Essential Soft Skills in English Online Courses

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English is increasingly becoming the language of higher education and the international workplace. Successful communication involves more than the ability to speak English; additional soft skills are required for people to be effective communicators in professional settings.

Soft skills, also known as interpersonal skills, are different from technical skills or competencies. Examples of soft skills include team building, listening, negotiation, persuasion, presentation, and writing skills.

Employers in many parts of the world seek confident individuals who are capable of using their soft skills to participate effectively in teams, persuade others, present their ideas, and develop and maintain important relationships. A common complaint of employers and educators is a lack of soft skills in candidates. The Essential Soft Skills in English courses will help you develop these important skills and contribute to both your academic and long-term career success. These soft skills, and the ability to apply them in English, are becoming increasingly important in the global marketplace and within higher education around the world. This course is for you if you want to improve your English, and add the skills that employers are seeking to your resume!

In the Essential Soft Skills in English courses, you can choose to take one or more courses in the series and work toward a certificate from a world-renowned institution completely online. This certificate demonstrates to employers that you have the ability to speak and write confidently in social and professional contexts, and have the communication skills to succeed.

How you'll learn

These courses combine traditional reading, writing, and speaking with interactive new media to promote student learning. Students will experience both real-time classes and self-directed study in a dynamic online learning environment.

In these courses, students will:

participate in live classes online with instructors and students
complete multimedia assignments
participate in discussions and group-work with other students in an online environment
engage in a vibrant, virtual student experience that allows you to apply your communication skills
receive feedback from instructors on all assignments
complete final assignments and a multiple choice quiz
receive a transcript at the end of each course

Course materials are created with consideration for students whose first language is not English. Students will have the opportunity to engage with material in a written or video format (with subtitles) and, at their own pace, check any unfamiliar vocabulary in advance of live classes. Live classes are held 1 hour per week on Thursdays at 7:00 am and again at 8:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)/Eastern Standard Time (EST). Students can attend one or both of the classes depending on their availability. The course content is the same in both classes.

In addition, a live orientation session with the instructor is held at on the first day of each course at 7:00 am and again at 8:00 pm EDT/EST. Students can choose which orientation session to attend depending on their availability.

Essential Soft Skills in English is designed for:

students who want to be better prepared for their university career
individuals who want to develop communication skills to enhance employability
employees who want to improve workplace performance
individuals who want to extend their qualifications and build additional transferable skills in English
individuals who want to network with individuals from around the world and have 4-5 hours per week to devote to their personal and professional skill development
students who have a good intermediate level of English

To participate in the Essential Soft Skills in English courses it is advised that you have a good intermediate level of English. This would be a B1, or higher, level of English on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This means that you can do all of the statements in the following table.

CEFR Level B1
Listening	I can understand the main points of clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. I can understand the main point of many radio or TV programs on current affairs or topics of personal or professional interest when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.
Reading	I can understand texts that consist mainly of high frequency everyday or job-related language. I can understand the description of events, feelings and wishes in personal letters.
Speaking	I can connect phrases in a simple way in order to describe experiences and events, as well as to give opinions. I can deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken. I can enter unprepared into conversation on topics that are familiar.
Writing	I can write straightforward connected text on topics, which are familiar, or of personal interest. I can write letters highlighting the personal significance of events and experiences.

NOTE: No English language test score is required to register for Essential Soft Skills in English. Students are responsible for determining their suitability to take a course. If you have a question about the language level of the courses, please email eli@uwaterloo.ca

Overview

Course Structure

Essential Soft Skills in English courses are offered multiple times a year. Each course comprises approximately 25 hours of language instruction broken down into four modules. A course is completed over a 4-week period (one module completed per week). Each module includes a one-hour live class held on Thursdays at 7:00 am and again at 8:00 pm (Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)/Eastern Standard Time (EST)). You can choose to attend one or both of the Thursday classes depending on your time zone and availability. The course content covered in both classes will be the same.

A live orientation session is held at the beginning of each course. Registered students will be given two time options to attend orientation. During the orientation, you will receive an outline of the course, including assessment details, and a demonstration of our online learning platform. At this time, you will also meet your instructor(s), have the opportunity to share information about yourself, and learn more about your fellow classmates.

Learning Outcomes

Essential Soft Skills in English will equip you with:

the ability to effectively communicate with a variety of audiences in a range of situations;
the confidence to deliver well-structured and engaging presentations;
the skills to help you make a valuable contribution to whichever type of team you’re in; and
strategies for persuasively communicating your point of view.

Essential Soft Skills in English Certificate

By completing all four (4) Essential Soft Skills in English courses, your work will be recognized in the form of a premier certificate in Essential Soft Skills in English from Renison University College at the University of Waterloo.

Course descriptions

There are four courses available that you can register to attend.

Working in Teams

Teams icon Teamwork is important in many academic and employment situations, and working as part of a team requires a diverse set of skills. Successful teams need talented leadership, great ideas, strong communication, and respect for the skills and work styles of their members. In this course we explore what a team is, what makes a team successful, how to manage conflict that may arise, and how virtual teams function in English.

Interpersonal Communication Skills

Communication icon Our lives are full of interpersonal communication. Whenever we are engaged with communication between people we are engaging in interpersonal communication. From placing an order over the telephone, to business meeting introductions or comforting a friend – these are all examples of interpersonal communication. In this course we will extend our understanding of interpersonal communication, develop verbal and nonverbal communication strategies, and learn how to strengthen relationships. Recognizing that listening is often a more powerful tool than speaking, this course will encourage active listening practice to help overcome communication breakdowns. This course teaches simple habits that will transform your communication skills in English.

Presentation Skills

Presentation Skills Effective presentation and public speaking skills are necessary for many aspects of our professional lives – in school, at work, and in social situations. With practice and preparation, everyone can learn to present well in English. In this course we will identify what makes an effective presentation, including how to organize a presentation and speak in public, as well as how to use media and technology to create engaging presentations.

Developing Leadership Skills

Handshake icon One of the fundamental responsibilities of a leader is to make decisions that guide a group to a successful outcome. Leading a group is a challenge that involves vision, the ability to work under pressure, and the ability to motivate people. This course combines theory and practice to help students develop leadership skills. In this course we focus on how leaders think and act, how leaders empower others, and critically analyze issues that face leaders.

Sample weekly course structure

The Essential Soft Skills in English courses are modular in format. After attending a live one-hour orientation session, students will complete four modules (one module per week) over a four-week period.

Each week will require approximately six hours of study time. Students will be required to:

Activity	Approximate required time
Complete required readings (and watch required videos)	1.5 hours
Submit 3 to 4 written or video recorded (graded) assignments	1.5 hours
Participate in a (graded) discussion forum	30 minutes
Participate in a teacher-led one-hour lecture (attendance is taken in the lecture)	1 hour
Participate in a student-led study group (not graded)	1 hour
Complete an end-of-Module Quiz (graded)	30 minutes

Your success team and supports

As you study in your courses, you will have access to the following supports:

English Language Institute Instructor: a subject expert who will guide you through the course content and answer any questions you might have.
Student Experience Team: In addition to the virtual classroom community, you will be able to participate in virtual student engagement opportunities, including online social activities specifically designed to practice your conversational English with enthusiastic Peer Leaders, and regular workshops that will help you develop your skills as a successful student.

Students are welcome to join our weekly virtual events. Each month, you can expect to enjoy a dynamic events calendar that features workshops, social events, conversation practice opportunities, and chances to build your networking and soft skills.

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After completing all four Essential Soft Skills in English courses, you will have access to a Student Experience team member who can support you with resume review and Canadian university application assistance if you are interested in pursuing further education. If you choose to study at the University of Waterloo as an Essential Soft Skills in English graduate, you will benefit from additional coaching support in areas such as study strategies, time management, and learning skills for a Canadian university environment.

Course dates and registration

Course registration is flexible. Students have the option to choose individual courses that are most suited to their learning needs. Each course takes 4 weeks to complete and is offered multiple times a year.

Students interested in obtaining the Essential Soft Skills in English certificate are required to complete the four (4) courses in the series. Courses may be completed in any order.

For more information about course dates and registration, contact eli@uwaterloo.ca.

Technical requirements

In order to complete these courses, you will need a current email account, access to a computer, and access to the internet. You should be familiar with using a computer and accessing the internet. You will be reading documents in PDF format, viewing Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, and creating documents in Microsoft Word.

These courses also require that you have access to a device that allows you to record video with audio. You will need to upload your video assignments as part of the courses.

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