University home > Unit and programme catalogues in 2011/12 > Programme catalogue > Faculty of Arts > School of Modern Languages > Czech and Spanish (BA) > Specification
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Programme code | 1MODL021U |
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Programme type | Joint Honours (UG) |
Programme director(s) |
Sally-Ann Kitts (Spanish)
Rajendra Chitnis (Czech) |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
School/department | School of Modern Languages |
Second School/department | Department of Russian |
Third School/department | Department of Hispanic, Portuguese and Latin American Studies |
Teaching institution | University of Bristol |
Awarding institution | University of Bristol |
Relevant QAA subject benchmark groups | Languages, Cultures and Societies (2023) (benchmark statement) |
Mode of study | Full Time |
Programme length | 4 years (full time) |
The joint programmes across seven major languages offered by the five departments within the School of Modern Languages enable students to develop a high degree of fluency and accuracy in a combination of two modern languages of international importance. Further options are available in Catalan, Czech and Slovak.While the Single Honours degrees available in French, German, Hispanic Studies, Italian, Russian and Spanish allow students to acquire a more detailed specialist knowledge of the cultures associated with a particular language, the joint programmes allow students to acquire comparable levels of fluency in two languages (from the same or from separate language families) combined with a wide coverage of related literary, cultural, historical, societal and linguistic interests. The University recognises that it is the inter-relationship between the mastery of foreign languages and the development of a broad and deep appreciation of these languages' cultural, historical and societal contexts which underpins the value of degrees in Modern Languages. The diversity of provision within these degrees beyond the concentration on language acquisition itself allows for interdisciplinary interests to be developed, particularly when the cultures and histories of more than one language-speaking community are considered, as in these degree programmes. Students can expect to acquire a high level of intercultural awareness through exposure to one or more cultures in each of the modern foreign languages they study, as well as on the basis of their personal backgrounds.Joint degrees can be an excellent preparation for those students who intend to pursue careers for which linguistic skills are central (translation, interpreting, teaching, Foreign Office, etc.), and for whom a broader choice of languages is a distinct advantage. The joint programmes have in common with the Single Honours programmes offered by the departments of the School of Modern Languages the development of the key intellectual, cognitive, practical and personal skills offered by an Arts degree.These joint programmes have in common a third year spent abroad, divided equally between two countries to develop linguistic fluency and cultural awareness in both languages. Students normally divide their time equally between the two languages and associated cultural units in their first year, but in the second and final years may, if they choose, weight their studies (within a given framework) towards the cultural units offered in one or other of the two languages. A small number of generic cultural or linguistic units may also be offered across all combinations. The core language units in both major languages remain mandatory throughout the degree programme. Students may enter the University to study both languages from A-level standard (or equivalent) onwards or, with the exception of French, they may choose to study one of the two major languages at ab initio level or from GCSE standard (or equivalent). As subsidiary subjects, students of Spanish and Portuguese may also study Catalan; students of Russian may also study Czech; and students of Russian and Czech may also study Slovak.
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Methods of Assessment | |
For non-linguistic elements of the programme: Essays (of varying lengths) and essay-writing exercises, testing understanding of a single topic in detail (2, 3, 5, 6) Class tests (seen and unseen), testing ability to interpret Czech literary texts (1, 2, 3, 5) Exams, testing breadth of knowledge of different subjects (2, 3, 5, 6) At levels I and H, assessment is mainly summative. Language is informally assessed through regular (weekly/fortnightly) coursework assignments; formally by examination at the end of each year (grammar and comprehension tests, translations, essays, oral presentations and aural comprehension, as appropriate to level) (1, 4). Only Level H language examinations contribute to the final degree. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Intellectual skills are developed through seminars, class discussions, oral presentations and essay writing, as well as by the independent reading and preparation these exercises necessitate. Units are structured in such a way that the skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation of literature are developed progressively through the course. |
Methods of Assessment | |
A variety of assessment methods are used as per individual unit aims and objectives. Research skills are assessed through written coursework and dissertations. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Seminars and tutorials are used to develop oral communication by requiring students to engage in class discussions and to give short presentations to initiate discussion, including defending their interpretations in debate with other students and staff. These oral skill are further developed in the language classes (1, 3, 4, 5). Research and written communication skills are developed through feedback on essays (2, 8). Students are given guidance on independent learning, which is required in all language and non-language units (1, 7, 10, 11). Students are given guidance on the use of electronic resources, informed of opportunities for C&IT training, and required to maintain electronic communication during Year Abroad (6, 9) |
Methods of Assessment | |
Research and IT skills are assessed through coursework, including the year-abroad dissertation. (2, 6, 9) Written skills are assessed through coursework essays; examinations; and class tests which also require the ability to process an understanding of foreign-language sources (written and/or aural) (2, 10). Oral skills are assessed in some final-year seminar presentations, and at all levels in foreign-language oral examinations (3, 4, 5) Students are expected to manage their work effectively, and are penalised for late submission. |
Statement of expectations from the students at each level of the programme as it/they develop year on year.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
Year 1 of the course has been designed to lay the foundations, in terms both of subject-specific knowledge and skills and of more general skills and abilities, to lay the foundations which will allow students to fulfil the programme's aims and objectives. The core unit in language provides intensive initial instruction for ab initio students. An additional unit combines an introduction to aspects of contemporary Czech society with comprehension-based activities using Czech texts. Non-linguistic units introduce some of the main themes and key concepts of Czech history and literature, focusing particularly on the 19th and 20th centuries. The expectation is that students' work may require considerable direction from members of staff at this stage. |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
In Year 2 students are expected to be able to demonstrate an increased range and detail of knowledge in relevant areas of the discipline. Continuing development of linguistic skills places increased emphasis on independent learning, and linguistic analysis of Czech texts and/or documents is introduced into non-linguistic units followed by all students. The main focus of non-linguistic units is the 'classical' period of 19th-century Czech culture. Several units may be selected from a list of options; all are treated in greater depth and specificity than before. Students will be expected in consequence to develop their analytical skills, their ability to formulate ideas and to present them cogently. They will be encouraged in group work skills through active participation in seminars. |
Level H/6 - Honours |
Year 4. Linguistic skills acquired over the previous three years are refined though an increased use of 'creative' (essay-writing; oral presentation) and 'mediation' (translation) skills. Students also continue to expand their knowledge of the subject-area through the study of a varied range of optional units closely linked to staff research interests. Non-linguistic units now typically combine substantial breadth with analytical depth, and more sophisticated conceptual and methodological approaches are encouraged. Students will be expected to develop further their ability to gather and assimilate challengingly complex information, to synthesise their findings in an appropriate way, and to engage in searching analysis of target-language texts. There is an increased emphasis on independent learning. These aspects come particularly to the fore in the optional supervised dissertation, in which student with guidance chooses and works on a subject based on an interest of their own in Czech and/or Slovak Studies. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Methods of Assessment | |
A range of essay writing skills (short and extended essays). Project work. Seminar presentations. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Intellectual skills are developed through seminars, tutorials, oral presentations and essay writing. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Essay writing and examinations test the students' ability to analyse information and present reasoned arguments. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Seminars and tutorials are used to develop oral communication by requiring students to engage in class discussions and to give short introductory talks/presentations to initiate discussion. These oral skill are further developed in the language classes. |
Methods of Assessment | |
All units are assessed through written coursework in the form of essays of varying lengths and requirements. These require a detailed and expansive handling of literature and extensive reading in support of their conclusions. |
Statement of expectations from the students at each level of the programme as it/they develop year on year.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
Year 1 of the course has been expressly designed to lay the foundations which will allow students to fulfil the course's aims and objectives. Core units in language are geared to lead the student in the development of their language skills. Foundation units introduce students to the literature, society, culture, politics and history of Spanish-speaking countries from the medieval period through to the present day. The expectation is that their work may require considerable direction from members of staff at this stage. |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
In Year 2 students are expected to be able to demonstrate that they have expanded the range and depth of their knowledge in various areas of the discipline and their capacity to evaluate their work. The themes and language readings will be of greater depth and substance. Students will develop their analytical skills, their ability to structure their work and present it fluently. They will be encouraged in group work skills through active participation in seminars and oral language classes. They will be developing a capacity for self-directed learning (for example, through the researching and writing of essays and projects). The grammatical and lexical knowledge of the Spanish language will be tested, as will their specialist knowledge of specific periods/topics within the language, literature, society, culture, politics, history of the Spanish-speaking world. |
Level H/6 - Honours |
Students are expected to have expanded the breadth of their knowledge through the study of optional units, which are more closely linked to staff research interests and which aim to develop conceptual and methodological approaches in more complexity.Students will be expected to develop further their ability to gather and assimilate information, to synthesise these in an appropriate way, to engage in sophisticated evaluation of texts. The students' ability to assimilate and synthesise material, organise their ideas, weigh conflicting interpretations, marshal arguments, form judgements and present their thoughts in written and verbal forms with precision and clarity will be further developed. There will be an emphasis on independent learning, self-directed study and research skills. The grammatical and lexical knowledge of the Spanish language will be tested, as will their specialist knowledge of specific periods/topics within the language, literature, society, culture, politics and history of the Spanish- speaking world. |
The intended learning outcome mapping document shows which mandatory units contribute towards each programme intended learning outcome.
For information on the admissions requirements for this programme please see details in the undergraduate prospectus at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/ or contact the relevant academic department.
Student workloads in the Arts Faculty are calculated on the basis of an average of 40 hours per week over the 30 weeks of the academic year. 10 credits therefore represents roughly 100 hours of student work. Part of this workload is made up of lectures, classes and other formal contact time, typically around 6-8 hours per week during each Teaching Block; it will be more for those studying languages or practice-based subjects, and tends to be less in the later years of the programme as students are expected to be doing more independent work. The bulk of the workload is made up of preparation for class (normally around 3-4 hours per contact hour) and work on assessment tasks (e.g. researching and writing coursework, revising for exams).
Czech:
Bristol is one of only four institutions in the UK that offer the possibility of studying Czech language and culture to Joint Honours level.
The Department has long had close links with Masaryk University in Brno, with whom it now has a Socrates agreement. It also has close links with the Czech Embassy and Czech Centre in London, facilitating the regular involvement of staff and students in a variety of Czech cultural activities.
Spanish:
The Department also offers single honours programmes in Spanish and Hispanic Studies (Spanish with Portuguese or Catalan) and through the School of Modern Languages, joint programmes in Spanish with one of the following: Drama; History of Art, Philosophy and Politics, and in Portuguese with one of the following: Czech, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Drama; History of Art, Philosophy and Politics.
The Department has SOCRATES links/exchanges with universities in Barcelona, Granada, Vigo, Vic, and Zaragoza. Links with Latin American universities are being established.
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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Spanish Language (Post A level) | HISP10001 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 | |
Czech Language 1 | RUSS10015 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 | |
Introduction to the History of Spain and Latin America Not available in this year | HISP10011 | 20 | Mandatory | ||
Introduction to Czech History | RUSS10024 | 10 | Mandatory | TB-1 | |
Introduction to the Literature of Spain and Latin America Not available in this year | HISP10012 | 20 | Mandatory | ||
Introduction to Czech Literature | RUSS10025 | 10 | Mandatory | TB-1 | |
Czech Language and Society | RUSS10026 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 | |
Ab initio students take the following instead of HISP10001,HISP10011 and HISP10012 | |||||
Spanish Language (Ab-initio) | HISP10116 | 40 | Optional | TB-4 | |
An Introductory Survey Course of Hispanic and Latin American Studies | HISP11306 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Certificate of Higher Education | 120 |
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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Spanish Language | HISP20101 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 | |
Czech Language 2 | RUSS20029 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 | |
20 to 60 credit points from: | |||||
Writing, Society and Politics in Franco's Spain | HISP20038 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Republic, War and Dictatorship in Spain, 1931 - 1975 | HISP20076 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Nationalism and National Identity in Argentina, 1810-1955 | HISP20046 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Chilean Culture and Society: 1907 to the present day | HISP20047 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Spain and Portugal in the Atlantic World: 1430-1830 | HISP20059 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Students must take one or both of the following: | |||||
Select from: | |||||
Catalan Language (Elementary) | MODL23014 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Woman and Nation | MODL23017 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Reading the Media | MODL23020 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Theatre and Performance | MODL23021 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Introduction to Linguistics | MODL23013 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
World Cinemas: from national to transnational | MODL23016 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Political Systems of Modern Europe | MODL20008 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Czech Language (Elementary) | MODL23015 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Diploma of Higher Education | 120 |
Year Abroad units are must pass. For further information and a definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms.
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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Year Abroad (Modern Languages) | RUSS29001 | 60 | Mandatory | AYEAR | |
Year Abroad (Modern Languages/Spanish) | HISP29003 | 60 | Mandatory | AYEAR | |
120 |
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
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