English and Academic Preparation - Pre-Collegiate (Coursera)

Offered by Rice University,
English and Academic Preparation - Pre-Collegiate (Coursera)

The English and Academic Preparation - Pre-Collegiate course is for students with a (minimum) high-intermediate level of English. It is designed to help international students develop the academic skills necessary for success in undergraduate studies at an American university while strengthening their English proficiency. Ideally, prospective students have completed or are near completion of a high school diploma in their country and would like to come to the United States to study for a bachelor’s degree.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

The total length of time required to complete the course is approximately 4 weeks. Students should expect to spend about 5-7 hours per week working with the materials and assignments.
The course is made up of 4 modules:
• Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking
• Writer’s Workshop
• Reading and Note-taking
• Capstone Project
Each module consists of video lessons, opportunities for practicing English and academic skills, interactive discussion boards with classmates, and graded activities. All courses are asynchronous, which means that the lessons and their activities can be completed at any time of day or night, provided that all course assignments are completed by the final day of class.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Listening, Speaking and Critical Thinking
In this module, we will learn some skills necessary for listening to and speaking about academic topics at the undergraduate level.

WEEK 2
Writer's Workshop
In this module, we will learn some skills necessary for academic writing at the undergraduate level.

WEEK 3
Reading and Note Taking
In this module, we will learn some skills necessary for reading and taking notes about academic texts and at the undergraduate level.

WEEK 4
Capstone
The Pre-Collegiate capstone project is the final module of the English and Academic Preparation Program. In this module, you will not learn new information as you did in the previous modules, but rather apply the knowledge and skills you learned from the other modules in this academic certificate in order to complete a series of four tasks. The word "capstone" was historically used to signify the completion of a building. The capstone was considered the most important and last stone placed on a newly constructed building. In keeping with this tradition, your successful capstone project signifies you have completed the certificate program and earned a crowning achievement.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Lesson | Organize Your Pitch (Coursera) Coursera
Georgia Institute of Technology

Lesson | Organize Your Pitch (Coursera)

This lesson is part of a full course, Speak English Professionally: In Person, Online & On the Phone. Take this lesson to get a short tutorial on the learning objectives covered. To dive deeper into this topic, take the full course. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to produce a well organized outline for a pitch/presentation.

Sep 21st 2026
1 Week
Writing for Young Readers: Opening the Treasure Chest (Coursera) Coursera
Commonwealth Education Trust

Writing for Young Readers: Opening the Treasure Chest (Coursera)

This course is for curious students and aspiring authors with a passion for writing for young readers. Participate in a dynamic online community of writers as you experiment with your own writing and develop your voice. This course will guide you with a combination of video lectures, online readings, peer reviews, and guest appearances from world-renowned children’s authors. As you work through the writing exercises, you will give and receive feedback from your peers and gain tools and techniques for improving your writing.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Business English for Cross-cultural Communication (Coursera) Coursera
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology - HKUST

Business English for Cross-cultural Communication (Coursera)

This course aims to prepare you for working in an cross-cultural Business setting. We'll learn about common cross-cultural theories and how they are relevant to everyday business practices in a globalised world. By combining all of your vocabulary, reading, speaking, and writing skills that you acquired in the previous three courses, you will learn how language plays an important role in cross-cultural communication.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Compreender as dimensões interculturais na vida cotidiana (Coursera) Coursera
Universidad de los Andes

Compreender as dimensões interculturais na vida cotidiana (Coursera)

Este MOOC é o resultado de uma Co construção e pesquisa por professoras da Universidad Sorbonne-Nouvelle Paris 3 e da Universidad de los Andes (Colômbia). Seu principal objetivo é fornecer ferramentas para desenvolver dimensões interculturais na vida cotidiana. O curso é destinado a estudantes e profissionais de diferentes áreas além do ensino de idiomas (humanidades e ciências sociais, educação, clínica intercultural, estudos de arte e administração) que têm que enfrentar situações da vida cotidiana e relações com outros, onde ferramentas de reflexão são necessárias para ter uma abordagem intercultural.

Sep 28th 2026
4 Weeks
Lesson | Telephone Language (Coursera) Coursera
Georgia Institute of Technology

Lesson | Telephone Language (Coursera)

This lesson is part of a full course, Speak English Professionally: In Person, Online & On the Phone. Take this lesson to get a short tutorial on the learning objectives covered. To dive deeper into this topic, take the full course. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to identify telephone language through phone dialogues.

Sep 21st 2026
1 Week
¿Cómo persuadir? Jugando con palabras, imágenes y números (Coursera) Coursera
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

¿Cómo persuadir? Jugando con palabras, imágenes y números (Coursera)

¿Te has planteado alguna vez mediante qué mecanismos algunas personas consiguen convencer a otras personas? Este curso da respuesta a la pregunta y está dirigido a cualquier individuo interesado por los mecanismos de la argumentación en el siglo XXI. Aprenderemos la base de la comunicación persuasiva y el pensamiento crítico aplicados a toda clase de formatos: desde las palabras o los argumentos, pasando por las imágenes y los audiovisuales o, finalmente, por los números, las estadísticas y los gráficos.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
English Composition I (Coursera) Coursera
Duke University

English Composition I (Coursera)

You will gain a foundation for college-level writing valuable for nearly any field. Students will learn how to read carefully, write effective arguments, understand the writing process, engage with others' ideas, cite accurately, and craft powerful prose. Course Learning Objectives: summarize, analyze, question, and evaluate written and visual texts; argue and support a position; recognize audience and disciplinary expectations; identify and use the stages of the writing process; identify characteristics of effective prose; apply proper citation practices; discuss applying your writing knowledge to other writing occasions

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Voice Disorders: What Patients and Professionals Need to Know (Coursera) Coursera
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Voice Disorders: What Patients and Professionals Need to Know (Coursera)

Knowledge regarding vocal production physiology and management options for voice disorders have experienced rapid growth over the past 40 years. This growth has resulted in a knowledge gap amongst patients and practitioners. Entirely new subspecialties of laryngology under otolaryngology and vocology under speech-language pathology have developed in response to this gap. This MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) is designed to educated patients, allied healthcare providers, vocal trainers/coaches, general medical practitioners and otolaryngologists.

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Preparing for Graduate Study in the U.S.: A course for international students (Coursera) Coursera
University of Michigan

Preparing for Graduate Study in the U.S.: A course for international students (Coursera)

This course prepares you to embark upon your future graduate studies in the U.S. with confidence. In this MOOC, you'll have the opportunity to meet other prospective graduate students, hear from experienced international graduate students in the United States, and to practice sharing your own thoughts, stories, and expertise in English. You’ll select a “target” graduate program at a U.S. college or university to use as a case study throughout the course.

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Teach English Now! Teaching Language Online (Coursera) Coursera
Arizona State University

Teach English Now! Teaching Language Online (Coursera)

Whether you have already taught English as a Second Language and want to start teaching it online, you've already been teaching ESL online and want to sharpen your skills, or you are new to teaching and interested in teaching ESL online, this course provides you with the basic ideas and concepts you need to know in order to successfully teach ESL online. This course uses a fun and interesting theme of "International Travel" to deliver content in an entertaining way.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks