General Foundation Program - Modern College of Business and Science

GENERAL FOUNDATION

Center for English as a Second Language & Academic Preparation (CEAP)

Director’s Welcome Message

Dear CEAP students:

On behalf of the Center for English as a Second Language & Academic Preparation (CEAP) at the Modern College of Business and Science (MCBS), I would like to extend a warm welcome to you all as you embark on this exciting and transformative phase of your lives.

Our program is designed to equip you with the essential skills and knowledge you need to excel later on in your credit courses and majors at the college. The combination of English courses, study skills, mathematics, and introduction to computing will serve as a solid foundation, preparing you for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Our diverse and experienced faculty members are committed to guiding you through this journey. They are not just here to impart knowledge, but also to facilitate your personal growth and development because your success is everyone’s success. Therefore, providing you with the support and resources needed to reach your academic goals is our top priority.

During your time at CEAP, I encourage you to embrace the challenges that come your way. Each lesson, discussion, and interaction will help you grow immensely. Moreover, I urge you to engage actively in both academic and extracurricular activities, ask questions and seek help when needed because everyone at CEAP is to ensure that you have a successful journey.

Once again, I welcome you to CEAP and MCSB. Rest assured that we are here to support you every step of the way and to make your time here remarkable and rewarding.

Ahmed Al Mata’ni, PhD
Director, Center for English as a Second Language & Academic Preparation

Short Introduction about CEAP

Adhering to the standards and the requirements of general foundation programs set by Oman Authority of Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance (OAAAQA), the Center for English as a Second Language & Academic Preparation (CEAP) is dedicated to bridging any potential gaps between the student’s minimum academic skills upon graduating from high school and the academic level needed to succeed at the university level. This commitment is imperative to ensure that students are adequately prepared for their higher education studies.

More specifically, CEAP intends to help students improve their skills in English, Mathematics and Computing. CEAP program is a one-year experience with a provision for completion in a maximum of two years. The passing grade for all the English courses is a C grade (70 %), while 60 % is considered a passing grade for the two foundation mathematics courses and the computing course.

CEAP Vision:

CEAP aspires to be a locally and regionally recognized center for providing quality English learning experiences for its students.

CEAP Mission:

CEAP is committed to developing students’ English language proficiency, math skills, and computing skills to succeed in their credit courses at MCBS using the most innovative and effective educational practices that emphasize student-centered instruction. CEAP aims at helping students:

achieve academic readiness
develop their study skills and critical thinking
become autonomous learners

CEAP Objectives:

Helping students enhance their English language proficiency in the four language skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
Improving students’ knowledge in basic and applied /pure mathematics.
Reinforcing students’ knowledge in basic computer applications.
Equipping students with the fundamental study skills that will help them succeed in their higher studies.

Why MCBS CEAP?

Distinguished and diverse faculty members.
Innovative curriculum tailored to diverse learning needs.
Supportive academic environment.
Flexible class schedules.
Extracurricular activities for holistic development.
Complimentary semester-based textbooks.
Accessible learning assistance through the Student Success Center.
Academic guidance and counseling services.

CEAP Courses

English Courses

Level	Course Code	Course	Hours per Week
Beginner
	ENLS 0010	Listening & Speaking	6
	ENRW 0010	Reading & Writing	10.5
	ENGS 0010	General Study Skills	3

Intermediate
	ENLS 0020	Listening & Speaking	6
	ENRW 0020	Reading & Writing	10.5
	ENGS 0020	General Study Skills	3
Advanced
	ENLS 0030	Listening & Speaking	6
	ENRW 0030	Reading & Writing	10.5
	ENGS 0030	General Study Skills	3
Note: Each level is16-week-semester-long.

Non-English Courses

Level	Course Code	Course	Hours per Week
Beginner	COSC 0010	Fundamentals of Computing	4.5
Intermediate	MATB 0020	Basic Mathematics	4.5
Advanced	MATA 0030	Applied Mathematics	4.5
MATP 0031	Pure mathematics	4.5

MCBS Placement Tests

All newly joining students might be asked to take these tests:

1.English Placement Test
2.Mathematics Tests

MATB 0020
MATA 0030
MATP 0031

3. Computing Test

Part A (Theory)
Part B (Practice)

Based on the results of the placement tests, students will be placed into one of the 3 levels as well as the appropriate mathematics and/or computing classes.

English Placement Tests

This test has two parts. The first part of the placement test consists of listening, vocabulary, grammar and reading comprehension questions. The second part of the test is writing, which is ONLY taken by students who score 50 or more in the first part.

Interpretations of Scores for the English Placement Test
This table shows how test scores are intended to be interpreted and used to place students into the right level.

Score	Interpretation
Less than 50	If a student scores less than 50, s/he would be placed at beginner level.
Between 50-100	If students get 50 or higher in the first part of the placement test, they need to take the English Writing Test part to determine the other levels (beginner, intermediate or advanced).
50-59	If a student scores (50-59) but does poorly in the English Writing Test, s/he might be placed at the beginner level.
	If a student scores (50-59) and does well in the English Writing Test, s/he might be placed at the intermediate level.
60 -79	If a student scores (60 -79) but does poorly in the English Writing Test, s/he might be placed at the intermediate level.
	If a student scores (60-79) and does well in the English Writing Test, s/he might be placed at the advanced level.
80-100	If a student scores (80-100) but does poorly in the English Writing Test, s/he might be placed at the advanced level.
	If a student scores (80 -100) and does well in the English Writing Test, s/he may directly join the credit courses.
Important note: New students will not need to take foundation English courses if they provide a valid IELTS score of Band 5.0 or higher, or an equivalent score in other standardized English tests.

Mathematics and Computing Placement Tests

For mathematics and Computing, students may need to set for the placement tests for Mathematics and Computing.

Interpretations of Scores for the Mathematics and Computing Placement Tests

The table below provides the required score to qualify students to be exempted from undertaking COSC 0010, MATB 0020, MATB 0030, MATB 0031 courses:

Subject	Total Mark	Passing Mark
COSC 0010 (Theory)	20	12
COSC 0010 (Practice)	60	36
MATB 0020	40	20
MATA 0030	40	24
MATP 0031	40	24

Department Contact

Center for English as a Second Language & Academic Preparation (CEAP)

Direct Line: (+968) 24 583572

Email:ceap@mcbs.edu.om

Head of Department

Ahmed Al Mata’ni PhD

Ahmed Al Mata’ni is the director of the Center of ESL & Academic Preparation and General Education Department at the Modern College of Business and Science. Prior to that, he was the head of general education department. He holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an ESOL/Bilingual Education specialization from the University of Florida. He has a Master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the University of Missouri St. Louis. He has been teaching ESL, EFL, Critical Thinking, Public Speaking as well as Interpersonal Communication in Oman and USA. His areas of expertise are accreditation, applied linguistics and assessment. His transdisciplinary research agenda draws from multiple strands include Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), teacher education, curriculum development, social justice, and Critical Race Theory (CRT). More recently, his research examines topics that are centered around Raciolinguistic Perspective and Decolonial Turn. He has presented his research on numerous local and international platforms. He is also a member of some specialized professional associations such as TESOL, TESOL Arabia, Florida Association for Bilingual Education (FABE) and American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). Last but not least, he is also a reviewer in Journal of Language, Identity and Education, who assesses research article submissions to the journal.

Center for English as a Second Language & Academic Preparation (CEAP)

Director’s Welcome Message

Short Introduction about CEAP

CEAP Courses

MCBS Placement Tests

English Placement Tests

Mathematics and Computing Placement Tests

Department Contact

Head of Department

Ahmed Al Mata’ni PhD

YOUR FUTURE STARTS HERE