English Language Skills Development

Faculty HASS

In the faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences all our our courses run at a programme specific level, and all international students on these programmes are automatically enrolled in sessions. This provision is summarised below.

If you cannot identify a course or module specific to your programme, please do browse our reading and writing and speaking and listening courses for a range of opportunities to develop and improve your English. You may also like to consider our writing cafes and one-to-one tutorials. If you are not sure which course would be most suitable or you, please email insessional@exeter.ac.uk.

Academic English for Postgraduates in English and Film (INT9003) 

This is a series of 5 workshops for postgraduate students on the following programmes: 

  • MA English Literary Studies 
  • MA Creative Writing  
  • MA Publishing  
  • MA Film and Screen Studies  

International students on these programmes should automatically be added to the module and will see the schedule in their university timetable.  

In term 1, the course will cover the following topics: 

Session 

Focus 

1 

  • Expectations of MA level study 
  • Reading academic texts 
  • Activating criticality 

2 

  • Strategies and language for seminars 
  • Strategies and language for presentations 
  • Features of academic writing 

3 

  • Using sources in your written assignments 
  • Paraphrasing, summarising, direct quotation, referencing 

4 

  • Writing structure (paragraph / whole text) 

5 

  • Writer’s voice 
  • Academic style 

6 

  • Review and reinforcement of key skills

NB: This is an overview of content and may be altered depending on the needs of the students.  

Day and time: Wednesday 12.35-14.25

Dates: Wednesday 7th October to Wednesday 18th November

Room: Old Library 129

Tutor: Martin Darling

Academic English for Postgraduates in Creativity and Theatre Practice (INT9012)

This is a series of 5 workshops for postgraduate students on the following programmes:  

  • MA Creativity: Innovation and Business Strategy  
  • MA Theatre Practice  

International students on these programmes should automatically be added to the module and will see the schedule in their university timetable.   

In term 1, the course will cover the following topics: 

Session 

Focus 

1 

  • Expectations of MA level study 
  • Reading academic texts 
  • Activating criticality 

2 

  • Strategies and language for seminars 
  • Strategies and language for presentations 
  • Features of academic writing 

3 

  • Using sources in your written assignments 
  • Paraphrasing, summarising, direct quotation, referencing 

4 

  • Writing structure (paragraph / whole text) 

5 

  • Writer’s voice 
  • Academic style 

NB: This is an overview of content and may be altered depending on the needs of the students.

Day and time: Tuesdays 16.35-18.25

Dates: Tuesday 29th September to Tuesday 3rd November

Room: Thornlea SR1

Tutor: Felicia Heard

Provision for students of Drama includes both group and one-to-one tutorials, please speak to your tutor for more information.

Academic English for Postgraduates in Languages, Cultures and Visual Studies (INT9006) 

This is a series of 5 workshops for postgraduate Translation Studies and Global Literatures and Cultures students in term 1 covering academic literacy, essay writing and study skills. 

International students on these programmes should automatically be added to the module and will see the schedule in their university timetable.  

In term 1, the course will cover the following topics: 

Session 

Focus 

1 

  • Expectations of MA level study 
  • Reading academic texts 

2 

  • Features of academic writing 
  • Activating criticality 

3 

  • Finding and evaluating sources 
  • Using sources in your written assignments 
  • Paraphrasing, summarising, direct quotation, referencing 

4 

  • Writing structure (paragraph / whole text) 

5 

  • Writer’s voice 
  • Academic style 

NB: This is an overview of content and may be altered depending on the needs of the students. 

Day and time: Fridays 8.35-10.25

Dates: Friday 16th October to Friday 20th November

Room: Forum Seminar Room 9

Tutor: Andrea Donahy

Provision for students in LCVS also includes one-to-one tutorials, please speak to your tutor for more details.

 

Academic English for International Film Business (INT9007) 

This is a series of 5 workshops for postgraduate students on the MA International Film Business. 

International students on these programmes should automatically be added to the module and will see the schedule in their university timetable.  

In term 1, the course will cover the following topics: 

Session 

Focus 

1 

  • Expectations of MA level study 
  • Strategies and language for seminars 
  • Strategies and language for presentations 

2 

  • Reading academic texts 
  • Activating criticality 

3 

  • Features of academic writing 

4 

  • Finding and evaluating sources 
  • Using sources in your written assignments 
  • Paraphrasing, summarising, direct quotation, referencing 

5 

  • Writer’s voice 
  • Academic style 

NB: This is an overview of content and may be altered depending on the needs of the students. 

Day and time: Wednesday 15.35-17.25

Dates: Wednesday 7th October to Wednesday 11th November

Room: Old Library 130

Tutor: Martin Darling

Academic English for LLM (INT9002) 

This a series of 6 workshops for postgraduate Law (LLM) students in term 1. The sessions will develop language and study skills techniques required to enhance assignment writing and demonstrate your critical thinking skills. During the course, students will look at strategies for how to effectively use legal texts and journal articles.  

International students on these programmes should automatically be added to the module and will see the schedule in their university timetable. 

Session 1: Reading strategies for journal articles and developing academic vocabulary 

Session 2: Reading strategies for cases and statutes and language strategies for criticality 

Session 3: From Reading to Writing: critical thinking; incorporating your reading into writing through quotations & paraphrase; avoiding plagiarism 

Session 4: Writing (1) Effective legal writing: what makes a good legal essay; writing introductions & conclusions 

Session 5: Writing (2) Evaluating sample law essays – look at how previous students attained high marks in their assignments. 

Session 6: Review

(The outline above is indicative and may change depending on the needs of the students)

Group 1:

Day and time: Monday 10.35-12.25

Dates: Monday 5th October to Monday 16th November

Room: XFI Conference room 1

Tutor: Nick Birbeck

Group 2:

Day and time: Wednesday 15.35-17.25

Dates: Wednesday 7th October to Wednesday 18th November

Room: Old Library 134

Tutor: Emma Sweeney

Dedicated one-to-one assignment tutorials are also available to LLM students. Please speak to your tutor for more details.

There is no subject specific provision available for students of Politics, IR and SPA in term 1. However, there are a range of options available on our Reading and Writing timetable and our Listening and Speaking timetable. 

If you cannot find what you are looking for, please email insessional@exeter.ac.uk

 

Academic English for Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies (INT9008) 

This a series of 3 workshops for postgraduate Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies (IAIS) students. The sessions will develop language and study skills techniques to enhance assignment writing and demonstrate your critical thinking skills.  They will be delivered within the structure of your dissertation module ARAM233.

In term 1, the course will cover the following topics: 

Session 

Focus 

1 

  • Expectations of MA level study 
  • Activating criticality 

2 

  • Features of academic writing 
  • Writing essays (addressing questions / structure at paragraph and whole text level) 
  • Reading academic texts 

3 

  • Finding and evaluating sources 
  • Using sources in your written assignments 
  • Paraphrasing, summarising, direct quotation, referencing 

NB: This is an overview of content and may be altered depending on the needs of the students.

One-to-one tutorials are also available specifically for students at the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies. Please speak to your tutor for more details.

 

Academic English for School of Education (INT9001) 

This a series of 5 workshops for School of Education students in term 1. The sessions will develop language and study skills techniques and knowledge to enhance assignment writing and demonstrate your critical thinking skills.  

International students on these programmes should automatically be added to the module and will see the schedule in their university timetable. If you are not on one of these programmes but are interested in attending, email the team with your request: insessional@exeter.ac.uk 

Group 1:

Day and time: Tuesday 8.35-10.25

Dates: Tuesday 6th October to Tuesday 10th November

Room: Baring Court 202

Group 2:

Day and time: Friday 11.35-13.25

Dates: Friday 9th October to Friday 13th November

Room: Baring Court 202

 

Tutor: Ayca Durrant (for both groups)

One-to-one tutorials are also available for students of Education. Please speak to your tutor for more details.