Placement into English as a Second Language (ESL) - Entering students whose native language is other than English, whose performance on the ACT Writing Exam is designated ESL by CUNY-wide readers, are referred to the ESL Placement Committee for evaluation and placement. Depending on their original placement level and progress, ESL students take a sequence of courses to complete the requirements for the A.A. or A.S. degree. The number of credits will depend on their original level of placement and progress.

A new program of ESL instruction was phased in, starting Fall 2003. The ESL program of study integrates content area to develop both English language skills and a body of interdisciplinary content and discourse information necessary for students to navigate academic courses and University requirements.

The ESL sequence of courses is:

• ESL 015 ESL in the Content Areas I and Co-requisite: ESL 016
• ESL 025 ESL in the Content Areas II and Co-requisites: ESL 026 or ESL 027
• ESL 035 ESL in the Content Areas III and Co-requisites: ESL 036 or ESL 037

After completing the ESL sequence, students may take the CUNY reading and writing skills test and, if passed, may proceed to ENG 110 Expository Writing. If not passed, they must take ESL 091 (formerly ENG 1300) Basic Composition, and/or ESL 092 (formerly ENG 1396) Foundations of Critical Reading, and be retested.

The College offers a transitional ESL Program designed to foster the movement from native language to English:

• Students in the beginning level (ESL 015) must take ONE content course in English.
• Students at the intermediate level (ESL 025) must take TWO content courses in English.
• Students at the advanced level (ESL 035) must take ALL* their content courses in English.

Once students enter Basic Composition ESL 091 (formerly ENG 1300) they must take ALL* of their content courses in English