- An undergraduate course.
English for academic purposes online
- On this page
| Course facts | |
|---|---|
| About this course: | |
| Course code | L185 |
| Credits | 30 |
| OU Level | 1 |
| SCQF level | 7 |
| FHEQ level | 4 |
| Course work includes: | |
| 4 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| 1 Interactive computer-marked assignment (iCMA) | |
| End-of-module assessment | |
| No residential school | |
This completely online course aims to develop the communication skills you need for successful academic study in English. Throughout the course, you will work with a wide range of texts from different subject areas. By exploring different subject areas you will develop the academic English that is most relevant to your study. You will use your knowledge and experience as you explore ways of reading and writing academic texts. You will also develop your academic listening and speaking skills in an online environment.
Register for the course
What you will study
This is an English for academic purposes course for the digital age. It will improve your performance in contemporary university study through the medium of English.
To succeed at university, you need to be able to read and think about a wide range of study material, make useful notes, and write assignments that ‘answer the question’. This course will help you to develop the skills and language for doing this. You will develop academic English by turning academic reading and listening into academic writing and speaking. You will explore how university study materials are organised and how academic language is used in them. You will work with student assignment texts to see how other students have turned reading and listening into writing and speaking. Finally, you will put into practice what you have learned. Throughout the course, you will be asked to think about your own ways of writing and how they compare with the academic ways you are studying.
The course is made up of forty per cent reading, forty per cent writing, ten per cent listening and ten per cent speaking.
You will work with authentic materials from a range of Open University courses. These materials are divided into two broad areas of academic study: science, maths, computing and technology; and the arts, humanities, social sciences, business and health studies. You will look at the similarities and differences across these areas. This will give you the chance to develop the particular language and skills you need for your own chosen areas of study.
Most of the work, including your interactions with the study materials, your tutor and other students on the course, will be online. Online communication is an important component of the course. You will be able to manipulate and discuss study materials, contribute writing and recordings for comment from other students, and read, listen to and comment on fellow students’ work in order to exchange ideas and experience. You will be able to submit drafts of your written and oral work to, for example, a forum and receive feedback from your tutor and fellow students.
Because the course is online, you will look at some of the aspects of academic English that come into focus in a global online environment. This includes the growing importance of multiple media in academic study (i.e. the combination of written language, images, graphs, audio and video input).
You will learn
At the end of the course, you will have developed your understanding of:
- your own way of communicating and working in academic situations
- a wide range of academic texts, including: description, cause and effect analysis, comparison, explanation, evaluation, persuasion and argument
- text, paragraph and sentence structure
- academic vocabulary
- how to make the most of your computer in academic study
- how to communicate more effectively in a global academic and work environment.
Entry
This is a Level 1 course. Level 1 courses provide core subject knowledge and study skills needed for both higher education and distance learning, to help you progress to higher levels.
There are no academic entrance requirements for this course but a certain level of English is recommended, though not compulsory.
The Skills for OU study website provides further information and support on improving your English skills.
Please note that:
- If you live outside the UK and English is not your first language, the course starts at an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) level of approximately 5 (that is, a Common European Framework level of B1/B2, or equivalent), in each of the four English language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking). To find out more about the different levels visit the University of Cambridge website.
- If you live in the UK and English is your first language, the course starts at a Skills for Life literacy level of approximately Level 1 or equivalent.
- If you live in the UK and English is not your first language, the course starts at a Skills for Life ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) level of approximately Level 1 or equivalent.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the Module Regulations and the Student Regulations which are available on our Essential documents website.
If you have a disability
As this course and its assessment are delivered online, you will need to spend considerable amounts of time using a personal computer and the internet. If you use specialist hardware or software to assist you in operating a computer or the internet and have any concerns about accessing the types of study materials outlined you are advised to talk to our Student Registration & Enquiry Service about support which can be given to meet your needs.
Transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available on the course website. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader. Other alternative formats of the study materials may be available in the future. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
If you have particular study requirements please tell us as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Visit our Services for disabled students website for more information, including:
- help to determine your study requirements and how to request the support that you need
- Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs)
- using a computer for OU study
- equipment and other support services that we offer
- examination arrangements
- how to contact us for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Study materials
What's included
A website with online materials and activities.
You will need
You will need a headset with a microphone and earphones to record audio files as part of your assessment for this course.
Computing requirements
You will need a computer with internet access to study this course as it includes online activities, which you can access using a web browser.
- If you have purchased a new desktop or laptop computer since 2007 you should have no problems completing the online activities.
- If you’ve got a netbook, tablet or other mobile computing device check our Technical requirements section.
- If you use an Apple Mac you will need OS X 10.6 or later.
You can also visit the Technical requirements section for further computing information including the details of the support we provide.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor to help you with the course materials and mark and comments on your work. You will be able to ask your tutor for advice and guidance and, if you are new to The Open University, help you with study methods. An important element of the course is the feedback you receive from your tutor on the work you do as part of the course. Feedback provides the basis for your development as a student, and you will be able to contact your tutor by email or phone throughout the course.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You must use the online eTMA system to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs).
The end-of-module assessment (EMA) is an essay project. There is a single oral TMA which requires you to use software to record audio files (e.g. Audio Recording Tool).
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in October 2013. We expect it to be available once a year.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button.
Distance learning
The Open University is the world’s leading provider of flexible, high quality distance learning. Unlike other universities we are not campus based. You will study in a flexible way that works for you whether you’re at home, at work or on the move. As an OU student you’ll be supported throughout your studies – your tutor or study adviser will guide and advise you, offer detailed feedback on your assignments, and help with any study issues. Tuition might be in face-to-face groups, via online tutorials, or by phone.
For more information read Distance learning explained.
Undergraduate
| Course facts | |
|---|---|
| About this course: | |
| Course code | L185 |
| Credits | 30 |
| OU Level | 1 |
| SCQF level | 7 |
| FHEQ level | 4 |
| Course work includes: | |
| 4 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| 1 Interactive computer-marked assignment (iCMA) | |
| End-of-module assessment | |
| No residential school | |
Course satisfaction survey
See the satisfaction survey results for this course.
Your questions
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