Electives 500-600 Levels

ADVANCED VOCABULARY: For those who are interested in increasing their vocabulary at the advanced level. Learn ninety of new words: pronunciation, definitions, parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective and adverb forms) and usage.

PUBLIC SPEAKING: This course introduces the various types of public speaking activities people are required to do in college classes or business. Students give at least one short speech (2-4 minutes) each week as well as a formal group presentation and a 15-minute individual presentation. Areas covered include language functions, outlining, library research, teamwork, persuasion, problem solving, critical thinking, visual aids, fluency, accuracy, and pronunciation. (May be taken more than one time.)

AMERICAN IDIOMS: Analyze the spoken language, focusing on idioms and expressions which are commonly used in business, professional, and social situations.

PRONUNCIATION/ACCENT IMPROVEMENT: Increase your ability to understand and be understood in spoken English by improving your intonation, stress, and clarity of pronunciation.

ENGLISH THROUGH FILM: Learn American English and culture through movies. Improve your listening comprehension and increase your spoken vocabulary. Selections will be made from a variety of genres.
Note: Some outside movie viewing will be required.

ENGLISH THROUGH MUSIC: Learn about American popular culture and study American idioms through the songs of the rock ‘n’ roll years. Improve your listening skills and expand your vocabulary. Listen to the music!

STUDENT NEWSPAPER: Be completely responsible for the weekly student newspaper. You will have to investigate stories, interview people, write and edit stories, draw cartoons, input everything into the computer and format the paper.

GRE/GMAT PREPARATION CLASS: Graduate level students who would like to enter an graduate program should take this class and learn strategies to help them pass the GRE/GMAT exams.

ORAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: Increase your ability to have conversation with native speakers. Learn new idioms and their usage, increase your knowledge of general language functions of American English with your classmates. (2-quarter curriculum; may be taken more than one time.)

LISTENING: This class will help students improve their listening skills. Cassette and videotaped material will be taken from a variety of sources including current listening texts and news and other television broadcasts.

ENGLISH THROUGH DRAMA: Learn American English by analyzing plays and then acting them out. We will focus on comprehension, pronunciation, fluency, and body language. A public performance at the end of the quarter is a possibility.

PREPARATION FOR THE TEST OF ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (TOEFL). UPP students ONLY as an elective; other students wanting this class must pay for it separately at Student Services on the first floor.

BUSINESS ENGLISH: English has become the international language of business. Learn business English through communicative activities in authentic business scenarios. Improve your listening comprehension and increase your vocabulary.

WORLD ISSUES: DISCUSSIONS AND PRESENTATIONS: Here is your chance to explore cultures, exchange ideas, and develop excellent conversation techniques. Learn about managing discussions and presenting ideas with PowerPoint while improving vocabulary and overall language skills. Explore current topics of your interest using the internet, magazines, and newspapers. Topics areas may include politics & society, travel & culture, entertainment & arts, health & science, and the environment.