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.

We offer the following Certificate of Competency programs:

Certificate Programs

Level: 

Literacy. This level is recommended for students with 6 or fewer years of formal education in their home countries, or students who have no experience with the Latin/Roman alphabet and writing system usted in English. 

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

Recommended Preparation: 

If you are a new student, we recommend that you register for the CASAS Assessment/Placement test to see which level of ESL is best for you. 

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

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

Recommended Preparation:

If you are a new student, we recommend that you register for the CASAS Assessment/Placement test to see which level of ESL is best for you. 

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:

High Beginning

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

Recommended Preparation: 

If you are a new student, we recommend that you register for the CASAS Assessment/Placement test to see which level of ESL is best for you. 

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:

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

Recommended Preparation: 

If you are a new student, we recommend that you register for the CASAS Assessment/Placement test to see which level of ESL is best for you.

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:

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

Recommended Preparation: 

If you are a new student, we recommend that you register for the CASAS Assessment/Placement test to see which level of ESL is best for you.

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:

Advanced

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

Recommended Additional Course:

  • ESLN 1065C - English as a Second Language, Level 5C*

*This class is designed for students who want to transition to credit ESL or other credit courses at PCC or other institutions. 

Recommended Preparation: 

If you are a new student, we recommend that you register for the CASAS Assessment/Placement test to see which level of ESL is best for you. 

Program Completion:

After you complete and pass the required courses, you will earn a Certificate of Competency. You can meet with a counselor to discuss enrollment in noncredit courses such as Vocational ESL (VESL), Adult Basic Education (ABE), Adult High School Diploma (AHSD), Career Technical Education (CTE), or transitioning to credit ESL or other 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:

High Beginning to Low Intermediate (Levels 2-3)

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

Recommended Preparation: 

This program is designed for students in ESLN Level 2 and 3. If you are a new student, we recommend that you register for the CASAS Assessment/Placement test to see which level of ESL is best for you. 

Program Completion:

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

Level:

High Intermediate to Advanced (Levels 4-5)

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

Recommended Preparation: 

This program is designed for students in ESLN Level 4 and 5. If you are a new student, we recommend that you register for the CASAS Assessment/Placement test to see which level of ESL is best for you. 

Program Completion:

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

Level:

High Beginning to Low Intermediate (Levels 2-3)

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

Recommended Preparation: 

This program is designed for students in ESLN Level 2 and 3. If you are a new student, we recommend that you register for the CASAS Assessment/Placement test to see which level of ESL is best for you. 

Program Completion:

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

Level:

High Intermediate to Advanced (Levels 4-5)  

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

Recommended Preparation: 

This program is designed for students in ESLN Level 4 and 5. If you are a new student, we recommend that you register for the CASAS Assessment/Placement test to see which level of ESL is best for you. 

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#