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UCL Centre for Languages & International Education (CLIE)

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Language SSCs

We offer a range of language Student Selected Components (SSCs) which form part of medical undergraduate degree programmes for year 1 and 2 students.

Languages 


Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish. 

Eligibility


To enrol on a language SSC you must be a current undergraduate medical student at UCL and have authorisation from the Medical School.

Please note

  • You cannot study your mother tongue.
  • If your mother or father is a native speaker of the language you wish to study, or if you have recently lived in the country where the language is spoken for more than a year, please see the CLIE Language Modules office before you register.

Levels


Up to seven levels from complete beginners (level 1) to advanced (level 4) and post-A level (levels 5, 6 and 7). Please note that Arabic is currently only available at levels 1 to 3, and Mandarin is available at levels 1 to 5. 

Value


Year 1 Language SSCs are double-block SSCs.

Year 2 Language SSCs are single-block SSCs (block 1).

Aims and objectives


The aim of all our language courses is to enable you to improve both your ability to communicate and your linguistic competence in the chosen language.

A balance of receptive (reading, listening) and productive (speaking, writing) skills are developed through communicative classes and self‐study.

All courses will give an insight into the country's culture and society in a European/global context. How to study a language and various transferable skills are also part of the course.

Structure


Classes

You will spend three hours every week (Year 1 and Year 2 students) in a communicative class with a language tutor. Classes are held in the target language and are kept as small as possible.

To fully benefit from the programme you should attend all your language classes. Absence from a class means missing an essential element of the course. UCL's minimum attendance requirement is 70%; should your attendance fall below this you may be withdrawn from the course.

If you are (or will be) unable to attend a class, please contact your tutor as soon as possible so you can discuss how to catch up. You should also inform your tutor of the reason(s) for your absence.

Self-Study

You should spend four to six hours every week studying on your own, re-enforcing the skills acquired in class. This consists of homework - set regularly by your tutor(s) and corrected in class or marked by your tutor as appropriate - and work guided informally by your tutor but set, performed and evaluated by yourself. It is essential that an appropriate amount of time is dedicated to self-study throughout the course.

You are encouraged to keep a logbook with a detailed and critical account of the various tasks and exercises. This will enable your CLIE language tutor to monitor your long-term progress.

Course descriptions


Full course descriptions, including aims, course content and learning resources, are on the Moodle page for each module.

Assessment


Coursework (100%)

Project100% January/March*
  Reading Element   
  Writing Element 250-2500 words** 

* Depending on year.

** Depending on level.