Courses

In person and with abundant instructor feedback, English Language Center courses meet you where you are and support your language improvement goals.

Student work together on a classroom task

I want to let you know your class is very meaningful for my learning journey in the U.S. and I feel I’m listened to in the class—and feel more confident to express myself in this class and beyond.

Overview

The ELC offers English for Academics and Professionals (EAP) courses and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses for Vanderbilt students, scholars, faculty, and staff. EAP courses support the language and cultural growth of individuals from a variety of disciplines. ESP courses are for individuals from specific disciplines such as law, business, or data science.

We also offer General English for Spouses and Partners (GES), for spouses and partners of Vanderbilt students and scholars.

English for Academics and Professionals Courses

  • Academic Speaking

    Academic Speaking is designed for students whose English speaking skills need improvement. The objective of the course is to strengthen all aspects of speaking ability, especially in academic contexts. Students receive feedback on assignments in class and in individual meetings with the instructor.

    Activities include:

    • developing discussion skills
    • improving pronunciation
    • preparing for conference presentations

    Focus of the course is on:

    • improving public-speaking skills
    • preparing and using visual aids
    • asking and answering questions effectively
    • increasing intelligibility
    • increasing fluency
    • increasing accuracy

    Both semesters cover all aspects (discussions, group and individual activities, and presentations) of Academic Speaking. However, the Fall Semester helps prepare students for the academic classroom, as well as enhance individual speaking skills. The Spring Semester continues work on the academic classroom, but adds more presentation-style activities. The courses do not have to be taken in sequence.

  • Academic Writing

    Academic Writing is designed for students who need assistance with completing their writing assignments. The activities in the course are tailored to the students’ individual writing needs and goals. Students choose individual assignments based on the real-life writing that their academic fields require. Students receive feedback on assignments in class and in individual writing conferences with the instructor.

    Activities include:

    • writing a technical report
    • completing an annotated bibliography
    • writing an abstract
    • gathering and citing sources
    • quoting, paraphrasing, and synthesizing information

    Focus of the course is on:

    • sentence, paragraph, and text level
    • clear, accurate communication of content
    • reducing wordiness
    • emphasizing main points
    • summarizing
    • using parallel structures
  • Pronunciation

    The Pronunciation course focuses on the fundamentals of North American English production. The purpose of this course is to help students modify their speech patterns to improve their speaking comprehensibility.

    Activities include:

    • classroom instruction and practice
    • digitally recorded assignments with individualized feedback
    • focusing on segmentals (individual, problematic phonemes/sounds)
    • focusing on suprasegmentals (stress and intonation patterns for various speech functions)

    Focus of the course is on:

    • identifying and approximating the phonemes of North American English
    • identifying and approximating the stress and intonation patterns in extended discourse
    • increasing intelligibility
    • increasing fluency
    • increasing accuracy

    Fall and Spring semesters cover all aspects of pronunciation.

  • writeELC for Undergraduate Students

    WriteELC offers you an individualized opportunity to enhance your experience at Vanderbilt University by practicing writing and academic language skills that are essential for your success in your undergraduate studies. Content in writeELC is organized around typical writing tasks at Vanderbilt. In addition, you will be able to schedule individual meetings with the instructor for personalized feedback.

    Based on the student's needs, activities may include:

    • honing research skills (e.g., finding and evaluating sources, exploring when and how to quote, paraphrase, and summarize)
    • writing a reaction or response paper
    • planning a critique and/or argument
    • outlining a literature review
    • composing professional emails
    • drafting resume and cover letters
    • learning about, planning, and reviewing other texts for specific contexts (e.g., First Year Writing Seminar, Immersion)

    The focus of the course is on:

    • adapting to the U.S. academic writing style
    • building academic vocabulary related to your courses
    • introducing helpful language and writing tools
    • developing revision strategies
    • improving clarity and flow
    • analyzing the writing process to improve efficiency
    • building research skills
    • writing emails, resumes, and cover letters that are appropriate for the U.S. context

Enrollment for Spring 2025 EAP courses has closed. Fall 2025 enrollment will begin in early August.


English for Specific Purposes Courses

  • Business - English for Business Purposes

    The ELC has supported business students at Vanderbilt with courses and programming since 1994.

    Summer English for Business Purposes

    The ELC’s Summer English for Business Purposes is an intensive 2-week course specifically designed for graduate business students who use English as an additional language. This course focuses on building vocabulary and strategies for improving speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in academic and professional business settings. The aim of this support course is to help students achieve their academic goals and relieve some of the stress and anxiety that comes from performing in English in a highly competitive academic setting.

    Objectives:

    • Adapt more quickly to the US academic environment
    • Communicate effectively in 1-on-1 interactions, groups, and during presentations
    • Comprehend rapid American speech in lectures and discussion
    • Read and write English efficiently and effectively
    • Develop strategies for independent language learning

    Summer 2025 Dates:

    July 21-August 1

    Enrollment:

    • Enrollment is restricted to Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management students
    • Contact Gabriel Luis, Associate Director, MBA Recruiting & Admissions, Owen Graduate School of Management, to enroll in the Summer English for Business Purposes program
    • Tuition: $1,000
    • Enrollment and withdrawal policy: After Summer English for Business Purposes begins, if students withdraw by 5:00 p.m. (CDT) on Day 2 of the program, they will be issued a 90% refund. There will be no refund for withdrawing after 5:00 p.m. (CDT) on Day 2 of the program.

    Undergraduate students who are minoring in business may be interested in the ELC's self-paced learning resource "English for Business Purposes."

  • Data Science - English for Data Science Purposes

    In 2022, the ELC began offering English-language support to multilingual graduate students at the Data Science Institute. Communication in Data Science is a series of courses designed to assist students as they prepare for careers in data science by increasing students' proficiency and confidence in U.S. speaking and writing contexts.

    Admitted Vanderbilt graduate Data Science students may enroll in one or both of the following:

    • Oral Communication in Data Science
    • Written Communication in Data Science

    For detailed course descriptions, see our English for Data Science Purposes Page.

    Contact Amber Douglass, Program Manager, Data Science Institute, for enrollment information.

    Contact Jim Cracraft, ELC Associate Director, for course content information.

  • ITA Communication

    International Teaching Assistant (ITA) Communication is designed by the Vanderbilt University English Language Center (ELC) to enhance English communication and teaching skills for ITAs in the context of US university settings. The objective of the course is to strengthen academic speaking ability, pronunciation, and ITA-related communication strategies. Students receive feedback on assignments in class and in individual meetings with the instructor.

    Activities include:

    • pronunciation activities
    • presenting a syllabus
    • explaining a visual
    • defining terms and extended definitions
    • outlining a presentation
    • presenting a process
    • presenting a topic of general interest
    • leading discussions
    • conducting mini-lectures

    Focus of the course is on:

    • increasing intelligibility
    • increasing fluency
    • increasing accuracy
    • improving public-speaking skills
    • improving lecturing and discussion skills
    • improving ability to interact with undergraduate students
    • preparing and using visual aids
    • asking and answering questions effectively

    ITA Communication introduces students to aspects of Academic Speaking and Pronunciation (e.g., discussions, group and individual activities, and presentations).

  • Law - English for Legal Purposes

    Since 2001, the ELC has provided Legal-English support to students at the Vanderbilt Law School. The aim of these support programs is to help students achieve their academic goals and relieve some of the stress and anxiety that comes from performing in English in a highly competitive academic setting.

    Admitted Vanderbilt Law students may enroll in:

    • Summer English for Legal Purposes (SELP), an intensive 80-hour summer program

    For more detailed course descriptions, see our English for Legal Purposes page.

    Contact Kelly Bahiraei, Assistant Dean for Legal Studies for enrollment information.

  • Post Docs - English for Postdoctoral Scholars and Researchers

    Academic Communication for Postdocs is offered during Fall semester in even years (e.g., Fall 2026). This course offers postdoctoral scholars and researchers opportunities to practice academic communication skills to make the most of their postdoctoral experience at Vanderbilt University. This highly interactive course is designed to help participants with an intermediate to advanced level of spoken English communicate more effectively in academic and professional settings. Students will also learn about expectations for postdocs, cross-cultural considerations, and navigating professional relationships. Throughout the course, students will receive feedback on assignments in class and in individual meetings with the instructor.

    Activities include:

    • practice making small talk with colleagues
    • practice joining and facilitating group discussions
    • planning and delivering job talks
    • preparing and delivering research presentations 
    • discussing research with different types of audiences
    • strategies for adapting to U.S. academic communication styles

    Course Objectives:

    • Increasing comprehensibility, fluency, and accuracy 
    • Improving academic speaking skills 
    • Improving informal speaking skills 
    • Developing techniques for use in professional interactions 
    • Developing conversational skills for discussing research 
    • Improving pronunciation 
    • Improving listening skills

    For support when the in-person course is not being offered, post-docs may enroll in a self-paced version of this course.

Enrollment in ESP courses is through students' colleges or departments. See descriptions above for enrollment contacts. For questions about ESP courses, you may also contact Jim Cracraft, ELC Associate Director.


  • General English for Spouses and Partners (GES)

    General English for Spouses and Partners (GES) is a cost-free course for VU community spouses and partners who use English as an additional language with a low to intermediate proficiency. The course develops functional oral language skills commonly used in social situations through a series of listening, speaking, and reading activities. Students learn to talk about common topics, and make simple conversation. 

    Although enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis, preference is given to language learners who have not been enrolled the ELC’s General English class before. This allows as many participants as possible to take part in the program.

    Participants are expected to attend 12 weeks of class.


ELC Student Handbook

This handbook answers many of the frequently asked questions about our courses.