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English and Academic Preparation - Grad Track

Rice University

About this Course

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The English and Academic Preparation – Grad Track non-credit course is for students who wish to strengthen their academic skills in preparation for graduate studies. This certificate course is designed to help both domestic and international students communicate more effectively in spoken and written contexts, read and comprehend scholarly texts, and take notes more efficiently. Ideally, prospective students have completed or are near completion of a bachelor’s degree and would like to study for a master’s or doctorate degree in the United States.
The total length of time required to complete the course is approximately 4 weeks. Students should expect to spend about 3-4 hours per week working with the materials and assignments.

The course is made up of 4 modules:
•	Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking
•	Writer’s Workshop
•	Reading and Note-taking
•	Capstone Project

Each module consists of video lessons, opportunities for practicing English and academic skills, interactive discussion boards with classmates, and graded activities. The course is asynchronous, which means that the lessons and their activities can be completed at any time of day or night.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Intermediate Level

Approx. 25 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

academic English language skills to communicate effectively in spoken and written contexts
strategies to read academic materials and take notes more efficiently
guidelines for common assignments in graduate courses such as academic presentations and critical reviews of a scholarly text

Skills you will gain

Academic Writing
Speed Reading
English Language
Presentation
Note Taking

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Intermediate Level

Approx. 25 hours to complete

English

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Instructors

Alice Llanos

Instructor

Language Programs at the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies at Rice University

77,577 Learners

2 Courses

Rachel Kraut, Ph.D.

Associate Director

Language Programs at the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies at Rice University

77,577 Learners

2 Courses

Offered by

Rice University

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week1

Week 1

7 hours to complete

Listening, Speaking and Critical Thinking

7 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 28 min), 5 readings, 7 quizzes

5 videos

Summarizing Skills2mListening Practice #1: Dyslexia and Learning English Lecture7mSynthesizing Information from Multiple Sources3mListening Practice #2: The Psycholinguistics of Reading Lecture10mAsking and Fielding Questions after a Presentation4m

5 readings

Prepare for the Listening Practice10mPrepare for the Listening Practice30mReview the Lesson10mForming Embedded Questions20mWords in Context20m

6 practice exercises

Summarizing a Lecture Quiz30mSynthesizing Two Lectures Quiz30mAsking and Fielding Questions Quiz30mUnderstanding Embedded Questions30mPractice the Vocabulary30mShow Your Understanding 45m

Week2

Week 2

7 hours to complete

Writer's Workshop

7 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 22 min), 8 readings, 8 quizzes

4 videos

Writing Good Summaries7mSummary Language4mWriting a Book Critique5mLanguage for Critiques4m

8 readings

Prepare for the Lesson10mReview the Lesson & Prepare for the Practice Quiz10mExpand Your Knowledge and Review the Lesson10mReview the Lesson & Prepare for the Practice Quiz40mReview the Lesson10mParaphrasing10mWords in Context10mResources for Peer Review Assignment10m

7 practice exercises

Summarizing Academic Text Practice Quiz30mLanguage for Writing Summaries30mUnderstanding the Structure of Book Critiques30mUnderstanding Critique Language30mPractice Paraphrasing30mPractice the Vocabulary30mShow Your Understanding 45m

Week3

Week 3

8 hours to complete

Reading and Note-taking

8 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 16 min), 7 readings, 8 quizzes

4 videos

Reading an Academic Paper4mTaking Notes Using the Cornell Method3mLearning to Read Critically6mTaking Notes Using an Outline2m

7 readings

Review the Lesson and Apply the SQ4R Method45mReview the Lesson & See an Example30mReview the Lesson and Practice Reading Critically45mReview the Lesson & See an Example30mDistinguishing Pronouns10mWords in Context10mReading Resources30m

7 practice exercises

Academic Reading Practice Quiz30mUsing the Cornell Method30mReading Critically Quiz30mUsing an Outline30mUnderstanding Pronouns in Context30mPractice the Vocabulary30mShow Your Understanding 45m

Week4

Week 4

4 hours to complete

Capstone

The Grad-Track capstone project is the final module of the English and Academic Preparation Program. In this module, you will not learn new information as you did in the previous modules, but rather apply the knowledge and skills you learned from the other modules in this academic certificate in order to complete a series of tasks. The word "capstone" was historically used to signify the completion of a building. The capstone was considered the most important and last stone placed on a newly constructed building. In keeping with this tradition, your successful capstone project signifies you have completed the certificate program and earned a crowning achievement.

4 hours to complete

2 videos (Total 11 min), 2 readings, 3 quizzes

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
Who should take this course?
Students who are interested in studying in a graduate program in the United States should take this course.
This course is also for students who have an advanced level of English and are interested in continuing to strengthen their academic English language skills.
What do I need to complete in order to receive the course certificate?
Each week, there is 1 graded quiz and 1 peer-review assignment. Students must complete these graded assessments in order to receive the course certificate.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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English and Academic Preparation - Grad Track

English and Academic Preparation - Grad Track

About this Course

What you will learn

Skills you will gain