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About the Course: English for Career Development

Download the English for Career Development Syllabus (PDF)

English for Career Development is designed for high-beginner to low-intermediate non-native English speakers.

This course will guide you through the job application process while expanding your vocabulary and language skills at the same time. This course will also give you the opportunity to explore your global career path to achieve your professional goals.

Module 1: Entering the Job Market will introduce the U.S. job application process and provide strategies for identifying the jobs that match your interests and skills.
Module 2: Writing a Resume will take you through the steps necessary to produce a professional-looking resume.
Module 3: Writing a Career Letter will help you develop a clear and concise cover letter.
Module 4: Developing Your Professional Network will focus on developing your language skills while making small talk and describing your career history and professional skills.
Module 5: Interviewing for a Job will help you prepare for a job interview.

This course was developed by the University of Pennsylvania and adapted by FHI 360 for the Online Professional English Network (OPEN), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

Dates:

This course will be active from July 5 - September 26, 2022

The orientation module and Module 1 will open on July 5 at 12:01 AM ET. This orientation is designed to help you get familiar with Canvas and how to get help. It is not mandatory.

Once you finish a module, the next one will automatically unlock. All coursework must be completed by September 26, 2022. No late submissions will be accepted.

Course Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Compare and contrast the job search process in the United States and your home country;
Describe your professional interests and talents and begin developing your professional profile;
Produce your own 1-page resume which reflects your education, work experience, and skills;
Produce your own cover letter and explain why you are the right person for the job;
Describe yourself briefly in a networking elevator speech; and,
Prepare and answer an interview question briefly and clearly.

Expectations

Entering the Job Market
Writing a Resume
Writing a Cover Letter
Developing Your Professional Network
Interviewing for a Job

Quizzes:

Each module will have one or more quizzes. Participants who satisfactorily complete all of the required quizzes with a score of 70% or above before the course close date will receive a digital badge and certificate of participation.

OPTIONAL Activities

Along with graded quizzes, each module also has other opportunities to check your understanding and practice your language skills. These activities are labeled “OPTIONAL” in the course. These tasks are not graded nor required.

Course Policies

Plagiarism is using someone else’s words instead of your own. In this course, you are expected to use your own words and ideas and to acknowledge any sources you use to gather ideas. Plagiarism is not allowed in OPEN courses.

To be successful in this course, you should plan to spend approximately 3-5 hours each week working in the course.

This course is self-paced. You can go at your own pace (or speed).

English for Career Development is a self-paced Massive Open Online Course. This means that there will be thousands of people taking the course at the same time. A course facilitator will monitor and respond to discussion board posts. Because of the size of the course, it may not be possible to respond to all discussion posts.

If you don't understand a concept or if you have a question, visit the Content Support Discussion. You can ask for help with the course ideas and activities here.

For questions about digital badges, videos, quiz grades, and other technical issues, please visit the Technical Support page.

Download the English for Career Development Syllabus (PDF)