University of Massachusetts Amherst

UMass Amherst Academic English Certificate

Our courses are open to anyone who is a speaker of English as an additional language; however, the Certificate is aimed at developing advanced level proficiencies in academic and professional registers. This means that the courses you will take as part of this Certificate are upper intermediate/lower advanced level, academic English courses and are not for beginners; you will need a minimum intermediate level of English level to perform well in courses (CEFR scales - minimum B1).

The Certificate is comprised of 15-credits (5 courses). There are no prerequisites for the courses (see information about sequencing below), but there are categories of courses that you must choose from to fulfill the requirements of the Certificate. Categories include: two courses focused on reading & writing, two courses focused on listening & speaking, and one additional course of your choosing. Total Number of Credits: 15

Course Descriptions

ESL125 Techniques of Oral Communication

In this course, students will gain confidence in speaking English in the university setting by practicing speaking in a variety of academic contexts, including informal interactions with other students and staff/faculty, effective communication with professors during office hours, participation in class discussions, and delivery of class presentations. Students will also focus on improving pronunciation by using pronunciation software to model, then practice and record their production of English sounds, rhythm, stress, and intonation patterns.

ESL126 Vocabulary & Comprehension of Academic English

In this course, students will work on increasing their knowledge and production of highly frequent academic vocabulary found across academic disciplines. They will also improve their reading fluency and comprehension of university-level texts through practicing close reading techniques and performing fluency exercises aimed at improving more automatic word recognition. The students will also read and use vocabulary for a purpose through a series of three course projects.

ESL225 Techniques of Academic Presentations

In this course, students will develop skills as diverse as choosing an appropriate topic, creating effective visuals, and designing a speech opening. The overall goal of this course is to develop an awareness and use of common speech types and organizational strategies and to prepare university-level students to deliver presentations in an academic setting. Students will also work on pronunciation, so that speech delivery becomes more comprehensible in the university classroom and in professional settings.

ESL230 Oral Comprehension of Academic and Professional Genres

The course emphasizes the mastery of listening skills and note-taking with a focus on current topics and controversial issues presented in academic and professional lectures, as well as other oral genres. Students will listen to academic/professional lectures and other authentic listening materials and demonstrate comprehension and critical thinking through taking detailed notes, reflective writing, and participating in discussions. Students will learn various listening strategies to improve both comprehension and processing; these strategies include but are limited to: planning, focusing attention, monitoring, predicting and inferring content, dealing with distractions, understanding accents, understanding cultural references, and using background knowledge and context clues.

ESL235 Investigating Media & Academic English

In this course, students will explore current issues and discussions in popular media and learn to identify, evaluate and thoughtfully engage with the key ideas. They will also learn to communicate their opinions clearly and persuasively by creating, revising, and reshaping their ideas, thereby allowing them to develop insightful arguments that are both research-driven and well-expressed. This course encourages them to be informed and independent thinkers by emphasizing deep reading and critical engagement.

ESL240 America through Academic Readings

In this course, students will explore various key topics in American life through academic readings to hone both their reading comprehension skills and to develop a deeper understanding of culture and context. Using close reading strategies to uncover what stated and implied in texts, students will engage with the current academic conversations being held on the values and norms of American life. Using an intercultural approach, they will be invited to thoughtfully consider their individual reactions to and interactions with such themes, and express these ideas in both discussion and writing.

Suggested Certificate Course Sequencing

There is no required or suggested sequence for completion. Our certificate is very flexible in that students can start it in any sequence they desire; however, not every course is offered each semester, so if a course is available that you would like to take, we suggest taking it in that semester.

Please note:

Our 100 level and 200 level courses do NOT reflect level of difficulty, but rather more specific topics. For example, ESL125 is a class that focuses on a broad level of oral communication, whereas ESL225 focuses in on Academic Presentations specifically.