The Program
Earn recognition for continuing to improve your proficiencies in Academic and Professional Registers of English
The Academic English Certificate for Speakers of English as an Additional Language, offered by the ESL Program, is designed to assist students in developing advanced level proficiencies in academic and profession registers. In addition to receiving recognition (and university course credit), the Certificate also serves as further evidence of your academic and professional English skills for future employers or educational institutions.
Our Certificate is comprised of 15 credits (5 courses – see below). Multiple courses are offered each semester so the Certificate can easily be completed in one year. However, students can take longer than a year or simply take individual courses without committing to the entire Certificate.
Certificate Overview
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. Total Number of Credits: 15
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Choose TWO Reading & Writing Courses (6 credits)
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Rubric
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Course Number
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Title
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Credit#
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ESL
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126
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Vocabulary & Comprehension of Academic English
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3
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ESL
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127
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Investigating Media & Academic English
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3
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ESL
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128
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America through Academic Readings |
3
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Choose TWO Speaking & Listening Courses (6 Credits)
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Rubric
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Course Number
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Title
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Credit#
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ESL
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125
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Techniques of Oral Communication
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3
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ESL
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131
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Techniques of Academic Presentations
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3
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ESL
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129
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Oral Comprehension of Academic and Professional Genres
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3
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Choose ONE Elective: select an additional course from any course above or below (3 credits)
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Course Number
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Title
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Credit#
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LLC
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125
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Intercultural Communication
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4
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A content course with a focus on language approved by our certificate coordinator
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Any transfer course (3 credit max) approved by certificate coordinator
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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.
ESL131 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.
ESL129 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.
ESL127 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.
ESL128 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.
LLC125 Intercultural Communication: Language & Identity (Gen. Ed. SB, DG)
We live in an increasingly globalized world, where living and working with people from various cultures is nearly an everyday occurrence. These interactions, combined with ever-growing opportunities for students to explore and study in foreign settings, make it important to master effective ways to engage and learn from these experiences. This course will engage students interested in developing intercultural competence with an eye towards fostering diverse and vibrant communities that coexist peacefully.
Certificate Course Sequencing
Since multiple courses are offered each semester, there is not a specific sequence for completion. Our certificate is very flexible in that students can start it in any sequence they desire, regardless of the course numbers. It is important to note that course workload for 100 level and 200 level courses is equivalent; the difference in numbering reflects the specificity of the topic; for example, ESL125 covers a wide variety of academic and professional speaking contexts, whereas ESL225 narrows in on the specific context of academic and professional presentations.
Other Information
Certificate Award/Completion
To receive the Certificate in Academic English for Speakers of English as an Additional Language, students must have earned 15 or more credits from the list of courses below and must pass these courses with a grade of C or higher.
Once you have completed all five courses, write to the Certificate Coordinator (Andrea Dallas, adallas@umass.edu) to receive the completion form. Follow the direction on the completion form. In addition to the Certificate (and the university college credit) appearing on your transcript, a paper certificate will also be issued to those who complete the program.
Transferring Credits
Our Certificate courses are all credit-bearing courses. If you are interested in transferring credits from UMass Amherst to another institution, contact the institution to where you wish to transfer credits to make sure the courses are aligned with the program of study you are pursuing there. The decision to accept the credits lies with the receiving institution and/or program.
Transfer Credits to our Certificate
With permission from the Certificate Coordinator, our Certificate accepts up to 3 transfer credits for courses with comparable content & scope. If you would like to pursue this option, please visit email program coordinator first and, after acceptance, follow instructions on https://www.umass.edu/registrar/students/transfer-information/transferring-credit