The Bentley Graduate School offers international graduate students a no fee, very comprehensive set of academic tutorials with a dedicated English professor who can assist you with your academic skills. Tutorials are 15 hours weekly during the fall and spring semesters, and 10 hours weekly during the summer.
Specific skills you will cover include:
Writing: Bring your completed class papers by for review of your grammar and organization.
Grammar: Individualized grammar lessons can help you improve any errors once and for all.
Executive Level Vocabulary Development: You will be able to join small group sessions where you can work on and develop your high level executive vocabulary and idioms.
Presentation Skills: Present a practice presentation with or without PowerPoint slides and receive professional feedback on your performance immediately with a Presentation Feedback handout given to you on the day you do your practice presentation. Repeat your presentation until you feel comfortable.
Pronunciation: Polish your professional English speaking skills by receiving a professional assessment of your speaking pronunciation, diction, cadence, and stress and intonation. You will be given a detailed set of instructions on which vowels or consonants need work. You will receive a booklet of lessons to work on based on your individual needs and based on your native language's typical pronunciation errors. You will be able to practice the aural lessons in our state of the art language lab facility, CLIC. The Graduate School has a unique accent reduction program that will greatly improve your professional speaking ability.
Speaking Practice: You will be able to make appointments to practice everyday or business speaking. Discussions based on current articles from the Wall Street Journal are common. In addition to this form of speaking practice, the Graduate School also offers the Conversation Partners Match-Up Program ,where you will be matched with an American for further one-on-one conversations.
Graduate Classroom Dynamics: You will be able to learn about the teaching pedagogical practices of American higher education and be ready for classroom encounters whether from the professors or from fellow graduate students. Learn how to jump into classroom discussions to improve your class participation grade. Also, learn how to overcome certain cultural barriers to participating actively in an American classroom setting.
Resumes and Cover Letters: Receive a detailed critique of your resumes and cover letters based on the graduate school models implemented by the Office of Career Services. Get your resume and cover letters in perfect shape to present for job postings.
Job Interview Practice: Numerous detailed and very helpful handouts will be provided to prepare you for your real job interviews. Practice mock job interviews with real life questions being asked of you by the graduate school tutor, Professor Mary Wright, who has had many years of practice preparing graduate students for job preparation.