College Bridge Program

The College Bridge Program is for students who plan to attend college but still need to improve their English. It allows advanced ESL students to continue to develop their English skills while earning up to 13 college credits (equal to one quarter of full-time college study). College Bridge courses focus intensively on the reading, critical thinking, and class participation skills students need to succeed in American colleges or universities, including lecture comprehension, note-taking, and oral and written communication skills. Students in the program enroll for 10-15 hours per week of English language courses, and 2-5 hours per week of college-level courses. Total classroom time is 15-18 hours per week. (Note: Students may enroll in a college credit class based on prerequisites and availability. Additional tuition is charged for college credit courses.)

Students take a College Bridge placement test before classes begin and then register for the appropriate level. After successfully completing the Advanced level of College Bridge, students are eligible to enroll full-time at Seattle Central Community College without the requirement of a TOEFL score or any other additional college placement test.

Students must apply for admission and be accepted to the College to study in the College Bridge program. Please see application procedure for details on the needed English proficiency.

The diagram below shows how students in the College Bridge program will begin earning college credits while also studying English as a Second Language (ESL).

REQUIRED COURSES for COLLEGE BRIDGE STUDENTS

• Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced College Bridge Reading
• Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced Academic Writing
• Lecture Comprehension

Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced College Bridge Reading(five hours per week each)
These courses focus intensively on the reading, critical thinking, and participation skills that students need to succeed in American colleges or universities.

Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced Academic Writing (five hours per week each)
These courses develop and refine the student's ability to write effectively in an academic context.

Lecture Comprehension (five hours per week - required for all Introductory and Intermediate College Bridge students)
This course develops listening and comprehension skills for college lectures, and note-taking and basic oral communication skills needed for college success.

CREDIT COURSES for COLLEGE BRIDGE STUDENTS

• Microcomputer Application (MS Word, Excel, Power Point; Flash, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, etc.)
• Psychology of Adjustment
• Professional Development
• Intercultural Communication
• Introduction to American Culture
• Introductory Social Science or Humanities Courses (for Advanced students)

Microcomputer (2-4 credits; 2-4 hours per week plus lab hours)
This course provides an introduction to various computer applications students will find useful
in both their academic and work careers. Offerings vary each quarter, but usually include at least two of the following: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint; Flash, Dreamweaver, or Photoshop.
The 2-credit Microcomputers course is available for those in the Introductory level of College Bridge; the 4-credit Microcomputers class is for students at the Intermediate or Advanced levels of College Bridge.

Psychology of Adjustment - Orientation to College Success (3 credits; 3 hours per week)
This course assists new students in their adjustment to community college. It includes
goal-setting, academic planning, self-motivation skills, identifying college resources, personal development and general study hints. This course is available for those in the Introductory, Intermediate or Advanced levels of College Bridge.

Business 216 - Professional Development (5 credits; 5 hours per week)
Students examine various aspects of career development, learn to develop positive mental attitudes, and examine useful techniques for personal and professional success. This course is available for those students in either the Intermediate or Advanced level of College Bridge.

Humanities 105 - Intercultural Communication (5 credits; 5 hours per week) This course presents a framework for understanding encounters with people from other cultures and for improving the effectiveness of your own intercultural communication. Emphasis is on skills
and empathy gained from the study of diverse cultures through literature, theory, and guest lecturers. This course is available for those students in either the Intermediate or Advanced level of College Bridge.

Sociology 102 – Introduction to American Culture (5 credits; 5 hours per week)
This course focuses on unique American values, behavior and world view by comparing
others' values and world views and studying the implications and consequences of these differences. This class includes field trips or service learning activities. This course is available for those students in either the Intermediate or Advanced level of College Bridge.

Other Introductory Social Science or Humanities Courses for Advanced College Bridge Students (5 credits; 5 hours per week)
Students entering the advanced level 6 of College Bridge will meet with their advisors to choose a regular five-credit introductory college class, such as Anthropology, Art, Art History, Astronomy, Business, Geography, Psychology, or Sociology.

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