| Unit name | Semester Abroad |
|---|---|
| Unit code | AFAC30004 |
| Credit points | 60 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Skinazi |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Arts Faculty Office |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The academic session is spent at a foreign higher education institution which has a student exchange agreement with the University of Bristol. While abroad students will attend lectures and classes and undertake assessments in a variety of topics in their subject pathway and options at a level comparable to the third year at Bristol. As a formative period of personal as well as academic development, the Semester Abroad moves students into an environment where they will be required to take greater ownership of their learning experiences, whilst at the same time developing the resourcefulness and adaptability that is necessary to living and working abroad.
The unit aims:
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. demonstrate knowledge and skills in their subject pathway and optional units at level H/6
2. exhibit a deeper understanding of another country’s language and/or culture
3. evidence enhanced understanding of themselves and their goals as students
Methods of teaching will vary widely according to the institution in which the study abroad is pursued.
1. Formative reflective essay of 2500 words due midway through the semester. Students are advised to gather the material for this assignment by keeping a diary. The object is to reflect on the challenges of a different educational environment and the strategies adopted in responding to it; to reflect on themes emerging within and across units taken (e.g. in content, teaching and learning methods, scholarly controversies, research techniques); to think about how what is being learned might begin to shape the course of the M-level year; and, in the light of this, to identify gaps that might need filling, and methods of filling them, either by taking an appropriate unit or by independent study.
2. Prior to departure a learning agreement must be completed. Marks from the different units or different elements of study completed during the year abroad will be combined, on an individual basis, into a single returned mark for this unit following university translation guidelines and with appropriate weighting for each assessment mark according to the appropriate ECTS/cps for that element of study. An overall pass must be achieved. The mark for the third year of study will count for 10% of the final degree classification.
A. Lidstone, and C. Rueckert, The Study Abroad Handbook (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007)
J.A. Moon, Learning Journals: A Handbook for Reflective Practice and Professional Development, 2nd edn (London: Routledge, 2006)
