The English and Academic Preparation – Grad Track non-credit course is for students who wish to strengthen their academic skills in preparation for graduate studies. This certificate course is designed to help both domestic and international students communicate more effectively in spoken and written contexts, read and comprehend scholarly texts, and take notes more efficiently. Ideally, prospective students have completed or are near completion of a bachelor’s degree and would like to study for a master’s or doctorate degree in the United States.
The total length of time required to complete the course is approximately 4 weeks. Students should expect to spend about 3-4 hours per week working with the materials and assignments.
The course is made up of 4 modules:
• Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking
• Writer’s Workshop
• Reading and Note-taking
• Capstone Project
Each module consists of video lessons, opportunities for practicing English and academic skills, interactive discussion boards with classmates, and graded activities. The course is asynchronous, which means that the lessons and their activities can be completed at any time of day or night.
In this module, we will learn some skills necessary for listening to and speaking about academic topics at the graduate level.
Listening Practice #1: Dyslexia and Learning English Lecture•7 minutes
Synthesizing Information from Multiple Sources•4 minutes
Listening Practice #2: The Psycholinguistics of Reading Lecture•10 minutes
Asking and Fielding Questions after a Presentation•5 minutes
5 readings•Total 90 minutes
Prepare for the Listening Practice•10 minutes
Prepare for the Listening Practice•30 minutes
Review the Lesson•10 minutes
Forming Embedded Questions•20 minutes
Words in Context•20 minutes
6 assignments•Total 195 minutes
Summarizing a Lecture Quiz•30 minutes
Synthesizing Two Lectures Quiz•30 minutes
Asking and Fielding Questions Quiz•30 minutes
Understanding Embedded Questions•30 minutes
Practice the Vocabulary•30 minutes
Show Your Understanding •45 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Incorporating Research into a Presentation•60 minutes
3 discussion prompts•Total 50 minutes
Meet Your Classmates•10 minutes
Using Embedded Questions•30 minutes
Q & A Optional Practice•10 minutes
Writer's Workshop
Module 2•7 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, we will learn some skills necessary for writing about academic topics at the graduate level.
What's included
4 videos8 readings7 assignments1 peer review
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 22 minutes
Writing Good Summaries•8 minutes
Summary Language•4 minutes
Writing a Book Critique•5 minutes
Language for Critiques•4 minutes
8 readings•Total 110 minutes
Prepare for the Lesson•10 minutes
Review the Lesson & Prepare for the Practice Quiz•10 minutes
Expand Your Knowledge and Review the Lesson•10 minutes
Review the Lesson & Prepare for the Practice Quiz•40 minutes
Review the Lesson•10 minutes
Paraphrasing•10 minutes
Words in Context•10 minutes
Resources for Peer Review Assignment•10 minutes
7 assignments•Total 225 minutes
Summarizing Academic Text Practice Quiz•30 minutes
Language for Writing Summaries•30 minutes
Understanding the Structure of Book Critiques•30 minutes
Understanding Critique Language•30 minutes
Practice Paraphrasing•30 minutes
Practice the Vocabulary•30 minutes
Show Your Understanding •45 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Article Critique•60 minutes
Reading and Note-taking
Module 3•8 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, we will learn some skills necessary for reading and note-taking about academic topics at the graduate level.
What's included
4 videos7 readings7 assignments1 peer review
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 16 minutes
Reading an Academic Paper•4 minutes
Taking Notes Using the Cornell Method•3 minutes
Learning to Read Critically•6 minutes
Taking Notes Using an Outline•3 minutes
7 readings•Total 200 minutes
Review the Lesson and Apply the SQ4R Method•45 minutes
Review the Lesson & See an Example•30 minutes
Review the Lesson and Practice Reading Critically•45 minutes
Review the Lesson & See an Example•30 minutes
Distinguishing Pronouns•10 minutes
Words in Context•10 minutes
Reading Resources•30 minutes
7 assignments•Total 225 minutes
Academic Reading Practice Quiz•30 minutes
Using the Cornell Method•30 minutes
Reading Critically Quiz•30 minutes
Using an Outline•30 minutes
Understanding Pronouns in Context•30 minutes
Practice the Vocabulary•30 minutes
Show Your Understanding •45 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Taking Notes on an Academic Reading•60 minutes
Capstone
Module 4•4 hours to complete
Module details
The Grad-Track capstone project is the final module of the English and Academic Preparation Program. In this module, you will not learn new information as you did in the previous modules, but rather apply the knowledge and skills you learned from the other modules in this academic certificate in order to complete a series of tasks. The word "capstone" was historically used to signify the completion of a building. The capstone was considered the most important and last stone placed on a newly constructed building. In keeping with this tradition, your successful capstone project signifies you have completed the certificate program and earned a crowning achievement.
What's included
2 videos2 readings3 peer reviews
Show info about module content
2 videos•Total 11 minutes
Lecture 1: Second Language Assessment - Part 1•6 minutes
Lecture 2: Second Language Assessment - Part 2•6 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
Prepare for the Task•10 minutes
Prepare for the Task•10 minutes
3 peer reviews•Total 180 minutes
Asking Questions After a Talk•60 minutes
Field Questions After a Talk•60 minutes
Read an Article and Write a Summary•60 minutes
Instructors
Instructor ratings
Instructor ratings
We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.
Rice University is consistently ranked among the top 20 universities in the U.S. and the top 100 in the world. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Students who are interested in studying in a graduate program in the United States should take this course.
This course is also for students who have an advanced level of English and are interested in continuing to strengthen their academic English language skills.
What do I need to complete in order to receive the course certificate?
Each week, there is 1 graded quiz and 1 peer-review assignment. Students must complete these graded assessments in order to receive the course certificate.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.