Essay Writing Courses in Calgary
Calgary, Alberta is home to many universities, colleges, and private training institutions that offer essay writing courses. For students of any age or experience level looking to improve their essay writing skills, taking a focused course can help strengthen abilities in key areas like research, structure, style, and more. This article will explore some of the top options for essay writing courses in Calgary and what they have to offer.
Mount Royal University
Mount Royal University (MRU) is a public post-secondary institution located in downtown Calgary. Within MRU’s Academic Success Centre, they offer several non-credit essay writing courses throughout the year. Some examples include:
Introduction to Essay Writing: A 6-hour beginner course covering the basic components of an academic essay like generating ideas, writing effective introductions and conclusions, and strengthening paragraph structure. The goal is to equip students with foundational skills.
Advanced Essay Writing: For those with some essay experience, this 10-hour course delves deeper into areas like developing an argument, integrating sources, avoiding plagiarism, and refining style/tone. Instructors provide feedback on multiple drafts.
Research Essay Writing: Taking research to the next level, this course teaches advanced library research strategies and the critical process of compiling and citing sources into a cohesive, argument-driven paper. Proper formatting for research papers is also covered.
Graduate School Essay Prep: Tailored for students applying to Master’s or PhD programs, this intensive multi-day workshop guides the development and revision of personal statements, letters of intent, and research proposals. Former admission committee members offer feedback.
MRU’s courses are taught in small class sizes by experienced education professionals. Emphasis is placed on individual learning needs through in-class exercises and take-home assignments. Certificates of completion make these courses appealing for academic portfolios or upgrading resumes.
University of Calgary
As the largest post-secondary institution in Calgary and southern Alberta, the University of Calgary (U of C) hosts various essay writing programs through its Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. Courses include:
Writing 101: A 6-week, non-credit online course introducing students to vital concepts like writing process, structure, and academic integrity. Formative feedback is provided on weekly submissions.
Thesis Writing Lab: Graduate students work one-on-one with instructional coaches to plan, research, write, and edit their thesis or dissertation draft. Coaches have credentials in a wide range of disciplines.
The Writer’s Studio: Drop-in sessions at this campus writing center allow students at any stage of the writing process to meet with peer writing advisors. In addition to feedback on works-in-progress, advisors offer strategic writing tips and self-editing techniques.
Research Communications Boot Camp: An intensive 3-day boot camp focused on presenting and publishing research. Master’s and PhD students refine communication skills through modules like scientific writing, making conference presentations, and managing the publication process.
U of C’s courses maintain small class sizes and incorporate digital resources through their online learning platform. Individualized support remains a top priority through coaching sessions, advising drop-ins, and specialized graduate programming.
Mount Royal University (cont.)
In addition to credit courses taught through MRU’s various faculties and schools, theirContinuing Education department offers custom corporate training solutions, including tailored essay writing workshops. Recent corporate clients have included:
Enbridge: MRU designed a 2-day technical writing workshop to enhance proposal and report composition for Enbridge engineers.
ATCO: Introductory and advanced academic essay writing courses were delivered on-site for mid-career professionals pursuing continuing education degrees part-time through ATCO’s tuition reimbursement program.
CBC: MRU tailored a graduate-level research writing boot camp for producers and on-air personalities at CBC Calgary preparing long-form documentary proposals.
MRU’s team of instructional designers and subject matter experts work closely with organizational partners to understand specific goals and learning outcomes. Courses are developed using relevant case studies, samples, and guidelines tailored to a company’s work/industry. Pre-training needs assessments and post-training program evaluations ensure material is implemented effectively on the job.
Private Training Institutions
In addition to university programs, Calgary is home to private colleges offering focused essay writing courses:
Bow Valley College: Part of the Certificate in Business Administration, their report and essay writing course teaches research, critical analysis, structure, and formatting of business-style papers.
CDI College: Their essay writing fundamentals certificate program emphasizes writing as a process with modules on everything from structuring paragraphs to integrating sources. Courses are 4-6 weeks long.
Chinook Learning Services: Non-credit evening/weekend courses in essay writing fundamentals is geared towards adults looking to enhance skills without formal credentials.
Such private institutions tend to have smaller class sizes and more individualized support compared to university programs. Completion certificates may not carry the same recognition as credit-bearing courses. Costs also vary – Chinook programs for example are more affordable than most post-secondary options.
Online Options
For those unable to attend in-person, several quality essay writing course options are available fully online through institutions such as:
University of Calgary: As mentioned, their Writing 101 course provides an accessible first step into essay fundamentals.
Coursera: MOOCs (massive open online courses) through global partners allow self-paced study on writing for science/technical fields or advanced academic papers. Certificates can be earned.
Udemy: This marketplace hosts many low-cost, high-quality writing courses taught by published authors and academic professionals. Pick specialized streams like freelance blogging or scholarship applications.
FutureLearn: Partnering with renowned schools like University College London, brief interactive online courses give bite-sized previews of essay writing skills.
While online options lack face-to-face instruction, they remain a viable alternative for busy schedules and those studying remotely or internationally. Credible sources featuring engaging videos and assignments still provide structured learning paths.
Calgary offers plentiful choices for bolstering essay writing abilities through university programs, private institutions, corporate training, and online platforms. Factors like cost, time commitment, credentials, and learning objectives can help determine the best fit. Dedicated courses provide invaluable guidance far beyond casual Internet research alone.
Andrew Stroud