Professional Writing for International Audiences Certificate

Program of Study

The Certificate will be writing-based, which distinguishes it from traditional Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) programs. The certificate is distinctive from TESOL programs because it does  not focus on teaching English to non-native users. Rather the focus will be on how English users from different cultural and linguistic traditions can communicate more effectively in a variety of written media such as e-mail, Web pages, brochures, and formal documents. Consequently, there will also be an emphasis on the process of document creation that requires collaboration between native and non-native English speakers and the need for cultural and linguistic sensitivity to increase the effectiveness of the working relationship. Educators who are aware of these differences can use this insight in classrooms, particularly in cases when  international students work with American students on writing projects and other classroom activities. This Certificate will also benefit professionals working in non-profit organizations, government employees, and others who work with or write for a large population of non-native English speakers.