​The program is comprised of a series of courses that aim to prepare graduate students who come from various universities to develop the language and academic competencies necessary to succeed at AUB.​
UPGR 001 A & UPGR 001 B are graduate level intensive English courses designed to equip participants, independent of their disciplines, with the requisite English language skills and competencies for success in their graduate studies in AUB.​
In UPGR 001B, students will take 10 hours of writing in which they will learn about different types of academic and professional writing. Through writing, revising, and editing their papers, students will practice the skills required for successful writing in university courses. Students will also take 7 hours of reading and vocabulary per week in order to develop their reading skills and become effective learners. In addition, course participants will work on developing awareness of their personal learning styles, reading skills and vocabulary building strategies. The listening and speaking component, 3 hours per week, focuses on enhancing the ability of the participants to communicate orally for academic and professional purposes in a variety of settings.
In UPGR 001A, students will take 20 hours of academic writing & structure, 14 hours of critical reading & vocabulary, and 6 hours of presentation skills.
Students learn how to ask questions in class, respond to instructor's questions and contribute their ideas during groupwork activities. Students will also learn how to enhance their abilities to interact with instructors and classmates in academic situations. They will become better prepared to carry out professional presentations that integrate visuals to clearly convey complex information.