Course syllabus

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FSP046 English for engineers lp3 VT20 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Communication and Learning in Science

 

Contact details

 

Course purpose

English for Engineers is an optional English language course open to Chalmers students across disciplines. To take the course, a grammar diagnostic test (in EngOnline) must be taken prior to the start of the course and a score of at least 60% attained. We will meet once a week, on Thursday mornings, in study periods 3 (Part A of the course) and 4 (Part B of the course). You will find an outline of each week’s activities and assignments in the detailed schedule.

Aim

The aim of the course is to enable students to reach an academic level of proficiency in English. This means developing students' ability in English for academic studies at the Master's level as well as in professional life.

Participation

Active participation in all assignments including related compulsory in-class tasks is expected. Please speak to or email the teachers if you have schedule and/or meeting deadline issues.

Schedule

TimeEdit

Detailed Schedule

Course literature

EngOnline (web-based grammar tool): https://engonline.chalmers.se 

Reading suggestions for topic areas: Topic Group Reading Resources

Example literature reviews: Literature Review Examples

Example proposals: Proposal Examples

Course design

Detailed Schedule

All contact through email via Canvas or in the classroom.

Helpful Extra Resources

Deadlines: it is important that you keep to the deadlines. Any issues with meeting the deadlines, please speak to or email the teachers. 

Revisions: should assignment requirements not be met, revisions will be requested. See individual assignments for revision details.

Changes made since the last occasion

  • to be updated soon.

Learning objectives and syllabus

The successful student is able to use English effectively and appropriately in advanced academic studies as well as in professional settings. This includes the following:

  • write and revise a variety of texts, both academic and professional.
  • select and structure information in paragraphs, sections, and chapters, keeping the audience in mind (cultivating audience awareness).
  • adapt and present information for different oral communication contexts and different audiences (such as meetings and presentations).
  • analyse sentences from a grammatical viewpoint and revise for effective communication.
  • give and receive constructive criticism on written and oral work (engaging successfully in peer response).
  • process reading material to use in academic texts.
  • use references appropriately and correctly.

Link to the syllabus on The Study Portal: Study plan

Examination form

Final grade

One final grade is given at the end of this 7.5 credit course, on a 3 to 5 Chalmers scale, with 5 being the highest mark. The final grade is based on: (1) the grade from Part A, (2) the oral presentation in Part B, and (3) the written proposal in Part B. Each of these parts is worth one-third of the final grade. In order to receive the final grade, all assignments, including those that do not receive U-3-4-5 grades, must be completed. Some tasks may require revision before a task is complete. Please note that some tasks are compulsory because they are vital to the process-oriented approach that we use.

 

PART A

The first part of the course focuses on general English language skills including written proficiency and grammar. Subject-specific writing will be the focus of the lectures, using a step-by-step process of structuring and editing texts with peer response as well as feedback from your teachers, to help you develop some useful writing strategies. You will also be drafting a CV, and engaging in oral language practice and activities. To make your language training not only effective but individualised and team-oriented, we will often work in small groups.

Writing concepts will form the basis of most in-class input as well as prepare students for follow-up workshops and seminars. The oral proficiency training includes individual presentations and group discussions.

Grammar support is provided through our web-based tool EngOnline, which you are encouraged to use for self-study. There will be some lectures which will discuss typical problem areas of some specific grammar categories (see schedule). Most grammar training will happen through feedback and revision of writing assignments during both study periods.

The assessment during the first part of the course comprises

  • all pass/fail assignments
  • a literature review assignment (which has been through the writing process – drafts and peer response), assessed as U (fail)*, 3, 4 or 5

*A grade of U will trigger a mandatory revision, uploaded through Canvas (the same portal as the initial submission). Note that more than one revision of a text may be required before a passing grade is achieved.                                     

 

PART B

Part B focuses a little more on professional English, including proposal writing, emailing, and further oral practice in the form of meetings, and other situations that you are likely to encounter in your professional lives. 

The assessment during the second part of the course comprises

  • all pass/fail assignments
  • an oral presentation assignment, assessed as U, 3, 4 or 5
  • a written proposal assignment (which has been through the writing process – drafts and peer response), assessed as U, 3, 4 or 5

 

Course summary:

Date Details Due