Innovation in Language Learning
Beyond General English: Designing a Tiered Scientific Community-focused Curriculum for Multidisciplinary Master’s Programs
Ilona Miller, ITMO University (Russian Federation)
Abstract
University language centers face significant challenges when designing English courses for master’s students across highly diverse educational programs. ITMO university offers more than 80 master's programs in roughly 40 majors. Traditional General English approaches prove ineffective due to severe time constraints (only 32 academic hours per semester) and lack of immediate relevance for graduate students. Developing discipline-specific ESP courses for 40 different majors is logistically unfeasible. To address this, we developed an innovative tiered curriculum (Elementary to Advanced) that shifts the pedagogical focus from discipline-specific content to forming a transdisciplinary academic identity. Recognizing that all master’s students are members of the global scientific community, our courses unify around a core objective: equipping students with communicative competence to present themselves, pitch their research, and network within the scientific community, regardless of their specific major. This presentation details the architecture of this universal yet adaptable module, demonstrating how 32 hours are optimized through high-impact, task-based learning focused on academic self-presentation, research pitching, and scientific networking. We provide practical examples of how identical task types are scaffolded across proficiency levels. The proposed model offers a scalable, highly motivating solution for language centers operating in multidisciplinary university environments with limited instructional hours, balancing standardization with learner diversity.
Keywords: English for Academic Purposes, curriculum design, academic identity, multidisciplinary programs, scientific communication, Master's education
REFERENCES
[1] Hyland, K. (2006). English for Academic Purposes. Routledge.
[2] Flowerdew, J., & Peacock, M. (Eds.). (2001). Research Perspectives on English for Academic Purposes. Cambridge University Press.
