PELS UNDERGRADUATE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Not all courses will be offered every semester. Please check
Announcements
for dates and courses offered beginning Fall 2023.
Writing Courses
PELS 4001 - PREPARING TO WRITE AND RESEARCH STRATEGIES
This 7-week course is designed for multilingual students who are in the early stages of a writing project (paper, article for publication, etc.). This course will cover general and discipline-specific strategies to prepare for writing, including reading and note taking for research, field-specific library resources and types of writing, and approaches to generating ideas. Students will be able to work on writing projects assigned to them in their courses. They will apply writing and research strategies to their current or upcoming projects in small groups and under the guidance of their instructor during one-to-one sessions.
PELS 4002 - RESEARCH PAPER WRITING WORKSHOP
This 7-week course is designed for multilingual students who are working on a research project (article for publication, research paper, etc.). Students will learn strategies to plan and develop a research project, such as setting goals, overcoming writer's block, and making progress towards their goals. Students will be able to work on their current research projects under the supervision of an experienced instructor and in small cohorts of like-minded students.
PELS 6004 - REVISING AND EDITING WORKSHOP
This 7-week course is designed for multilingual students who have completed a draft of a written project (article, paper, etc.), and wish to learn revising and editing strategies. Students will learn to distinguish between higher and lower order concerns, how to improve organization and structure, incorporate outside sources, edit for style, proofread for errors, and improve readability. Students will workshop their work in small cohorts, and will have one-on-one time with their instructors.
Speaking Courses
PELS 4010 - TAKING PART IN ACADEMIC DISCOURSE
This 7-week course is designed for multilingual students who wish to learn to successfully participate in academic discussions. This course will provide students with opportunities to improve participation and fluency in academic discussions. Students will learn strategies for preparing, entering, responding to, leading, and participating in discussion. This course will boost confidence and help students to become a part of their academic community, share and create new knowledge, challenge ideas, negotiate their identity, and have a voice in their field.
PELS 4030 - DESIGNING AND DELIVERING EFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS
This 7-week course is designed to assist multilingual students develop strategies for preparing and delivering presentations that are clear, compelling, persuasive, concise, and visually effective. Students will become more comfortable presenting as they will have opportunities to practice delivering presentations in front of a supportive audience.
Academic and Professional Communication / The Job Search
PELS 4005 - COMMUNICATING IN THE WORKPLACE
This 7-week course is designed for multilingual students who will need to communicate in English in professional contexts. Students will learn about differences between academic and workplace communication, explore communication strategies effective for different workplace situations, and consider cultural aspects of workplace communication.
PELS 4020 - PREPARING FOR THE PROFESSIONAL JOB SEARCH
This 7-week course is designed for multilingual students who are planning to search for a professional job. The course introduces a series of professional job application steps, including networking, giving elevator pitches, searching for jobs, interpreting job ads, attending job fairs, making digital profiles, writing resumes and cover letters, interviewing, and becoming familiar with relevant resources. The course will help students develop their job application documents and skills, and will increase their awareness of cultural and linguistics implications of applying for professional jobs.
Course descriptions developed by Michelle Crow - Cornell University, ELSO Program