Program Overview

Introduction to the Preparatory Year Program

The Preparatory Year Program at the University of Prince Mugrin is designed to bridge the gap between general school education and university-level studies. It aims to nurture and develop students' knowledge and skills in the English language, math, and computer science.

About the Program

The program serves as the gateway for new students entering university, focusing on their academic needs to promote both the essential capacities for lifelong learning and a knowledge base that is transferable across various academic disciplines and vocational contexts. It is committed to providing students with opportunities to enhance their critical thinking skills, develop their communication and mathematical abilities, stimulate their capacity for creative and innovative thinking, and enrich their knowledge of the broader social and cultural worlds in which they will live and work.

Goals

The preparatory year program aims to achieve the following goals:

• Bridge the gap between general education and university education by enhancing scientific knowledge and developing students' discipline, training, and critical thinking skills.
• Develop students' proficiency in the English language to a level where they can read, write, and speak in both academic and practical contexts.
• Strengthen foundational concepts and skills in mathematics to enable students to pursue their academic studies in various fields.
• Enhance computer skills, enabling students to complete university assignments and analyze information using modern software and technology.
• Foster students' communication skills and scientific research capabilities, develop their personality from mental, psychological, and social perspectives, and train them to think independently, adapt to new situations, and practice tolerance.

Placement Tests

Preparatory English Program

Students in the Preparatory Year Program can be waived/exempted from the PYP English language requirements through the IELTS or TOEFL exams. The request for exemption should be submitted during the first week of any semester during their PYP experience.

• Students may register for the IELTS exam through the British Council website.
• These exams are conducted twice a month on Saturdays at both the male and female UPM campuses.
• If a student achieves a Band 5 or higher on the IELTS exam, they are exempt from the remaining English coursework in the PYP.
• Similarly, students who opt for the TOEFL exam and achieve a score equivalent to or higher than a Band 5 will also be exempt from the PYP English program.
• Students must provide their original score document to verify their results to the Head of the English Department on their respective campus and the Admissions Office.

Promotional System

Other promotions within the PYP may occur if students achieve a grade of 'A' or higher at any level. At this point, students may retake the placement test during the first week of the following quarter. If the student scores at a level higher than the one they are scheduled to enter, they are allowed to skip that level and enroll in the next.

Preparatory Mathematics Program

The Preparatory Mathematics Program follows a semester system, with two semesters covering two levels of courses, one set for computer science and engineering majors and another for business majors. Each semester lasts fifteen weeks.

• Newly admitted students who pass ENGL 004 are eligible to take the math placement exam for MATH 001 or MATH 011.
• Students who score 21 out of 30 (70%) on this placement exam pass and can then take the math promotion test for MATH 002 or MATH 012.
• Students who pass the promotion test with a score of 21 out of 30 (70%) are allowed to advance fully into their freshman year Math courses.
• If unsuccessful, the student is placed in the second math course according to their major.

Preparatory Year English Courses

Course Descriptions

• ENGL000: Preparatory Year English: Aims to help students improve their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills using an integrated approach that emphasizes grammar. The course is designed to lead students to Novice User A1 proficiency, focusing on developing basic communication and learning skills.
• ENGL001: Preparatory Year English I: Focuses on building and enhancing students' English language proficiency through a holistic, integrated approach across all communication domains: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
• ENGL002: Preparatory Year English II: Focuses on English mastery and enhances students' proficiency through a multicultural, comparative approach. It provides comprehensive instruction in grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and the four core skills: reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
• ENGL003: Preparatory Year English III: Enhances students' mastery of the English language and completes their preparation for the IELTS examination. It equips students to achieve a score of IELTS Band 5.0 or higher and allows them to use English effectively for learning in undergraduate content areas.
• ENGL004: Preparatory Year English IV: Enhances students' mastery of the English language and completes their preparation for the IELTS examination. It equips students to achieve a score of IELTS Band 5.0 or higher and enables them to use English as a tool for learning in undergraduate content areas.
• ENGL005: Preparatory Year English V: Focuses on improving students' test-taking skills for the IELTS exam. It prepares participants for all sections of the exam—listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

Preparatory Year Courses Math and PCS

Math Courses

• MATH 001: Preparatory Year Mathematics I (SCI): Covers topics including basic arithmetic operations, fractions, percentages, unit conversion, sets, the real number system, polynomials and operations on them, complex numbers, equations and inequalities, functions and their transformations, quadratic equations and functions with their solutions, polynomial and rational functions, and graphing.
• MATH 002: Preparatory Year Mathematics II (SCI): Serves as a continuation of MATH 001. The course covers various topics and includes exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometric functions, trigonometric equations and identities, laws of sines and cosines, complex numbers, polar coordinates, vector operations and applications, systems of linear equations, matrices, determinants, and analytic geometry in two dimensions.
• MATH 011: Preparatory Year Mathematics I (BUS): Covers topics such as arithmetic operations, fractions, the real number system, polynomials, factoring polynomial expressions, rational expressions, rational exponents, radical expressions, complex solutions of quadratic equations, complex numbers, operations with complex numbers, equations and inequalities, linear equations in one variable, linear inequalities, and solving equations graphically, numerically, and algebraically.
• MATH 012: Preparatory Year Mathematics II (BUS): A continuation of MATH 011 for business students, covering topics such as functions, the Cartesian coordinate system, function notation, linear functions, polynomial and rational functions, graphs, exponential and logarithmic functions, systems of equations with two variables, matrices, and operations on matrices.

PCS Course

• PCS 001: Preparatory Computer Skills: Provides an introduction to basic computer concepts, covering information processing, problem-solving, and microcomputer software packages. It addresses the Microsoft Windows operating system and Microsoft Office, which consists of general-purpose application software. Students follow a step-by-step approach to learn the basic features of MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint to create, edit, and format presentations, with the insertion of pictures and sound. The course also supports students in their English language studies by teaching basic vocabulary and terminology related to computer technology.