The Department of English, IFL would like to extend our very warm greetings and welcome to you to the Royal University of Phnom Penh, Institute of Foreign Languages and, particularly, the Department of English for 2025-2026.

The Department of English, IFL is one of Cambodia’s most respected, prestigious and reform-oriented English language institutions. It offers such programs as: MA in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), Bachelor of Education in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (B.Ed, TEFL), Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English for Work Skills, certificate courses and professional English language training programs. It is noteworthy that so far the Department has conducted 16 out of the 17 Japan Development Scholarship (JDS) Pre-departure Training courses, 5 Australian Award of Cambodia (AAS) IELTS courses, and a Police Academy of Cambodia (PAC) English training course. The Department also teaches special short courses for employment purposes.

You can learn effectively at IFL in a learner-friendly, safe, tranquil and caring environment. We have a wide variety of facilities and resources, including two well-equipped Japan-funded language laboratories and a well-resourced Self- Access Centre. Moreover, our faculty has been professionally trained both overseas, mostly in English-speaking countries, and in Cambodia. They have extensive experience in teaching English and take pride in nurturing their students’ progress and helping students to attain academic and life goals.

We do our best to ensure that your study at The Department of English, IFL is a highly rewarding experience. We aim to prepare our students to become well- rounded citizens, to be competent in English and to gain considerable world knowledge and work skills which are required in today’s job market.

We sincerely hope you will enjoy learning with us and find the knowledge and experience gained at DOE, IFL, RUPP rewarding and responsive to your needs.

We wish you great success with your study!

Department of English

The Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), formerly the Royal Khmer University, was founded on 13th January 1960. It opened with a faculty of Letters and Humanities and a faculty of Science and Technology. The language of instruction in this period was French.

In 1970, the Royal Khmer University became Phnom Penh University. At that time, there were nine faculties: Letters and Humanities, Sciences, Pharmacy, Law and Economics, Medicine and Dentistry, Commerce, Pedagogy, Language Institute, and the National Administration School.

The University was reopened as the Teacher Training College in 1980 and as the Foreign Language Institute (FLI) in 1981. In 1988, the College and the FLI merged to create Phnom Penh University, and in 1996, it was renamed the Royal University of Phnom Penh.

In recognition of the future trend that students in secondary schools must learn foreign languages, either English or French, the Ministry of Education, with an Australian NGO called the Quaker Service Australia (QSA), established a Cambodian English Language Training Program (CELT) to provide English language training to government officials and train foreign language teachers for secondary schools in Cambodia.

CELT began in 1985 when QSA undertook the development of English language training in Cambodia, which was sponsored by the Australian government. The project grew significantly over the three phases of 1985-88, 1988-1991, and 1991- 1993, expanding from 15 to 150 students by 1993. The program was taught by a Cambodian teacher in 1985 and then by Australian teachers.

The Department of English was established with financial and academic assistance from QSA to provide training in English and teacher training. The department was managed by QSA until 1993, then handed over to a joint project between the International Development Program (IDP) Education, Australia, and the University of Canberra. This project was funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) until the end of 1996. When the joint project took over the department in 1993, a four-year B.Ed (TEFL) degree curriculum for the program was designed and prepared with consultants from the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), Australia. In 1997, a four-year BA in English for Work Skills was introduced to enhance English knowledge and skills for current and future employment.

Today, IFL’s Department of English is regarded as Cambodia’s leading English-language institution and has graduated around 10,000 students.

VISION

The Department of English will be a national leader in English language education, research, and human resource development with regional and international quality standards.

MISSIONS

1. To produce highly qualified graduates with proficient English proficiency, marketable skills, and a disciplined character

2. To promote patriotism, social engagement, continuous professional development, and life-long learning

3. To meet increased market demand for IT-assisted English language education, research, and ELT management

4. To satisfy stakeholders by providing high-quality professional training, research outputs, and services

5. To build local, regional, and international partnerships

CE101-102A: Core English 1A

Core English 1 (CE101A and CE102A) deals primarily with reading and writing skills, purposefully to enable students to reach the B1 level of language proficiency in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).  

For reading skills of the level, students should be able to comprehend the main ideas of simple texts on familiar topics, such as articles, brochures, and short stories. Additionally, students should be able to comprehend writers’ points of view or intentions in straightforward texts. 

For writing skills of the level, students should be able to write simple connected texts on familiar topics, such as personal letters, emails, or short descriptions. In addition, students should be able to convey information and express opinions using basic vocabulary and grammatical structures.

CE101-102B: Core English 1B 

Core English 1 (CE101B and CE102B) deal primarily with listening and speaking skills purposefully to enable students to reach the B1 level of language proficiency in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).  

For listening skills of the level, students should be able to understand the main points of clear and standard speech on specific topics encountered in social contexts. Additionally, students might require some repetition or slower speech.  

For speaking skills of the level, students should be able to communicate in most professional and social contexts, such as discussing issues, solutions, plans, and critical thinking. In addition, students should be able to express opinions and reasons with some hesitation and errors. 

WS101: Writing Skills 1

Writing Skills 101(WS101) course is designed for intermediate-level students to enhance fundamental sentence skills for academic writing. Students will be introduced to a number of academic writing conventions such as subject-verb agreement, types of sentences, clauses, phrases, and avoiding common writing mistakes such as sentence fragments, misplaced and dangling modifiers, and run-on sentences, in order to write a grammatical, well-written paragraph which they will learn in the next course “Writing Skills 102”. 

WS102: Writing Skills 1

Writing Skills 102 (WS102) course is designed for intermediate-level students to enhance paragraph skills for academic writing and written communication in English. This WS102 course continues from the WS101, aiming to prepare students for the WS201 and WS202 courses. Students will learn to write topics, supporting, and concluding sentences. Furthermore, students will be able to produce different types of paragraphs such as definition, process analysis, opinion, and narrative paragraphs. 

ISE101: Introduction to Sociology 1 

Introduction to Sociology (ISE 101) is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of foundational sociological theories and the diverse contexts in which they operate. This course delves into various aspects of human behavior, social interactions, and societal structures. By exploring key concepts such as culture, socialization, and group dynamics, students will gain valuable insights that can be applied not only in their personal lives but also in professional environments. 

KGC101: Khmer Grammar and Communication

Khmer Grammar and Communication (KGC) deals with Khmer grammar points ranging from words to sentence structures and to texts. This course also includes verbal and non-verbal communication in the Khmer language. Learners explore parts of speech in the Khmer language and compare and contrast them with those of foreign languages such as English and French. It also enables students to learn the correct spelling, word formation, and usage of specific words as well as to describe how specific words are used in contemporary Khmer society. The students will explore how punctuations and diacritic signs were developed and describe how they have been used over time. Learners can analyze sentence structures in depth in order to academically construct their own ones. They will learn to communicate verbally and non-verbally by writing texts such as paragraphs, invitations, wish cards and letters, thank-you letters, newspaper articles, and speeches. They will be assessed by a mid-term exam, writing and designing letters, and hosting a public speaking event.

TBLL1: Technology-based Language Learning 1

Technology-Based Language Learning 1 (TBLL1) is designed to introduce students to computer skills, software, and programs to assist with other tasks related to Year 1 courses. Students will learn the basics of software and programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Canva, enabling them to understand the functions, compose documents, and improve the depth and accuracy of their studies. This course is essential for students to learn about various foundation computing skills and software to further their academic performance or professional purposes.

IEE102: Introduction to Environment 1

IEE102 aims to help course participants develop their language proficiency through the investigation of current environmental issues such as diminishing natural resources like forests, water and fossil fuels. The course also encourages the course participants to critically evaluate the aforementioned problems and find practical and effective solutions to them. 

KCC102: Khmer Culture and Civilization

Khmer Culture and Civilization (KCC102) offers an in-depth exploration of the ways of life of Cambodian people throughout history and the time the Cambodian people reached the zenith of their cultural achievement—the so-called Angkor Empire. The course also delivers into the Khmer-Mon primitive culture, the interactions between Khmer culture and other cultures, the spread of foreign culture into Cambodia, and the rise and decline of Angkor civilization. It enables students to accquire comprehensive insights into each cultural trait through enquiry and critical thinking. Learners will also learn the history and characteristics of Khmer sculptures, architecture, and religius beliefs from the early period through Angkor eara.