The SMC was founded in 1964. Southwestern Michigan College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

The School offers small class sizes, ensuring students will receive significant personalized attention from their instructors. Students have campuses conveniently located in Dowagiac and Niles - close to home and work. They also have academic support services that offer assistance every step of the way from the time they apply for admission to SMC to the completion of the degree and beyond.

Participants:

The English as a Second Language Program (ESL) at Southwestern Michigan College is designed for students whose native language is not English. Its goals are to help students gain proficiency and confidence in the use of English and to prepare them for entry into academic or career programs. he ESL credit program consists of four levels of two-credit courses. Placement into one of these courses is determined by a standard ESL assessment test, an oral interview, and a writing sample. Students must demonstrate mastery of writing, reading, listening, and speaking skills before progressing to the next level. After successful completion of the ESL sequence, students progress to College Reading 100, Freshman English 101, and Speech 102. Follow the Course Description link on this page for detailed descriptions of the each of the four levels of ESL course offerings.

The English Proficiency Institutional Certificate program is designed for ESL students who want to gain a greater awareness of their abilities before deciding on the specific associate program. This certificate may also be useful for students needing to demonstrate English proficiency for other schools or employers. For more details, please review the English Proficiency Institutional Certificate Program Guide which linked on this page.


Tuition
$157.50 per 1 credit hour