Writing Required in Graduate Courses in Business Administration

The increasing proportion of graduate students to undergraduate students in ESL academic preparation programs in the United States suggests that more information is needed about language use in graduate courses. This article reports on the characteristics of writing assignments found in syllabuses for graduate courses in business. First, the types of writing assignments and the vocabulary used to label those assignments are analyzed and discussed. Second, the use of prompts to guide the writing of the assignments is examined. Finally, implications are suggested for ESL writing courses for nonnative speakers who are planning to enter (or already attending) U.S. graduate degree programs in business.