English for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

Welcome to English for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, a course created by the University of Pennsylvania, and funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English Language Programs.

To enroll in this course for free, click on “Enroll now” and then select "Full Course. No certificate." If you want to get a Coursera Verified Certificate for free, please fill out the Financial Aid form.

This course is designed for non-native English speakers who are interested in improving their English skills in the sciences. In this course, you will explore some of the most innovative areas of scientific study, while expanding your vocabulary and the language skills needed to share scientific information within your community. In unit 1, you will learn how to preview texts and practice some of the language used to make comparisons when talking about global warming and climate change. In unit 2, you will examine the chemistry of climate change and the language of cause and effect. In Unit 3, you will learn about some of the impacts of Climate Change and the language used to describe these effects. In Unit 4, you will learn reading strategies that can help you explore the science behind some new energy systems. In the final unit, you will investigate practical advances in Nanotechnology that help slow down climate change, while developing your own research skills in English.

Unless otherwise noted, all course materials are available for re-use, repurposing and free distribution under a Creative Commons 4.0 Attribution license.

Supplemental reading materials were provided by Newsela, which publishes daily news articles at a level that's just right for each English language learner.