Course specification for LAC3001

¾«¶«´«Ã½app

USQ Logo
The current and official versions of the course specifications are available on the web at .
Please consult the web for updates that may occur during the year.

LAC3001 Language and the Contemporary World

Semester 1, 2020 Online
Short Description: Language & Contemporary World
Units : 1
Faculty or Section : Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts
School or Department : School of Humanities & Communication
Student contribution band : Band 1
ASCED code : 091503 - Northern European Languages
Grading basis : Graded

Staffing

Examiner:

Requisites

Pre-requisite: LAC2002

Other requisites

Students will require access to e-mail and have internet access to UConnect for this course.
Important: Students in this course must elect to enrol in either the German or Mandarin Chinese stream.

Rationale

Two-thirds of the world’s population are at least bilingual. Speaking the language of clients, competitors, co-workers and managers will place graduates in a much stronger negotiating position than relying on their native language or English alone. Successful multilingual graduates and those with cross-cultural experiences and skills have enhanced employment opportunities, career mobility and an important competitive edge. Speaking more than one language is increasingly important for aspiring leaders and professionals, who see themselves as contributors on an international stage.

Synopsis

This course raises students' language skills to beginning intermediate level, equipping them to comprehend set texts in their original language. Students will be expected to read accounts of important contemporary issues occurring in Germany or China published in German or Mandarin. LAC3001 builds on the skills and concepts acquired in LAC1001 to LAC2002. Emphasis in class activities is on the application of language and cultural concepts introduced in course materials and prepared by students in independent study and practice prior to attending class.

Objectives

On completion of this course students will be able to:

  1. Apply intermediate level language competencies. For German: equivalent to level B1 or above of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. For Chinese: equivalent to elementary/ intermediate level required for HSK (Chinese Standard Test);
  2. Apply language-specific phonology, morphology, syntax, and grammatical structures to express elaborate or specific meaning;
  3. In a spoken presentation, communicate the core themes of the project work using refined pronunciation skills;
  4. Synthesise relevant cultural, social, historical, political, and/or economic contexts to analyse critically the chosen topic.

Topics

Description Weighting(%)
1. Language component of this course 70.00
2. Culture component of this course 30.00

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2020&sem=01&subject1=LAC3001)

Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)

2002, New Practical Chinese Reader, Textbook 3, Liu Xun, Beijing Language and Culture ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Press.
(FOR CHINESE.)
Airlie, M & Littlejohn, J 2014, Collins German Dictionary, 8th edn, Harper Collins, Glasgow/New York.
(FOR GERMAN.)
Liu Xun 2003, New Practical Chinese Reader Workbook 3, Beijing Language and Culture ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Press, Beijing.
(FOR CHINESE.)
Motyl-Mudretzkyj, I 2014, Bundle: Anders gedacht: Text and Context in the German-Speaking World, 3rd edn, Cengage Learning, Boston.
(+ Student Activities Manual ISBN-13: 9780170267274 {FOR GERMAN}.)
Xioping, Chinese-English dictionary, 3rd edn.

Reference materials

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.
Angle, SC 2002, Human rights and Chinese thought a cross-cultural inquiry, Cambridge ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Press.
(FOR CHINESE Online References .)
Fewsmith, J, China since Tiananmen the politics of transition, Cambridge ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Press, New York, ebrary Inc,
<>.
(FOR CHINESE.)
Gamer, RE 2012, Understanding contemporary China, 4th edn, Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder.
(FOR CHINESE Print Copy References.)
Ny ri, P, Breidenbach, J & NetLibrary Inc 2005, China inside out contemporary Chinese nationalism and transnationalism, Central European ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Press.
(FOR CHINESE Online References An electronic book accessible through the World Wide Web; click for information.)
Ross, C & Ma, J 2005, Modern Mandarin Chinese grammar: a practical guide, Routledge, London.
(FOR CHINESE Print Copy References.)
Durrell, M, Using German synonyms, Cambridge ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Press, New York, ebrary Inc, <>. (FOR GERMAN).
Starkman, R. A. (2006). Transformations of the new Germany Retrieved from ebrary Inc. database Retrieved from .

Student workload expectations

Activity Hours
Directed ¾«¶«´«Ã½app 26.00
Independent ¾«¶«´«Ã½app 139.00

Assessment details

Description Marks out of Wtg (%) Due Date Notes
TEST 1 100 30 19 Mar 2020
TEST 2 100 40 01 May 2020
TEST 3 100 30 05 Jun 2020

Important assessment information

  1. Attendance requirements:
    Students must attend and complete the requirements of the Workplace Health and Safety training program for this course where required.

    External and Online:
    There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students’ responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.

    On-campus
    It is the students’ responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.

  2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
    To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks.

  3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
    Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4)

  4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
    To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.

  5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
    The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.

  6. Examination information:
    There is no examination for this course.

  7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
    There is no examination in this course, there will be no deferred or supplementary examinations.

  8. ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Student Policies:
    Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene ¾«¶«´«Ã½app policies and practices. These policies can be found at .

Other requirements

  1. Students can expect that questions in assessment items in this course may draw upon knowledge and skills that they can reasonably be expected to have acquired before enrolling in the course. This includes knowledge contained in pre-requisite courses and appropriate communication, information literacy, analytical, critical thinking, problem solving or numeracy skills. Students who do not possess such knowledge and skills should not expect to achieve the same grades as those students who do possess them.

Date printed 19 June 2020