The Language Centre
- In 2023/24 academic year some CULP courses will be delivered in person and others - online via Zoom. Please check the timetable under each language, when available, for more information.
- European language courses are mapped to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
- For more information, please email our CULP Administrator on langculp@langcen.cam.ac.uk.
Languages for Specific Purposes
During the Academic year we offer the following language courses:
| Institution | Entry level | |
|---|---|---|
| Languages for Academic Purposes (LAP) | SAH & SHSS | From ab initio to B1/B2 |
| Languages for Medics | School of Clinical Medicine | Any |
| Chinese for Business | Judge Business School | Ab initio/absolute beginners |
| French for Music | Faculty of Music | A Level (UK) or B2 (CEFR) |
| German for Archive Work | Faculty of History | B1 (CEFR) |
| German for Music (Winterreise) | Faculty of Music | A Level (UK) or B2 (CEFR) |
| Italian for Music (Don Giovanni) | Faculty of Music | GCSE (UK) or A1 |
| Spanish for Music (Music from Spain) | Faculty of Music | Ab initio/absolute beginners to A Level (UK) to B1/B2 (CEFR) |
| German for Themes and Sources | Faculty of History | A Level (UK) or B2 (CEFR) |
| Ottoman Turkish |  |
Ab initio |
Languages for Academic Purposes (LAP)
Courses in Brazillian Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Persian, Russian and Spanish are designed to assist postgraduate students of SAH and SHSS with the acquisition of reading skills, and relevant oral skills. Upon completion of a course, participants will be able to assess, read and translate original academic texts at their respective levels, as well as scan research material in order to assess its suitability. Oral skills (for fieldwork) will also feature in the Portuguese courses.
All courses are taught by tutors highly competent in all aspects of the target language and experienced in the methodology of reading skills.
- Classes are conducted in English, but there are many opportunities to use the target language and practise reading aloud.
- Classes (90 min.) are held weekly in Michaelmas and Lent terms, some new courses will start in Easter term and some will continue into Easter term depending on demand.
- These courses are free of charge to postgraduates, PhD students and all postdocs from SAH and SHSS.
For eligibility to register please check here.
Academic staff of these Schools are eligible to apply, subject to a fee, providing there are spaces.
Postgraduate students with an interest in Islamic Studies may be able to take Arabic courses in the Centre for Islamic Studies.
Languages for Medics
School of Clinical Medicine - Language Provision for Year 4 Medical students.
Each group (5-10 students) will have 20 contact hours of tuition and will study for another (at least) 30 hours.
Objectives
The primary focus of the course is to develop listening (aural) and speaking (oral) skills with special reference to topics and functions related to medicine and the medical profession. Students will also gain a greater understanding of the societies and cultures of countries where the language is spoken with special emphasis to the medical context. Students will be introduced to the language used in general medical situations and (depending on the level and language) be operational in these.
Methodology
The teaching methodology is learner-centred as great attention is placed upon the cultural background, learning style and needs of each individual student. The course features a strong presence of multimedia digital materials that are accessible online in a flexible manner. The 'social environment' of the classroom is exploited to maximise the opportunities for learners' to practise and improve real-time, face-to-face communication skills.
Assessment
The assessment is mandatory.
For all levels, all 4 skills, namely listening, speaking, reading and writing, will be assessed by the portfolio of assessments listed below:
|
30% |
|
10% |
|
50% |
|
5% |
|
5% |
NB: Attendance should be no less than 80%
For further information about these courses please contact the SSCs Administrator, Louise Andrew (ssc@medschl.cam.ac.uk) or the CULP Administrator, Mr Bagir Agajevs.
Fees
No fee is payable for these courses.
Enrolment Information
Please note that to attend one of these courses you must be a student of the relevant School/Faculty/Department.
For the Languages for Academic Purposes and Medics courses, registration is via the Language Centre Enrolment page.
Please make sure you have read all of the enrolment procedure before you enrol.
For the other courses, enrolment is through the relevant institution.
Exams
Some Specialist Courses are examined, as required by the relevant School/Faculty/Department.
Languages for Medics
School of Clinical Medicine - Language Provision for Year 4 Medical students and staff.
Each group (5-10 students) will have 20 contact hours of tuition and will study for another (at least) 30 hours.
The primary focus of the course is to develop listening (aural) and speaking (oral) skills with special reference to topics and functions related to medicine and the medical profession. Students will also gain a greater understanding of the societies and cultures of countries where the language is spoken with special emphasis to the medical context. Students will be introduced to the language used in general medical situations and (depending on the level and language) be operational in these.
The teaching methodology is learner-centred as great attention is placed upon the cultural background, learning style and needs of each individual student. The course features a strong presence of multimedia digital materials that are accessible online in a flexible manner. The 'social environment' of the classroom is exploited to maximise the opportunities for learners' to practise and improve real-time, face-to-face communication skills.
The assessment is mandatory and its format will depend on the language and level. Here is an example for a French intermediate II level:
- At the end of weeks 1-4, students will write for homework and submit a 250-400 words essay. The three best essays will count towards the final mark (10% each).
- At the end of the course, students will give a presentation in front of the class. The topic of the presentation will be relevant to both the course content and student's medical study interest. The presentation will last 10 minutes and will be followed by a 5 minute Q&A session. The presentation will count 70% towards the final mark.
For further information about these courses please contact the SSCs Administrator, Ms Susan Coyle (ssc@medschl.cam.ac.uk) or the CULP Administrator, Mr Bagir Agajevs.
| Entry level | |
|---|---|
| Basic | Ab initio |
| Intermediate 1 | A2 (CEFR) |
| Intermediate 2 | B1/B2 (CEFR) |
Learners may be grouped by level or, where possible, by discipline.
Basic level classes start from scratch and focus on:
- Introducing students to the most essential language skills
- Exploring the basic grammatical and cultural notions
- Close reading of a number of prescribed text
- Developing general reading strategies with special reference to the language
Intermediate level classes assume some familiarity with the language and focus on:
- Developing general reading strategies with special reference to the language
- Exploring core concepts of the language and specific aspects of reading
- Close reading of a number of prescribed text
- Students' individual needs
For more information, please email our CULP Administrator on langculp@langcen.cam.ac.uk.
