English for University Studies I (Accelerated Stream)

Course Description

LANG1002 is a task-based, integrated-skills, English language course developed for first year students. It is the first of two one-semester courses which students take in order to fulfill the Common Core English requirement. The course is designed to raise your language proficiency and equip you with the underlying competence – e.g. thinking critically, discussing and presenting ideas logically – necessary for you to succeed in English-medium study in tertiary education.

On this course you will develop your ability to use English to communicate appropriately and effectively. The thematic focus of the course provides context for tasks, most of which require small group collaboration and discussion. They are central to the course methodology. The course materials have been designed to present you with in-class challenges to your present language proficiency and communication skills, and the course assessments will help you to develop these further.

Both research and experience have indicated that the major academic language needs of students are in the areas of writing, speaking, vocabulary and extensive reading. The specific emphasis of LANG1002 is, therefore, on increasing your ability to:

• write in a coherent, well-organised way;
• speak fluently, clearly, and effectively in a variety of contexts;
• use a range of complex language, where appropriate to the task;
• extract key information quickly from written texts;
• take charge of your own language learning, particularly with respect to increasing your vocabulary.

The course is graded and carries three credits.

Important note:

Students will be pre-registered into LANG1002A / LANG1002S / LANG1002I based on their English proficiency upon admission to HKUST. This is the course which students must take in order to complete their graduation requirements. Putting students of a similar proficiency level in the same class makes it possible for teachers to focus lessons better and help students achieve targets set for the end of their Year One studies. Students who would like to know more about placement in a LANG 1002 class should contact the CLE English Course Advice Team (E-mail: lcstdadvice@ust.hk).

Intended learning outcomes