Please choose a maximum of three from the following courses and indicate your priority.
Group 1 Gibbels / LA: Language and Cultural Studies
The course discusses key concepts in Cultural Studies and uses them in writing contexts. Focus on academic writing conventions and formal register.
Group 2 Ball / OS: The Public Interview: Political, Personal & Popular
The public interview has become one of the defining features of public life. Examining the art and practice of interviewing, this course looks at examples of live, television, and online interviews with specialists, politicians, and celebrities. Students will explore levels of formality in dialogic discourse, standard question-and-answer phrases, subject-specific vocabulary, and grammatical forms used in hedging and hypothesising. Students will also develop their critical writing skills in order to analyse the interview as a discursive and cultural event.
Group 3 Ball / OS: Talking about the News
This course takes a closer look at the news, both in terms of its content and as a media phenomenon. Focussing on news stories as they are reported in the English-speaking world, students will develop their ability to speak critically about politics, society, culture, the environment, local and world news, economics, or celebrity gossip. In addition to stories currently appearing in the news, themes such as journalistic neutrality and bias, the news cycle, and legacy versus new media will also be explored, leading to a more nuanced and critical understanding of English-language news media. Students will also develop their presentation skills, by researching and speaking about their own particular interests.
Group 4 spray / OS: Delivering Academic Papers
This course hones skills for giving academic presentations such as conference papers. Topics include academic style in oral presentations, forming successful abstracts, editing presentations, and examples of successful contemporary academic papers. Assessment will be via a presentation on a topic of the participant’s choice.
Group 5 Spray / LA: Academic Vocabulary in Use
This course uses an analysis of academic texts to improve participants’ writing skills. We will examine writing conventions, how to put texts together, and the vocabulary required for academic works such as papers, monographs, or dissertations. Students will be asked to write subject-specific texts, alongside a graded essay at the end of the course.
Group 6 Spray / LA: Academic Vocabulary in Use
This course uses an analysis of academic texts to improve participants’ writing skills. We will examine writing conventions, how to put texts together, and the vocabulary required for academic works such as papers, monographs, or dissertations. Students will be asked to write subject-specific texts, alongside a graded essay at the end of the course.
Group 7 Fausser / OS: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Discussions
This course explores topics and discussions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Course discussions are a hybrid of dialogue and academic discourse. This course can be taken in either category or two or three. The course focuses on the development of academic vocabulary, linguistic complexity, and employing strategies for more effective oral communication as well as argumentation. Specific course topics and discussion format will be determined by course participants and instructor.
Group 8 Fausser / OS: Culture and Society in the USA
This course provides explores current culturally relevant issues in the United States. Course topics address entertainment, the fine and performing arts, free and hate speech, race/ethnicity, national identity, cultural appropriation, intersectionality, privilege, and income disparity. This course can be taken in either category two or three. The course focuses on the development of academic vocabulary, linguistic complexity, and employing strategies for more effective oral communication as well as presentation language. Students will hold argumentative presentations in this course.
Group 9 & 10 / Language Awareness: The Media in Today's World
This course will cover themes such as social media, influencers,
artificial intelligence, the representation of women in advertising, and
we will examine how these relate to society as a whole. Students will
improve their essay writing skills in this course. Particular focus will
be given to the micro and macro skills of essay development such as topic
sentences and idea development, and by the end of the course students will
be able to analyse, discuss, and describe contemporary media trends. You
will receive feedback on your writing. Assessment consists of a process
writing assignment, a presentation (on a topic of your choice), and an
exam. Students are also expected to contribute to class discussions as
part of the course.
Group 11 & 12 /Oral Skills: Debating Today's World
Through debating 'hot button' contemporary topics such as social media
use, democracy and dictatorships, and cancel culture, students will
improve their critical thinking, speaking, writing, and listening skills
on this course. We will contextualise the role of debate, and students
will learn specific strategies and skills for successful debating.
Assessment consists of a series of mini-debates combined with individual
blog posts; a piece of reflective writing; a final debate; and a final
exam. Students will be given developmental feedback on their debating
performances, and have the opportunity to give peer feedback to other
debating teams as the course develops.
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