Pathways Courses
Opening up New Opportunities for International Students
Fall 2025 marks the beginning of a new iteration in English language teaching at UNI.
This semester, OIE instructors collaborated with staff in Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, as well as faculty and department heads in the College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences, to design and implement programs that will allow students to take courses in their majors while taking academic language courses, all for credit that goes towards graduation. These students are taking on a full courseload of classes, getting a head start on their degree completion while polishing their academic English skills.
The great benefit of these Pathways is that students can enter undergrad or graduate courses without having met the requirements for full English language proficiency. Students may enter with lower test scores or some courses in the Culture and Intensive English Program (CIEP), complete one semester of Pathway classes while gaining credit towards graduation and then be fully admitted to their programs.
Undergraduate Pathways
In the Undergraduate Pathways, students are taking COMM:1000 Oral Communication and ENG:1005 College Reading & Writing, two required UNIFI courses for all undergrads. These sections are specialized for international students. Pathways students are also enrolled in additional courses: two Theory to Practice classes where they can apply and practice what they’re learning, and Strategies for Academic Success, where students learn study skills for success. Courses are taught by instructors from OIE and faculty, who coordinate lessons to support all students. Students work with their advisors to complete their schedule to meet full-time status and enroll in appropriate classes.
Graduate Pathways
In Graduate Pathways, students are taking two Pathways courses: Fluency, Listening, & Presentation Skills; and ESL Academic Writing & Reading; as well as one introductory course in their major. These three courses mean full-time status for these graduate students. The Grad Pathways courses are designed to meet the needs of graduate-level students, with a focus on professional presentation skills, fluency, and writing in a variety of academic and professional contexts. Students are challenged to read from a variety of genres (from academic to technical and business writing), increase their vocabulary and strengthen grammatical knowledge, all while applying skills to be used in graduate and professional settings.