In graduate school, students are challenged as they learn new ideas, build on these ideas through their own research, and share their ideas through papers and presentations. LEC’s graduate courses are designed to help students familiarize themselves with the discourse of their respective fields of study and give students opportunities to practice the language skills necessary for joining new academic communities. As students apply the strategies and linguistic choices learned in class, they can gain confidence and acquire skills that help them communicate more effectively as researchers and scholars.
Standard 16-week courses are offered during spring and fall semesters, and 6-week intensive courses are offered during summer and winter sessions for GIST enrolled students. In order to fulfill graduation requirements, students must complete their English requirement (English I and English II) within their first year. One year includes four semesters (spring, fall and two vacation sessions), so there is ample opportunity to complete these requirements; however, students may request an extension of two additional semesters if necessary.
CC0006 - English I. Introduction to Academic Communication
This class serves as an overview of basic academic communication in English, focusing on speaking and writing skills. Half of the course focuses on academic organization and structure and presentation skills, culminating in a professional presentation. The other half of the course focuses on incorporating credible outside source material in writing, culminating in a researched essay. These skills form a foundation from which students can begin to explore research writing and presentations.
This course aims to help students:
· Understand the importance of thesis statements, topic sentences, and transitions as signposts to guide an audience and to connect ideas smoothly.
· Gain confidence and fluency with basic academic structure in both speaking and writing.
· Avoid plagiarism through formal citation (i.e. IEEE) and practice with quotation, paraphrasing, and summary.
· Use rhetorical devices, vocal delivery, and body language to engage their audience in a presentation.
CC0008 - English II. Research Writing in Science and Engineering
Effective writing skills are important because journal articles and conference papers are common ways of exchanging ideas in science and engineering fields. In this course, students read journal articles in their respective fields in order to familiarize themselves with the ideas and discourse of their fields of study. Students also write papers in order to help them learn how to express and discuss the significance, purpose, methodology, and results of their own research.
This course aims to help students:
· Write papers that effectively describe and discuss their research
· Understand the purpose of each journal article section (abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion)
· Learn vocabulary, linguistic patterns, and citation practices that are specific to their respective fields of study
CC0009 - English II. Academic Presentation
Whether in lab meetings, conferences, seminars, or interviews, graduate students have various opportunities to use English to talk about their research and get to know other people. In this course, students read journal articles in their respective fields of interest in order to become familiar with current and past research trends and to learn vocabulary and expressions that are useful for describing and discussing their research. Also, as students organize, prepare, and give formal and informal presentations, they learn how to express their ideas more clearly and gain confidence speaking in front of others.
This course aims to help students:
· Confidently engage in informal and academic discussions
· Speak effectively in public
· Present both an overview and a detailed explanation of their research interests using visual aids
