English as a Second Language: ESL

Lower-Division Courses

ESL 501G. English Language Grammar.

Restricted to international exchange students. Focus on improving understanding and use of English grammar in speaking and writing, as well as an introduction to American idioms. Five lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of instructor, may be repeated for credit. May not be counted toward any University of Texas at Austin degree. Prerequisite: English as a second language placement test and consent of instructor.

ESL 501R. English Language Reading.

Restricted to international exchange students. Focus on improving reading skills with an emphasis on understanding and discussing a variety of texts, using effective reading strategies, developing vocabulary, and increasing reading speed. Five lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of instructor, may be repeated for credit. May not be counted toward any University of Texas at Austin degree. Prerequisite: English as a second language placement test and consent of instructor.

ESL 501S. English Language Speaking.

Restricted to international exchange students. Focus on improving listening and speaking through activities such as note-taking, conversation practice, and participating in discussions. Emphasis on speaking in a variety of contexts; developing appropriate pronunciation, pitch, rhythm, and stress; increasing fluency; and expanding spoken vocabulary. Five lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of instructor, may be repeated for credit. May not be counted toward any University of Texas at Austin degree. Prerequisite: English as a second language placement test and consent of instructor.

ESL 501W. English Language Writing.

Restricted to international exchange students. Focus on improving writing skills by increasing writing fluency and accuracy at the sentence, paragraph, and essay levels. Emphasis on structure, organization, and development of ideas. Five lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of instructor, may be repeated for credit. May not be counted toward any University of Texas at Austin degree.

ESL 302S. Academic Listening and Speaking.

Restricted to international students. Focuses on the English language skills necessary for understanding lectures, taking notes, participating in and leading discussions, and giving effective presentations. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of instructor, may be repeated for credit. May not be counted toward any University of Texas at Austin degree.

ESL 302W. Academic Reading and Writing.

Restricted to international students. Focuses on the English language skills necessary for reading and discussing academic texts, using new vocabulary, composing short papers, and writing research projects. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of instructor, may be repeated for credit. May not be counted toward any University of Texas at Austin degree. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

Upper-Division Courses

Graduate Courses

ESL 388S. Oral Communication.

Restricted to international students. Practicum in speaking skills. Focuses on pronunciation, fluency, grammatical accuracy, vocabulary development, formal presentations, and graduate-level discussions. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of instructor, may be repeated for credit. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

ESL 388T. Basic Speaking Skills.

Restricted to international students. Preparation for the International Teaching Assistant Oral English Proficiency Assessment. Practice focuses on the five tasks required in the assessment: summary, vocabulary list, reading, concept and graph explanations, and personal introduction. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of instructor, may be repeated for credit. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

ESL 388W. Academic Writing.

Restricted to international students. Practicum in writing skills. Focuses on basic syntax and sentence structure, paragraph and essay writing, and basic research writing. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of instructor, may be repeated for credit. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

ESL 389S. Advanced Oral Communication.

Restricted to international students. Focuses on accuracy and development of the speaking skills needed in academic contexts. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of instructor, may be repeated for credit. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

ESL 389T. Communication and Teaching Culture.

Restricted to international students. Focuses on pronunciation, presenting and summarizing information, and relevant topics in intercultural communication. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of instructor, may be repeated for credit. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

ESL 389W. Advanced Academic Writing.

Restricted to international students. Focuses on the writing skills needed for qualifying exams, research, and conference papers. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of instructor, may be repeated for credit. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

Professional Courses