Syllabus M2

English for MA Students -  level M2

(Course number 41032)

Weekly hours: 2

 

Course purpose and overview:

The main objective of the M2 course is to improve students’ proficiency in English for communication in academic and/or professional settings. The primary focus is on enhancing writing skills. To this end, a variety of rhetorical and linguistic skills are taught and practiced throughout the course. Speaking and listening are integrated into the class sessions and assignments, and all students prepare and deliver a professional/academic oral presentation. Communication in such genres as essays, summaries, email correspondence, PowerPoints, and research reports are studied and practiced.

 

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to do the following:

  • Write in English for a variety of academic and professional purposes (e.g., exposition, argument, summary) in their own fields

  • Develop effective academic rhetorical skills and demonstrate awareness of basic stylistic conventions

  • Identify and correct linguistic problems in their writing

  • Enhance oral proficiency by participating in class discussions and activities

  • Prepare and deliver a professional/academic oral presentation

 

 

Course content

Teaching techniques, technology use, guest speakers:

  • Frontal lectures

  • Pair/group work

  • Individual tutorials

  • Class discussions

  • Moodle assignments (e.g., forums, videos)

  • Internet use: videos, supplementary material (in class/homework)

 

 

Detailed Course Schedule:

Reading strategies, language components and related reading selections:

 

Below is a list of the reading, writing, and language skills taught and practiced in the course:

  • Writing for an audience

  • Writing a thesis statement

  • Paragraph writing (structure and development)

  • Cohesion (transitions and rhetorical markers)

  • Essay writing

  • Summarizing

  • Paraphrasing

  • Writing from sources (citation, quoting, plagiarism)

  • Abstracts and empirical research articles

  • Academic language and register (e.g. hedging, formality)

  • Relevant grammatical and mechanical issues

  • Preparing academic/professional presentations (structure, presentation skills, PPT preparation)

 

 

Prerequisites

M.A Placement exam

 

 

Course requirements: 

  • Attendance and active participation in class sessions

  • Successful completion of class assignments and homework

  • Oral presentation

 

 

Components of the course grade:

The final course grade is pass/fail, with all coursework earning a minimum of 75 to merit a passing grade. The grade is based on a series of assignments completed throughout the semester as follows:

 

  • Two writing assignments (70%): An Introduction to an academic article and an Abstract.

  • Oral Presentation (20%)

  • Classwork / Homework (10%):

 

 

Bibliography:

Authentic academic articles compiled by each lecturer in a course booklet posted on the Moodle System

Articles chosen by individual students based on their individual needs