English for Professional and Academic Success

​This course is designed for students who want to reach the Independent User level of English proficiency. In this course, learners improve their listening, speaking, grammar, and vocabulary skills to succeed in BCIT programs and the modern workplace. Students improve their ability to understand different types of conversations between other speakers in academic, technical and professional environments. Students also practice listening to various talks, lectures, and media recordings. By using the ideas and language they hear in class, learners will demonstrate better fluency and a wider range of expressions. Learners show these skills as they deliver short monologues, present on technical and academic topics, and answer basic questions related to their presentations, just as they would in a professional meeting. Students will also work together formally during hands-on projects where they must select and share technical information to present to others. This collaboration helps prepare them for the teamwork required in both academic and career settings. Throughout the term, learners increase the range of B2 vocabulary and grammar and practice using most B2 level language in their speaking to ensure they are ready for the demands of the Canadian workforce.
Prerequisite(s):

• You need to show the results of an approved language assessment, course(s), or credential(s) to enter EPAS. These will decide your EPAS course level. Please check the Placement webpage for approved language assessments or courses. Departmental approval is required. Sometimes the department may ask for extra documents to confirm your results for placement.

​This course is designed for students aiming for the Low B2 level of English proficiency. It focuses on helping learners succeed in both their BCIT programs and the professional workplace. By participating in this course, students improve their reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary while also building the teamwork skills needed to work effectively with others. The course uses hands-on learning, cultural awareness, and specific study strategies to help learners reach their academic and career goals. In this class, learners read a variety of different texts to understand how authors change their writing style for different audiences and purposes. Students then practice using these same techniques in their own writing. They also begin to develop research skills by learning how to find, evaluate, and combine information from several different sources. This helps them create more professional and organized academic work. A major goal of the course is to improve the clarity, organization, and precision of written communication for the professional world. Students practice writing professional emails, short position papers, technical paragraphs, and reports. Throughout this process, learners expand their knowledge of B2 vocabulary and grammar. They also work on ensuring they can use B2-level grammar features accurately in all of their written assignments. By the end of the course, students will be better prepared to handle the communication requirements of a technical or professional environment.​
Prerequisite(s):

• You need to show the results of an approved language assessment, course(s), or credential(s) to enter EPAS. These will decide your EPAS course level. Please check the Placement webpage for approved language assessments or courses. Departmental approval is required. Sometimes the department may ask for extra documents to confirm your results for placement.

​This course is designed for students who have an upper-intermediate level of English proficiency. It aims to help learners improve their listening, speaking, grammar, and vocabulary while also teaching them how to work effectively with others in BCIT programs and in the workplace. Students will develop a better ability to participate in conversations in both academic and workplace situations. They will practice understanding various academic and technical materials, such as lectures, talks, and news reports. After listening to these sources, learners will work on their ability to give clear, accurate, and well-organized spoken summaries of the content. In addition to summarizing information, students will learn how to deliver and respond to oral presentations. student will begin to use technical and academic language and specific communication techniques during their speeches and formal discussions. This helps them become more capable of interacting with people at BCIT and in the workplace. Finally, the course helps students expand their knowledge of B2-level vocabulary and grammar features. While they learn these new words, they will also focus on using intermediate grammar correctly and naturally when they speak. By the end of the term, learners will be better prepared to communicate in a wide variety of technical, workplace, and academic environments.​
Prerequisite(s):

• You need to show the results of an approved language assessment, course(s), or credential(s) to enter EPAS. These will decide your EPAS course level. Please check the Placement webpage for approved language assessments or courses. Departmental approval is required. Sometimes the department may ask for extra documents to confirm your results for placement.

​This course is designed for students with English proficiency at the Independent User level (CEFR Mid B2). This course aims to improve English skills in reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary, while also developing the collaborative skills needed to function effectively in BCIT programs and the workplace. Experiential learning, intercultural competence, and academic study strategies are key components of the course. In this course, learners will study many different types of writing to see how authors organize information, arguments, and instructions. Learners will learn to read with a clear goal by choosing the best way to navigate through textbooks, websites, and academic or workplace documents that use different styles of writing. Sometimes learners will need to read very carefully to find specific details, while at other times learners will collect information from many sources to show they understand a topic. Learners will also aim to use the instructions and advice they find in chosen texts to analyze problems in their own writing. An important part of this course is improving learners' ability to find main concepts and rewrite the concepts in their in their own words. Learners will also aim to use the same techniques professional writers use to create their own arguments. Finally, learners will focus on being accurate and clear when they write. They will practice using the correct format for different tasks, such as writing an opinion piece, an analysis of a problem, and a formal report or essay. Throughout the term, learner will work on using a wider range of B2-level vocabulary to make their writing more effective.​
Prerequisite(s):

• You need to show the results of an approved language assessment, course(s), or credential(s) to enter EPAS. These will decide your EPAS course level. Please check the Placement webpage for approved language assessments or courses. Departmental approval is required. Sometimes the department may ask for extra documents to confirm your results for placement.

​EPAS Listening Speaking 4 This course supports learners in successfully transitioning into their BCIT programs and strengthening the listening and speaking skills needed for effective participation in academic and workplace settings. Learners will participate actively in experiential activities that they will encounter in their BCIT studies and in the workplace. Intercultural competence and academic study strategies are included throughout the course. The course aims to improve English skills in listening, speaking, grammar, and vocabulary, while also developing the collaborative skills needed to participate effectively in BCIT programs. Specifically, learners will broaden and deepen their ability to comprehend a variety of listening texts, including talks, lectures, and instructional videos. Learners will also improve their confidence and ability when speaking in a variety of BCIT classroom and workplace environments (e.g. collaborating with classmates, networking with peers, collaborating in hands-on learning environments). Learners will similarly improve their ability to give information, make decisions, and deliver presentations and reports with clearly linked ideas, and thematic and conceptual development. Learners will increase the range of B2 vocabulary and grammatical features they understand and will use B1 and some B2 level features accurately in their speaking.​​​
Prerequisite(s):

• You need to show the results of an approved language assessment, course(s), or credential(s) to enter EPAS. These will decide your EPAS course level. Please check the Placement webpage for approved language assessments or courses. Departmental approval is required. Sometimes the department may ask for extra documents to confirm your results for placement.

​​This course is designed for students with English proficiency at the Independent User level (CEFR High B2). This course aims to improve English skills in reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary, while also developing the collaborative skills needed to participate effectively in BCIT programs and the workplace. Experiential learning, intercultural competence, and academic study strategies are key components of the course. In this course, learners will read and write authentic technical and academic texts and participate in tasks that they will face in their BCIT programs and in the workplace. Specifically, learners will read material including: parts of a textbook, pre-lab/workshop material, multiple case studies, and multiple articles connected to student and work life and technical academic topics of interest. Learners will learn to write for technical and academic purposes using an appropriate level of clarity, accuracy, organization, and coherence. Learners will increase the range of B2 vocabulary and grammatical features they understand and will use B2 level features accurately in their writing.
Prerequisite(s):

• You need to show the results of an approved language assessment, course(s), or credential(s) to enter EPAS. These will decide your EPAS course level. Please check the Placement webpage for approved language assessments or courses. Departmental approval is required. Sometimes the department may ask for extra documents to confirm your results for placement.

​This course supports learners in successfully transitioning into their BCIT programs and strengthening the listening and speaking skills needed for effective participation in academic and workplace settings. Learners will participate actively in experiential activities that they will encounter in BCIT studies and the workplace. Intercultural competence and academic study strategies are embedded throughout the course. The course focuses on developing proficiency in English speaking and listening for presentations, group discussions, conversations, meetings, and interviews. Learners will practice expressing detailed ideas clearly and concisely, while adjusting language, tone, and style for different purposes and audiences. Learners will also improve their ability to listen to lectures, presentations, conversations, and talks to identify key information. They will also improve their ability to communicate with others by reflecting on how culture and assumptions can affect interaction. By the end of the course, learners will increase their understanding of CEFR B2–C1 vocabulary and grammatical features and will use B1 and most B2 features accurately in spoken communication.
Prerequisite(s):

• You need to show the results of an approved language assessment, course(s), or credential(s) to enter EPAS. These will decide your EPAS course level. Please check the Placement webpage for approved language assessments or courses. Departmental approval is required. Sometimes the department may ask for extra documents to confirm your results for placement.

​​​​This course is designed for students with the English proficiency at the Independent/Proficient User level (CEFR High B2 - Low C1). This course is aimed at supporting learners in transitioning successfully into their BCIT programs. The course also provides opportunities for individuals to improve their reading and writng skills for successful participation in the workplace. This course consolidates the language competencies learned in BCIT programs , such as those in trades, sciences, business and technology environments in the program and raises the stakes in terms of how effectively learners use the language.Specifically, learners will read and evaluate a variety of advanced, authentic technical academic texts for comprehension and write a variety of genres typical of their target mainstream learning environment at BCIT and in the workplace. Learners will read course documents, instructor communications, and lengthy textbook material so as to identify course expectations and synthesize content for assignments.Learners will use advanced research skills to produce an essay/report related to their target discipline within a 21st-century workplace context​. In the last half of the course, learners will collaborate to produce a formal proposal for a volunteer service learning project by evaluating past technical initiatives, developing and pitching an idea, and then collaborating F2F/online to write a detailed proposal as a team. Experiential learning, intercultural competence, and academic study strategies are embedded in the course. Learners will increase the range of B2-C1 vocabulary and grammatical features they understand and will use B1-B2 level features accurately in their writing.​
Prerequisite(s):

• You need to show the results of an approved language assessment, course(s), or credential(s) to enter EPAS. These will decide your EPAS course level. Please check the Placement webpage for approved language assessments or courses. Departmental approval is required. Sometimes the department may ask for extra documents to confirm your results for placement.