Would you like to join a community of students with diverse backgrounds that have common goals? Are you interested in improving your academic English reading and writing skills?
If you are a non-native speaker of English or a U.S. born citizen and English is not the primary language spoken in your home, this program might be the perfect choice for you. For the past twenty years, Penn State Brandywine has conducted a successful first-year program, the Multilingual Student Course Cluster (formerly known as the American Studies Course Cluster) for students who need help in developing the fundamental English language skills required for college. The courses are mainstream college courses that also provide additional skills needed for students to be successful. The Multilingual Student Course Cluster is a joint collaboration of Brandywine Learning and the Office of Multilingual and International Student Programs.
Who can benefit from the Multilingual Student Course Cluster?
- A student born outside of the United States for whom English is not the native language, including immigrant and international students.
- A student born in the United States for whom English is not the primary language spoken in the home.
- A student who scored low on the writing and/or reading portion of the SAT or ACT and for whom English is not the primary language spoken in the home.
How does a student enroll in this program?
First, a student needs to be formally accepted to Penn State Brandywine. Once admitted, students are typically invited after the completion of the Penn State academic placement tests; however, students can also request to be admitted to the program.
What will this program do?
This cluster of courses, which also includes intensive tutoring, helps students to improve their academic reading and writing skills. In addition, students acquire the vocabulary, study skills, and background knowledge needed for college success. Find a list of courses here.
Our students come from a variety of backgrounds including:
Albania, Angola, Bangladesh, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, Columbia, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Iran, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mexico, Myanmar, Palestine, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Serbia, Sierra Leone, South Korea, Sudan, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Russia, and Vietnam.