Mount St. Vincent University

Mount Pathways

Mount St. Vincent College offers academic support for Mount Pathways, a set of programs that prepare students for admission to universities.

Three programs together make up Mount Pathways:

• The Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) is a partnership between the college and the New York State Department of Education that was launched in the fall of 2014. Its goal is to produce promising students with limited academic and financial resources, but whose abilities and aspirations make them the main candidates for success.

The summer program is four weeks before the start of the bachelor's degree course. It is designed to inform students about college life, develop academic skills, and familiarize students with staff and classmates. Students will be on campus while participating in this program . Teachers provide assistance in the format of tutoring, consultations in groups or individually, career guidance

• The Mount Access Program (MAP) is designed for students who demonstrate the potential and motivation to succeed in college, but whose test scores and high school grades need additional support. MAP students study all the academic specialties offered by the college, continue their studies at the university and choose such professions as accounting, education, law and medicine. Students will also participate in a mandatory five-day summer program with college residency in the last week of July. The summer program will focus on teaching the skills needed to move from high school to college. 
• TRIO Student Support Services is a federally funded college program. It provides students from low-income families with academic and personal counseling, career assistance, tutoring, mentoring, and a wide range of educational development activities. TRIO helps economically or culturally disadvantaged students be the first in their family to go to college.

The TRIO Summer Program gives freshmen the opportunity to participate in a week-long series of academic, personal, and cultural seminars, as well as social activities that contribute to a successful college transition. Admission to the TRIO Summer Program is subject to availability of places, student eligibility, and participation in the summer program.

English for Academic Purposes Program

• The training period is from September to December, from January to April.

The university is committed to preparing all international students learning English as an additional language for transition to Canadian classes. The program, designed by highly qualified teachers, combines language learning with the basic skills needed for academic success. Students who complete the EAP program will have direct access to MSVU undergraduate or graduate programs without an official test result.

Types of programs:

• University Bridge – for undergraduate students. The curriculum includes academic writing and reading, presentation skills, critical thinking, and analysis.
• Graduate program – for those entering graduate school. Skills to be learned: formal and specialized writing skills, critical thinking and analysis, vocabulary, fluency.

CELPIP Preparation Program

This course is suitable for all students wishing to take the CELPIP test. The program includes the exclusive use of workbooks and instructor manuals, an interactive training course, and free practice tests. Students can choose from four skills modules: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking to create their own individualized program. These proven learning materials have helped hundreds of test subjects in classes across Canada.

The program consists of the following:

• Six lessons for each component of the test,
• Lesson plans with media and homework,
• Practice of test tasks in all skill modules,
• Electronic, printed versions of practical test tasks,
• Individual feedback on oral, written speech,
• Additional vocabulary expansion classes.