Excel Program Offers Quicker Pathway to a College Degree for English Language Learners

North Central College’s new Excel Program enables students for whom English is not their first language to earn college credit while working to enhance their English skills. The one-semester program, which launched this fall and is also available for spring semester entry, is designed for multilingual students who have taken English Language Learning (ELL) classes in high school as well as international students in the United States for undergraduate study. The Excel Program helps students succeed in college by preparing them to read, analyze and write about academic texts, as well as to actively participate in academic discussions, while making progress toward their degree. 

“The Excel Program is another example of how North Central College continues to create diverse and innovative pathways and opportunities for students to earn a college degree,” said North Central College President Abiódún Gòkè-Pariolá. “The College has a long history of supporting multilingual students through our English Language Institute and Intensive English Program. This new offering is different as it enables students to earn college credit for working to enhance their English skills, putting them on a quicker pathway to earn their undergraduate degree.”

The Excel curriculum includes 12 undergraduate course credits of advanced English language study in the following courses: Listening & Speaking, Writing & Grammar, and Reading & Vocabulary. The credits count as elective requirements in the College’s undergraduate program and can be combined with courses in a variety of disciplines for a total of 16 credits, which makes it unique to North Central.

First-year students who take the maximum of 16 credits would be on track to earn a bachelor’s degree in four years. And, unlike non-credit programs, students in the Excel Program are eligible for all the benefits of being fully enrolled at North Central College, including scholarships and financial aid, as well as participation in athletics, fine arts programs, and student clubs and organizations. Compared to many similar intensive language programs, the Excel Program is a faster and less expensive pathway to a college degree.

“This new program fills a gap that has long existed for multilingual students who may need or want additional language study and support as they transition into their college coursework,” said Katherine Pope, director of North Central College’s English Language Institute. “The Excel Program provides students with a clear timeline to graduation, along with access to the resources they need to get the most out of their college experience.”

To learn more about the Excel Program, including testing requirements, visit northcentralcollege.edu/program/excel-program. The Excel Program is part of the College’s English Language Institute, which also offers a non-credit Intensive English Program for students who want to study English to meet academic and professional goals.