Courses

This course is going to apply engineering content-based instruction to meet the needs of language study of student engineers. In the course, English learning will be realized mainly by studying STEM articles and solving practical questions in real circumstances through students' second language, English. This course covers language for discussing and applying key engineering concepts, and skills such as working with drawings, describing technical problems and discussing dimensions and precision. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes.

The goal of this course is to combine the students' knowledge in science and technology and their interest in multimedia with a focus on technology, inviting them to use the language of English to communicate their understanding about society, technology, and culture.  This course will help students to improve their English proficiency and make them able to communicate with others effectively. The course encourages students apply their knowledge of science and technology to study but should not be confined to those theories. They will focus on exploring the relationships among technology, culture and society so that their professionalism and humanistic literacy can be enhanced. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic  Purposes.

This course is intended for students who are already familiar with scientific and technical concepts and those who have a good knowledge in both English and simplified Chinese languages. The course will combine basic translation theory with practical translation. In the basic translation theory, students will learn basic concepts of translation, principles for understanding meanings, effective Chinese expressions, types and features of typical scientific and technical documents. The practical translation element will focus on written translation, from English into Chinese, of technically complex texts from the domains of biology/chemistry/biotechnology; these may include extracts from scientific papers, patents and popular scientific texts. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes.

Pronunciation is an essential component of oral communication and communicative competence. This course is designed to help students improve the intelligibility of their English speech and build confidence in communicating in English. The primary focus of the course is on the suprasegmental features (i.e., stress, rhythm and intonation) that are known to have the greatest impact on the comprehensibility of the learner’s English. Discrete English consonant and vowel sounds will also be covered throughout the course, with an emphasis on the sounds that are most difficult and problematic for native speakers of Chinese and other Asian languages. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes.

This course provides language training in Mandarin Chinese to second/foreign language learners and helps students to better understand the Chinese Proficiency Test HSK at level 3 and level 4, especially for the Internet-based HSK Test. The course provides students with trainings cover all fields of the HSK syllabus and exams of real past tests. Students will learn about the complete testing process and achieve self-assessment of their language competency. The teacher will also help students to identify their weakness and pull exercise from real tests targeting the weakness. The course also provides practical materials and efficient learning strategies in oral skills of real life setting as well as culture immersion training. Prerequisites: Elementary Chinese II.

Our course targets students who plan to take TOEFL as their preparation for their further study abroad. Students will learn the strategies and skills in TOEFL, get familiar with the test format and evaluation criteria. Students will start with relatively simple task and as their skills and strategies get stronger, they will be able to tackle more difficult problems in TOEFL test. The materials for this course are sourced from internationally authorized textbooks for TOEFL preparation. Timed tests will also be given to monitor students’ learning process.Students will be exposed to sample speaking situations, useful expressions and tactics for each speaking question including in-class and homework speaking practice.

Our course targets students who plan to take TOEFL as their preparation for their further study abroad. Students will learn the strategies and skills in TOEFL, get familiar with the test format and evaluation criteria. The materials for this course are sourced from internationally authorized textbooks for TOEFL preparation. Timed tests will also be given to monitor students' learning process. Students will know how to complete reading passages with a high accuracy rate and become more familiar with phrasal verbs and idioms. They will also be more confident of writing an essay in under 20 minutes as a result of provided hints and outlining strategies.

This course is designed for those students who prepare to take the IELTS Academic Test and for those who are eager to polish their listening and speaking skills. Limited listening and speaking skills can result in a poor IELTS score and undermine students’ opportunities of being admitted to top universities around the world. This course will explore the IELTS Academic test, especially for listening and speaking. The instructor will analyze test papers of each task type, and help students enhance their listening and speaking skills as well as specific test-taking techniques. The IELTS Preparation (Listening and Speaking) will provide students with IELTS Academic Test instruction, test types analysis, listening and speaking topic analysis and test-taking strategies.

This course aims to help students to improve their performance in CET-4 exam. Consequently, it introduces four major modules of CET-4 and some listening & reading strategies, such as note-taking, skinning & skimming, identifying main idea & specific information and guessing word meaning. Besides, students are supposed to master vocabularies required in the syllabus and use grammar appropriately in their writing. After successful completion of this course, students will be able to produce different types of English writing in limited time, grasp specific information and the main idea of the given listening material, comprehend the given text and detect the topic, main idea and specific information and grasp translation strategies to process translation between Chinese and English.

This course aims at training participants' critical thinking skills and facilitating their understanding of the BP debating basics. By the end of this course, participants will understand basic principles of BP debate format, acquire English debating skills, and be able to think critically about influential and controversial issues. It will also help participants prepare for the ‘FLTRP Cup’ National English Debating Competition. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes. Achieved CET4 580/CET6 550/TOEFL 90/IELTS 6.5 (Transcripts or course records are needed.)

Aesthetics and Visual Culture is a culture course about the nature, history, and meaning of “beauty” that promotes a discussion of theoretical texts and primary works of art from various disciplines and sources on this topic: classical texts, art treatises, fine arts, media spectacle, multicultural manifestations of aesthetics, technology. SUSTech Masters and/or PhD students will learn the evolution of the concept from ancient art, where the idea of beauty was based on sensory perception (aiesthesis in Greek), to Modern art, where art schools began to define the standards for the appreciation of visual aesthetics, up to contemporary culture, where mass market and globalization and have shifted the meaning and place of aesthetics in our everyday life. The course will provide answers to questions, among others, such as: what can aesthetics contribute to ecology, or engineereing, or other disciplines? How can art affect our understanding of cultures and societies? How has the current exposure to multimedia changed our notions of the “beautiful”? At the end of the course, students will learn to compare Chinese aesthetics to the Western one, to assess an artistic artifact, and to judge better what is “valuable” and “beautiful” in our current global culture. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes.

American Culture is a cultural studies course for SUSTech students who aim to acquire a deeper international perspective on Western Culture, particularly Anglo-American. This course will expose students to the most prominent US scholars and writers from the 19th century to the present, and it will discuss concepts and ideas that represent the foundations of American culture, such as independence, individualism, frontier, freedom, optimism, capitalism and many others. The course will examine a variety of texts, from political essays to novellas, from Presidential speeches to short stories, from documentaries to visual artifacts and economic reports, with the purpose of clarifying what these concepts mean historically, why they are so important, and how they have evolved. At the end of the course, students will be able to understand better their own relationship to another civilization. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes.

Film in the Twentieth Century is a disciplinary course for SUSTech students who aim to learn the art of film from a historical, theoretical, and analytical perspective. The course will offer: an overview of the development of film art and technology in the West; a review of the work of major filmmakers to date; an interpretation of, and commentary on, the most relevant movies of all times; an explanation of how a movie is conceived, structured, narrated, and delivered to us; a comparison of film with other arts and languages. Students will engage in an academic discussion about the importance and the influence of film across societies and cultures. At the end of this course, students will become fluently conversant about major film traditions and productions worldwide. Additionally, they will be aware of the relationship between art, industry, and consumerism and understand the myth-making process of celebrities and its relationship to society. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes.

This course aims to demystify the writing process of scientific writing and introduce the fundamentals of effective scientific writing. The course will be presented in three parts: part (1) teaches students the fundamentals of scientific writing, part (2) teaches students how to write different parts of a scientific manuscript, and part (3) teaches students how to improve scientific manuscripts. Instructions will focus on the process of writing. In this course, participants will also learn how to analyze and summarize and be taken through the preparation of an actual scientific manuscript. Students taking this course will be asked to complete some short writing and produce a scientific paper. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes.

This course will focus on writing as well as speaking interactions in professional settings for students who are close to graduation. The nature of the course will be English for Specific Purposes, or English for Business. The course will emphasize writing and speaking skills, though reading and listening will be integrated naturally. Presentations will also be of high importance. Students will have the opportunity to hone their presentation skills, and will benefit from guest speakers as examples of presentation skills. Guest speakers will also provide valuable experience and insight into global business. Students in the course should have an intermediate to high level of English (B2-C2). All of this will be centered on international professional cultures to prepare students for the global workplace. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes.

Applied Grammar is a grammar class for high intermediate English learners that desire to continue their study and application of grammar rules in their academic writing, and in the editing of that writing.  The goal for the class is to re-visit higher level grammar rules and constructs for the learners to more accurately identify errors in their own writing, and perfect and enhance their current writing skills of academic literature.  While the emphasis is on grammar as it pertains to writing, the class will also include exercises to improve academic reading and comprehension, as well as one project in presenting academic material. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes.

Science Through Science Fiction is a course in which students will analyze common themes from science fiction literature and film and explore how those themes serve as a lens to examine actual scientific disciplines. The course will cover issues such as genetic manipulation, color blindness, surrogate pregnancies, species extinction, conformity, equality, hunger and feeding the masses, neuro-manipulation of memories, and more. Students will develop vocabulary in physics, biology, mathematics, and the general sciences through the close analysis of not only a science fiction novel, but journal articles, book excerpts, podcast interviews, and film. Students will apply this newly acquired vocabulary to both speaking and short writing assignments so that successful English language strategies are practiced through the synthesis of science fiction and real science. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes.

Lecture, 2 credits, 2 hours per week. Pre-requisites: CLE030 EAP or CLE003 EAP III or GE2000. This course begins with a basic introduction to the global nature of the modern workplace, and then works to build English abilities for students to succeed using English for business. Topics covered include: writing résumés, socializing at work/networking, interviewing, and presentation skills. English reading, writing, listening and speaking and grammar skills will be integrated into the course.

This course is to help students with ability to write academic paper correctly and make presentations with less difficulty. Even though this is not a writing course, to ensure good results, the following exercises are assigned: the writing of an abstract and an introduction to a paper based on any paper students have written, a complete paper for a conference with emphasis on correct format and style, the writing of a presentation script, and the making of PPT slides. If class size is so big that students’ correction becomes an overload for teachers, they may selectively make corrections of their papers. Students’ grammar and usage errors or problems should be summarily pointed out in class for students to avoid. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes.

Lecture, 2 credits, 2 hours per week. Pre-requisites: CLE030 EAP or CLE003 EAP III or GE2000. This course examines the connections between science, magic, and fantasy through the lens of one of the most famous series of fantasy books ever written — Harry Potter. Using the novel, audiobook, podcasts, film, Ted Talks, and scientific essays, this course will develop students’ English through research, discussion, and analyses of both the historical and future connections between the world of science and magic. Questions such as “Could the famous Hogwarts sorting hat be explained through the neuroscience of brain imaging?” and “How can our biological understanding of taste explain Bertie Bott’s every flavor beans?” are just a tiny sampling of how the course will use both fiction and reality to build students’ critical thinking skills as well as English vocabulary, research skills, listening ability, and speaking fluency.

Globalization in this information age requires that scientific researchers should not only make innovations but also effectively to communicate about their research with others. As Melissa Marshall, a senior lecturer of communication skills to scientists and engineers at Penn State University, states that “science not communicated is science not done,” the importance of improving scientific researchers’ communication skills can never be underestimated. The goal of this course is to promote science and technology undergraduate students’ public speaking skills. With an emphasis on application of content, this course requires students learn to deliver effective speeches and presentations through applying the principles learned in class. Students need to read and comprehend a variety of materials, including video lectures, book chapters, journal articles, academic papers, news, and etc. The course delivery is modified to a blended course format using “flipped classroom” model and integrating MOOCs. The online teaching platform “Sakai” is used for the online components, including each week’s reading materials, video lectures, and discussion questions. Students are required to finish reading and view videos before class meetings, while in-class time is devoted to group discussions and class speeches/presentations. Class assignments include but are not limited to: extensive reading, video lectures, online and in-class discussions, oral presentations, and written reading response. Performance assessment of students will be based on attendance, assignments, class speeches/presentations, and participation.Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes.

The course of Communication Skills is one of the Specialized Direction Courses for students in various majors and conducted in bilingual languages. The course mainly introduces the fundamental concepts and principles of communication in context of internationalization. The main contents of the course are the foundations of successful communication, and application of three-step writing process on letters, memos, e-mail and other brief messages. Meanwhile, it applies the methods on how to prepare reports, oral presentations and employment messages and interview for job. Prerequisites: English for Academic Purposes III or EAP or English for Academic Purposes.

This is a test preparation course intended for learners who have an intermediate to upper-intermediate level of English. It will prepare them to sit the IELTS academic exam and help them to polish the primary language skills and develop the confidence needed to tackle the high level of difficulty that this test presents. The course will explore the test papers, examine in detail each task type, and gradually build up the skills, language and test techniques students need to approach IELTS with confidence.

This course will help students to understand how to prepare for the test effectively and develop the English-language skills for academic and daily purposes; help students set weekly practice goals and stay on track with strategies and tips that can be used to increase TOEFL scores; improve students English language skills on reading, writing, listening and speaking; help students acquire more knowledge about American culture, history and other aspects. After taking courses, students would be able to: acknowledge the details and requirements of TOEFL iBT(internet-based test); be familiar with the format of TOEFL and bolster their language levels on four aspects(reading, writing, listening and speaking), measured by TOEFL; employ the tips and techniques during taking TOEFL and increase scores; enhance their English language levels and get prepared for future English tests and academic study; develop their vocabulary and strengthen their grammar; enrich their knowledge about American history, art, natural science and etc.