English as a Second Language Certificate Programs

We offer Noncredit English as a Second Language programs in ESL Literacy through ESL Level 5 and additional programs in intermediate and advanced communication skills. A Certificate of Competency is awarded upon successful completion of required courses for each level.

Note: Noncredit ESL Literacy and Levels 1 through 5 have restrictions. Your placement in an ESL level will be based on your Assessment/Placement test. 

Certificate Programs

Level: 

Low to high literacy

Skills Taught:

The Literacy level introduces basic English components such as the:

  • English alphabet and numbers
  • Basic grammatical functions
  • Pronunciation
  • Production of short and simple phrases

Required Courses (complete courses in this order):

  • ESLN 1060A - English as a Second Language, Literacy Level A

  • ESLN 1060B - English as a Second Language, Literacy Level B

Prerequisite: 

Classes are restricted. Noncredit Orientation and Placement tests required. Go to Noncredit Orientation and Assessment/Placement for more information.

ESL placement test scores are valid for 1 year.  You do not need to retake tests if your scores are still valid.

Program Completion:

After you complete and pass the required courses, you will earn a Certificate of Competency and be prepared to begin the ESL Level 1 program.

Level:

Low-beginning students

Skills Taught:

  • Participate in simple conversations
  • Complete basic forms
  • Write simple sentences

Required Courses (complete courses in this order):

  • ESLN 1061A - English as a Second Language Level 1A
  • ESLN 1061B - English as a Second Language, Level 1B

Prerequisite: 

Classes are restricted. You must complete Noncredit Orientation if you are new to ESL classes or haven’t completed it before. Level 1A requires ESLN 1060B or placement test. Level 1B requires ESLN 1061A or placement test. Go to Noncredit Orientation and Assessment/Placement for more information.

ESL placement test scores are valid for 1 year.  You do not need to retake tests if your scores are still valid.

Program Completion:

After you complete and pass the required courses, you will earn a Certificate of Competency and be prepared to begin the ESL Level 2 program.

Level:

Low-beginning to high-beginning students

Skills Taught:

Level 2 teaches you simple oral and written communication form such as:

  • Listening for specific information
  • Writing simple paragraphs
  • Asking clarifying questions

Required Courses (complete courses in this order):

  • ESLN 1062A - English as a Second Language, Level 2A
  • ESLN 1062B - English as a Second Language, Level 2B

Prerequisite: 

Classes are restricted. You must complete Noncredit Orientation if you are new to ESL classes or haven’t completed it before. Level 2A requires ESLN 1010A or ESLN 1061B or placement test. Level 2B requires ESLN 1062A or placement test. Go to Noncredit Orientation and Assessment/Placement for more information.

ESL placement test scores are valid for 1 year.  You do not need to retake tests if your scores are still valid.

Program Completion:

After you complete and pass the required courses, you will earn a Certificate of Competency and be prepared to begin the ESL Level 3 program.

Level:

High-beginning to low-intermediate

Skills Taught:

Level 3 introduces complex language functions such as:

  • Identifying problems and discussing solutions
  • Writing a descriptive paragraph
  • Using comprehensive language to fulfill tasks

Required Courses (complete courses in this order):

  • ESLN 1063A - English as a Second Language, Level 3A
  • ESLN 1063B - English as a Second Language, Level 3B

Prerequisite: 

Classes are restricted. You must complete Noncredit Orientation if you are new to ESL classes or haven’t completed it before. Level 3A requires ESLN 1015A  or ESLN 1062B or placement test. Level 3B requires ESLN 1063A or placement test. Go to Noncredit Orientation and Assessment/Placement for more information.

ESL placement test scores are valid for 1 year.  You do not need to retake tests if your scores are still valid.

Program Completion:

After you complete and pass the required courses, you will earn a Certificate of Competency and be prepared to begin the ESL Level 4 program.

Level:

Low-intermediate to high-intermediate

Skills Taught:

Level 4 helps you develop extended oral fluency and written competency beyond that of personal experiences to global situations.

Required Courses (complete courses in this order):

  • ESLN 1064A - English as a Second Language, Level 4A
  • ESLN 1064B - English as a Second Language, Level 4B

Prerequisite: 

Classes are restricted. You must complete Noncredit Orientation if you are new to ESL classes or haven’t completed it before. Level 4A requires ESLN 1020A or ESLN 1063B or placement test. Level 4B requires ESLN 1064A or placement test. Go to Noncredit Orientation and Assessment/Placement for more information.

ESL placement test scores are valid for 1 year.  You do not need to retake tests if your scores are still valid.

Program Completion:

After you complete and pass the required courses, you will earn a Certificate of Competency and be prepared to begin the ESL Level 5 program.

Level:

High-intermediate

Skills Taught:

Level 5 teaches you to organize and use correct grammatical functions in oral and written communication in academic, work and life situations.

Required Courses (complete courses in this order):

  • ESLN 1065A - English as a Second Language, Level 5A
  • ESLN 1065B - English as a Second Language, Level 5B

Prerequisite: 

Classes are restricted. You must complete Noncredit Orientation if you are new to ESL classes or haven’t completed it before. Level 5A requires ESLN 1030A or ESLN 1064B or placement test. Level 5B requires ESLN 1065A or placement test.  Go to Noncredit Orientation and Assessment/Placement for more information.

ESL placement test scores are valid for 1 year.  You do not need to retake tests if your scores are still valid.

Program Completion:

After you complete and pass the required courses, you will earn a Certificate of Competency and be prepared to begin the ABE 3001 - Language Arts (Adult Basic Education) course, or transition to ESL credit courses.

Level:

Beginning-high to intermediate-low ESL

Skills Taught:

Prepares students to participate more effectively in their children’s education. Topics include reading with children, parental involvement in local schools, importance of school attendance, kinder readiness, helping children with homework, and basic college readiness and financial aid information. 

Required Courses (complete courses in this order):

  • ESLN 2050 - ESL Family Literacy Module A
  • ESLN 2051 - ESL Family Literacy Module B

Prerequisite: 

No Placement test required.

Program Completion:

After you complete and pass the required courses, you will earn a Certificate of Competency.

Level:

Beginning-high to intermediate ESLN students

Skills Taught:

For students who seek to improve their listening and speaking skills in American English in order to achieve more effective communication at work, school and in the community.  The program includes targeted instruction and practice in listening comprehension, pronunciation, and conversation strategies.

Required Courses:

  • ESLN 1072 - Intermediate Conversation
  • ESLN 1082 - Introduction to Pronunciation

Prerequisite: 

No Placement test required.

Program Completion:

After you complete and pass the required courses, you will earn a Certificate of Competency.

Level:

Intermediate to advanced ESLN students 

Skills Taught:

Designed for students who seek to improve their listening and speaking skills in American English in order to achieve more effective communication at work, school and in the community. The program includes targeted instruction and practice in advanced skills in listening comprehension, pronunciation, conversation strategies, and oral presentations, within the context of advanced vocabulary and grammar structures. 

Required Courses:

  • ESLN 1074 - Advanced Conversation
  • ESLN 1084 - Advanced Pronunciation

Prerequisite: 

No Placement test required.

Program Completion:

After you complete and pass the required courses, you will earn a Certificate of Competency.

Level:

Beginning-high to intermediate ESLN students 

Skills Taught:

Designed for students who seek targeted instruction in vocabulary, reading, grammar and writing in order to achieve more effective formal and informal written communication skills for academic, employment and personal purposes.

Required Courses:

  • ESLN 1092 - Intermediate Grammar Review
  • ESLN 1102 - Basic Intermediate Writing Skills 
  • ESLN 1112 - Intermediate Reading & Vocabulary

Prerequisite: 

No Placement test required.

Program Completion:

After you complete and pass the required courses, you will earn a Certificate of Competency.

Level:

Intermediate to advanced ESLN students  

Skills Taught:

Designed for students who seek targeted instruction in advanced vocabulary, reading, writing, and grammar in order to achieve more effective formal and informal written communication skills for academic, employment and personal purposes. 

Required Courses:

  • ESLN 1094 - Advanced Grammar Review
  • ESLN 1104 - Advanced Writing Skills
  • ESLN 1114 - Advanced Reading & Vocabulary

Prerequisite: 

No Placement test required.

Program Completion:

After you complete and pass the required courses, you will earn a Certificate of Competency.

A Certificate of Competency is awarded upon successful completion of all required courses. 

Request Your Certificate

If you have completed and passed all of the required courses in each program, submit the petition form “Petition for Certificate of Competency.”

Petition for Certificate of Competency

Steps to Get Started

Use the guide below to start taking classes in Noncredit ESL. For more detailed instructions, go to How to Take Noncredit Classes. 

  1. Check course availability in Schedule of Classes

    To find ESL courses in the class schedule, look for the subject “ESL Noncredit”.

    Go to Class Schedule

  2. Choose which type of certificate you want to earn

    What Type of Student Are you?

    Follow these steps if you are new to PCC:

    1. Apply to Noncredit
      • Create an OpenCCC account if you don’t have one already.
    2. Receive Welcome Letter via email
    3. Activate your LancerPoint account
    4. Complete Noncredit Orientation
    5. Complete Placement Tests
    6. Check your Registration Status Date in LancerPoint
    7. Register for classes in LancerPoint using CRN# 

    Follow these steps if you are returning to PCC after an absence of 1 or more major semester(s):

    1. Reapply to Noncredit
      • Create an OpenCCC account if you don’t have one already.
    2. Receive Welcome Letter via email
    3. Reactivate your LancerPoint account
    4. Complete Noncredit Orientation
      • Only if you're new to ESL classes or you haven't completed it before.
    5. Complete Placement Tests
      • Only if you’ve never taken ESL Placement tests -OR-  if it has been more than a year since your last ESL Placement test
    6. Check your Registration Status Date in LancerPoint
    7. Register for classes in LancerPoint using CRN# 

    Follow these steps if you are a current or continuing PCC student (noncredit or credit):

    1. Complete Noncredit Orientation
      • Only if you're new to ESL classes or you haven't completed it before.
    2. Complete Placement Tests
      • Only if you’re new to ESL classes and never taken ESL placement tests before.
    3. Check your Registration Status Date in LancerPoint
    4. Register for classes in LancerPoint using CRN# 

    What type of student are you? 

    Follow these steps if you are new to PCC OR returning after an absence of 1 or more major semester(s):

    1. Apply to Noncredit

      • Create an OpenCCC account if you don’t have one already.

    2. Receive Welcome Letter via email

    3. Activate your LancerPoint account

    4. Check your Registration Status Date in LancerPoint

    5. Register for classes in LancerPoint using CRN# 

    Follow these steps if you are a current or continuing PCC student (noncredit or credit):

    1. Check your Registration Status Date in LancerPoint

    2. Register for classes in LancerPoint using CRN#