English 301 is a three-credit course delivered online through the faculty of arts at the University of British Columbia. The course author and instructor Dr. Erika Paterson has developed a course that is applicable to students of various disciplines, from commerce to health sciences, to Arts and other Co-op programs.
The focus of English 301 is to provide students with the opportunity to enhance their communication skills in both the business and professional settings. Students will be working independently, as well as with feedback and guidance provided by Dr. Paterson, and collectively within our groups of four students.
The course is divided into four clear and concise units, the organizational structure of the units is intended to improve student’s capabilities in the areas of practice in abstracts preparation, writing proposals, and applications, a variety of reports, as well as online communication.
Requirements for successful completion of English 301 are clearly defined with the student capable of demonstrating competence within the course material by creating an online Web Folio, a Linked in profile, a professional website with the inclusion of our resumes, and writing a formal report. Further requirements include active participation in online discussions with classmates, peer review, accessing UBC’s resources available through the Career Services unit, as well as develop and enhance writing and self-editing skills.
As a dental hygienist, most of my professional communication skills entail charting patient progress notes and completing referral slips to specialists. I’m looking forward to branching out of my comfort zone, by further developing my communication skills for the business setting. The Web Folio portion of the course is a little intimidating, but what I’m looking forward to the most. I have a Linked in account that I’ve never used. I expect that I’ll gain help with continued professional development taking English 301.