Language Center

Language Center

The University of Santo Tomas Language Center (USTLC) offers special non-degree, non-credit language proficiency programs outside the curricular offerings of the university. Conducted at the Center are customized language programs for local and international learners and professionals who need to improve their language skills in their academic coursework, professions, and language tests preparation.

History

The establishment of the University of Santo Tomas Language Center (USTLC) had been approved by the Academic Senate in December 2007 and operated as an adjunct of the Department of Languages. Since 2009, the USTLC has been established as a separate office under the Office of the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs (OVRAA).

Initially conducted at the University of Santo Tomas Language Center were special classes in English and Filipino, first semester of AY 2008-2009. It also acceded to the special request of the Ecclesiastical Faculty to help its enrolled foreign learners, mostly priests, to address their communication needs in English. To date, conducted at the Language Center are customized English language programs designed for local and foreign learners and educational institutions with Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with UST.     

The former chair of the Department of Languages, Dr. Marilu R. Madrunio, now the Dean of the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters was the first Officer-In-Charge (OIC) of the Language Center. Asst. Prof. Ana Maria Gloria S. Ward and Ms. Eva Kalaw were consecutively appointed Officers-in-Charge after her stint. From AY 2013 to 2021, Asst. Prof. Honorata S. Dayao, a former faculty member of the College of Education, prepared intensive and immersive programs for student groups from foreign universities as an OIC.  In 2022, Ms. Jamela M. Laguador, head facilitator of the Intensive English Language Program, became the OIC and helped transition the Language Center’s planning and implementation of the programs to advocate hybrid learning.

Mission

Vision

Mission

The USTLC is dedicated to fostering humanistic language teaching and learning and achieving high levels of language proficiency for the students’ special needs or specific purposes for local and international communication and understanding.

Vision

Devoted to the ideals of St. Thomas’ traditions of excellence, the USTLC aspires to be a highly qualified and globally recognized language center where learners are engaged in a collaborative and humanistic education with the ultimate goal of realizing their life-performance roles.

Objectives

Objectives

  • Meet the language and cross-cultural learning needs of non-native speakers who need to communicate and interact in the target language;
  • Equip the students with necessary skills to meet their goals with emphasis on their social, academic and professional communication needs;
  • Provide language testing programs for local and foreign students;
  • Move from special to mainstream language classes.

English Proficiency Levels

English Proficiency Levels

The UST Language Center adapts its curriculum on the basis of the CEFR and IELTS Band Levels.

Students may enroll under one of the English Language Proficiency Levels (ELP) listed below: 

* For more information on the descriptors for each level, kindly refer to CEFR Global Scale.

* For self-assessment, kindly refer to this CEFR Chart

Programs Offered

Programs Offered


Oral Communication (min. 30 hours)

  • This course targets the development of speaking and listening skills by carrying out basic social communication through practical tasks and meaningful transactions. Its objective is to help Beginner and Pre-Intermediate learners gain confidence by practicing pronunciation and prosody in conversations and read-alouds. For Intermediate and High Intermediate learners, it aspires to develop communicative competence through spontaneous speaking activities like discussion of real-life topics. For Advanced and Mastery learners, academic speaking and listening skills are developed by focusing on active learning strategies highlighted in creating speeches and presentations.

Reading and Writing (min. 30 hours)

  • This course prepares student’s reading and writing skills to help them become strategic in applying language skills in different context areas to lead them in becoming life-long learners. Beginner and Pre-Intermediate learners gain understanding of the common text types and organizational charts. Intermediate and High Intermediate learners are equipped with higher order thinking, reading, and writing skills while Advanced and Mastery learners are trained to understand and write complex text, including technical discussion in their field of specialization.

Bridging Program (min. 90 hours)

  • This course bridges the gap between students’ level and the required minimum standards for mainstream classes. This is specially crafted for foreign learners who wish to study in the University of Santo Tomas either for undergraduate or graduate programs. The program includes modules on Social English, Academic English, and Research. This requires students to have an Intermediate to High Intermediate Proficiency level.

Intensive English Language Program (min. 90 hours)

  • The course endeavors to develop students’ English skills for effective communication through real-life activities such as interviews, asking for directions, discussion and presentation of culture-related topics. It is an intensive and immersive program for groups of students who wish to explore the interplay of social and academic English and culture of the Philippines and their home country.

English for Specific Purposes (min. 30 hours)

  • This course emphasizes the customization of a student’s language learning by first implementing a Needs Analysis. Curriculum design is largely dependent on the student’s desired outcomes and current skill level. This course may focus on either test preparation, academic, or professional purposes.

Gallery

Gallery

PROGRAM FEATURES

VIRTUAL OFFICE

OUR GRADUATES

The Team

The Team

Ms. Carine Iries M. Suacillo

Officer-in-Charge  

Ms. Elsa Margarita A. Martinez

Staff

Contact Information

Office Address

Telephone Numbers

Online

Office Address

Office Hours: Wednesdays: 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Telephone Numbers

Online

Email Address: language.center@ust.edu.ph

Facebook: @ustlanguagecenter 

UST Language Center Virtual Office : 
              https://meet.google.com/rtj-cmqs-vxo 
Office Hours : Tuesdays & Thursdays
11:00 AM – 12:00 NN | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM


Google Calendar Appointment System
(for inquiries):      
https://calendar.app.google/Jnx5a3Z5TJNvDCny9