The University of Sheffield
English Language Teaching Centre

English Language Support Programme (ELS)

Registration is now closed for this semester.
Semester 1 classes for 2012-2013 will start in the week beginning Monday 8 October, 2012 and registration will open early in September.

These classes are only available to students who are already studying at The University of Sheffield.

Students studying at Sheffield International College CANNOT take these courses.

Who are the courses for?
The courses are provided for students who would like extra help with their English. If your level of English is good (e.g. IELTS 7.5 + or equivalent), the classes will probably not be suitable for you. In this case, you are advised to use the Writing Advisory Service for individual help with your Writing. To improve your Speaking and Listening skills, you should participate in various social activities in your department and in those organised by the Students’ Union. Online Language Learning materials are also available. You can also click on the links on the right of this page for more information.

How are the courses organised?
In some courses, the content is ‘fixed’ in advance. In other courses, part of the content is ‘negotiated’; this means that you discuss with the tutor and your classmates which content to include so that your needs are taken into consideration. Do not expect the tutor to decide everything for you!

ELS consists of 9 different part-time courses specially designed to help students improve their English for academic purposes.

You can apply for a maximum of two courses per semester.

Courses are shown below. Each title links through to an outline for that course.
1. General English
a. General English Development
b. Pronunciation
c. Grammar
2. Academic English for Science, Engineering & Medicine
a. Academic Reading & Writing (Science & Technology)
b. Academic Speaking & Listening (Science & Technology)
c. Dissertation Writing (Science & Technology)
3. Academic English for Arts, Humanities, Law & Social Sciences
a. Academic Reading & Writing (Arts & Humanities)
b. Academic Speaking & Listening (Arts & Humanities)
c. Dissertation Writing (Arts & Humanities)

Class times

Classes take place in the early evening on weekdays and on Wednesday afternoons. You can download the timetable from the Downloads box on the right hand side of this page.

How do I apply?

Applications are processed online: Registration CLOSED until September.

How else can I improve my English?

In addition to ELS classes there are many ways you can improve your English.

Please follow the Language Learning link on the right hand side of this page for more information.