Università degli Studi di Parma

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First cycle degree

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND CIVILISATIONS

COD. 3017
WEBSITE
A.Y. 2018/2019
CLASS:
L-11 - Classe delle lauree in Lingue e culture moderne
Years of study: 3
Credits (CFU): 180
Mode of study: full-time

COURSE STRUCTURE DIAGRAM WITH CREDITS

PERCORSO COMUNE (curriculum)

Year of study: 1

Year of study: 2

Year of study: 3

Profile of the programme

The course overall aim is to develop professional competences in two foreign European languages and a good familiarity with an additional third language, as well as a solid knowledge of the cultural background and literary heritage of the civilisations related to the languages chosen.
Besides foreign languages, literatures and cultures, which represent the core area of study, the course gives further insight into Italian Literature, General Linguistics, Sociology, History, Philosophy and other disciplines. The course also gives students the possibility to personalise their academic career with optional subjects in the second and third year of study. Great emphasis is put on studying experiences and internships abroad, thanks to a considerable number of agreements and exchange programmes.
The course allows future graduates to build a career related to journalism, translation assistance, institutional and cultural services, commerce, diplomatic and consular representation, tourism and European cultural mediation. Furthermore, graduates are entitled to pursue their studies in a Second Cycle Degree Course preparing for academic and school teaching.

Admission requirements

Admission to the course of Modern Foreign Languages and Civilisations requires an Italian high school qualification or a valid certificate obtained abroad and recognised as an equivalent qualification according to current legislation and to the Academic statute.
An adequate linguistic and cultural background acquired in high schools or secondary school institutes is a necessary pre-requisite for admission to the degree course. Such competences are tested according to the directives established by the Didactic Regulations of the course. Any gaps or problems regarding basic linguistic skills and knowledge will be solved within the first year of study in compliance with the guidelines set up by the Didactic Regulations of the degree course.

Key learning outcomes

In order to prepare students for future professions, the course develops in-depth knowledge of two European foreign languages and their relative civilisations’ cultural heritage, without excluding a theoretical basis of linguistics and Italian language. Students also have the opportunity to learn a third language, at least of acquiring fair writing and speaking skills.
The areas of study include basic compulsory subjects, compulsory subjects characteristics of the class and supplementary compulsory subjects. The three-year course is structured as follows:
- In the first year of course, students just choose the first and second language of study.
- In the second year of course, students choose a third language and the philology (among Germanic, Romance and Slavic Philology) connected, but not compulsorily, to the selected language and literature for the final examination.
- In the third year of course students are encouraged to experience the internship or a study programme abroad. In both the second and third year, students can choose a number of credits in optional subjects from whatever field of study offered by the University in order to personalise their curriculum, in compliance with the academic regulations.

Final examination, if any

The final examination, corresponding to 6 credits, consists in a written thesis of about 30 to 40 pages (2000 typed letters including spaces each) on a specific topic well-argued and selected in coherence with a particular subject of the course. The student, assisted by the professor competent in the subject chosen (acting as supervisor), organises, articulates and elaborates his/her project: he/she identifies and analyses the topic, retrieves materials and documentation and develops bibliographic skills for libraries and archives (both traditional and digital) thanks to the acquisition of a “Bibliographic license” issued by the Web Service of the Area of Foreign Languages and Literature.
During the final examination, the candidate presents his/her thesis in front of a designated commission composed of competent professors of the course, as established by the Didactic Regulations. The debate develops through a series of questions both in Italian and in the selected foreign language with the aim of verifying the acquisition of linguistic competences of level C1 in the Common European Framework of Reference and the essential communicative skills of the candidate.
In the final written thesis and the performance in the oral examination, the student must demonstrate:
- in-depth knowledge of the selected language, literature and culture for the final examination
- text-comprehension skills and understanding of complex cultural phenomena regarding the selected language, literature and culture for the final examination
- capacity of analysis, problem-solving and critical thinking
- capacity of re-elaborating and applying the knowledge and competences acquired during the course
- autonomy in organising, developing and carrying out a project work through the use of bibliographic and documental resources related to the specific subject involved in the thesis
- effective communicative skills and competences both in Italian and in a foreign language
- capacity of acquiring new notions and autonomously developing new abilities

As regards the final mark, the Commission takes into account the whole curriculum of the candidate, the level of expertise attained in the thesis elaboration and the candidate’s performance during the presentation. The Commission can assign up to 5 points to the average mark resulted from all the exams taken during the entire career.