Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Gianluca Alimeni gianluca.alimeni@mq.edu.au
Credit points	Credit points 3
Prerequisites	Prerequisites 6cp at 200 level including ITL211
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description This unit aims to further develop skills in reading, comprehension, speaking and writing. There is also more advanced work on selected topics in Italian grammar.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

Listening skills: Students will work towards understanding extended speech and follow even complex lines of argument even if the topic is not entirely familiar; to understand general spoken language at normal speech rate even if the accent is unfamiliar; to extract specific information and follow the significant points in an oral utterance; to understand relatively long radio talks and interviews; to understand the majority of films in standard dialect.
Reading skills: Students will work towards understanding a wide range of written texts, including longer, more complex factual texts, commentaries and reports; clearly identifying and extracting information from a wide range of sources, including statistical information. Students will have developed strategies to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context; to understand frequently used set expressions.
Speaking skills: Students will be able to express themselves spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions; use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes; produce an oral presentation in order to present argument for or against something; negotiate decision-making processes taken from an everyday life-context with a partner. They will be working towards expressing themselves spontaneously and fluently when stating their own opinions on increasingly complex subjects; formulating their thoughts and views precisely and making detailed contributions to a discussion.
Writing skills: Students will be able to write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write about increasingly complex subjects; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; explain and compare ideas presented to them in a text which presents familiar content to them; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on complex issues, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

General Assessment Information

Indicative examples of assessment tasks will be available on iLearn.

Late Assessment Penalty

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Hurdle	Due
Continuous assessment	50%	No	Ongoing
Class participation	10%	No	Ongoing
Oral assessment	15%	No	Week 11
Final Test	25%	No	Week 13

Continuous assessment

Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 50%

3 x compiti con voto (graded assignments)
3 on-line quizzes
3 x participation in VoiceThread web-blog (out of 5 topics)

External students need to upload their assignments (compiti con voto) on Turnitin.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Listening skills: Students will work towards understanding extended speech and follow even complex lines of argument even if the topic is not entirely familiar; to understand general spoken language at normal speech rate even if the accent is unfamiliar; to extract specific information and follow the significant points in an oral utterance; to understand relatively long radio talks and interviews; to understand the majority of films in standard dialect.
Reading skills: Students will work towards understanding a wide range of written texts, including longer, more complex factual texts, commentaries and reports; clearly identifying and extracting information from a wide range of sources, including statistical information. Students will have developed strategies to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context; to understand frequently used set expressions.
Speaking skills: Students will be able to express themselves spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions; use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes; produce an oral presentation in order to present argument for or against something; negotiate decision-making processes taken from an everyday life-context with a partner. They will be working towards expressing themselves spontaneously and fluently when stating their own opinions on increasingly complex subjects; formulating their thoughts and views precisely and making detailed contributions to a discussion.
Writing skills: Students will be able to write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write about increasingly complex subjects; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; explain and compare ideas presented to them in a text which presents familiar content to them; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on complex issues, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

Class participation

Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 10%

in-class speaking activities
initiating discussion
asking questions in Italian
interacting in Italian in class
completion of non-graded tasks

External students will be marked on their commitment to handing in the ‘compiti senza voto’ (not graded homework) on a regular basis, on participating in the Weekly forum on iLearn, and on their work on VoiceThread (completion of minimum 3 out of 5 topics).

On successful completion you will be able to:

Listening skills: Students will work towards understanding extended speech and follow even complex lines of argument even if the topic is not entirely familiar; to understand general spoken language at normal speech rate even if the accent is unfamiliar; to extract specific information and follow the significant points in an oral utterance; to understand relatively long radio talks and interviews; to understand the majority of films in standard dialect.
Reading skills: Students will work towards understanding a wide range of written texts, including longer, more complex factual texts, commentaries and reports; clearly identifying and extracting information from a wide range of sources, including statistical information. Students will have developed strategies to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context; to understand frequently used set expressions.
Speaking skills: Students will be able to express themselves spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions; use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes; produce an oral presentation in order to present argument for or against something; negotiate decision-making processes taken from an everyday life-context with a partner. They will be working towards expressing themselves spontaneously and fluently when stating their own opinions on increasingly complex subjects; formulating their thoughts and views precisely and making detailed contributions to a discussion.
Writing skills: Students will be able to write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write about increasingly complex subjects; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; explain and compare ideas presented to them in a text which presents familiar content to them; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on complex issues, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

Oral assessment

Due: Week 11
Weighting: 15%

Oral assessment (prova orale)

External students to complete this task over Zoom or over the phone.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Reading skills: Students will work towards understanding a wide range of written texts, including longer, more complex factual texts, commentaries and reports; clearly identifying and extracting information from a wide range of sources, including statistical information. Students will have developed strategies to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context; to understand frequently used set expressions.
Speaking skills: Students will be able to express themselves spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions; use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes; produce an oral presentation in order to present argument for or against something; negotiate decision-making processes taken from an everyday life-context with a partner. They will be working towards expressing themselves spontaneously and fluently when stating their own opinions on increasingly complex subjects; formulating their thoughts and views precisely and making detailed contributions to a discussion.
Writing skills: Students will be able to write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write about increasingly complex subjects; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; explain and compare ideas presented to them in a text which presents familiar content to them; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on complex issues, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

Final Test

Due: Week 13
Weighting: 25%

Prova scritta finale

External students will complete the final test online (or in class if they are based in Sydney and if they prefer it).

Written Assignments:

All text-based assessments tasks will be submitted electronically and will be subject to plagiarism detection software (Turnitin).

For assessment outlines please see "Delivery and Resources".

On successful completion you will be able to:

Reading skills: Students will work towards understanding a wide range of written texts, including longer, more complex factual texts, commentaries and reports; clearly identifying and extracting information from a wide range of sources, including statistical information. Students will have developed strategies to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context; to understand frequently used set expressions.
Writing skills: Students will be able to write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write about increasingly complex subjects; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; explain and compare ideas presented to them in a text which presents familiar content to them; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on complex issues, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

Delivery and Resources

Required texts

Balì, M. & L. Ziglio Nuovo Espresso 3. Corso di italiano. Libro dello studente ed esercizi & CD Florence: Alma edizioni, 2015. ISBN 978-88-6182-339-6
Ziglio, Luciana. Espresso 3. Esercizi supplementari.. Florence: Alma edizioni, 2004. ISBN 88-89237-02-3
Germano, Joseph E. & Schmitt, Conrad J. (2014), Schaum's Outlines - Italian Grammar, McGraw-Hill Education
Students will be able to access Azione Grammatica (online version). Please see instructions on the iLearn page on how to find it in the library.

Recommended texts

Monolingual dictionary: Zingarelli, Vocabolario della lingua italiana (copies in the library and Italian/French/Greek workroom)
Bilingual dictionary: Collins English-Italian, Italian-English dictionary (copies in the library and Italian/French/Greek workroom)

TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED

Online Unit

Login is via: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/

Is my unit in iLearn?: http://help.ilearn.mq.edu.au/unitsonline/ to check when your online unit will become available.

Technology

Students are required to have regular access to a computer and the internet. Mobile devices alone are not sufficient.

For students attending classes on campus we strongly encourage that you bring along your own laptop computer, ready to work with activities in your online unit. The preferred operating system is Windows 10.

Students are required to access the online unit in iLearn by the end of Week 1 and follow any relevant instructions and links for downloads that may be required. If applicable, students are required to download the relevant language package prior to Week 2.

Please contact your course convenor before the end of Week 1 if you do not have a suitable laptop (or tablet) for in-class use.

For central technical support go to: http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/
For student quick guides on the use of iLearn go to: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/tools-and-resources/ilearn/ilearn-quick-guides-for-students

Unit requirements and expectations

Students are expected to participate actively in all classes. The language of instruction will be Italian and students are expected to interact in the target language. The participation mark will reflect students’ commitment to practice the language and their commitment to completing the non-graded assignments (compiti senza voto) in self-study mode.

Students are expected to regularly access iLearn for extra revision and task completion. Those who do not have a computer at home can work in the University’s computer labs. It is expected that all External students use a computer, preferably with high-speed internet to facilitate access to the online resources.

Homework is to be completed on a continual basis. Language-learning is cumulative, and it is in students’ best interest to regularly complete homework tasks. In addition to the graded assignments (compito con voto), each week external students are expected to regularly complete the compiti senza voto (non graded homework) included in the section Appunti settimanali on iLearn and send it to the tutor. (For some exercises answer keys are included in Nuovo Espresso 3).

Written assignments are to be typed and double-spaced. This is necessary for marking purposes. Hand-written assignments will only be accepted by previous arrangement with the lecturer.

PLEASE NOTE:

Attendance: If you miss a class it is your responsibility to contact a classmate for the details of the class in order to catch up on work missed and prepare for the next lesson. You will only be permitted to make up for a missed test in exceptional circumstances such as illness (Medical certificate required).

Assignments: Assignments are compulsory and must be submitted on time. See information on late assessment penalties under General Assessment Information above.

Preparation: Students are expected to prepare the course work to be covered in class in advance, as set out in programs or announced in class. It is expected that for ever contact hour students will study and practice one hour on their own. For external students this means that you need to dedicate at least 8 hours per week to the study of Italian.

Punctuality: Please arrive on time for classes. Arriving late is very disruptive. All classes start five minutes past the hour. If you should arrive late, it is your responsibility to find out what you have missed.

Final Test: Students enrolled in units that require them to sit for a compulsory final test in week 13.

Plagiarism

Assignments are to be your own work. Using someone else's words (either another student's, from a book, a journal article or a website) without clear acknowledgement is plagiarism and can incur serious penalties. The University defines plagiarism in its rules: “Plagiarism involves using the work of another person and presenting it as one’s own.” Plagiarism is a serious breach of the University’s rules and carries significant penalties. Information about plagiarism can be found in the Handbook of Undergraduate Studies, on the web at http://www.student.mq.edu.au/plagiarism and on the Division cover sheet, which you must sign before you submit your assignments. If you are in doubt consult your lecturer or tutor.

Grading

The university has a set of guidelines on the distribution of grades across the range from fail to high distinction.

HD	High Distinction which denotes work of outstanding quality. This may be demonstrated in areas such as criticism, logical argument, interpretation of materials or use of methodology. This grade may also be awarded to recognise a high order of originality or creativity in student performance;
D	Distinction which denotes work of superior quality in the same areas of performance as above. This grade may also be awarded to recognise particular originality or creativity in student performance;
Cr	Credit which denotes work of predominantly good quality, demonstrating a sound grasp of content together with efficient organisation, selectivity and use of techniques;
P	Pass which denotes a clear pass and satisfactory achievement of unit objectives;

F	Fail which denotes that a candidate has failed to complete a unit satisfactorily.

The guidelines are designed to ensure comparability across the University. Scaled marks, raw marks or grades are given to students on each assessment task. This is part of the learning feedback. The marks or grades on the assessment tasks are combined into a raw score in the unit, following the distribution of possible marks indicated in the Unit study guide, but the raw score is only an interim stage in the final calculation of the final grade. A scaling process is used to convert the raw score to the final scaled marks (standardized numerical grades or SNGs), using the guidelines for grading as moderators.

The scaled marks indicate that students have satisfied the criteria for inclusion in a particular performance band and rank them by the performance within the band. The scaling process preserves the rank order of the marks. There is no simple arithmetical relationship between raw marks and scaled marks. The relationship will almost always differ between units and between different performance bands within the same unit.

Student support services

The University provides many different kinds of support services for you. Contact your tutor if you need help and see the range of services (such as counseling and writing skills) available at http://www.student.mq.edu.au.

HOMEWORK AND ASSESSMENT OUTLINES ITL 310

Ongoing assessment (50%)

On-going assessment consists of 3 compiti con voto (Graded assignments), 3 on-line quizzes and 3 responses to VoiceThread (web-blog).

Compito con voto

Download the assignment and follow the instructions. Assignments must be typed and double-spaced. Make sure you add all accents. Students are to submit their assignments via Turnitin.

DUE DATES: compiti con voto

Compito 1: week 3 (Wednesday)

Compito 2: week 7 (Wednesday)

Compito 3: week 10 (Wednesday)

VoiceThread

On the homepage you will find a folder which contains 5 ‘web-blogs’ on interesting topics related to the chapters of the textbook. You need to participate in a minimum of THREE blogs, which require both oral and written production.

To participate you will need to have access to a pair of headphones and high-speed internet. You need to listen to the voice recording prepared by the tutor and reply expressing your view on the subject matter by recording your own voice. Your voice recording needs to be accompanied by at least three written sentence on the topic.

You are encouraged to begin a new discussion threat on a related topic to express your view. We encourage lively discussions!

Your commitment to participating and initiating lively discussions and replying will be reflected in the overall mark.

Online quizzes

The online quizzes will be made available over certain dates. On campus students will sit the quiz in class. The quiz results will be sent directly to your tutor.

For external students quizzes will be open from Wednesday in the week that they are due, and will close 11pm the following Sunday. If you miss a quiz because you are sick, you must provide a doctor’s certificate. If you miss a quiz due to technical difficulties, you must email your tutor immediately. If you have limited internet connectivity at home, if you can, plan to sit your quiz on campus.

Please remember that the University has very strict rules in cases of plagiarism, so (external students) do not sit a quiz together and do not ask for outside help with your written assignments. Any suspicions of plagiarism will be followed up.

Due dates on-line quizzes

Quiz 1: week 5

Quiz 2: week 8

Quiz 3: week 12

Oral Assessment (15%) week 11

The oral assessment will be a conversation in Italian between the student and the tutor (7-8 minutes). The assessment will be based on two topics belonging to the five topics (Units 1 to 5 of Nuovo Espresso 3) covered during the course. ONE topic will be chosen by the student and one by the tutor.

Final Test Week 13 - (25%)

ONLINE for external students (or in class if they are based in Sydney and if they prefer it)

Format: The final test will include a reading comprehension, grammar exercises, and a short composition.

Content: It will be based on topics and grammar covered in Chapters 1-5 of Nuovo Espresso 3, and on the grammar covered/consolidated in Shaum's and Azione grammatica.

More details will be provided closer to the time.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Appeals Policy
Academic Integrity Policy
Academic Progression Policy
Assessment Policy
Fitness to Practice Procedure
Grade Appeal Policy
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Reading skills: Students will work towards understanding a wide range of written texts, including longer, more complex factual texts, commentaries and reports; clearly identifying and extracting information from a wide range of sources, including statistical information. Students will have developed strategies to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context; to understand frequently used set expressions.
Writing skills: Students will be able to write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write about increasingly complex subjects; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; explain and compare ideas presented to them in a text which presents familiar content to them; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on complex issues, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

Assessment tasks

Continuous assessment
Class participation
Oral assessment
Final Test

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Listening skills: Students will work towards understanding extended speech and follow even complex lines of argument even if the topic is not entirely familiar; to understand general spoken language at normal speech rate even if the accent is unfamiliar; to extract specific information and follow the significant points in an oral utterance; to understand relatively long radio talks and interviews; to understand the majority of films in standard dialect.
Reading skills: Students will work towards understanding a wide range of written texts, including longer, more complex factual texts, commentaries and reports; clearly identifying and extracting information from a wide range of sources, including statistical information. Students will have developed strategies to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context; to understand frequently used set expressions.
Speaking skills: Students will be able to express themselves spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions; use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes; produce an oral presentation in order to present argument for or against something; negotiate decision-making processes taken from an everyday life-context with a partner. They will be working towards expressing themselves spontaneously and fluently when stating their own opinions on increasingly complex subjects; formulating their thoughts and views precisely and making detailed contributions to a discussion.
Writing skills: Students will be able to write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write about increasingly complex subjects; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; explain and compare ideas presented to them in a text which presents familiar content to them; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on complex issues, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

Assessment tasks

Continuous assessment
Class participation
Oral assessment
Final Test

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Listening skills: Students will work towards understanding extended speech and follow even complex lines of argument even if the topic is not entirely familiar; to understand general spoken language at normal speech rate even if the accent is unfamiliar; to extract specific information and follow the significant points in an oral utterance; to understand relatively long radio talks and interviews; to understand the majority of films in standard dialect.
Reading skills: Students will work towards understanding a wide range of written texts, including longer, more complex factual texts, commentaries and reports; clearly identifying and extracting information from a wide range of sources, including statistical information. Students will have developed strategies to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context; to understand frequently used set expressions.
Speaking skills: Students will be able to express themselves spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions; use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes; produce an oral presentation in order to present argument for or against something; negotiate decision-making processes taken from an everyday life-context with a partner. They will be working towards expressing themselves spontaneously and fluently when stating their own opinions on increasingly complex subjects; formulating their thoughts and views precisely and making detailed contributions to a discussion.
Writing skills: Students will be able to write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write about increasingly complex subjects; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; explain and compare ideas presented to them in a text which presents familiar content to them; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on complex issues, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

Assessment tasks

Continuous assessment
Class participation
Oral assessment
Final Test

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Reading skills: Students will work towards understanding a wide range of written texts, including longer, more complex factual texts, commentaries and reports; clearly identifying and extracting information from a wide range of sources, including statistical information. Students will have developed strategies to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context; to understand frequently used set expressions.
Speaking skills: Students will be able to express themselves spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions; use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes; produce an oral presentation in order to present argument for or against something; negotiate decision-making processes taken from an everyday life-context with a partner. They will be working towards expressing themselves spontaneously and fluently when stating their own opinions on increasingly complex subjects; formulating their thoughts and views precisely and making detailed contributions to a discussion.
Writing skills: Students will be able to write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write about increasingly complex subjects; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; explain and compare ideas presented to them in a text which presents familiar content to them; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on complex issues, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

Assessment tasks

Continuous assessment
Class participation
Oral assessment
Final Test

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Listening skills: Students will work towards understanding extended speech and follow even complex lines of argument even if the topic is not entirely familiar; to understand general spoken language at normal speech rate even if the accent is unfamiliar; to extract specific information and follow the significant points in an oral utterance; to understand relatively long radio talks and interviews; to understand the majority of films in standard dialect.
Reading skills: Students will work towards understanding a wide range of written texts, including longer, more complex factual texts, commentaries and reports; clearly identifying and extracting information from a wide range of sources, including statistical information. Students will have developed strategies to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context; to understand frequently used set expressions.
Writing skills: Students will be able to write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write about increasingly complex subjects; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; explain and compare ideas presented to them in a text which presents familiar content to them; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on complex issues, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

Assessment tasks

Continuous assessment
Class participation
Oral assessment
Final Test

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Listening skills: Students will work towards understanding extended speech and follow even complex lines of argument even if the topic is not entirely familiar; to understand general spoken language at normal speech rate even if the accent is unfamiliar; to extract specific information and follow the significant points in an oral utterance; to understand relatively long radio talks and interviews; to understand the majority of films in standard dialect.
Reading skills: Students will work towards understanding a wide range of written texts, including longer, more complex factual texts, commentaries and reports; clearly identifying and extracting information from a wide range of sources, including statistical information. Students will have developed strategies to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context; to understand frequently used set expressions.
Speaking skills: Students will be able to express themselves spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions; use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes; produce an oral presentation in order to present argument for or against something; negotiate decision-making processes taken from an everyday life-context with a partner. They will be working towards expressing themselves spontaneously and fluently when stating their own opinions on increasingly complex subjects; formulating their thoughts and views precisely and making detailed contributions to a discussion.
Writing skills: Students will be able to write a clear, well-structured text, interpreting or expressing points of view at some length; write about increasingly complex subjects; write in a style appropriate to the reader in mind; express and justify opinions and give arguments supporting their point of view; explain and compare ideas presented to them in a text which presents familiar content to them; use appropriate devices to ensure the smooth flow of a piece of writing most of the time; produce a text with few grammatical mistakes that would substantially interfere with the reader’s understanding. Students will be working towards expressing themselves clearly and logically in essays on complex issues, choosing the right kind of expression to appeal to the reader.

Assessment tasks

Continuous assessment
Class participation
Oral assessment
Final Test