The program is offered year-round via an online asynchronous modality. In the summer, there is a hybrid modality of the program available for students who want to begin their primary program coursework in the fall semester. In the hybrid modality, Tier 1 will be completely asynchronous, and Tier 2 will hybrid (in-person classes and online classwork). For either modality, all requirements must be completed by the end of a semester on CGU’s Academic Calendar in order to count for entry for the following semester.
For everything you need to know about the ISP Pathways Program, please watch this webinar!
Academic Entrance Requirements
Students must first be admitted to a CGU academic program to be eligible for the International Scholars Program.
Students who achieved in these ranges on English tests will be required to take ISP:
Tier 1: TOEFL iBT 75-84 / IELTS 6.0 / Pearson PTE 50-57
Tier 2: TOEFL iBT 85-94 / IELTS 7.0* / Pearson PTE 58-65
*IELTS requires no section lower than 6.5
Completion Schedule
Students must successfully complete all program requirements by the final day of a semester in order to gain entry into the following semester. Please see the CGU Academic Calendar for the exact dates. Students that are required to take both Tier 1 and Tier 2 must begin their Tier 1 courses during the first 3 weeks of the semester’s module 1 period. Tier 1 will always be in an asynchronous modality. Students that are only required to take Tier 2 and wish to take it asynchronously can begin any time during either module 1 or the first 3 weeks of module 2. If a student is taking Tier 2 in the hybrid modality, the courses follow the standard academic calendar for module 2. Questions? Email us at isp@cgu.edu.
Course Curriculum
Tier 1
- ISP 201: Academic Writing & Research I
- ISP 205: Academic Listening & Speaking I
Tier 2
- ISP 251: Academic Writing & Research II
- ISP 255: Academic Listening & Speaking II
The asynchronous content will be complemented by one-on-one meetings with ISP staff. At a minimum, there will be:
- An initial meeting to welcome the student and conduct a baseline assessment
- 2 check-ins for each course
- A set of short (5-10 minute) synchronous assessments for each course
Course Descriptions
ISP 201: Academic Writing & Research I
This course is primarily for students in the International Scholars Program. It will help students learn to critically read academic texts, take notes effectively, and evaluate information for writing purposes while writing a range of texts. This course will also explore study skills and strategies that promote effective and independent learning. Finally, students will learn to describe the basic tenets of effective research, distinguish between the major types of research, and demonstrate an understanding of a range of research skills through writing assignments.
ISP 205: Academic Listening & Speaking I
This course is primarily for students in the International Scholars Program. It will help students develop and use English to communicate effectively in academic settings. Students will learn strategies for using the specialized vocabularies of their fields, how to listen and take notes effectively, and other skills in the development of their aural/oral literacy. It will also include pronunciation practice Further, this course will teach students how to prepare and deliver oral presentations and engage in class and other academic listening and speaking contexts effectively.
ISP 251: Academic Writing & Research II
This course is primarily for students in the International Scholars Program. It will help students acquire a level of English language proficiency sufficient to participate effectively in graduate classes and utilize those skills for higher-level conceptual learning. Students will learn to recognize and assess authority and evidence in academics and apply critical and analytical reasoning skills to assess academic texts. It will also prepare students to write their own research projects by learning how to identify major issues in research design and interpret data through a paradigm. Students will write a range of texts, appropriate to purpose, audience, and tone.
ISP 255: Academic Listening & Speaking II
This course is primarily for students in the International Scholars Program. It will help students acquire a level of English language proficiency sufficient to participate effectively in graduate classes and utilize those skills for higher-level conceptual learning. Students will learn strategies for using the specialized vocabularies of their fields and other skills in the development of their aural/oral literacy while attending to topics like the American graduate education culture and work environment, information literacy, the rationale and practice of group work, and the use of critical and analytical thinking skills.
Pathways to CGU Graduate Study
- CGU’s letter grading scale will be used to assess student progress.
- Students achieving grades of B (83%) or better in all ISP courses will not be required to re-take the IELTS or TOEFL test prior to moving to their degree program.
- Students not achieving grades of B (83%) or better in all ISP courses must either re-take the IELTS or TOEFL test to meet the CGU direct entry requirements or repeat the relevant program modules as advised. Fees for repeated/failed classes are at the expense of the student.