The skills taught in this Specialization will empower you to succeed in any college-level course or professional field. You’ll learn to conduct rigorous academic research and to express your ideas clearly in an academic format. In the final Capstone Project, all the knowledge that you’ve gained over the span of these courses will culminate into an academic research paper on an issue of your choice.
Academic English: Writing Specialization
Transform Your Writing Skills. Prepare for college-level writing and research in just four courses.
Offered By
How the Specialization Works
Take Courses
A Coursera Specialization is a series of courses that helps you master a skill. To begin, enroll in the Specialization directly, or review its courses and choose the one you'd like to start with. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. It’s okay to complete just one course — you can pause your learning or end your subscription at any time. Visit your learner dashboard to track your course enrollments and your progress.
Hands-on Project
Every Specialization includes a hands-on project. You'll need to successfully finish the project(s) to complete the Specialization and earn your certificate. If the Specialization includes a separate course for the hands-on project, you'll need to finish each of the other courses before you can start it.
Earn a Certificate
When you finish every course and complete the hands-on project, you'll earn a Certificate that you can share with prospective employers and your professional network.
There are 5 Courses in this Specialization
Course1
Grammar and Punctuation
4.7
7,158 ratings
Course 1: Grammar and Punctuation
Do you need to review English grammar? Have you forgotten the grammar you once studied? If so, this course is perfect for you.
The first course in this specialization is a refresher on some tools needed for good writing. It will help prepare you for the other courses. You will need about 10 hours to complete this first course. Writing is a skill and to learn a skill well, you need to practice. In this course, you will watch short video lectures and then practice and discuss what you have learned. Make sure you take good notes and use the peer discussions to ask questions. Then you'll be able to remember the rules you learn in this course when you start writing essays in the next course.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- identify the correct verb tenses to use
- use commas effectively
- utilize several different sentence types
- write more effectively in English
Please note that the free version of this class gives you access to all of the instructional videos and handouts. The peer feedback and quizzes are only available in the paid version.
Course2
Getting Started with Essay Writing
4.7
1,518 ratings
Course 2: Getting Started with Essay Writing
This is the second course in the Academic English: Writing specialization. By introducing you to three types of academic essays, this course will especially help prepare you for work in college classes, but anyone who wants to improve his or her writing skills can benefit from this course.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- create effective thesis statements for your essays
- plan and write compare/contrast, cause/effect, and argument essays
- write well-developed body paragraphs
Note: The lectures and practice activities are available for free, but you must upgrade to the pay version in order to take the quizzes and get feedback on writing assignments.
Course3
Advanced Writing
4.7
646 ratings
Course 3: Advanced Writing
This is the third course in the Academic English: Writing specialization. By raising your level of academic writing, this course helps prepare you for college-level work.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- plan and write a more sophisticated argument essay
- identify plagiarism and explain how to prevent it
- read and analyze several articles to form your own opinion on a topic
- make connections between several articles
- form thesis statements from your readings
- use sources effectively when writing an essay
Please note that the free version of this class gives you access to all of the instructional videos and handouts. The peer feedback and quizzes are only available in the paid version.
Course4
Introduction to Research for Essay Writing
4.7
324 ratings
Course 4: Introduction to Research for Essay Writing
This is the last course in the Academic Writing specialization before the capstone project. By the end of this course, you will be able to complete all the steps in planning a research paper.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- choose appropriate research topics for college classes
- write detailed outlines for research papers
- find source material for research papers
- take and organize good notes for research
- use appropriate academic tone and language
- document sources by creating a Works Cited list in MLA format
- avoid plagiarizing your sources
Course5
Project: Writing a Research Paper
4.8
76 ratings
Welcome to the capstone project for the Academic English: Writing Specialization! This project lets you apply everything you’ve learned and gives you the practice you need for college classes by having you write a research paper. You'll have several due dates throughout the capstone to help you stay on schedule.
In this capstone project, you will:
- conduct research on an academic topic of your choice
- create an outline to plan out your essay
- write a short annotated bibliography to help you evaluate your sources
- write a 7-8 page research paper
- use source material correctly with MLA format
Instructors
Tamy Chapman
Instructor, International ProgramsUniversity of California Irvine Division of Continuing Education
Helen Nam
InstructorInternational Programs, UCI Extension
About University of California, Irvine
Since 1965, the University of California, Irvine has combined the strengths of a major research university with the bounty of an incomparable Southern California location. UCI’s unyielding commitment to rigorous academics, cutting-edge research, and leadership and character development makes the campus a driving force for innovation and discovery that serves our local, national and global communities in many ways.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the refund policy?
Can I just enroll in a single course?
Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.
Is financial aid available?
Can I take the course for free?
Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?
This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?
This Specialization doesn't carry university credit, but some universities may choose to accept Specialization Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more.
How long does it take to complete the Academic English: Writing Specialization?
Time to completion can vary based on your schedule, but most learners are able to complete the Specialization in about 4-6 months.
How often is each course in the Specialization offered?
Each course in the Specialization is offered on a regular schedule, with sessions starting about once per month. If you don't complete a course on the first try, you can easily transfer to the next session, and your completed work and grades will carry over.
What background knowledge is necessary?
You should be comfortable reading and writing English at an intermediate (high school) level. This Specialization is designed to prepare high school graduates for writing and research at the college level. Students who have not been exposed to rigorous English courses in high school, students whose native language is not English, and others interested in refining their written English communication skills are all welcome.
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
We recommend taking the courses in the order presented, as each subsequent course will build on material from previous courses.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Academic English: Writing Specialization?
Coursera courses and certificates don't carry university credit, though some universities may choose to accept Specialization Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more.
What will I be qualified to do upon completing the Academic English: Writing Specialization?
You will be able to write well-researched, structured, and effective college essays using proper English grammar.
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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