ESL (English as a Second Language) Certificate

The ESL Certificate curriculum functions as a bridge program for intermediate level second language learners who plan to enter two- and four-year colleges in the United States, and as a skill building program for second language learners who have already earned high school diplomas or higher, and who also desire professional employment where advanced knowledge of English is essential. Academic focus will be on the broad subject areas of writing and grammar, reading and vocabulary, communication, and U.S. culture. Students who have earned the ESL Certificate from Western have successfully matriculated to two- and four-year colleges and universities, and have gained employment as college and K-12 faculty, as engineers in international companies, as law firm paralegals, as translators for local and federal courts, and as paraprofessionals in academia and the private sector. The ESL Certificate program provides a strong academic foundation upon which the motivated student can build a successful college and professional career.