also, students can only take classes one level apart meaning that you cannot be enrolled in a Level 1 and Level 3 course at the same time. In the case that you pass some but not all classes and are scheduled to take classes in Levels 1 and 3, you will meet with the Director to discuss your progression.
In order to meet the language requirement for admission to CSU, you need to pass all classes in Level 3 Term B (second half of the semester). Meet with our International Admissions Manager to learn more about applying to CSU. You can make an appointment by emailing [email protected].
Repeating a course
IEP policy states that if you are not successful in a course on your first attempt, you may retake it. Students who do not pass a repeated course will be recommended for dismissal from PLACE. When a student repeats a course or courses, they must meet with the Program Manager to sign an Academic Performance Contract to understand the importance of staying in good academic standing and the consequences of not passing on the second attempt. Based on this course repetition policy, the maximum time allowed in program is six semesters (Level 1 A & B x 2 = two semesters; Level 2 A & B x 2 = two semesters ; Level 3 A & B x 2 = two semesters).
Final Grades
After the semester is finished, you can view your final grades in RamWeb. To do so, log into RamWeb, click on Menu, Records, and then select either Grades or Transcripts. By selecting Unofficial Transcript, you’re able to download and print a complete copy of the classes you’ve taken and grades you’ve received while at CSU.
Achievement Scale
Each of the PLACE courses is associated with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). This is a scale used to describe language proficiency. The chart below shows the course levels and their equivalent proficiencies.
| COURSES | CEFR EQUIVALENT |
| Level 1 A | CEFR A2 |
| Level 1 B | CEFR A2+ |
| Level 2 A | CEFR B1 |
| Level 2 B | CEFR B1+ |
| Level 3 A | CEFR B2 |
| Level 3 B | CEFR B2+ |
In general, a learner with A1-A2 proficiency is considered to be a basic user of English. A learner with B1-B2 proficiency is considered to be an independent user of English.
Appeals
It is possible to appeal, or challenge, a final term grade or grades due to one of the following reasons: (1) a grading error, miscalculation, or inconsistency, or (2) extenuating circumstances (e.g., health or personal issues). Here is the process:
- Complete the Appeals Form which will be sent via email from a member of the PLACE administration team during finals week.
- On the form, you will be asked to write a paragraph about your experience with the class and present evidence for your appeal.
- Download your grade report from Canvas and submit it along with the form.
- To submit your appeals form and other materials, reply to the appeals email by 9:00 am MST on the Monday after finals week.
- After you submit your appeal, the PLACE Appeals Committee, led by the Director, will meet to review your appeals form, evidence, and your grade report. The committee will make a decision about your appeal based on the evidence they receive.
- You will receive an email notifying you of the outcome of your appeal by the end of the day on the Wednesday after finals week.
- If your appeal is successful, you will meet with the Director to sign an Academic Performance Contract for the following semester and also come up with a plan for checking in with a member of the PLACE administration team throughout the term to ensure you are on track to be successful in your classes. If necessary, you may meet with a tutor for additional support.
Student Behavior
PLACE teachers want to help you be a successful university student and to do this it is necessary that all students act responsibly. The following explains what responsible student behavior looks like according to CSU’s Student Conduct Code.
Responsible Student Behavior
When a student is acting responsibly and meeting university expectations, they exhibit the following behavior:
- showing respect to their teachers and classmates
- being an active learner and participant in the classroom
- attending class on time every day
- completing homework and other class activities on time
- doing their own work
- avoiding using distracting devices in class
- checking student accounts every day (e.g. Canvas, CSU email, Ramweb, etc.)
- attending scheduled appointments
Disruptive Student Behavior
When a student disrupts the class or other students’ ability to learn, the teacher will talk to the student and ask the student to stop the disruptive behavior. If the student’s behavior continues, the following steps will be taken.
Classroom Dismissal Policies
- The teacher asks the student to stop the disruptive behavior.
- If the behavior does not stop immediately, the teacher will ask the student to leave the class. The following steps will be taken:
- The student must not return to the class on that day.
- The student will be counted absent.
- The student will not be allowed to make up any work or exams missed during that time.
- The teacher reports the incident to the Director.
- The student will be asked to meet with the Director and complete an Academic and Behavioral Performance Contract. In
extreme circumstances, the incident may also be reported to CSU’s Resolution Center. - If the disruptive behavior continues once the contract has been signed, a student may be dismissed from the IEP.
Attendance
PLACE students must attend 80% of their total class hours for the term. The specific number of hours of absence allowed will vary based on the number of hours per week you are taking. Instructors mark attendance in Canvas, and students can check their attendance in Canvas or in person on a printed weekly report available at the front desk.
When a full-time student has missed 5 hours of class in a term, they will receive an email alerting them. At 10 hours absent, they will meet with the Director for International Student Success and Retention. At 15 hours of absence, they will meet with the Program Manager and sign an Academic and Behavioral Performance Contract. If they continue to miss class and are absent for more than 80% of their total course hours, they will be recommended for dismissal.
This is how absent hours are counted:
- 1 class absence in STEM, Fluency, Business, or Elective = 1.5 hours
- 1 class absence in Literacy = 2 hours
- If you arrive late to class, you will be counted tardy
- 1 tardy = .5 hour
- If you are 10 minutes (or more) late to class, you may be considered absent.
- If you leave class for 10 minutes (or more), you may be marked tardy or absent.
Absence Hour Limits by Term
The maximum number of absence hours you can take per term depends
on how many hours of class per week you’re enrolled in:
- 3 hours enrolled = 4 hours of absence allowed per term
- 6 hours enrolled = 8 hours of absence
- 9 hours enrolled = 13 hours of absence
- 12 hours enrolled = 17 hours of absence
- 15 hours enrolled = 21 hours of absence
- 18 hours enrolled = 25 hours of absence
- 21 hours enrolled = 29 hours of absence
Academic Integrity
As a student at PLACE and CSU, it is important that you always do your own work. Academic integrity means that all students and instructors do their own work honestly and ethically. This is an important value of PLACE and CSU, and all courses will follow CSU’s guidelines and policies on academic integrity in the General Catalog. You can also read more about Academic Integrity at CSU on The Institute For Learning And Teaching’s (TILT) webpage.
According to TILT, academic integrity is when a student…
CSU Honor Pledge
CSU has an honor pledge (a promise of honesty) that instructors may ask students to copy and sign when completing assignments. When you sign this honor pledge, it is your promise that you are following the guidelines of academic integrity at CSU and doing your own work. The CSU Honor Pledge says:
“I have not given, received, or used any unauthorized assistance.”
Academic Misconduct
When someone does not follow the expectations of academic integrity or the honor pledge, this is called academic misconduct. If a student engages in academic misconduct the following will take place:
- The teacher meets with the student.
- The teacher determines the appropriate consequences.
- The teacher reports the incident to the Program Manager to be recorded in the student file. If a pattern or academic dishonesty is noticed, the Program Manager may meet with the student to sign an Academic and Behavioral Performance Contract.
Program Dismissal
An attendance dismissal happens when a student has missed too many hours of class. Performance
dismissal may happen when a student is repeatedly not meeting the responsible expectations of a student
listed above. If a student is dismissed for any reason, they will receive a dismissal email. Students can
appeal their dismissal within 3 weekdays of the email. Students should email the Director to make an
appointment to discuss the dismissal and can also meet with an Office of International Programs International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) advisor to discuss their situation. If they qualify for a
medically Reduced Course Load (RCL) or other excusable circumstances, dismissal may not occur. If a dismissal appeal is not successful, the student will meet with the Director to sign a dismissal contract.
Re-admission
Students who have been dismissed from the Intensive English Program due to attendance and/or performance may reapply to the program after they have attended another English language program for at least one semester, or the equivalent, and have proven themselves to be responsible students in the other program. Those students’ situations will be reviewed by the Intensive English Program and the International Enrollment Center on a case-by-case basis.
Student Complaints
INFORMAL COMPLAINTS
If you have a problem that you could discuss with someone who is directly involved, this is considered an informal complaint. The goal of an informal complaint is to come to a conclusion that everyone involved agrees with. Here is what you should do if you have an informal complaint:
- Speak to someone who is involved with or who can help you with the problem. If you have a problem in a class, this would be the teacher.
- If you cannot come to an agreement, make an appointment to speak to the Program Manager. You can ask the Welcome Desk to help you set up this appointment.
FORMAL COMPLAINTS
There may also be situations where you do not feel comfortable speaking to the person who the complaint is about because the situation feels inappropriate or unsafe. In this case, or if your informal complaint is not resolved sufficiently, you would follow the steps for submitting a formal complaint. The goal of a formal complaint is to determine if someone has acted in a way that violates PLACE or CSU policies.
- If you have gone through the process for informal complaints and still feel that your complaint has not been resolved, or do not feel comfortable talking to someone involved directly in your complaint, you can complete this form to submit a formal complaint to the Director of the program.
- Once your formal complaint has been received, it will be reviewed by the Director and you will receive a formal reply within 2 business days. If a meeting is necessary, you will be contacted to set up a meeting to discuss your complaint.
OTHER COMPLAINTS
Complaints are handled by the
Program Manager and Director of PLACE. If you have a complaint related one of these individuals and would like to speak to someone else, please contact the Vice Provost of International Affairs.
We take your complaints seriously, and any retaliation, or punishment, against a student for making a complaint, is not allowed and will be considered a serious violation of professional responsibility.
Student Success Services
Academic Advising
If you have questions about your academic program or studies, contact the Program Manager of PLACE to discuss your academic concerns or questions. Speak to someone at the Welcome Desk in Spruce Hall to set up an appointment with the Program Manager.
Immigration Advising
PLACE works directly with ISSS on all things related to immigration. If you have questions about your immigration status or paperwork, please set up an appointment with an advisor in ISSS by completing the appointment form.
Finances, Withdrawals, Refunds
PLACE follows CSU’s financial policies and procedures and deadlines related to registration, withdrawals, and refunds. More information on these policies is available on the Office of the Registrar’s webpage. The Registration Dates page includes an overview of important registration and withdrawal dates. If you have questions about class registration, billing, or refunds, please meet with the Program Manager.
Health Insurance
All international students, scholars, and their dependents are required to have health insurance while at CSU. Once you register for classes at CSU, you will be automatically enrolled in an insurance plan. However, if you have comparable insurance already, you can complete a waiver and keep your existing insurance. These requirements and plans change over time, so the best places to look for up-to-date information are the CSU Health Network’s International Student Health Insurance Plan and International Student and Scholar Services Health Resources webpages. If you have questions about your insurance, please reach out directly to ISSS.
Basic Needs
At CSU, Rams take care of Rams—period. If you are experiencing food, housing, and/or transportation insecurity, please contact [email protected].
Title IX
If you have experienced sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and/or stalking, know that you are not alone. Confidential victim advocates through the Victim Assistance Team in the Women and Gender Advocacy Center are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide support at 970-492-4242. For full information about reporting sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and/or retaliation please go to the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity.
Housing
PLACE does not provide or arrange housing for students, but CSU and Fort Collins have many options. You can learn about housing options through CSU’s Housing & Dining Services. If you have difficulties finding housing, you can also contact Lisa Pappas, the Associate Director of International Student Success and Retention for additional support.
Mental Health and Wellness
If you feel stressed or need emotional support, make an appointment with Lisa Pappas ([email protected]) or call CSU’s Counseling Services at (970) 491-6053 for a free appointment and resources.
CSU is a community that cares. You are not alone. CSU Health Network Counseling Services has trained professionals who can help. Your student fees provide access to a wide range of support services. Call Counseling Services and they will work with you to find out which services are right for you. Visit CSU’s Counseling Services webpage for additional student mental health and well-being resources. For a list of resources available to students, visit CSU’s Mental Health and Well-Being Resources for Students webpage.
If you are concerned about a friend or classmate, use Tell Someone by calling (970) 491-1350 or visiting the Tell Someone webpage to share your concerns with a professional who can connect the individual with the proper resources. Rams Take Care of Rams. Reach out and ask for help if you or someone you know is having a difficult time.
Student Disability Center
Students who have federally supported disabilities will find information about processes and support available at the Student Disability Center.