Our Mission
Üsküdar University Preparatory Program is mainly for students whose proficiency in the English language is not sufficient to further their studies. Therefore, the program aims at improving students’ competency and skills in the English language at the academic level in order to prepare them for their academic studies and beyond.
Our Vision and Aims
Our Program aims at developing students’ linguistic accuracy and range in English as well as introducing a critical approach to thinking, reading, speaking and writing in an academic environment. The students will be equipped with the survival skills they need not only during their undergraduate studies but also after they graduate and become active agents in academic, professional and social environments.
Our Program has adopted the teaching philosophy which is based on the belief that a good teacher should empower students to take ownership of their education. This involves enhancement of skills and facilitation of students’ learning process rather than a simplistic transfer of dry information. The instructors, in this program, are thus guides or facilitators coaxing students on an intellectual journey, to help them develop curiosity about language and culture, and to give them the opportunity to confront new ideas and different points of view. This; we believe to be the best way to motivate students to improve their language, learn to think critically, ultimately to improve their minds and become autonomous agents.
We employ a student-centred approach to develop our students’ academic, linguistic and critical thinking skills. To this end, we make sure all our classes are based on the principles of
- student autonomy,
- life-long education,
- academic honesty,
- criticality,
- democratic learning environment,
- student-centered constructivist methodology,
- instructor as facilitator.