Graduate Courses

Graduate Course Descriptions

Graduate students whose written performance on the English Language Placement Exam suggests that they need specialized EMS instruction are placed in EMS/Linguistics sections. Graduate students are welcome to enroll in these courses on an elective basis also. These are courses which prepare students for the kinds of reading, writing, and speaking demanded of them in graduate courses. These courses carry workload credit only.

EMS/Linguistics 2G: Intermediate Graduate Writing for International Students (4 units; workload credit only)

Provides instruction for students needing to improve accuracy and fluency in written academic English.  Emphasizes grammar, vocabulary and patterns of organization relevant to academic writing at the graduate level.

EMS/Linguistics 3G: Advanced Graduate Writing for International Students (4 units; workload credit only)

Focuses on rhetorical strategies and patterns of development used in a variety of writing typically required for graduate courses.  Addresses levels of formality and academic conventions used across disciplines, emphasizing clarity of expression.

EMS/Linguistics 4:  Individual and Small Group Instruction for International Graduate Students (1-3 units; workload credit only)

Designed for focused instruction in oral and written academic English.  Enrollment by instructor consent.  Preference given to students at advanced proficiency levels. Linguistics 4 offers tutorial sessions at various times. To find out more information or to enroll in Linguistics 4, students should attend an orientation session on Monday, April 3, 2023, from 5:00-6:00 PDT (by Zoom). The link for this meeting is here. For more information, contact Randall Rightmire: rightmire@ems.ucsb.edu.

EMS/Linguistics 5: Intermediate Oral Academic English for International Graduate Students
(3 units; workload credit only)

Focuses on listening comprehension and oral communication skills needed for effective participation in American university contexts, including small group discussions, one-on-one interactions, and short oral presentations.  Emphasis is on developing fluency, comprehensibility and confidence for the academic, social and professional settings of the university and beyond.  The course includes speaking tasks (e.g., impromptu speaking and discussion topics, 3-5 minute presentations, a debate, and filmed final presentation) along with peer and instructor feedback, targeted pronunciation practice, and tasks for developing vocabulary and listening skills.  Students also have the option to meet with an English-speaking conversation partner outside of class for additional practice. Linguistics 5 is highly recommended for international graduate students interested in eventually applying to become TAs since it will maximize opportunities to develop greater proficiency in English (e.g., fluency, pronunciation, comprehension, and interaction skills) prior to taking the TA English Language Evaluation.

EMS/Linguistics 6: Advanced Oral Academic English for International Graduate Students
(3 units; workload credit only)

Intended to refine students’ listening comprehension and oral communication skills in academic and professional settings, including graduate seminars, conferences, teaching, and interviews. Emphasis on formal presentations with peer and instructor feedback. The course includes ongoing work on pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary; frequent presentations in small-group contexts; several full-class multimedia presentations (digitally recorded); collaboration with undergraduate students; and guest visits by campus professionals. Additional meetings and private student-instructor conferences outside of class offer further language practice, including special sessions for students trying to pass the TA exam. Highly recommended for international graduate students, including potential TAs, who face high-risk oral communication challenges in their academic and professional efforts.

EMS/Linguistics 7: Oral Communication for International Teaching Assistants
(3 units; workload credit only)

Intercultural teacher-training course with an emphasis on pronunciation and the oral production skills necessary for successful communication in the American university classroom.

EMS/Linguistics 9: English Pronunciation for International Graduate Students
(3 units; workload credit only)

Intended to help students improve pronunciation of American English for effective communication in academic and professional settings. Instruction includes analysis and practice of vowels, consonants, stress and intonation patterns.

 

NOTE: Linguistics 4 offers tutorial sessions at various times. To find out more information or to enroll in Linguistics 4, students should attend an orientation session on Monday, April 3, 2023, from 5:00-6:00 PDT (by Zoom). The link for this meeting is here. For more information, contact Randall Rightmire: rightmire@ems.ucsb.edu.

Graduate Course Schedules

Search for your EMS course using the link below. Select "Linguistics" (not "EMS") as the subject area, and select "undergraduate" (not "graduate") as the course level. (Because EMS graduate courses have numbers below 200, the online Course Search system groups them with undergraduate courses.)

UCSB Registar - Online Course Search