Module Information

Each language in the Department requires students to undertake written work during the intercalary year. For the majority of students this will take the form of a Dissertation and a Personal Dossier, as outlined below.

Students to whom this does not apply are:
i) those on an ERASMUS/SOCRATES placement scheme during the year abroad who will have their marks derived from the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), to be counted in lieu of the Dissertation and Personal Dossier.

ii) those on a degree scheme that combines a language with certain specific subjects (European Studies, International Politics, Computer Science, Law), who will follow the requirements of the department concerned.

For all other students the following applies:

ASSESSMENT 90% by Dissertation or Dissertations (see below)
10% by Personal Dossier (see below)


1. DISSERTATION(S)

The dissertation(s) must be written in the language (or languages) studied and must be of the following length:

i) For SINGLE HONOURS students of a language: one 10,000 word dissertation.

ii) For students of a MAJOR in a language: one 10,000 word dissertation.

iii) For SINGLE HONOURS students of EUROPEAN LANGUAGES (ie those studying two languages as a Major and one language as a Minor): two 5,000 word dissertations written in the two Major lanaguages studied.

iv) For JOINT HONOURS students of TWO LANGUAGES: two 5,000 words dissertation, one for each of the languages studied.

v) For JOINT HONOURS students of ONE LANGUAGE: one 5,000 word dissertation.

vi) For students of ONE LANGUAGE as a MINOR: one 5,000 word dissertation.


The dissertation will be assessed primarily in terms of the linguistic competence it displays, but note will also be taken of the content. The subject of the dissertation, whether linguistic, cultural, political etc., must be formally approved by the Department during the year abroad (normally through correspondence with the sectional year abroad tutor). Further important information on such matters as the presentation of the dissertation, the penalties for plagiarism and the deadlines for submission of the dissertation, are to be found in the following booklets: DEPARTMENTAL REQUIREMENTS and INFORMATON and THE INTERCALARY YEAR. The links to these web pages are at the top of the page.

2. DOSSIER

The Dossier consists of the following three equally weighted parts:

i) An events log: a selecticve account (c.750 words in English) of your key experiences which have helped developed your skills while abroad;

ii) A summary of skills (c. 750 words in English) which you have developed during the year abroad;

ii) A Curriculum Vitae (c. 750 words in one language studied), written with a view to a future job application abroad or one involving language skills. The CV should show evidence of career research activity you have engaged in while abroad. Joint Honours students of two languages will choose one of their languages in which to write the cv.