Essay Writing Courses in Calgary
Calgary, Alberta is home to several excellent post-secondary institutions that offer essay writing courses to help students of all levels improve their academic writing skills. Whether pursuing a degree, continuing education, or simply looking to enhance one’s ability to craft effective written arguments, taking a dedicated essay writing course can make a big difference. This article provides an overview of some of the top options for essay writing courses in Calgary.
University of Calgary Essay Writing Courses
The University of Calgary, one of the largest universities in Western Canada with over 30,000 students, offers a variety of essay writing courses through its Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. The most basic is ENGL 203, Introduction to Academic Discourse, which focuses on the fundamentals of essay structure, research methods, argument development, and proper citation. For those looking for more advanced training, ENGL 309, Advanced Academic Writing, delves deeper into critical analysis, research strategies, and editing skills. Both courses are worth 3 credits and available every term.
In addition to for-credit courses, the Taylor Institute also facilitates non-credit essay writing workshops throughout the year. These intensive half- or full-day sessions, taught by experienced instructors, tackle specific writing challenges like thesis statements, introductions/conclusions, revisions/editing, and more. Popular options include the full-day workshop “From Idea to Draft: The Essay Writing Process” as well as multi-part bootcamps on developing coherent arguments. Workshops provide valuable instruction at an affordable price for both UCalgary and external students.
Mount Royal University Essay Courses
Mount Royal University, located just south of downtown Calgary, has an enrollment of over 15,000 students and also dedicates resources to helping undergraduate writers develop their essay abilities. Students can register for the 3-credit ENGL 209, Writing Academic Essays, which guides novices through all stages of research-based writing from selecting topics to finalizing drafts using discipline-specific formats. Small class sizes of 25 students allow for ample individualized attention from instructors.
For students seeking a more focused approach, MRU’s Continuing Education department offers occasional non-credit essay writing seminars. Past examples include “Mastering the Art of the Introduction” (4 hours) and “Strategies for Organizing Ideas” (6 hours), each taught by experienced writing tutors in intimate classroom settings. Seminars provide tailored instruction on specific challenges at an affordable price-point, and are open to the public whether enrolled at MRU or elsewhere. Certificates of completion make them suitable for inclusion on CVs or academic portfolios.
SAIT Polytechnic Writing Courses
The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, commonly known as SAIT, has a reputation for career-oriented polytechnic programs but also contributes to Calgary’s post-secondary writing curriculum. ENGL 204, Intermediate Composition and Academic Research, cultivates expanded essay abilities through analyzing texts, researching topics, synthesizing evidence, and structuring arguments according to academic protocols across disciplines. The 3-credit course is delivered online, through evening classes, or during the spring/summer terms to accommodate diverse student schedules.
SAIT Continuing Education hosts periodic 1-2 day non-credit workshops on specialized essay writing topics such as developing strong thesis statements, integrating research smoothly, and polishing final drafts. Taught by SAIT English instructors, these intensive sessions focus entirely on high-impact writing techniques. While geared towards polytechnic-level students, workshops are open to all. Certificates allow attendees to showcase new knowledge on transcripts, resumes or applications to other programs.
Private Sector Courses and Tutoring
For those seeking flexible independent study outside traditional post-secondary timelines and structures, Calgary also supports private essay writing instruction. Providers like The Writing Tutor offer one-on-one tutoring and small-group courses focusing entirely on individualized writing development. Program options include 6-week courses meeting twice weekly to intensively cover the full research and composition process from generating ideas to finalizing drafts. Tutors provide detailed feedback to help students make tangible improvements in clarity, structure and argumentation.
Similarly, companies such as Writefx offer part-time 8-week evening and weekend workshops limited to 5 students each. Taught by published authors and experienced academic instructors, workshops delve into advanced techniques of critical analysis, incorporation of research, mastering advanced academic styles, and self-editing for polish. Private instruction offers personalized attention beyond what larger post-secondary courses allow, and certificates are recognized by colleges and universities for admission purposes.
Online Courses from Calgary Writers
For those unable to commit to regularly scheduled in-person instruction, Calgary is also home to writers offering extensive online essay writing courses. Two prominent examples are essaywritingcourse.net and online-essay-course.com. Both hosted by experienced Calgary-based instructors, the multi-week online programs provide instructional videos, weekly assignments with feedback, live webinars and a supportive online student community forum. Students learn in a self-paced environment how to generate topics, research effectively, craft structured arguments, incorporate feedback and master a fluid writing process.
Having all course materials conveniently accessible from any internet-connected device, these programs remove scheduling constraints while still providing extensive individual assessment similar to private tutoring. Upon completion, certificates demonstrate new skills acquired entirely through independent study. The flexibility of online learning allows motivated students to develop essay writing proficiency on their own schedule from anywhere with an internet connection.
Calgary offers a range of vibrant options to help develop solid essay writing abilities through dedicated post-secondary courses, continuing education seminars, private tutoring programs and robust online resources. With so many high-quality choices led by experts in academic writing, any student or professional looking to improve their composition skills has ample opportunity while gaining credentials to showcase new knowledge.
Andrew Stroud