CW 3B: Business English: Oral Communication
The two goals of this course are to improve students’ ability to communicate effectively in a professional environment using business English and to become comfortable using the digital media currently being used to do business in the global economy. Course topics include cross-cultural communication, digital etiquette, web conferencing, business vocabulary, presentation skills, personal branding, and job interviewing.
CW 3D: Legal English: Introduction to the U.S. Legal System
This course aims to help students practice the English language specific to American law, gain an understanding of the legal context in which English is being used, and ground students in the discourse of law to the extent their professional goals or interests warrant. These goals are achieved through a focus on the U.S. legal system and specific types of law as illustrated through sample cases. The course will be useful to students currently working as legal professionals in their own countries; those who are planning to study or practice law in the United States; and anyone curious about how the law works in the U.S. and wanting to learn language related to it.
CW 3E: Legal English: Oral Communication
This online course focuses on helping lawyers or law students improve their speaking and listening skills for the study or practice of U.S. law or for communication with U.S. lawyers. The course will focus on three different contexts for the listening and speaking challenges of lawyers and law students including: academic speaking and listening in the law school classroom, informal speaking with other lawyers, and persuasive/formal speaking in the courtroom. The purpose of this course is to ground you in the discourse of law to the extent your professional goals or interests warrant. The course will be useful to students currently working as legal professionals in their own countries and those who are planning to study or practice law in the United States.
CW 3F: Communication Skills for Conflict Resolution
This online course introduces basic theories and concepts of conflict and develops practical frameworks for conflict management through a range of modes, like negotiation, mediation, and conflict coaching. Students will (a) expand their understanding of conflict drawing from diverse fields, such as business, law, media, politics, psychology, and sociology; (b) refine their academic English skills to become more effective communicators; and (c) discuss ways to prevent conflict and promote peace.
CW 3G: Grammar and Vocabulary
Students will practice and acquire the grammar and vocabulary necessary for university courses — lectures, textbooks, discussions, papers — and in the reading, writing, and discussions that academics and professionals engage in outside classes. Weekly themes will incorporate a variety of fields for a broader perspective on rich academic vocabulary.
CW 3I: Introduction to Technical Writing
This online course focuses on the fundamentals of technical writing and helps students learn related technologies. Assignments will improve students' general writing skills through lessons on how to apply theories of written communication in work situations; select, organize, and present technical information for specific audiences and purposes; as well as write and revise various types of written correspondence.
CW 3J: Science, Techology, Innovation, and Culture
Science and technology companies want to be innovative and inclusive, but these goals often elude them. In this fully online, asynchronous course, students explore and report what research has to say about the conditions that foster inclusivity and innovation, and the complex relationship that exists between them.
CW 3K: American Culture and Language: Music
Music is both reflective of and a stimulus for social change -- a window into prevailing and emerging values. In this fully online, asynchronous course, students explore these roles and goals of music throughout American history by reading and viewing course texts, participating in online discussions and presentations, and researching specific themes of interest.
CW 3L: American Culture and Consumerism
This course challenges students to use their critical listening, public speaking, academic research, and analytical writing skills while focusing on sociological, economic, and cultural issues related to shopping and consumerism. Students will participate in online discussions, debates, and presentations and research.
CW 3M: Social Media, Culture and Controversies
In this 2-unit, fully online, asynchronous course, students explore cutting-edge controversies in social media -- and how best to resolve them. As they do so, they have the opportunity to refine their academic English skills and hopefully become better digital citizens.
CW 3S: American Culture through Film
In this course comprised of students from around the world, students will view, review, and respond to diverse films, each of which examines a theme related to American culture. Students will discuss that theme in relation to what it says about and how it questions idyllic notions of “America."
CW 3U: American Culture through Literature
This course examines the multiple perspectives literature can highlight for the reader, and how those perspectives shed light on the diversity, unity, and tension within American culture. Students will examine how perspective play a role in rendering, representing and interpreting events and experiences related to our course theme via the short stories and non-fiction essays/memoirs.
CW 3V: American Culture, Sexuality, and Gender
Through a cross-cultural, linguistic study of gender and sexuality, students examine how gender and sexuality inform and are informed by areas of inequality, such as social class, ethnicity, race, geography, and age in the U.S. Students will also read about and share perspectives from other cultures to provide a more international perspective for the cohort.
CW 3W: American Culture through the Media
Based on course texts that include contemporary data, literature, and journalism from a range of digital and print resources, students discuss current topics in mass media and their impact on American culture and society.
CW 5A: Broadway Musicals
Do you love the theater? If so, this course may be for you. In ColWrit 5A, students will watch Broadway musicals to improve their vocabulary, listening comprehension, note-taking, and oral communication. They will also enhance their understanding of American History from the 19th Century to the present. Students will view musicals (video and live); learn about their plot, songs, lyrics and historical context; write critiques; and work on oral presentations. Suitable for low-intermediate through advanced students.
CW 5B: Language, Culture, and Drama
This course explores the language, structure, and performance of plays. Students use film, television, journals, current events, controversial issues, and personal experience as source material to write and perform plays. Course activities include character, storyline, and dialogue exercises; and close reading and analysis of academic readings. Course goals: learn academic conventions for writing, improve critical /analytical reading skills, and hone oral skills for university success. (not currently offered)
CW 5C: Film
Do you want to improve your language skills with other people who love movies? Students in ColWrit 5C have the opportunity to practice listening, speaking, reading and writing skills by studying contemporary issues and learning about how the elements of film— script, cinematography, sound, lighting, and more—work together to help build a film’s story and themes. Students will reach a better understanding of the art of filmmaking, and the English language. Suitable for low-intermediate through advanced students.
CW 5D: Literature
Literature offers readers a chance to escape, explore, and imagine – and practice their English! In this class, students will improve their reading, writing, and speaking skills by examining a variety of literature from different cultures. They will develop their critical thinking by engaging in close reading – understanding the small details of a text – and their fluency by discussing the conflicts in the literature. Suitable for low-intermediate through advanced ESL students.
CW 5F: International Human Rights
The topic of human rights has the power to unify our world – or divide it. In this intensive 3 unit course, students will explore contemporary issues in human rights while improving their critical listening, vocabulary, oral communication and note-taking skills. They will use their English skills in authentic ways, by studying and reporting on documents, speeches and articles; participating in mock international committee meetings and press conferences; interviewing human rights professionals, volunteers and victims in the San Francisco Bay Area; and participating in a program-wide education event. This is an excellent opportunity to develop the skills needed for participation in university courses and in the fields of international human rights, business and law. Suitable for high-intermediate through advanced students.
CW 5H: Language, Culture, and Sustainability
In this course, students analyze critical issues and conflicts that arise related to sustainability. Course goals include improving academic English reading and research skills through completing a research review and proposal; and oral skills through engagement with video, interviews, panel discussions, and presentations. Course includes a fieldwork component. (not currently offered)
CW 5J: The Language and Culture of Consumerism
This course challenges students to use their English language critical listening, speaking and note-taking skills while focusing on sociological and economic issues related to shopping and consumerism. Students will listen to lectures, learn new vocabulary, watch and critique video and film clips and examine conflicting beliefs from articles in the media and journals, as well as from their own experiences based on field work completed outside of class. The course requires students to participate in discussions, debates and presentations while reflecting on personal views. This course is of special interest to students who need to focus on conversation skills in and outside of academic settings.
CW 5K: Media
This course examines how the various forms of media intersect with culture to reinforce or change how we see ourselves and the world. Students in this course will investigate this intersection by means of print, radio, TV, movies, music, and the Internet. Through course assignments, students will develop the following language skills: critical listening and reading; small group, whole-class, and public speaking; response writing; and academic and colloquial vocabulary. This course also includes a fieldwork component.
CW 5N: Language, Culture, and Public Spaces
This course focuses on improving critical listening, vocabulary, oral communication and writing skills in English through exploring "placemaking"--an approach to the planning, design and management of public space that focuses on people. Course topics and texts draw from landscape architecture and urban planning to illustrate how people experience and use the public spaces in their community. Students will design and conduct research about public spaces in the San Francisco Bay Area as field work and will share their findings and critique the design of public spaces in class presentations and written assignments. (not currently offered)
CW 5P: Language, Culture, and Makerspace Creativity
Designed for multilingual English students, this course explores the various forms of craft and technology in current use in individual and small entrepreneurial pursuits. We explore interdisciplinary forms of creative practices and processes through expert lectures, videos, small group projects, class discussions, and field trips to a variety of Makerspaces to meet artists, designers, cultural entrepreneurs, and other creative professionals. Through these activities, students will improve their English listening, reading, writing, vocabulary and speaking skills needed for campus/workplace communication and collaboration, project planning/execution, and problem-solving. Course involves a fieldwork component. (not currently offered)
CW 6A: Academic Speaking
Build your skills and confidence in speaking at U.S. colleges and universities! This course offers intensive practice in spoken English for academic purposes, preparing international students for the college experience. Students will practice and acquire strategies for speaking effectively in academic situations, giving oral presentations, and participating in small-group and whole-class discussions.
Please note, some instructors may ask students to do a short placement exercise in order to make sure you are in the level of this course that best meets your language needs.
CW 6B: Academic Vocabulary
Take your academic work in English to a new level with this intensive course in academic vocabulary! Students will analyze and practice the words most commonly used in academic contexts. Using material from a variety of disciplines, students will practice the target vocabulary through all four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, with an emphasis on speaking and small-group discussion. In addition, students will acquire strategies for recording, remembering and reviewing important vocabulary.
Please note, some instructors may ask students to do a short placement exercise in order to make sure you are in the level of this course that best meets your language needs.
CW 6C: Business Vocabulary
Just as the economy is globalizing, so is the language of business. In this course, students will acquire the words, phrases, and terminology necessary to operate in the modern business world. They will also analyze how effective business people utilize vocabulary and engage in a variety of challenging and authentic practice activities while developing strategies for recording, remembering, and reviewing vocabulary.
Please note, some instructors may ask students to do a short placement exercise in order to make sure you are in the level of this course that best meets your language needs.
CW 6I: Conflict Resolution Skills
Develop critical conflict resolution skills while improving your English language use. The course presents real-life conflicts from the fields of business, law, culture, politics, and the environment, allowing students to act as both mediators and disputants. You will develop practical skills to resolve personal and professional conflicts and avoid culture clash, enhance your fluency, and acquire strategies for improving your listening comprehension.
Some instructors may ask students to do a short placement exercise in order to make sure you are in the level of this course that best meets your language needs.
CW 6J: Academic Test Preparation
Prepare yourself for the two most widely recognized assessments of English language proficiency: the ibT TOEFL and the IELTS examinations. This course includes instruction on test-taking strategies, analysis of question types, grammar/editing skills, vocabulary-building, and intensive listening, speaking, reading and writing practice — all tailored to exam requirements. Get the score you deserve and unlock your academic potential! (not currently offered)
CW 6K: Academic Reading and Writing
Prepare for the types of reading and writing in composition courses at U.S. universities! The course addresses the reading process, including annotation, analysis and evaluation, and the writing process, including organization and planning as well as summarizing and paraphrasing.
CW 6L: Job Search & Networking
Your chance to develop your communicative competence in job research and networking! The course will focus on individual students’ needs to develop skills and vocabulary relevant to their desired work situations. Students will become familiar with some primary aspects of job searching and networking, and will have contextualized practice in these areas.
CW 6M: U.S. University Admissions & Expectations
Thinking of attending a university in the U.S? Though this course, students will become familiar with (a) the different teaching and learning styles at U.S. universities, (b) professor expectations regarding class participation, assignments, and source use, (c) skills and strategies for becoming active, empowered learners; and (d) the ins and outs of the college application. In the process, students will practice and hone reading, writing, and speaking skills. (not currently offered)
CW 6N: Intensive English Practice: Art and Design
The aim of this course is to develop students’ communicative competence in English as a Second Language through an exploration of art and local museums. Through this course, students will become familiar with the language used to discuss the elements of art and the principles of design and will use this vocabulary to talk about art with evidence, to do close analyses of art as text, and to discuss art in its cultural and historical contexts.
CW 6P: Intensive English Practice: Pronunciation
This course for English language learners emphasizes the sound system, word and sentence stress, linking, and rhythm in American English pronunciation. Activities include textbook assignments, analysis of spoken texts, oral presentations, and in-depth practice with individual sound production.
CW 6R: Intensive English Practice: Speaking Through Performance
In this highly collaborative course, students will practice speaking skills and learn performance techniques through dramatic scripts and oral interpretation. Course goals include building speaking confidence, clarity, and fluency. (not currently offered)
CW 7A: American Language and Culture: The Media
This English as a Second Language course focuses on building English skills while exploring American culture through the media. Students will listen to lectures, watch and discuss film clips, and read current news magazines. In addition, students will actively participate in large and small group discussions and debates. The course requires students to focus on and create interesting, well-organized informative speeches, and convincing persuasive written and oral responses.
CW 7B: American Language and Culture: The Beat Poets of 1950s San Francisco
This English as a Second Language (ESL) course is designed to improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English. The starting point of the course is to examine the Beat Generation writers, specifically Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, looking at their relevance to the 50's and 60's and how their ideas led to and shaped the counterculture movements of the 60's and 70's. Through readings and video and audio clips, students will have the opportunity to explore the Beat Generation's impact in Berkeley and San Francisco.
CW 7C: American Language and Culture: Business and Social Entrepreneurship
This course explores debates concerning the role of business in addressing social issues, while providing support for English reading, listening, note-taking, and speaking skills. Social entrepreneuship has gained popularity and sparked debate in the United States and throughout the world as individual entrepreneurs have found more efficient ways to provide medicine, social services, education, and environmentally sustainable consumer products.
CW 7G: American Language and Culture: Community Building and Transformation
People around the globe are confronting limitations to freedom, health, and safety. In this class, we will study real examples of how people in different places across the U.S. and the globe are discovering and leveraging creativity and community as powerful tools to confront problems. Content goals: defining community and critically assessing local initiatives. Language goals: improving listening and speaking skills through videos, lectures, discussion, role plays, debates, and presentations.
CW 7L: American Language and Culture: The Berkeley Experience
This three-week ESL course gives students the chance to experience the culture of Berkeley and the Bay Area in and out of the classroom. Students will tour important campus venues, visit landmarks in Berkeley, and then cross the bay to visit other cities. Along the way, students will practice their language skills through readings, videos, and interactions with native speakers. In addition, students will participate in reflections, surveys/interviews, and a final project.
CW 7M: American Language and Culture: Storytelling
In this course, students will increase their understanding of American cultural history and current popular culture by studying the significant trends and messages of its myths, legends, and folktales; learn about how America’s minorities have used storytelling for political and social advancement; develop/apply analytical and linguistic skills for close listening, conversation and presentations; improve their communication skills with native speakers of English.
CW 7N: American Language and Culture: Questioning the American Dream
The aim of this course is to develop students’ communicative competence in English as a Second Language through an exploration of the history, diversity, and values related to the American Dream, and the realities that hinder access to that dream. Students will listen to short lectures, watch and discuss video clips, read popular and academic articles, conduct fieldwork, and participate in small group discussions and presentations. This is your opportunity to increase speaking and reading fluency and improve listening skills.
CW 9A: Academic Research
The Berkeley campus offers a wide variety of research resources, including some of the world’s best libraries. In this class, students will learn how to find, evaluate, and write about sources. They will also learn how to use the library effectively, locate and evaluate Internet resources, and write using standard citation formats. This course is suitable for high-intermediate through advanced students.
CW 9C: Academic Writing
In both college and career, effective writing is the key to success. In this class, students will improve the content, structure and organization of their academic essays. They will also work on correctly incorporating research into their work. The course includes instruction on advanced sentence structure, summarizing, paraphrasing, correct use of citation, and proofreading skills. Suitable for low-intermediate through advanced students.
CW 9E: Business English
Success in the business world begins with effective communication. In this course, students will improve their English communication skills by exploring fundamental topics in modern business. They will also practice negotiating, speaking at business meetings, doing presentations, writing business letters and memos, telephoning, business vocabulary, business social skills, case studies, and Internet business. Suitable for low intermediate through advanced ESL students.
Some instructors may ask students to do a short placement exercise in order to make sure you are in the level of this course that best meets your language needs.
CW 9I: Conflict Resolution Communication Skills for Multilingual Students
This course is an introduction to conflict resolution for intermediate-advanced level ESL students. It includes interactive mediation role–plays requiring students to develop a complex set of English skills (grammatical accuracy; speaking and listening; pronunciation; and new vocabulary and idioms) and sociolinguistic skills (body language, formality, and tone). Course includes a fieldwork component to help students improve problem-solving and communication skills.
CW 9M: The U.S. Constitution: An Introduction
Open to native and non-native speakers, this class introduces students to the U.S. Constitution’s language and legal substance, to its historical background, and to its political and cultural significance. Students examine debates over the document’s interpretation and the ongoing struggle to realize the ideals reflected in its Articles and Amendments. Special attention will be paid to key provisions of the Bill of Rights. Reading, class discussion, and journaling offer the opportunity to practice and strengthen English skills. Especially appropriate for international students entering an LL.M. program, the class welcomes anyone interested in learning about U.S. law, history, and society.
CW 9N: Introduction to the U.S. Legal System for Multilingual Students
This course offers an introduction to the foundations of the American legal system, and an opportunity for intensive English practice. Students will become familiar with the federal and state court systems, judge and jury trials, the case law method, and selected areas of law based on student interest (e.g., contracts, constitutional law, criminal law, torts). Students will also practice new vocabulary and idioms; read and analyze judges’ decisions; organize, write and edit legal arguments; give oral presentations; and participate in formal and informal discussions and role-plays. The course also includes a fieldwork component in which students attend a court hearing or trial. Suitable for intermediate through advanced ESL students, this course is of special interest to business and legal professionals and students, including LL.M. students who wish to prepare for the fall semester at U.S. law schools.
CW 9O: Legal Writing
America is known as the ‘land of the free’, but as John Locke once observed, “Where there is no law, there is no freedom.” This course will familiarize international lawyers and law students with the laws (and liberties) of American society. Students will improve their ability to write effectively in English while engaging in an overview of the American legal system, instruction on how to read legal cases, and strategies for legal writing, research and analysis. Suitable for intermediate through advanced ESL students, this course is of special interest to business and legal professionals and students, including LL.M. students who wish to prepare for the fall semester at U.S. law schools.
CW 9R: Academic and Public Speaking
Conquer your fear of English public speaking and improve your oral communication skills! In this course, ESL students learn and practice the rhetorical and oral skills needed to speak in various situations in the U.S. The course focuses on designing formal and informal presentations for varied purposes and audiences, constructing/defending arguments, and fielding critical questions. Also emphasized are communication skills needed for interacting in group and in one-on-one formats. Course includes a fieldwork component.
CW 9S: Pronunciation for Multilingual Students
This course is designed to help students improve their ability to communicate effectively in social and academic settings by means of a detailed, systematic study of the sounds and patterns of spoken American English. Audio journals and in-class assignments provide in-depth practice with individual sound production as well as stress, rhythm, and intonation. Course includes a fieldwork component. Multiple sections: placement based on Day 1 assessment of interests and needs.
CW 200: Writing for Academic Publication
- Open to graduate students and upper division students working on major research projects.
- Students enrolling as undergraduates should contact the Summer English Language Studies office for registration permission.
Do you need to publish your research in an international journal? If so, you are certainly not alone. However, writing for academic publication is not a “natural talent” – it is a craft scholars need to learn and develop. This course is designed to give you the necessary tools for that craft, to write research articles in your specific field.
This online course aims to help students develop an awareness of the Research Article (RA) genre, different approaches to RA development, and how to navigate the academic publishing process in general. The course is designed for international graduate students (MA and PhD), but may be useful to anyone seeking to develop their RA writing skills. Participants may begin the course at any stage of the research process, but the course will be especially useful to those who already have some data collected. Involvement of the student’s advisor is encouraged, but not mandatory.
Enrolling as an undergraduate? Email Mike Palmer at mikepalmer@berkeley.edu for permission.