Students admitted under English Language Training 1-20 who have not met the English language proficiency requirements for admittance to their programs will be guided and supported through English language training under CIM’s English Language Training Pathways program in the fall semester, with a possible additional semester in the spring.

The English Language Training Pathways program consists of 3 courses of English language training plus instructed lab time. 

Pathways students will be enrolled in the following courses:

  • ESL 100 Speech and Presenting Skills (2 cr) 1 hour 45 minutes of lecture + 1 hour of instructed lab
  • ESL 101 English Language Development (5 cr) 4 hours and 20 minutes of lecture + 4 hours of instructed lab
  • ESL 102 English Bridge Class (1 cr) 1 hour of lecture + 1 hour of instructed lab

ESL Lab

The ESL Lab is an integral component of ESL grammar and writing and reading and vocabulary development courses. Each class has a scheduled time when students meet in the lab with their instructor and classmates.  During this time, students complete specific tasks which reinforce lessons and provide students with additional language-learning practice.  This practice may include online grammar and reading exercises, writing and editing, and other teacher-designed skill-building exercises, all with the benefit of immediate assistance from instructors

(Total clock hours of English instruction: 13 hours 5 minutes weekly)

In addition, Pathways students will be enrolled in credit-bearing lessons, studio classes, and ensembles, which will count toward degree/diploma program requirements.

Combining these two will provide Pathways students with 18 clock hours of instruction in English required each week under the government-mandated terms of the Pathways program.  

Please note that Pathways students will not be permitted to enroll in any other academic courses (e.g., music theory, music history, etc.) toward their degrees until they fully meet the English language proficiency requirements by passing the Pathways courses with a 70% or higher and by achieving a passing benchmark score on the TOEFL or IELTS. Pathways students will have one academic year to meet these requirements for full matriculation into their degree/diploma programs.

The Pathways program is not a TOEFL or IELTS preparation program.  We want to be sure our international students in degree programs have the necessary academic English proficiency to succeed in their academic courses.

Please be aware that all international students admitted to CIM, regardless of their TOEFL or IELTS scores, will be reassessed for English language proficiency during orientation. Students whose TOEFL or IELTS passing benchmark scores do not correlate with actual English language proficiency may also be required to take all or part of the Pathways program to improve their academic English proficiency.