English for General and Academic Purposes: Proficiency and Beyond

Master 2026/2027

Type: Elective course (Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication)

Delivered by: School of Foreign Languages

Where: Faculty of Humanities

When: 1 year, 2-4 module

Online hours: 20

Open to: students of one campus

Language: English

ECTS credits: 9

Contact hours: 92

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Abstract

This course is designed for students who aim to enhance their communicative competence in English for general and academic purposes. Emphasis is placed on all the language systems and skills employed in the following communicative strategies: reception, production, interaction, and mediation. The course is for students whose proficiency in English is C2 and who would like to take it beyond this level.

Learning Objectives

To develop students' proficiency in English at levels C1 and C2

Expected Learning Outcomes

Students can communicate complex and sophisticated ideas and arguments in English effectively, with flexibility and ease, orally and in writing, demonstrating clarity, precision, and depth of understanding.
Students can understand and use flexibly and with ease English grammar, vocabulary, and functional language suitable for both general and academic contexts at the level C2 and beyond.
Students can synthesise information from diverse English-language sources of any language complexity to develop well-informed, high-level insights and arguments.
Students can design and implement with flexibility and ease effective communication strategies in both general and academic settings, showcasing expert proficiency in English.
Students can identify and analyse complex written and oral discourse samples, using their Proficiency language skills to interpret and critique content effectively.

Course Contents

Education and Professional Development (С2 and beyond)
Language, Literature, and Bilingualism (C2 and beyond)
Psychology and Cultural Differences (C2 and beyond)
Management and Lifestyle (C2 and beyond)
Historical and Modern Trends (C2 and beyond)

Assessment Elements

Speaking
Spoken production tasks imply tasks done both individually and with a partner or partners. This can be done both in class and via Smart LMS depending on a particular task.
Writing
Written production implies submitting written papers. Written tasks are to be done only in class, on paper.
Creative task
In groups, students are to choose a topic from the course and complete a creative task implementing the skills learnt from the online course. The task is a project.
Participation
Present and actively participating during both classes – 1/1 point Present, not participating / participating only partially – 0,4/1 point Not present – 0/1 point Proportion (in case there are 14 classes in total): 14 participation points possible max – 10 points possible max for a mark X participation points collected by a student – ? points for a mark (X points collected * 10) / 14 = ? points for a mark (AKA final mark for participation). The rounding starts with 0,6 sharp. So 9,6 is 10, 9,56 is 9.
Online course
Students are to complete an online course provided. Assessed using the following completion scale: 10 - 96-100% 9 - 91-95% 8 - 86-90% 7 - 78-85% 6 - 71-77% 5 - 61-70% 4 - 51-60% 3 - 36-50% 2 - 21-35% 1 - 1-20% 0 - 0%
Written test
The semester test is to be conducted during the last class of both the winter and summer semesters. The tasks assess the vocabulary and grammar taught during corresponding semesters as well as listening comprehension.
Oral exam
The oral exams, at the end of the third and fourth modules, are conducted in the format of the tasks practiced throughout the year. The particular format is to be announced a module in advance.

Interim Assessment

2026/2027 3rd module
0.1 * Written test + 0.1 * Online course + 0.15 * Oral exam + 0.25 * Speaking + 0.15 * Participation + 0.25 * Writing
2026/2027 4th module
0.15 * Written test + 0.25 * Writing + 0.15 * Participation + 0.25 * Speaking + 0.2 * Creative task

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Малаева, А. В. Academic English for Master’s Students (Английский язык для магистрантов) : учебное пособие / А. В. Малаева, Т. П. Волкова. — Мурманск : МАУ, 2024. — 162 с. — ISBN 978-5-907368-86-6. — Текст : электронный // Лань : электронно-библиотечная система. — URL: https://e.lanbook.com/book/464999 (дата обращения: 00.00.0000). — Режим доступа: для авториз. пользователей.
Солопина Г.А. - Углубленный практический курс английского языка - НИЦ ИНФРА-М - 2018 - https://znanium.ru/catalog/document?id=329344 - 329344 - ZNANIUM

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Английский язык для исследовательских и академических целей (English for Research and Academic Purposes) : учебник для вузов / А. В. Бакулев, С. В. Боголепова, А. А. Греченко [и др.]. — Санкт-Петербург : Лань, 2025. — 316 с. — ISBN 978-5-507-52550-8. — Текст : электронный // Лань : электронно-библиотечная система. — URL: https://e.lanbook.com/book/503575 (дата обращения: 00.00.0000). — Режим доступа: для авториз. пользователей.
Вертоградова Л.А., Манжелеевская Е.В., Милькевич Е.С. и др. - A GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH - 978-5-9275-2004-6 - Южный федеральный университет - 2016 - https://znanium.ru/catalog/document?id=326379 - 326379 - ZNANIUM
Продвинутый английский язык для гуманитарных направлений = Advanced English for Humanities : учебник / С. В. Боголепова, Л. К. Рэйчел, А. В. Бакулев [и др.] ; под ред. С. В. Боголеповой, Л. К. Рэйчел. — Москва : КноРус, 2026. — 428 с. — ISBN 978-5-406-15716-9. — URL: https://book.ru/book/960948 (дата обращения: 09.12.2025). — Текст : электронный.

Authors

Bakulev Aleksei Valentinovich
Machneva Mariia Evgenevna

Course Syllabus