Academic English: Speaking and Listening, 7.5 credits

Validation

This course syllabus was validated by the Management Board of the School of Culture and Education at Södertörn University on 2024-02-22 according to the stipulations in the Higher Education Ordinance. This course syllabus was revised by the Management Board of the School of Culture and Education at Södertörn University on 2024-12-17.

Entry requirements

General requirements for university studies
You also need: English 6
Or: English level 2 or equivalent

Learning outcomes

On completing the course, the student can:

Knowledge and understanding

• demonstrate a basic understanding of the content of academic lectures and document effective listening in notes

Skills and abilities

• identify and summarise different perspectives in academic discussions
• identify and outline the development of lectures and academic talks
• explain and justify their point of view in academic spoken contexts
• prepare and deliver an oral presentation for a specific audience 

Judgement and approach

• reflect critically on strategies of successful participation in discussions and seminars
• reflect on adaptations to academic spoken English for audiences of diverse linguistic backgrounds

Course content, modules and examinations

This course introduces the student to key concepts and elements of academic speaking and listening in university contexts. The student becomes familiar with and trains spoken communication in an academic environment. The course also aims to increase the student's awareness of the academic language used in these contexts. Moreover, the student gains valuable experience of active participation in seminars and academic discussions, and practices preparing and providing an academic presentation to a group of peers. The student is also encouraged to reflect on and evaluate their own learning.

Course design

Teaching is in the form of lectures and seminars. All teaching and course materials/literature are in English.

Examination format

Active participation in seminars, lecture attendance, oral and written tasks and assignments.

If a student has missed more than 20% of the seminars on the course the student can only compensate for this by attending the seminars and/or lectures required to reach a minimum level of 80% overall attendance on another occasion.

The grading criteria are distributed prior to the start of a course or module.

If a student has a certificate from Södertörn University for compensatory support, the examiner has the right to decide on an adapted examination or alternative form of examination in accordance with Södertörn University's regulations.

Restrictions on accreditation

The course may not be accredited as part of a degree if the contents are partly or wholly the same as a course previously taken in Sweden or elsewhere.

Other stipulations

This course corresponds in part to previous course syllabi for the course "Introduction to Academic English" with the course codes: 1105EN, 1080EN and 1064EN.

Revision of the syllabus on December 17, 2024, concerns the change of the responsible department to Teacher Education, effective from the spring semester of 2025. The revision has been carried out by university administration, in accordance with the vice-chancellor’s decision to move course syllabi from IKL to LU (registration number 4204-1.1.2-2024).

The entry requirements in the course syllabus have been adapted on 17 June 2025 due to the introduction of subject grades in upper secondary education. Adaptation conducted by the university administration, in accordance with the vice-chancellor’s decision to adapt entry requirements to the introduction of subject grades in upper secondary education (registration number 1047-1.1.2-2025).