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Academic Communication Skills (ACS)

Get the skills you need to succeed at UQ. 

ACS courses are free modules designed to help you ace your assignments and excel in your studies at UQ. Participate in interactive workshops and learning activities with opportunities to practise your academic language and receive feedback.

Register for an ACS course

Benefits of an ACS course

Improve your academic skills for free

Flexible online and in-person options

Set yourself up for success at UQ

ACS courses

These topics are delivered in a hybrid format that allows you to get a complete learning experience. You can complete online modules at your own pace, participate in workshops either at UQ St Lucia or via Zoom, and submit a practice assignment or task to get valuable feedback on your work.

Prepare → Practise → Submit

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Critical thinking

Learn to make thoughtful evaluations, compare scholarly sources, express an analytical viewpoint, and recognise research gaps. With guided language practice, you'll be able to produce balanced, credible, and well‑supported arguments in your academic work.

Oral presentations

Develop the essential skills for delivering clear, confident, and engaging presentations. Learn to open strongly, structure your ideas, and improve your delivery. You'll also practise summarising key points and ending with memorable, impactful conclusions.

Effective groupwork

Develop the essential skills for effective group communication and collaboration. Learn to build connections, manage turn-taking and express agreement and disagreement confidently in discussions. You'll also practise paraphrasing, clarifying ideas and repairing communication to work more successfully with others.

ACS workshops

These topics are in-person or online workshops that you can join throughout the semester. You'll have the opportunity to practise your topic, meet like-minded students, and gain feedback to improve your skills.

Annotated bibliographies

Familiarise yourself with the structure and language of annotated bibliographies and literature reviews.

Grammar essentials

Refresh your basic grammar skills to improve the clarity and accuracy of your writing.

Interacting at university

Overcome common challenges such as emailing lecturers, giving peer feedback, or contributing to graded online discussions.

Research essays

Learn how to structure research essays, paraphrase and synthesise research, and avoid plagiarism.

Writing at university

Polish your language skills and improve your accuracy, brevity, clarity and style.

Master of Business student Carrie Chen

This course has provided me the very tools I need to get my desired degree at UQ. The teachers are highly competent and passionately supportive. Students can get helpful feedback and advice about academic study skills in the class. It is the best place to turn your goal of being successful at university into a reality.

Carrie Chen
Master of Business