Curriculum and regulations for the Bachelor programme in language and international studies, english, 2018

1: Preface

In pursuance of Act No. 960 of 14 August 2014 on universities (the University Act) with subsequent amendments, the following curriculum is stipulated for the Bachelor Program in Language and International Studies, English.

2: Basis in ministerial orders

The Bachelor’s programme is organised in accordance with the Ministry of Higher Education and Science’s Order no. 1328 of November 15, 2016 on Bachelor’s and Master’s Programmes at Universities (the Ministerial Order of the Study Programmes) and Ministerial Order no. 1062 of June 30, 2016 on University Examinations (the Examination Order). Further reference is made to Ministerial Order no. 110 of January 30, 2017 (the Admission Order) and Ministerial Order no. 114 of February 3, 2015 (the Grading Scale Order) with subsequent changes.

3: Campus

The programme is offered in Aalborg.

4: Faculty affiliation

The Bachelor’s programme falls under Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Aalborg University.

5: Study board affiliation

The Bachelor’s programme falls under Study Board of International and Cross¿Cultural Studies

6: Affiliation to corps of external examiners

The Bachelor’s programme is associated with the external examiners corps on International and European Studies.

7: Admission requirements

Admission to the Bachelor program requires that applicants have completed secondary school education and meet any admission requirements specific to the relevant area and program. For further information, visit the website of the Board of Studies.

8: The programme title in Danish and English

If no other regulations are stated, examinations will be conducted in English. This applies to both written and oral examinations.

9: Programme specifications in ECTS credits

The Bachelor’s programme is a 3-year, research-based, full-time study programme. The programme is set to 180 ECTS credits.

10: Rules concerning credit transfer (merit), including the possibility for choice of modules that are part of another programme at a university in Denmark or abroad

The Study Board can approve successfully completed (passed) programme elements from other Bachelor’s programmes in lieu of programme elements in this programme (credit transfer). The Study Board can also approve successfully completed (passed) programme elements from another Danish programme or a programme outside of Denmark at the same level, in lieu of programme elements within this curriculum. Decisions on credit transfer are made by the Study Board based on an academic assessment. See the Joint Programme Regulations for the rules on credit transfer.

11: Exemptions

In exceptional circumstances, the Study Board study can grant exemption from those parts of the curriculum that are not stipulated by law or ministerial order.  Exemption regarding an examination applies to the immediate examination.

12: Rules for examinations

The rules for examinations are stated in the Examination Policies and Procedures published by the faculty on their website.

13: Rules concerning written work, including the Bachelor’s project

In the assessment of all written work, regardless of the language it is written in, weight is also given to the student's formulation and spelling ability, in addition to the academic content. Orthographic and grammatical correctness as well as stylistic proficiency are taken as a basis for the evaluation of language performance. Language performance must always be included as an independent dimension of the total evaluation. However, no examination can be assessed as ‘Pass’ on the basis of good language performance alone; similarly, an examination normally cannot be assessed as ‘Fail’ on the basis of poor language performance alone.

The Study Board can grant exemption from this in special cases (e.g., dyslexia or a native language other than Danish).

The Bachelor’s project must include an English summary (or another foreign language: French, Spanish or German upon approval by the Study Board). If the project is written in English, the summary must be in Danish (The Study Board can grant exemption from this). The summary must be at least 1 page and not more than 2 pages (this is not included in any fixed minimum and maximum number of pages per student). The summary is included in the evaluation of the project as a whole.

14: Requirements regarding the reading of texts in a foreign language

The curriculum of the education will be in English, just as the courses of the education is provided in English, for which reason fluency in English is a precondition of completion of the education.

15: Competence profile on the diploma

The following competence profile will appear on the diploma:

A graduate of the Bachelor's programme has competencies acquired through an educational programme that has taken place in a research environment.

A graduate of the Bachelor's programme has fundamental knowledge of and insight into his/her subject's methods and scientific foundation. These properties qualify the graduate of the Bachelor’s programme for further education in a relevant Master’s programme as well as for employment on the basis of the educational programme

16: Competence profile of the programme

The Bachelor

Knowledge

In terms of field of knowledge, understanding, and reflection, the overall objectives of the students’ acquisition of knowledge and understanding are that students, on completion of the Bachelor program, will have acquired:

• knowledge of the organization of international society and the social, cultural and political dynamics affecting developments in international and intercultural relations, both globally and in selected regions

• knowledge of historical developments and events shaping international social conditions, including international conflicts and the political and cultural basis for these

• understanding of the role of English in global international and intercultural relations, including cultural and political problematics associated with the use of English language

• theoretically-based understandings of central problems concerning the interaction of linguistic, cultural, and political identities

• understanding of issues such as international human rights and the role of international and transnational organizations in global systems

• grammar and written communication in English preparing students for MA work and professional life

• understanding of basic principles of academic integrity and of issues in research ethics within the relevant subject areas of the program.

Skills

The overall objectives of the acquisition of skills are that, on completion of their Bachelor studies, students will be able to:

• communicate in efficient and academically-correct, professional English

• apply cultural, social, and political analysis and a basic historical knowledge to enhance mutual understanding, development, and cooperation in interpersonal, organizational, and international political contexts

• apply widely-used methods and tools within the fields of human and social sciences and

  be able to argue for methodological choices as regards concrete issues in the international social and political order

• take analytically-based independent stances on key issues of the program, including the theoretical and methodological issues

• work conversantly on problem-based project work, mastering strategies for planning and undertaking projects based on issues relevant to the international studies field.

Competencies

The overall objectives of the acquisition of competencies are that, on completion of their Bachelor studies, students will be able to:

• contribute with knowledge of international political and intercultural issues for solving developmental and strategic problematics in both national and international institutions and organizations

• disseminate theoretically-based knowledge in a communicatively fluent and accurate English while taking target audience and dissemination context into account

• continue further acquisition of knowledge and competence development within the fields of culture, language, and politics in academic or professional contexts

• apply relevant disciplinary approaches in order to create knowledge-based and reflective bases for decision-making processes

• recognize and assess issues and dilemmas pertaining to research ethics in relation to concrete research-related and professional tasks.

17: Structure and Contents of the programme

The general objective of the Bachelor program in Language and International Studies, English is to enable students to acquire the knowledge, skills, and competencies required in order to work independently within the subject areas at a level which meets international standards.

The program is divided into individual modules and organized as a problem-based study program. A module is a subject element or a group of subject elements whose purpose is to provide students with a set of academic and professional qualifications within a stipulated time frame in relation to a determined number of ECTS credits. A module is completed by one or a number of examinations according to an examination schedule stipulated and defined in relation to the curriculum and regulations.

Compulsory modules

Elective modules. Students must choose three; one in the 5th semester, two in the 6th. In the case that a student chooses Research Topic Study in their 6th semester, they will then choose two electives; one in the 5th semester and one in the 6th.

Students may apply to the Study Board for permission to substitute elective modules on the above list with electives offered by other study boards at Aalborg University or other universities. Elective modules must always represent a total of 15 ECTS credits (5 in the 5th semester, 10 in the 6th). The elective modules listed are offered subject to sufficient numbers of applications as determined by the Board of Studies.

The program is based on a combination of academic, problem-oriented, and interdisciplinary approaches, structured as a mixture of the following study and evaluation forms combining academic skills and reflection:

• lectures
• classroom teaching
• research projects (“projects”)
• discussion sessions
• individual and group assignments • feedback from teaching staff
• academic reflection
• casework.

Each semester has a thematic frame. The thematic frame indicates the project-related study activities’ academic subject area as well as its disciplinary anchoring. Each semester is made up of three modules related to the project, equivalent to 20 ECTS, plus further coursework central to both the English and International Studies fields for the remaining 10 ECTS (except 6th9 

semester, in which two modules relate to the project). Except in 6th semester, one project course module will introduce students to important theories and methods of the project’s subject area; the other project course module will introduce students to concrete courses of events, incidents, and either ongoing or historical problems related to the project’s thematic frame. It is a prerequisite for undertaking the project module that students have participated in the project course modules (conditions for this are noted in relation to each project module). The first, second, and third semesters also include a module within the English language and communications, and, in addition to project modules and project course modules, all semesters also consist of further course modules addressing areas central to the study.

The thematic frame of the study program’s 1st semester is Introduction to International Studies. Project module activities are marked with an asterisk (*) in the above list of obligatory modules. The semester introduces students to the International Studies field plus provide insights into problem-based learning and increase English-language competence.

The thematic frame of the study program’s 2nd semester is Discourse Studies. Project module activities are marked with an asterisk in the above list of obligatory modules. The semester introduces students to issues concerning the use of language in society, introduce basic concepts in the history of ideas in the humanities and social sciences plus increase English- language competence.

The thematic frame of the study program’s 3rd semester is International Relations. Project module activities are marked with an asterisk in the above list of obligatory modules. The semester introduces students to essential issues and perspectives in international relations plus boost further competencies relating to political thought and use of English.

The thematic frame of the study program’s 4th semester is Globalization Studies. Project module activities are marked with an asterisk in the above list of obligatory modules. The semester introduces students to essential problems relating to societal and communicative dimensions of globalization plus increase skills in cultural analysis, and the role of religion in international social conflict.

The thematic frame of the study program’s 5th semester is Organizational Studies. Project module activities are marked with an asterisk in the above list of obligatory modules. Students will also participate in one elective module in this semester. The semester should increase students understanding of the function of international organizations plus and issues such as policy analysis.

The thematic frame of the study program’s 6th semester is the BA Project (15 ECTS). Project module activities are marked with an asterisk in the above list of obligatory modules. The topic of the BA project can be chosen freely among the various dimensions of the study program, or via combining them. Students will also participate in two elective modules in this semester. Students will also be provided the background to focus on specific regional issues.

Students are recommended to choose to include a credit-awarding study stay at a university abroad in their Bachelor program. The Study Board must approve students’ choice of courses at the foreign university in advance. Study abroad may be taken in either the 3rd, 4th, or 5th semester of the program.

18: Overview of the programme

Elective modules. Students must choose three; one in the 5th semester, two in the 6th . In the case that a student chooses Research Topic Study in their 6th semester, they will then choose two electives; one in the 5th semester and one in the 6th.

Students may apply to the Study Board for permission to substitute elective modules on the above list with electives offered by other study boards at Aalborg University or other universities. Elective modules must always represent a total of 15 ECTS credits (5 in the 5th semester, 10 in the 6th). The elective modules listed are offered subject to sufficient numbers of applications as determined by the Board of Studies.

19: Additional information

The Study Board displays and maintains more detailed information on the program, including examinations, on its website and its central communication forums.

20: Commencement and transitional rules

These regulations were recommended by the Board of Studies of Language and International Studies and approved by the Dean. This curriculum will take effect as of 1 September 2018 and applies to all students commencing their bachelor’s degree studies on or after this date.

Students who have started 1 September 2017 will be administratively transferred to the current curriculum. The first two semesters in curriculum 2017 and 2018 are identical, except that the module “Social, Cultural and Political Theory” is now entitled “Central Concepts in the Humanities and Social Sciences”.

The Board of Studies of Language and International Studies and/or the Faculty of Humanities, AAU, will determine when the last examinations will be held in accordance with these regulations.

21: Amendments to the curriculum and regulations