Program Features
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION: All new students attend a thorough orientation on the first Monday of the term, including orientation to:
- the University of Hawai‘i, including a Campus Tour
- the program policies, procedures, and curriculum
- the computer lab and NICE Alumni Network
- Health and Safety in Hawai‘i
INTERCHANGE: Two times each week during Oral Production class, NICE students practice their oral communication skills with UH students. Teachers provide informal assignments that encourage practice in speaking for academic, business and social situations, depending on the focus of the track.
SPEECH EVENT: As a feature of Oral Production class, all NICE students prepare a special speaking assignment and participate in a program-wide speech event that showcases student progress. The speaking project may be in the form of a skit, speech, presentation, panel discussion, movie review, TV commercial, etc.
COMMUNITY DAY: One day each term, students leave the classroom and go off-campus to learn about places relevant to course curriculum while interacting with people living and working in the community.
SOCIAL/CULTURAL EVENTS: Each term, the entire program participates in a social/cultural event. Examples include potlucks, Valentine's Day social, Halloween event, May Day celebration.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP COUNCIL: Students volunteer to serve on the Student Leadership Council. These students help to plan social activities and serve as the "voice" of the study body, bringing suggestions for program improvements to the faculty and administration.
HOMEWORK: NICE students should expect 2-4 hours of homework every day. The amount and type of homework varies by track.
EVALUATION and LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT: At the middle and end of each term, instructors evaluate students and assess their progress in each class. Percentage grades are issued on the basis of class work, participation, and exams. Attendance is an important part of the evaluation. Teachers track students' language learning progress on proficiency scales. Progress is assessed through activities that demonstrate whether the student has met the goals and objectives of the class and level. Each student receives class evaluations and level progress reports at the end of the term.
ELECTIVES AND INTERIM (optional classes): Each term additional classes are offered, and sometimes during breaks between terms, for students who wish to study more. Classes vary each term, but TOEFL and TOEIC preparation classes are usually offered. Other examples include Hawaiian History and Culture, Pronunciation, Vocabulary Building, Academic or Business Writing, Reading & Discussion Skills.
Students who have completed at least two terms in the program may choose to EXCHANGE one of the core classes for an ELECTIVE class at no additional charge under these conditions:
- The class must be at the appropriate level for the student;
- The class must not conflict with the student's other core classes;
- The class must have met the minimum enrollment to run without including the exchange student;
- There must be space in the class after paying students have signed up.
TOEIC and TOEFL: NICE is an official TEST SITE for the Institutional TOEFL and TOEIC exams. Both tests are offered to NICE students on an optional basis at the end of each term for a minimal fee.
GRADUATION/CERTIFICATES: All students who meet the program requirements for performance and attendance are presented with University of Hawai‘i certificates at a closing luncheon and program held in hotel banquet room on the last day of each term. Students participate in the program by making speeches and providing entertainment.
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