The Culture and Language Bridge Program (CLB) is designed to prepare non-native speakers of English for a productive academic career at Seattle University.

Program Mission

Admission Requirements

All non-native speakers of English who have been admitted to Seattle University and whose TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score is between 68/190/520 and 92/237/580 (inclusive) are required to take the Placement Essay Test upon their arrival at Seattle University. Students are supported by the Culture and Language Bridge Program when their writing skills as demonstrated on the Placement Essay Test, combined with their TOEFL scores at admission, indicate that their academic success at Seattle University requires it.

The Placement Essay Test

The purpose of the Placement Essay Test is to allow students an opportunity to demonstrate the quality of their writing that is based on such considerations as language fluency, rhetorical development, logical organization, and sentence structure.

Placement Essay Tests are evaluated by the university faculty and the staff of the Culture and Language Bridge Program. Students whose writing skills require additional improvement need to take courses in the Culture and Language Bridge Program. If students' writing in English appears to be in need of substantial work, they may be required to enroll in Academic Reading and Writing (CLB 087) and the CLB section of Basic Writing (English 101). Moderate writing skills, as determined by the essay evaluators, require students to take the Basic Writing course (English 101 CLB section). On the other hand, students whose writing abilities are deemed sufficient for success in their academic studies do not need to enroll in the program. Students whose TOEFL scores are 92/237/580 or higher are not expected to take the Placement Essay Test or enroll in the Culture and Language Bridge Program. However, they have the option of taking classes in the program if they choose to.

The Program Schedule

The program is offered during the fall, winter, and spring quarters. Courses for undergraduate students are not offered in the summer, and classes for graduate students are taught when there is sufficient need.

Program Requirements

In the Culture and Language Bridge Program, a student's work is evaluated with the goal of preparing non-native speakers for a success in their studies at Seattle University. Successful completion of English 101 allows undergraduate students to earn five elective credits toward their graduation. Credits for all other CLB courses are not applicable toward graduation requirements. However, CLB courses and their grades are shown on students' transcripts.