English Language Skills for Academic Purposes

This module aims to familiarise students from other learning cultures with the conventions of academic English and to give practice in their use. Skills in academic reading, writing, speaking and listening will be developed through exposure to a variety of academic texts and lectures, active participation in seminars and presentations, and a series of writing tasks. For both writing and speaking, attention will be given to linguistic structures of relevance to academic study, as exemplified in model texts. At the same time, a focus on register and style will encourage students to differentiate successfully between the expectations of formal writing and speaking contexts, leading to the independent production of a fully referenced academic essay and individual presentation. In the course of the module, transferable skills in research, synthesis, communication and critical thinking will also be developed.

Course leader

James Sinclair-Knopp

Target group

This is a level one module (equivalent to first year undergraduate). No prior subject knowledge is required to study this module but students are expected to have a keen interest in the subject area.

Course aim

Upon successful completion of this module, students will:

be better able to understand and use theories and conventions of written academic literacy
be better able to use rhetorical and logical strategies to express ideas effectively in writing
have developed their own voice and the ability to position themselves in texts
have gained the ability to employ relevant strategies for distinct tasks, ranging from giving presentations to preparing coursework for undergraduate study.