Academic skills for postgraduate students
Our postgraduate modules focus on building and strengthening the specific writing, reading, speaking and analytical skills international postgraduate students require for success with their degree course.
An active approach is taken to skill development in these classes, which are designed workshop-style to maximise opportunities for practice and feedback. In each session students work with material drawn from a range of authentic academic sources to prepare them for the tasks required of them for their degree work.
Focus is on developing the particular skills needed for:
- Essay and dissertation writing, including structuring, expressing ideas with clarity and accuracy, incorporating source material, summarising and paraphrasing, taking a critical/analytical approach to source material, conveying a point of view in an ‘academic’ style, referencing and citation, avoiding plagiarism.
- Reading extended or complex texts, including strategies for approaching readings, reading ‘critically’, note-taking techniques, recognising an author’s stance, vocabulary enhancement.
- Spoken communication important to the academic context may also be addressed in these sessions, including the development of oral presentation skills, seminar discussion techniques and class participation confidence-building.
These modules repeat each semester, for the benefit of both September and January intake students.
Running in Semester 1 and Semester 2 |
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ENL-40013 An Introduction to Academic Skills for Postgraduates This module is designed to develop international non-native English speaking postgraduate students’ academic reading and writing skills, which are essential to their success on their chosen degree programme. Particular emphasis will be placed on developing a clear academic style of writing and equipping students with a ‘toolkit’ for avoiding plagiarism. |
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ENL-40015 Developing Critical Academic Skills for Postgraduates This module is designed to further develop international non-native English speaking postgraduate students’ academic reading, writing and presentation skills which are essential to their success on their chosen degree programme. Particular emphasis will be placed on developing the critical and analytical skills necessary to engage in scholarship in their chosen field. |
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ENL-40005 Academic English for Postgraduate Science Students This module will help students to develop and refine the specific writing, reading and verbal communication skills they will need to succeed in their science degree studies. |
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ENL-40011 Academic Writing and Speaking for Postgraduate Science Students To further develop international non-native English speaking students' academic reading, writing and speaking skills, which are essential to their success on their chosen science degree programme. Particular emphasis will be placed on the different elements of the Master's dissertation/final project (literature review, methodology, etc). |
What our students say
Here's what some of our previous students had to say about our Academic Skills for Postgraduate Students module:
"It really helped me improve my academic skill particularly in academic writing. Thanks!"
"This module improved my English skills, especially in essay writing and helped me to read more efficiently."
"Practical and helpful."
"Great academic introduction."
"The learning resources are rich and easy to understand."
"The tutor is patient and professional."
"Very helpful for my academic writing."
"Great atmosphere."
"Really helped me learn more about English academic writing."
"Helpful guidance for my assignments and dissertation."