Year
2019
Units
4.5
Contact
1 x 2-hour supervised study weekly
Prerequisites
1 Admission into HBA-Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
2 Admission into HBA-FREN-French
2a Admission into HBA-INDS-Indonesian
2b Admission into HBA-ITAL-Italian
2c Admission into HBA-MGRE-Modern Greek
2d Admission into HBA-SPAN-Spanish
3 Admission into MLS-Master of Language Studies
Must Satisfy: ((1 and (2 or 2a or 2b or 2c or 2d)) or (3))
Assumed knowledge
Students will be expected to have a good command of a broad range of linguistic, lexical and stylistic features commensurable with Honours study.
Assessment
Assignment(s), Oral
Topic description
Through this topic, students will extend their socio-cultural knowledge relative to their language of study. They will investigate selected cultural and societal issues pertaining to French, Indonesian, Italian, Modern Greek, or Spanish studies as directed by the topic coordinator and in conjunction with their supervisor. They will report on a range of socio-cultural texts orally and in writing, requiring them to demonstrate analytical and critical skills, as well as the ability to use their language of study at an advanced level of proficiency.

The content of the topic, and the contact hours are to be negotiated with the topic coordinator.
Educational aims
The topic aims to:

  • expose students to a body of knowledge relative to societal and cultural aspects of the countries where their language of study.
  • further develop students' analytical and critical skills through the production of a report on a defined area of French, Indonesian, Italian, Modern Greek, or Spanish studies, to be written in the target language, and as negotiated with the topic coordinator.
  • equip students with the capacity to use their target language to describe, analyse and critique complex ideas and concepts.
Expected learning outcomes
Upon completion of the topic, students will be able to:

  • present, analyse, critique and respond to, complex authentic texts of socio-cultural nature in the target language orally and in writing.
  • apply complex language to express ideas and concepts both verbally and in writing in their target language.
  • demonstrate advanced knowledge of past and contemporary socio-cultural issues pertaining to the communities in which their language of study is spoken.