English Courses

This course seeks to equip students with persuasive communication skills, both oral and written, through analyzing business cases and presenting solutions to problems identified. It provides students with a solid framework and hands-on practice to communicate persuasively and professionally in business settings. In presenting the case problem, analysis and recommendations, students learn to identify issues, develop and organize key ideas, and eventually to persuade the audience of the validity of the arguments and proposed actions. The course sharpens students' ability to explain and support ideas logically, coherently and cohesively using various techniques, to communicate clearly, concisely and accurately, and in appropriate tone and style. Through a range of learning activities involving reading, discussion, writing and making oral presentations, students also develop critical reading, critical thinking and problem solving skills as well as teamwork and leadership skills. For students who have this course as a program requirement.

For students who have this course as a program requirement. This course lays the foundation for students to engage in business case analyses by developing their critical reading and thinking skills, as well as their ability to present case analysis findings and recommendations in spoken and written forms.

Intended Learning Outcomes

For students who have this course as a program requirement. This course builds on the foundation built in LABU 2051 and further develops students' ability to comprehend and analyze business cases, and eventually to present findings and recommendations clearly and persuasively.

The course activates students' previously acquired English language skills into a useful managerial communication toolkit targeted toward specific business applications and strategies. Students will learn how to be an effective communicator in the global workplace. The course is designed and structured to address the learning needs of students in job-seeking and in their early careers. Students will have opportunities to learn and practice how to succeed in business writing, presentations, interviews, meetings, and collaborative assignments. The course also introduces students to strategies for handling the communication challenges which fresh graduates can expect in the global workplace. For students who have this course as a program requirement.

An English course for students of the School of Science. The course introduces students to the language and discourse of science and develops their competence in speaking and writing about scientific topics.

The course provides students with a broad introduction to English within the discipline of engineering. A central aim of the course is to encourage students to analyze critically the wider social implications of engineering products and processes, through the careful examination of texts (and other media) beyond their own specific engineering field and to communicate effectively by delivering oral presentations and writing reports on topics relevant to all engineers.

LANG 2061 is a three-credit, one semester course. Students attend two 1.5 hour-lessons per week. The course offers students the language and communication skills and strategies to adapt their writing to various professional contexts. It increases students’ awareness of how writing can create change and persuade others to take action, and how audiences, contexts, and genres call for different choices in language, organization, format, and style. The course develops students' ability to communicate in digital contexts by analyzing and producing texts, including but not limited to workplace emails and professional social media posts. As students explore and analyze business genres, they learn how to shape and adapt their language skills, strategies, and communication practices for various purposes. Students will develop a repertoire of language and communication skills and strategies, enabling them to write for various workplace needs.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students can:

a) Develop and apply knowledge of rhetoric and genre to write texts appropriate for workplace contexts, purposes and audiences

b) Critically analyze workplace genres using linguistic and communication theories to write texts appropriate for workplace contexts, purposes and audiences

c) Organize workplace texts logically and coherently to communicate ideas

d) Develop awareness of writing as a social process by giving, receiving and responding to feedback

e) Lead and work as a team and manage work independently

f) Develop awareness of ethical concerns when integrating Gen AI and other technologies to enhance writing practices

LANG 2062 is a three-credit, one semester course offered in Fall and Spring semesters.  Students attend two 1.5 hour-lessons per week. This course equips students with the language and communication skills and strategies to speak and present professionally in internal and external business settings. It increases student awareness of how speaking and presenting creates change and convinces one to take action. As students explore and analyze spoken genres using language and communication theories, they learn how to shape and adapt their language skills, strategies and communication practices to influence various internal and external audiences including customers, co-workers and supervisors. Students will also develop ways to express themselves in multimodal settings. The course develops in students particularly with soft skills to handle sensitive business situations and incidents including a crisis, and how to communicate interculturally in diverse settings. Students will develop a repertoire of language and communication skills and strategies to meet various workplace needs.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students can:

a) Analyse a variety of internal and external audience’s needs and expectations and formulate effective communication strategies to address specific purposes and contexts.

b) Analyse and assess critically spoken business discourses, contexts, and communicative and linguistic features, using a language-based approach.

c) Articulate ideas clearly and concisely using appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication.

d) Communicate and present evidence-based arguments, and apply different communication theories and techniques to engage with and persuade the stakeholders.

e) Enhance presentation skills and convey meaning through multimedia that combines modalities (through a combination of modes of communication).

f) Develop cultural sensitivity and use language of diversity and inclusion to conduct effective cross-cultural business communication.

g) Lead and work as a team, and manage work independently.

h) Reflect on language and communicative skills and approaches learnt.

Restricted to students in programs offered by the School of Humanities and Social Science. The course is an integrated skills course with a special emphasis on critical reading and thinking. It develops students' ability to understand the nuances of English vocabulary and to assimilate information from different sources for analysis and commentary. The course also hones students' skills in giving effective academic presentations.

This course aims to develop students’ competence in discipline-related English, specifically communicating topics in the field of Environmental Management and Technology to the general public. Throughout the course, environmental issues will be examined, and students will learn the necessary skills to be applied in weekly communicative tasks and individual spoken and written assessments. For EVMT students only.

This course aims to develop students’ competence in discipline-related English, specifically communicating topics in the field of Environmental Management and Technology to a business audience. Throughout the course, the importance of communication and persuasion will be examined, and students will learn the necessary skills to be applied in weekly communicative tasks, and individual and group assessments. For EVMT students only.

The course focuses on developing students' ability to communicate mathematical knowledge to the general public through effective writing and speaking skills. In writing, students learn the specific skills to produce genres of both expository and persuasive nature, and reflect on how to explain mathematics concepts in an accessible manner without losing the scientific complexity. In speaking, students learn how to communicate mathematics notions and implications to nonexpert audiences using short videos and oral presentations with appropriate rhetorical and stylistic devices. For MATH and DSCT students only.

The course focuses on developing students' ability to communicate chemistry knowledge to the general public through effective writing and speaking skills. In writing, students learn the specific skills to write genres of both expository and persuasive nature, and reflect on how to explain chemistry concepts in an accessible manner without losing the scientific complexity. In speaking, students learn how to communicate chemistry notions and implications to nonexpert audiences using short videos and oral presentations with appropriate rhetorical and stylistic devices. For CHEM students only.

The course focuses on developing students' ability to communicate physics knowledge to the general public through effective writing and speaking skills. In writing, students learn the specific skills to produce genres of both expository and persuasive nature, and reflect on how to explain physics concepts in an accessible manner without losing the scientific complexity. In speaking, students learn how to communicate physics notions and implications to nonexpert audiences using short videos and oral presentations with appropriate rhetorical and stylistic devices. For PHYS students only.

The course focuses on developing students' ability to communicate life science knowledge to the general public through effective writing and speaking skills. In writing, students learn the specific skills to produce genres of both expository and persuasive nature and reflect on how to argue for their own stance of a controversial issue in an accessible manner without losing the scientific complexity. In speaking, students learn how to communicate life science notions and implications to nonexpert audiences using oral presentations with appropriate rhetorical and stylistic devices. For BCB, BISC and BIOT students only.

The course focuses on developing students' ability to communicate ocean science knowledge to the general public through effective writing and speaking skills. In writing, students learn the specific skills to produce genres of both narrative and persuasive nature, and reflect on how to explain ocean science concepts in an accessible manner without losing the scientific complexity. In speaking, students learn how to communicate ocean science notions and implications to lay audiences using short videos and oral presentations with appropriate rhetorical and stylistic devices. This course is for students on programs offered by the Department of Ocean Science.

LANG3027 offers undergraduate science students the valuable opportunity to enhance their skills in writing research project reports, abstracts, and other related genres. By focusing on research writing skills, referencing and editing techniques, this course aims to empower science research students to produce professional and polished research project reports. Engaging with authentic texts, students will receive guidance on writing different sections of a scientific research paper, while also exploring the research writing conventions specific to their individual science disciplines.

LANG 3060, Advanced Academic Writing, is a three-credit course for business students.  Students attend 3 hours of class per week over one semester. This course offers students advanced strategies and practice in writing texts in their academic disciplines. It increases student awareness of how disciplinary conventions, genre and rhetorical situations call for different choices in language, organization, format, citation and style. As students explore and analyze academic disciplinary genres and their research and writing process, they learn how to use advanced language skills and strategies including developing stances, defining, explaining, reporting, analyzing, synthesizing and organizing and how to repurpose academic content to communicate ideas effectively. The course also develops in students the view of writing as a social process as they work with a community of writers who share ideas, give feedback and support. It creates writers who are engaged to demonstrate their writing in various ways including a small-scale research project. The course threads competencies in communication, problem-solving and personal development including lifelong learning and awareness to help students develop transferable skills to become effective writers in their academic disciplines.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students can:

1. Develop and apply knowledge of rhetoric, genre and conventions generic across disciplines and specific to their field to write texts appropriate for academic contexts, purpose and audiences
2. Critically analyze, synthesize and integrate sources using advanced citation practices in the discipline.
3. Organize texts logically and coherently to communicate information and ideas by applying both common and discipline-specific conventions.
4. Analyze and apply advanced skills and strategies in writing including stance development, definition, analysis, synthesis, explanation and reporting, and control of syntax, mechanics and style.
5. Develop awareness of writing as a social process by collaborating effectively with peers in the writing process and giving constructive feedback.
6. Reflect critically on their own writing to identify areas for improvement to enhance their writing skills.
7. Adapt academic texts for public audiences to engage and persuade, including the use of multimodal means.
8. Integrate use of technologies including Gen AI with strong emphasis on ethical considerations to enhance writing practices.

Restricted to students on programs offered by the School of Humanities and Social Science. The course builds on the critical reading and thinking skills students have developed, and prepares them for writing up long documents such as project reports and dissertations, with special attention paid to the demands on students from various Humanities and Social Science disciplines.

LANG 3081 is a two-credit, one-semester course for students in the BSc in Environmental Management and Technology (EVMT) program. It focuses on preparing students for their Final Year Capstone Project report writing and presentations. The course is offered during the Spring terms only. 

A one-term, major-specific language course for CSE students, and for CPEG and DSCT students undertaking a CSE Final Year Project or Final Year Thesis. The course focuses on report writing and presentations, and communication in professional contexts relevant to the disciplines.

A one-term, major-specific language course for all ECE students and for all CPEG students undertaking an ECE Final Year Project. The course focuses on Final Year Project report writing and presentations and communication in professional contexts relevant to ECE and CPEG.

A one-term, major-specific language course for students in IEDA and ISDN. The course focuses on Final Year Project report writing and presentations and appropriate communication strategies and language use in professional contexts relevant to the disciplines. For IEDA and ISDN students in their third or fourth year of study only.

A one-term, major-specific language course for all students of the CIVL Department undertaking the Final Year Project and Capstone Project. The course focuses on Final Year Project report writing and presentations, and communication in professional contexts relevant to the CIVL Capstone Project. For CIVL and CIEV students in their third or fourth year of study only.

A one-term, major-specific course for all Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering students. The course focuses on academic speaking and writing skills for laboratory report writing and the Final Year Design Project. For MAE students only.

A one-term, major-specific course for all students in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. The course focuses on Final Year Project report writing and presentations, and communication in professional contexts relevant to chemical and biological engineering. For CBE students in their third or fourth year of study only.

This is a course with a special delivery mode -- a combination of input sessions plus highly individualized assistance provided for students to address their specific writing needs, dictated by students' choices of topics in particular areas of Global China Studies. For GCS students only.

For students whose level of spoken English is lower than ELPA Level 4 (Speaking) when they enter the University. The course addresses the immediate linguistic needs of research postgraduate students for oral communication on campus using English. To complete the course, students are required to attain at least ELPA Level 4 (Speaking). Graded P or F.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Use more accurate pronunciation and more appropriate features of connected speech for effective communication.

2. Express views about academic and social topics with more appropriate topic development and coherence.

3. Show progress in their skills in listening for features in English texts to improve their own development of speaking skills.

This course aims to help research postgraduate students to develop skills they need to understand how to successfully communicate research in English to academic, cross-disciplinary and non-specialist audiences. Students who fail to satisfy the University's English language requirement are advised to complete LANG 5000 before enrolling for this course. Graded P or F.

Co-requisite(s)

LANG 5000

Course codes and semesters

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Describe and apply academic, stylistic, and rhetorical conventions of research text genres
2. Communicate in speech and in writing critical and analytical interpretations of research texts
3. Communicate a persuasive research argument and contribution
4. Express a confident research persona through an engaging style of communication for academic and professional success
5. Communicate research effectively to academic, cross-disciplinary, and non-specialist audiences

    

​​​​​​​Course Design and Delivery

This course combines 50% blended learning with active learning classes. This means F2F classes generally meet just once a week and in the second session marked on the class timetable. Students are free to use the time of the first session to complete the online self-study activities at their leisure. See a sample schedule here.

FAQs

1. Why must I take this course?

LANG 5005 is designed to help you communicate your research in speech and in writing and to consider others' research. This will help build your confidence and skills on your research journey.

2. When should I take this course?

We recommend you take the course in your first academic year. Please check your degree type (FT/PT), study duration and other potential influences (e.g., off-campus periods) to ensure you can complete the course at an appropriate time.

3. I am a native or expert user of English. Do I need to take this course?

Yes, it teaches communication skills that benefit all research degree students.

4. I completed my previous degrees in an English-speaking country or at an English-medium university. Do I need to take this course?

Yes, it teaches communication skills that benefit all research degree students.

5. Can I apply for a course exemption?

The CLE may recommend an exemption if you took a similar communications course for research degree students at another institution. Contact the CLE if this applies to you.

6. I have presented my research at conferences and/or have authored or co-authored published research. Do I need to take this course?

Yes, LANG 5005 is a required course for research programs that specify it. Giving presentations and/or writing for publication is a common and valuable experience for research degree students. But this is not equivalent to taking LANG 5005. This course provides students with deeper and broader skills to help communicate their research in written and spoken forms to similar and different audiences.

Competence in communication is critical to both academic and professional success.  LANG 5030 is specifically designed to enhance postgraduate engineering students’ spoken English communication skills.  The course focuses on cultivating effective spoken English skills for participating in academic seminar discussions, giving presentations, and communicating in academic and professional contexts.  LANG 5030 aims to increase students’ confidence and develop competence in communication through small group discussions, presentations, seminars, and simulated language activities.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

• lead and participate confidently in seminar discussions by expressing their ideas clearly and asking appropriate questions
• deliver engaging presentations and be able to evaluate their own and their fellow classmates’ communication skills
• develop effective listening and speaking skills
• apply appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication strategies in academic and professional contexts

For students of the MSc in Global China Studies. The course aims to develop students' ability to produce written texts of a range of genres, appropriate to the academic context, and demonstrating adequate control of syntax, lexis and style.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Write a range of academic texts demonstrating appropriate control of syntaz.

2. Recognize and produce the essential features of different written genres, including critical reviews, summaries and abstracts.

3. Distinguish clearly between facts and opinions and extract salient points in written texts.

4. Develop written arguments with reference to different sources.

5. Demonstrate critical awareness of accuracy in written English, including texts written by peers.

The course is intended to provide students with essential training in academic writing, with a focus on the language used in the context of Chinese culture. This is a compulsory foundation course for all students in the MA program in Chinese Culture.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Identify the common genres of academic writing, including abstract, literature review, argument essay and research article.

2. Identify the common referencing format and referencing skills, including quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing.

3. Describe how academic texts are structured and how various devices are used for improving the coherence and cohesion of academic writing.

4. Recognize how hedging and qualifying language strengthens and weakens arguments and common fallacies in academic writing.

5. Explain the importance of identifying purposes and audience before writing, which affects the writing style and tone.

6. Distinguish specific language and vocabulary for academic writing.