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Pathway to Undergraduate Studies

A student that does not meet the English proficiency requirements for admission to undergraduate studies at KPU has the option of taking English proficiency upgrading courses, while simultaneously taking a limited number of undergraduate courses at KPU. The undergraduate courses available to Pathway Students will help them advance towards their intended undergraduate credential and aid their transition to full undergraduate studies.

Entry to Pathway Studies

A student begins their Pathway Studies at one of the following entry points according to their current level of English proficiency. Each Pathway point of entry has designated course options for upgrading English proficiency and undergraduate study:

English Proficiency for Pathway Entry

English Upgrading Course Options

Undergraduate Course Options
Pathway 1
Assessed below English 12 (C-)


ENGQ*
ELSQ*
ELST 0041 through 0183*
Not available for Pathway 1 students
Pathway 2
One of: (a) English 12 (C-), (b) IELTS 5.5, or (c) equivalent (see full list below).
ENGQ 1089*
ELST 0256 through 0283*
Up to 4 credits from the courses designated for Pathway 2 English Proficiency
Pathway 3
One of: (a) English 12 (C), (b) IELTS 6.0, or (c) equivalent (see full list below).
ENGQ 1091, 1092 or 1099*
ELST 0365 through 0383*
Up to 8 credits from courses designated for Pathway 2 or Pathway 3 English Proficiency

* Choice of courses may be limited by course prerequisites.

Completing the Pathway and Transitioning into Undergraduate Studies

A Pathway Student becomes eligible for admission to undergraduate studies after completing Pathway 3 English upgrading, which fulfills KPU’s English proficiency requirement for undergraduate admission. Until a Pathway Student is admitted to KPU for undergraduate studies, they are only permitted to register for undergraduate courses designated for Pathway Studies. Successful completion of Pathway 3 English upgrading is required before the transition to undergraduate studies can take place. During the semester following completion of Pathway 3 English Upgrading and prior to undergraduate admission, a Pathway Student must consult with an Academic Advisor to develop their plan for their undergraduate studies, and they may continue to take undergraduate courses designated for Pathway Studies, up to a maximum of 12 credits in total.

 

Equivalents for Pathway 2 English Proficiency

High School Courses

  • Completion of BC English 12 or English Literature 12 or English First Peoples 12 with a minimum grade of C –
  • Completion of Communications 12 with a minimum grade of B
  • Completion of, as part of the Adult Dogwood Diploma, English 12 with a minimum grade of C- or Communications 12 with a minimum grade of B
  • Completion of IB (International Baccalaureate) English A1/A2 (HL or SL) with a minimum grade of 2 (or C-)
  • Completion of AP (Advanced Placement) English Language and Composition or AP English Literature and Composition with a minimum grade of C-

For English 12 and all other provincially examinable courses, KPU will accept the blended grade (classroom grade + provincial examination grade) OR the classroom grade — whichever is higher — for the purposes of Faculty and program admission, and for satisfying course prerequisites. Current students wishing to use a higher classroom mark for the purposes of satisfying prerequisites should request to have an official copy of their high school transcript sent to Admissions should they wish to have their academic record updated to include the classroom mark for any provincially examinable courses.

Undergraduate Courses

  • Successful completion of one semester of study (15 credits) at the undergraduate level, with a minimum CGPA of 2.0, at a recognized post-secondary institution where English is the primary language of instruction

KPU Courses

  • Completion of ELST 0181 with a minimum grade of B-
  • Completion of ENGQ 1079 with a minimum grade of C

Testing Options

  • KPU English testing with placement into one of ENGQ 1089 or ELST 0281
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS): overall band of 5.5 or higher, with a minimum 5.5 in each band, taken within the last two years
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): iBT 61 or higher, with no sub score less than 18, taken within the last two years
  • Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL): Score of 50 or higher with no sub score less than 40, taken within the last two years
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE): Score of 46 or higher, taken within the last two years
  • Language Proficiency Index (LPI): Level 3 with an essay score of 23 or higher, taken within the last two years

 

Equivalents for Pathway 3 English Proficiency

High School Courses

  • Completion of BC English 12 or English Literature 12 or English First Peoples 12 with a minimum grade of C
  • Completion of, as part of the Adult Dogwood Diploma, English 12 with a minimum grade of C
  • Completion of IB (International Baccalaureate) English A1/A2 (HL or SL) with a minimum grade of C
  • Completion of AP (Advanced Placement) English Language and Composition or AP English Literature and Composition with a minimum grade of C

For English 12 and all other provincially examinable courses, KPU will accept the blended grade (classroom grade + provincial examination grade) OR the classroom grade — whichever is higher — for the purposes of Faculty and program admission, and for satisfying course prerequisites. Current students wishing to use a higher classroom mark for the purposes of satisfying prerequisites should request to have an official copy of their high school transcript sent to Admissions should they wish to have their academic record updated to include the classroom mark for any provincially examinable courses.

Undergraduate Courses

  • Successful completion of one year of study (30 credits) at the undergraduate level, with a minimum CGPA of 2.0, at a recognized post-secondary institution where English is the primary language of instruction

KPU Courses

  • Completion of ELST 0281 with a minimum grade of B-
  • Completion of ENGQ 1089 with a minimum grade of C

Testing Options

  • KPU English testing with placement into one of ENGQ 1091, 1092, 1099 or ELST 0381
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS): overall band of 6.0 or higher, with a minimum 6.0 in each band, taken within the last two years
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): iBT 80 or higher, with no sub score less than 19, taken within the last two years
  • Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL): Score of 60 or higher with no sub score less than 50, taken within the last two years
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE): Score of 54 or higher, taken within the last two years
  • Language Proficiency Index (LPI): Level 4 with an essay score of 26 or higher, taken within the last two years

Last Updated: 4-Oct-2016

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