Program director: Austin
Faculty
Nancy G. Abney; English as a Second Language, TA Training
Julia S. Austin; Program Director, English as a Second Language, Faculty-Teacher Development, Academic Writing, TA Training
Alan D. Corbin; English as a Second Language, Presentation and Discussion Skills
Jeffrey Engler; Career Development, Extramural Funding
Jennifer Greer; Academic Writing, English as a Second Language
Jonghee Shadix; Pronunciation and Accent Training, English as a Second Language
Program Information
These courses and workshops are offered to improve the academic and professional communication skills of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and to provide language and cultural support for international graduate students.
Additional Information
For detailed information, contact Dr. Julia S. Austin, HUC 511, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-1150.
Telephone 205-975-6539
E-mail jaustin@uab.edu
Web www.uab.edu/profdev
Course Descriptions
Graduate School (GRD)
701. Presentation & Discussion Skills. This course is designed to develop professional communication skills through individual presentations and group evaluations. Topics include the basics of oral presentation, content, organization, and delivery of formal presentations; use of voice and nonverbal communication; and speaking to different audiences. Students’ presentations are videotaped and critiqued by their classmates and the instructor. Fall and Spring. 3 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
704. Specialized Instruction. Addresses particular writing needs of students actively writing theses, dissertations, articles for publication, grant proposals or pronunciation concerns of second language students. Individual instruction. Prerequisite: Permission of program director. Spring, Summer, and Fall. 1 to 5 hours. Pass/Fail.
705. Teaching at the College Level and Beyond. This course provides an overview of many important aspects of teaching at the college level and beyond. Topics include designing a course and writing an effective syllabus, writing learning objectives, enhancing lectures, testing and grading, dealing with challenging students and difficult situations, learning and the brain, and accessing appropriate active learning strategies. Spring. 2 or 3 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
709. Fellowship Writing. This hand-on workshop takes students through the fellowship or grant writing process from finding funding sources to writing a successful narrative. Topics also include finding the right funding source to match your research topic, the fellowship or grant writing process, the writing and editing process, and effective revisions. Students will prepare a fellowship or grant proposal during the semester. Spring. 3 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
712. Research Writing and Style. Designed for graduate students and professionals whose first language is English, and who are currently working on a writing project (e.g., paper for class, journal article for publication, or dissertation), this course teaches effective strategies of successful writers. Topics include the different types of writing that students and professionals do (such as abstracts, proposals, journal articles, progress reports, and correspondence), publishing, and ethical issues related to writing and publication. Summer. 3 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
714. Individualized Pronunciation Instruction. Prerequisite: GRD 714 or permission of instructor. Students in Individualized Instruction have acquired basic speaking skills in group instruction and are now ready for fine-tuning their language abilities with an experienced instructor, who tailors lessons to their particular pronunciation needs. The course includes a thorough diagnostic and goal-setting session, followed by one-to-one instruction in the sounds and rhythms of English, including computer-assisted language mapping and techniques used by professional actors. Spring, Summer, and Fall. 3 to 5 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
715. Preparing TAs to be Effective Teachers. Prepares teaching assistants to meet the educational needs of undergraduate students by developing effective teaching practices. Topics include preparing to teach, presenting material effectively, handling questions, handling difficult students and situations, leading laboratory sections, and ethical issues related to teaching. Recommendation of department required. Fall. 2 or 3 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
717. Principles of Scientific Integrity. This course surveys ethical issues and principles in the practice of science. Among the topics discussed are the nature, extent, and causes of fraud in the sciences; UAB policies on fraud; ideals of good science; the responsibilities of authorship and peer review; potential problems raised by the commercialization of research; scientists as public policy advisors; and ethical issues involved in animal experimentation and in clinical trials. Fall and Spring. 3 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
720. Oral Communication I. Prerequisite: OPI Level 2-Low or Mid on UAB-adapted OPI Assessment. Learn strategies for clearly and accurately expressing your ideas while building your confidence. On-line lectures allow students to practice listening to presentations and interviews on current topics. In-class discussions build fluency, grammar, and pronunciation. This interactive speaking and listening course prepares students to participate actively in discussions with Americans in both academic and social settings. (First class in a 2-part sequence.) Spring, Summer, and Fall. 3 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
721. Oral Communication II. Prerequisite: OPI Level 2 High or GRD 720. Build academic vocabulary and knowledge of American culture. Improve listening and speaking accuracy, and practice effective language learning strategies. Students in this dynamic, web-enhanced course discuss ethical and global issues while learning to speak and listen effectively in small groups. Class size is limited to ensure maximum participation. Spring, Summer, and Fall. 3 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
724. First-timers’ Pronunciation Workshop. This course is for students who have never been exposed to English phonology classes. In this class, students will be introduced to the American intonation patterns, pronunciation of English sounds, and culture retlated to the language. In addition to the exposure to English phonology, by interacting with peers, students will discover where they stand in terms of English pronunciation. Participation in this workshop will also provide the instructor with ample opportunities to assess students' individual pronunciation needs. Fall and Summer. 3 to 5 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
725. Advanced Pronunciation Workshop. Prerequisite: GRD 714, or permission of the instructor. This course is for those students who have completed the individualized instruction or who have the equivalent proficiency of those who have completed. By applying the voice and speech works of actor training, the students will practice speaking in longer stretches of the speech without losing the clarity of the message. This course helps students prepare for thesis and dissertation defenses, lecturing, and talks given at professional conferences. Spring. 3 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
726. Academic Writing I. Prerequisite: Writing Assessment Level 2. This hands-on course introduces students to the writing process, the elements of effective writing, common academic texts, ethics, peer review, and techniques for efficient editing. Based on guided activities, independent practice, and small-group work with instructor feedback, it is the first of two courses on writing academic journal-style articles. Instruction also addresses key grammatical issues for second language writers. (First class in a 2-part sequence.) Spring, Summer, and Fall. 3 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
727. Academic Writing II. Prerequisite: GRD 726 or permission of instructor. In the second of a 2-part series, academic writers build upon their knowledge of the writing process and peer review while learning to paraphrase, summarize, write literature reviews, and construct research articles. Activities include text analysis, writing practice, review, and revision as students model professional strategies. Instruction addresses key grammar issues for second language writers. Spring, Summer, and Fall. 3 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
728. Advanced Academic Writing. Prerequisite: 2nd language writers: Writing Assessment Level 3 or GRD 727; Native English writers: permission of the instructor. Created for advanced writers, GRD 728 reviews U.S. academic writing genres, standards, and conventions. Fast-paced with text analysis and guided practice, this course covers the writing of conference abstracts, posters, literature reviews, and research papers as students model professional strategies. Embedded language instruction addresses key grammar issues for second language writers. Spring, Summer, and Fall. 3 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
730. Advanced Oral Communication.Prerequisite: OPI Level 2 High or GRD 721. Build communication skills and learning strategies while exploring cultural values. Through small-group interaction, students learn to effectively discuss their opinions, organize effective talks, and analyze complex problems. This Level 3 course prepares students for the kinds of communication expected in graduate school—participating in academic discussions; debating scholarly projects with colleagues; and delivering formal talks at professional meetings. Spring, Summer, and Fall. 3 credit hours. Pass/Fail.
Workshops
706. Grants and Fellowships 101: How to Obtain Funding. This workshop provides an introduction to writing grant proposals and fellowship applications. Topics include funding sources, electronic databases, organization and format of proposals and applications, submission and review processes, use of secondary sources, and guidelines for effective proposal writing. Fall. One-day workshop. 1 credit hour. Pass/Fail.
707. Giving Professional Presentations. This workshop examines elements necessary for giving effective professional presentations. Topics include analyzing audience and purpose, assessing environment, language choices, differences between speaking and writing, nonverbal communication, characteristics of effective delivery, controlling nervousness, poster presentations, visual aids, and handling questions. Fall. One-day workshop. 1 credit hour. Pass/Fail.
708. Writing Successfully. This workshop provides an introduction to various aspects of writing in a variety of professional settings. Topics include strategies for efficient composing, overcoming writer’s block, avoiding plagiarism, adjusting for audience, writing for PowerPoint, and editing your own writing. Spring. One-day workshop. 1 credit hour. Pass/Fail.
710. Career Workshop for Graduate Students. This workshop provides participants with insights into a variety of career fields, inside and outside of academia. Discussion panels are made up of invited speakers from business, government, industry, and academia from across the United States. Spring. One-day workshop.
1 credit hour. Pass/Fail.
711. Special Topics. This workshop addressed topics of current interest to graduate students. See UAB Class Schedule for offerings. 1 credit hour. Pass/Fail.