3 ECTS credits
90 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4022186DNR for all students in the 1st semester at a (D) Master - preliminary level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Om een inschrijving te kunnen nemen voor 'Academic English for life sciences' moet men voor de master biomedical Research EN de Master Management en bedrijfsleven EN voor de Master klinische biomedische wetenschappen geslaagd zijn voor de bachelor biomedische wetenschappen.
Taught in
English
Faculty
Academic Language Centre
Department
Academic Center for Language Education
Educational team
Katrien Camps
Charlotte Bollansée
Voorzitter ACTO (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
26 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
42 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

The course is designed to prepare students to speak and write in an academic register. The course immerses students in the language, and aims on the one hand to equip them with both the language (grammar, academic register and style) and skills (both spoken and written) necessary for further academic study, and on the other hand to provide maximal opportunity for the students to apply these in tasks which simulate real-life academic settings (e.g. writing and revising of an essay or a formal discussion).

The course contains two main components: academic writing and speaking.

Academic writing
The first component, academic writing, provides language input (academic register and writing style) and the chance to apply the acquired knowledge in the student’s own writing task in the form of reflection tasks (learning journal) and an essay. In addition, the classes focus on structuring academic texts.

Academic speaking
In the second component, academic speaking skills are central. A key focus is on spontaneous speaking tasks typical of those encountered in an academic setting (a discussion, a short presentation). Students are given ample opportunity to simulate these contexts and to receive feedback from their peers and tutors in class. 

In addition to course work on writing and speaking, students are given the opportunity to brush up on vocabulary and grammar.

Attendance in strongly recommended for the classes on academic writing and obligatory for the speaking component (see continuous assessment: preparation and participation in discussion-related tasks).

Additional info

Materials will be made available in class and/or via Canvas.

Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

This course aims to help students who already have a good basis in English to further develop both their communicative ability and their general proficiency in English. The focus is on developing the skills needed to perform well in English in an academic context, with particular attention paid to academic register and style. By the end of the course, students should be able to

  • speak and write accurately in a style and register appropriate for academic contexts
  • identify and implement the characteristic features of academic register and style (including structure and coherence) in writing tasks
  • carry out a range of academic spoken tasks in English (short presentation with discussion)
  • operate effectively and autonomously as users of the English language in academic contexts

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 40% of the final mark.
PRAC Practical Assignment determines 60% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Oral Exam with a relative weight of 40 which comprises 40% of the final mark.

Within the PRAC Practical Assignment category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Continuous Assessment with a relative weight of 60 which comprises 60% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:

  • Continuous assessment (60%): 10% completion of learning journal + participation in peer feedback session (writing), 40% argumentative essay (writing), 10% preparation & participation in discussion-related tasks (speaking)
  • Oral exam (40%)

Additional information regarding evaluation

  • In the first exam session, assessment is on the basis of continuous assessment (60%) and an oral exam (40%).
  • Submission of the essay and participation in the oral exam is necessary in order to be awarded a final grade for this course.
  • In the second exam session, assessment is on the basis of an essay (50%) and an oral exam (50%). 
  • Students who do not achieve an overall pass grade in the first exam session may choose to carry over to the second exam period their scores for the essay or oral exam for which they achieved a pass grade in the first exam session. If carried over, these assessment components count for 50% of the final mark in the second exam period. 
  • In both the first and second exam session, an overall final grade of 10/20 or above is sufficient to pass the course even if a pass grade has not been achieved for each individual assessment component.
  • No scores for individual assessment components or exams may be carried over to a subsequent year.

 

Beoordeling

Het eindcijfer is samengesteld op basis van de volgende categorieën:

- Permanente evaluatie (60%): 10% invullen van ‘learning journal’ (schrijven) + deelname in peerfeedback sessie, 40% essay (schrijven), 10% voorbereiding & deelname aan discussiegerelateerde taken (spreken)

- Mondeling examen (40%)

 

Aanvullende informatie over evaluatie

- In de eerste examensessie vindt de beoordeling plaats op basis van permanente evaluatie (60%) en een mondeling examen (40%).

- Deelname aan alle beoordeelde onderdelen van deze cursus (indienen van het essay en deelname aan het mondeling examen) is noodzakelijk om een eindcijfer voor deze cursus te krijgen.

- In de tweede examenzittijd vindt de beoordeling plaats aan de hand van een essay (50%) en een mondeling examen (50%). 

- Studenten die in de eerste examensessie geen voldoende hebben gehaald, kunnen ervoor kiezen hun score voor het essay of het mondeling examen waarvoor ze in de eerste examensessie een voldoende hebben behaald, over te dragen naar de tweede examensessie. Indien de student ervoor kiest een score over te dragen, zal dit beoordeelde onderdeel meetellen voor 50% van het finale resultaat in de tweede zittijd. 

- Zowel in de eerste als in de tweede examenperiode is een totaal eindcijfer van 10/20 of hoger voldoende om te slagen voor de cursus, zelfs indien niet voor elk individueel beoordelingsonderdeel een voldoende werd behaald.

- Scores voor individuele beoordelingsonderdelen of examens mogen niet worden overgedragen naar een volgend academiejaar.

 

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Biomedical Sciences: Management and Business (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Biomedical Sciences: Clinical Biomedical Sciences (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Biomedical Research: Standaard traject