York College ESL Pathway Program
webpage: https://www.york.cuny.edu/world-languages-literatures-humanities
The overall objective of the ESL Program at York College is to improve the ability of non-native students to read and write in English so that they can successfully participate in and learn from regular college credit-bearing courses. The program's instructional philosophy reflects a holistic approach to language development that integrates listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the context of academic preparation. Students are also introduced to the use of libraries and the internet for research purposes, with an emphasis on developing the skills of enquiry, critique, and analysis. This mission aligns with the College's mission in that it allows students to fully engage in other course offerings of the College.
The ESL Pathway Program at York College has been designed to allow international undergraduate students to be extensively mainstreamed. While enrolled in any of the two courses in the ESL sequence, students take a minimum of 12 credits carefully selected from the CUNY Pathways General Education Requirements and/or introductory courses in their major. Academic advisement and support are provided to students from the initial testing phase and placement and their progress is monitored throughout their enrollment in ESL and beyond.
ESL Pathway Curriculum
The program offers a two-course sequence designed to build on skills that have already been acquired in English while providing a foundation for regular college English courses: a high-intermediate course ESL 145 (Academic Reading and Writing for Non-Native Speakers I), and advanced course (ESL150: Academic Reading and Writing for Non-Native Speakers II). Based on their scores on the CUNY skills tests, students are placed in ESL145 (Academic Reading and Writing for Non-Native Speakers I), which focuses on developing critical reading and thinking skills, while providing ample writing practice, or in ESL150 (Academic Reading and Writing for Non-Native Speakers II), which combines higher level reading and writing activities that will prepare the students to be successful in freshman composition courses.
While taking ESL and with the approval of the ESL Academic Advisor, the students must choose at least three additional credit-bearing courses taken from the CUNY Pathways General Education Requirements as well as introductory courses in their intended major.
Course Requirements: (2-4 credits)
ESL 145 (6 hrs/ 2 credits)
Students of English as a Second Language who have achieved a high intermediate level of proficiency will acquire the basic rhetorical knowledge and writing skills necessary to meet the writing requirements of their college courses. They will also learn to use information from readings to complete assigned writing tasks. This course may be repeated once if the requirements are not met.
ESL 150 (6 hrs/ 2 credits)
Students of English as a Second Language who have achieved an advanced level of proficiency will acquire the basic knowledge and skills necessary to meet the writing requirements of their college courses. They will learn to use information from readings to complete assigned writing tasks similar to those they encounter in Freshman Composition 1. This course may be repeated once if the requirements are not met.
In order to maintain full-time status and in consultation with their ESL Academic Advisor, students enrolled in any of the ESL courses must take three (3) or four (4) courses that satisfy the CUNY Pathways General Education Core Requirements preparing them for their intended major programs.
Selected CUNY Pathways Courses for ESL
B. Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning (3-4)
Choose one from the list below under advisement according to the major program of study.
MATH 111 Introduction to Statistics and Probability (4)
MATH 115 Quantitative Methods for Decision Making (4)
MATH 120 Precalculus (4)
MATH 121 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (4)
MATH 150 Mathematics and its Applications (3)
MATH 190 Computers in Modern Society (4)
C. Life and Physical Sciences (3-5)
Choose one from the list below under advisement according to the major program of study.
ASTR 140 Introductory Astronomy: Observations of the Sky (3)
BIO 140 Human Biology (3)
BIO 201 Biological Principles I (4)
CHEM 106 Essentials of College Chemistry* (3.5) AND
CHEM 107 Essentials of College Chemistry Lab* (1.5)
EHS 140 Introduction to Environmental Sciences (3)
GEOL 140 Our Earth (3)
PHYS 113 Physics Laboratory** (1) AND
PHYS 115 College Physics** (4) OR
PHYS 117 University Physics** (4)
PHYS 140 The Physical Universe (3)
Notes:
*CHEM 106 and CHEM 107 are taken as co-requisites.
**PHYS 113 is taken as a co-requisite with PHYS 115 or PHYS 117.
Flexible Core (18)
Students must take a total of six courses among the selections below. Students must take at least one course from each of the five domains and no more than two courses in any discipline or interdisciplinary field.
A. World Cultures and Global Issues
ANTH 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (3)
BLST 103 Black Women in the Atlantic World (3)
B. U.S. Experience in its Diversity
BLST 101 Introduction to Black Studies (3)
POL 103 Politics and Government in the United States (3)
C. Creative Expression
FA 101 Visual Elements: 2-Dimensional (3)
FA 102 Visual Elements: 3-Dimensional (3)
MUS 101 Introduction to Music History (3)
MUS 110 Fundamentals of Music Theory (3)
SPCH 101 Fundamentals of Speech Communication (3)
D. Individual and Society
ECON 102 Introduction to Macroeconomics (3)
HUM 110 Introduction to Film Studies (3)
POL 101 Introduction to Political Science (3)
E. Scientific World
ASTR 101 Introductory Astronomy: The Sun and Planets (3)
ASTR 102 Introductory Astronomy: Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe (3)
BIO 110 Environmental Biology (3)
BIO 120 Principles of Inheritance and Human Reproduction (3)
BIO 130 Biology of the Brain and Behavior (3)
CHEM 108 Principles of Chemistry I* (3.5) AND
CHEM 109 Principles of Chemistry I Lab* (1.5)
EHS 110 Science, Technology, and the Environment (3)
GEOL 110 Earth (3)
GEOL 115 Energy, Resources, and the Environment (3)
GEOL 120 Our Oceanic Environment (3)
HPGC 102 Public Health (3)
PSY 102 Introductory Psychology (3)
Notes:
*CHEM 108 and CHEM 109 are taken as co-requisites.
**PHYS 114 is taken as a co-requisite with PHYS 116 or PHYS 118.
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