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EPI: English and Professional Immersion

The English and Professional Immersion (EPI) program at the University of Missouri-Columbia is for university students from Pacific Rim countries with English skills, high academic standing and a desire to experience American life. Students go through a selection process at their home universities to attend this intense, six-week program.

The EPI program is set in a college town in the heart of America. Students reside in furnished apartments adjacent to the university, two blocks from the heart of the city. This safe, friendly community is ideally situated to provide both rural and urban experiences.

EPI consists of five components:

American Cultural Experience
Trips to nearby cities, visits to American homes, participation in local festivals and sports events help the students better understand American culture. Some of our activities include: the Columbia Shelter Garden Concert Series, St Louis Cardinals baseball game, Anheuser-Busch Tour, canoeing and camping at the Montauk State Park, ice skating at Jefferson City, visits to Amish farms in Centralia and visits to the Truman Presidential Museum and Library and Nelson-Atkins Art Museum in Kansas City.

American Culture and Business/Career Workshop
Seminars and classes increase awareness of life in the United States. Experienced American teachers and guest speakers enjoy sharing their knowledge with visiting students.

Collegiate Ambassador Program
The Collegiate Ambassador Program recruits the best and brightest students on the MU campus to serve as language partners, mentors and friends to visiting students. The ambassadors make EPI a fun and heart-warming experience, unique from the traditional study abroad. Interested in interacting with our visiting students? Find out more and apply to be a collegiate ambassador here.

alpine Internship
EPI students are given the unique opportunity to observe American work places through short-term internships in local businesses, government and university offices, and non-profit agencies. By establishing relationships with their co-workers, students have the opportunity to learn about office culture as well as business English. Some of our internship sites include: the Columbia Daily Tribune, KBIA Radio Station, Missouri State Office of International Marketing, MU College of Business, University of Missouri Student Success Center, Boone County Group Family Resources, Columbia Municipal Courts, Lee Expressive Arts Elementary School , The Boone County Health Department, Habitat for Humanity, Missouri Show-Me State Games, 4-H Youth Development Program, Columbia College Academic Affairs Office and the MU International Center.

Intensive English Classes
Interactive intensive English classes complement the immersive nature of the EPI program. Dynamic, experienced ESL instructors push the students to excel far beyond their expectations in a non-traditional English classroom.
Download EPI Brochure, Adobe PDF, 949kb

For more information about EPI and resources for incoming program participants, please check the EPI community website (in Korean) website