Our Educational Programs

U.S. Citizenship Express Course

In-Person and Online Learning Course

History of the Class

In the spring of 2017, Dr. Mara Queiroz Vaughn and Dr. Sheryl Santos-Hatchett piloted Spanish 4350, Spanish in the Community, as a service-learning program in partnership with Rey de los Santos, the Executive Director of the Dallas League of United Latin American Citizens National Education Service Center (LULAC – LNESC) at their Edgefield location.

The goal of the US Citizenship Course is to assist legal permanent residents (LPRs) in learning about the history, geography, culture, and government system of the United States to prepare for the citizenship exam administered by the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services). The class had a unique structure, with whole-class instruction led by UNT Dallas professors followed by breakout groups led by teams of UNT Dallas students from the Department of Language, Linguistics, and Rhetoric.

Due to the success of the pilot semester, the course was moved to the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNTD) in Fall 2017 to accommodate more participants. The course now enrolls over 200 students annually in this free U.S. Citizenship preparation program.

For the academic year 2024 - 2025, the course will be held in-person and online. In addition to citizenship preparation, community participants enrolled in the U.S. Citizenship Preparation Program are also granted legal advice, as well as educational opportunities to improve their English skills, to obtain a high school equivalency diploma, and to pursue a vocational career of their choice. As always, all services are gratuitous, provided by UNT Dallas or community partners.

U.S. English for the Professions Course

In-Person and Online Learning Course

History of the Class

In the fall of 2019, Dr. Mara Queiroz Vaughn and Dr. Sheryl Santos-Hatchett launched English for the Professions as a community-focused program in collaboration with Rey de los Santos, Executive Director of the Dallas League of United Latin American Citizens National Education Service Center (LULAC – LNESC) at their Edgefield location.

The purpose of English for the Professions is to equip multilingual adult learners with the language and communication skills necessary to thrive in professional environments. Emphasis is placed on both written and spoken English, focusing on workplace interactions, professional writing, presentations, and cultural fluency within U.S. professional settings. UNT Dallas students from the Department of Language, Linguistics, and Rhetoric work in small breakout groups with community participants after a session of whole-class instruction led by UNT Dallas faculty.

Following the success of its first year, English for the Professions was relocated to the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNTD) campus in 2020 to expand capacity and resources. Since then, the course has served over 150 participants each year, helping them build professional confidence and workplace readiness.

For the academic year 2024 – 2025, English for the Professions will continue to offer both in-person and online instruction. In addition to enhancing participants’ English proficiency for professional settings, the course also connects learners to job training resources, résumé support, interview coaching, and career exploration workshops. As with all community education programs coordinated through UNT Dallas and LULAC – LNESC, all services are provided free of charge.