Technical speaking for doctoral students

Our Effective Speaking courses provide doctoral students with practical training in successful oral communication. The courses focus on aspects of speaking such as audience awareness, voice control, vocabulary control, signposting, and body language. They give students the space to rehearse speaking activities such as presentations, vivas and seminars, as well as the day-to-day interactions of academic life. The aim is to upgrade students' oral communication through intensive practice and detailed feedback. 

All Effective Speaking courses run for 4 weeks with no more than 16 participants. The in-person on campus and online courses cover identical material but are delivered via a different mode. When selecting a course, please note if it is being delivered online or on campus. Each week's live session lasts 90 minutes. Students will also be asked to spend at least 30 minutes preparing for the live session and are encouraged to do follow-up practice after each session. Each course has been designed for students at different stages of their PhD, so please choose the course designed for you. 

Please make sure you register for the course that corresponds to the stage of your doctoral programme (e.g. if you're in your final year, you should register for Effective Speaking 3). 

Technical speaking courses

Effective Speaking 1

Effective Speaking 1 supports doctoral students in the early stages of their PhD. Students will focus on explaining their research in a coherent, accessible way as well as rehearsing for discussions that may take place as they develop the project plan. This course is for first-year doctoral students, especially for those in the first few months of their PhD.

Effective Speaking 2

Effective Speaking 2 supports doctoral students as their research develops in the run up to their first year ESA viva. Students will develop the language and skills needed for effective communication of their research. This course is ONLY for first-year doctoral students who have completed at least five months of their PhD.

Effective Presentation Skills

Effective Presentation Skills eases students into confident and competent communication of their science to a live audience. This course is for students in the second and third year of their PhD.

Effective Speaking 3

Effective Speaking 3 gives students the opportunity practise engaging with others in the wider academic community. Students will consider the most appropriate language, voice and register for a range of speaking contexts, for example networking at conferences or pitching ideas to sponsors. They will also practise elements of the final viva. This course is for students in the final year of their PhD.

Other speaking opportunities

Man writing in a notebook next to a laptop

Improve your speaking or listening through self-study

Learn how to successfully present, conduct Q&As, interact with peers, listen to lectures, and more.
Students speaking and interacting

Make progress on your speaking in guided sessions

Take advantage of opportunities for speaking and listening practice. Rehearse presenting to an audience, develop networking strategies or have more informal interactions.​
A student and a teacher having a one-to-one discussion

Receive 1:1 advice on your speaking or listening

Discuss strategies for improving your speaking or listening with a CfAE coach.

Please note that the Chemistry building on the College's South Kensington campus (see A3 on this map) has spaces designed for self study. Level 4 has silent study spaces and Level 5 has independent learning spaces. If you are on campus, you may wish to benefit from these for our self-study learning blocks and our online courses and 1:1 sessions.

The Business School requests that their students and staff contact their Global Skills Development team about their equivalent to the Centre for Academic English provision.