International Student and Scholar Services

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Pathway Program

The Pathway Program enables international students to take English as a second language courses while also taking academic courses that count toward an academic degree program.
Undergraduate Pathways Graduate Pathways

International Student and Scholar Services
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5246 USA
(269) 387-5865

The Pathway Program

The Pathway Program is a dual-enrollment program that features an International Student Success seminar, which provides support for cultural adjustment, an extended orientation to the University and general academic assitance. 

Benefits of the Pathway Program

The WMU Pathway Program provides many benefits to international students, including: 

  • Ability to take academic courses while satisfying English proficiency requirements. 
  • Earn your degree in less time. 
  • International Student Success seminar that provides assistance in cultural adjustment, an extended orientation to the University and general academic support.
  • Admission to your undergraduate or graduate program with a lower proficiency score. 

Undergraduate Pathway Program

The WMU Pathway Program is composed of two consecutive semesters: Pathway I and Pathway II. International students may enter Pathway II with the appropriate English proficiency scores. 

NOTE: Transfer students who want to be considered for a pathway program can have no more than 12 academic credits at the time of beginning the pathway program. Exceptions may be made with departmental approval only.  

Pathway Program Structure
 Pathway I 
(one semester)		Pathway II 
(one semester)
(TOEFL Score)
(IELTS)
(Pearson)
(Duolingo)
(CELCIS level)		(52-60)
(5.5)*
(42)
(85)
(Successful completion of Intermediate)		(61-70)
(5.5)*
(46)
(95)
(Successful completion of Pre-Advanced)
ESL (CELCIS) componentsESL 0310: Pre-Advanced Speaking & ListeningESL 0533: Oral Communication
ESL 0320: Pre-Advanced Grammar & CommunicationESL 0511: Written Communication
ESL 0330 or 0340: Pre-Advanced Reading & Writing 1 or Pre-Advanced Reading & Writing 2
ESL Seminar (1 clock hour)
Academic Coursework at WMU1 academic course only (3-4 credit hours)2 academic courses only (6-8 credit hours)
 Note: ESL Seminar is required in a Pathway student's first semester only.  Students whose scores permit them to begin in Semester 2 will take the ESL seminar in Semester 2 in addition to the other required ESL courses.

*Students with an IELTS of 5.5 and a writing subscore of less than 5.0 will be placed in Pathway 1. Students with an IELTS of 5.5 and a writing subscore of 5.0 and above will be placed in Pathway 2. 
 

Academic Course Options

Students in the pathway program take courses prescribed by their academic program. Pathway students do not register for their own courses: Pathway students work with their Academic Advising Directors to register for classes. 

College Major
College of AviationOTHER MAJORS
College of Arts and SciencesApplied Mathematics (B.S.)
Biology (B.S.)
Biomedical Sciences (B.S.)
Comparative Religion (B.A.)
Data Science (B.S.)
Economics (B.A. / B.S.)
Mathematics (B.S.)
Physics (B.S.) 
Statistics (B.S.) 

OTHER MAJORS
College Education and Human DevelopmentOTHER MAJORS
College of Engineering and Applied SciencesAerospace Engineering (B.S.)
Chemical Engineering (B.S.)
Civil Engineering (B.S.)
Computer Engineering (B.S.)
Computer Science (B.S.)
Construction Engineering (B.S.)
Electrical Engineering (B.S.)
Engineering Design Technology (B.S.)
Engineering Management Technology (B.S.)
Graphic and Printing Science (B.S.)
Industrial & Entrepreneurial Engineering (B.S.)
Manufacturing Engineering Technology (B.S.)
Mechanical Engineering (B.S.)
Paper Engineering (B.S.)
College of Fine ArtsOTHER MAJORS
College of Health and Human ServicesOTHER MAJORS
Haworth College of BusinessBusiness (General) (B.B.A.)
Accountancy (B.B.A)
Advertising & Promotion (B.B.A.)
Business Analytics (B.B.A)
Business Law (B.B.A.)
Computer Information Systems (B.B.A.)
Economics (B.B.A.)
Electronic Business Marketing (B.B.A.)
Entrepreneurship (B.B.A)
Finance (B.B.A.)
Food & Consumer Packaged Good Marketing (B.B.A.)
Health Informatics & Information Management (B.B.A)
Human Resource Management (B.B.A.)
Integrated Supply Chain Management (B.B.A)
Management (B.B.A.)
Marketing (B.B.A.)
Personal Financial Planning (B.B.A.)
Sales & Business Marketing (B.B.A.)
Telecommunications & Information Management (B.B.A.)

The Pathway Program is only available for Fall and Spring intake. It is not offered during Summer I or Summer II sessions.

When completing your application select: enroll in English as a Second Language program and start my degree in the same term 

Apply Now
Cost Structure

Graduate Pathway Program

The WMU Pathway Program is composed of two consecutive semesters: Pathway I and Pathway II. International students may enter Pathway II with the appropriate English proficiency scores. 

NOTE: Transfer students who want to be considered for a pathway program can have no more than 6 academic credits at the time of beginning the pathway program. Exceptions may be made with departmental approval only.  

Pathway Program Structure
 Pathway I 
(one semester)		Pathway II 
(one semester)
(TOEFL Score)
(IELTS)
(Pearson)
(Duolingo)		(52-60)
(5.5)
(42)
(85)		(61-80)
(6.0)
(50)
(95)
ESL (CELCIS) componentsESL 0310: Pre-Advanced Speaking & ListeningESL 0533: Oral Communication
ESL 0320: Pre-Advanced Grammar & CommunicationESL 0511: Written Communication
ESL 0330 or 0340: Pre-Advanced Reading & Writing 1 or Pre-Advanced Reading & Writing 2
ESL Seminar (1 clock hour)
Academic Coursework at WMU1 academic course only (3-4 credit hours)1 academic course only (3-4 credit hours)
 Note: ESL Seminar is required in a Pathway student's first semester only.  Students whose scores permit them to begin in Semester 2 will take the ESL seminar in Semester 2 in addition to the other required ESL courses.

*Students with an IELTS score of 5.5 and a writing subscore below 5.0 will be placed in Pathway 1. Students with an IELTS score of 5.5 and a writing subscore of 5.0 or higher will be placed in Pathway 2. 
 

Academic Course Options

Pathway Programs are available for the following graduate degrees: 

  1. Applied Economics (M.A.)
  2. Data Science (M.S.)
  3. Statistics (M.S.)

The Haenicke Institute for Global Education is currently working with academic departments to expand the number of Pathway eligible graduate programs.

The Pathway Program is only available for Fall and Spring intake. It is not offered during Summer I or Summer II sessions.

When completing your application select: enroll in English as a Second Language program and start my degree in the same term 

Apply Now
Cost Structure