Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de São Paulo (IFSP)
Abstract
The construction of English proficiency tests applied in college admissions is a complex activity as their content must reflect the language skills required in the program and their results can affect applicants’ lives. This study aims to establish the specifications of English language skills to be tested in an admission test for a postgraduate course in Logistics and Operation of a public institution. The qualitative methodology of this investigation encompasses the course documents analysis, the results of past tests, as well as the application of a questionnaire to the professors and the program coordinator. The investigation has a multidisciplinary approach, integrating different areas like Applied Linguistics and Administration. The preliminary results show that English language is considered important in the program documents although it is not clearly stated. In addition, professors seem to have different expectations on student English level but agree on the main linguistic skill
