SFB13009 Meetings among Cultures I (Autumn 2022)

The course is connected to the following study programs

Elective course in:

• Bachelor programme in Languages (for students starting fall 2021 and onwards, 5th semester)

The course is open for students from other programmes depending on capacity. In addition, it may after prior approval, or after application for substituting another course, be part as an elective course in other study programmes, or be taken in addition to other programmes.The course is open for international students in the academic year 2022/2023.

Students who have completed Meetings among cultures I (10 ECTS) may also take Meetings among cultures II (15 ECTS), and vice versa, providing the research question is different in the two project papers.

The subject has access regulation in the academic year 2022-2023 . At least 7 registered students are required for the course to be completed, and there is a limit of 25 students who can be registered.

Absolute requirements

For students who choose another target language than English the prerequisite is knowledge of French/Spanish/German equivalent to Level 1 Foreign Languages in the Norwegian upper secondary school. Productive skills (speaking and writing) of French, Spanish or German are not required but sufficient receptive skills (reading and listening) are necessary: The students must be able to understand and make use of regular French, Spanish or German factual prose and have sufficient understanding of the target language to be able to grasp the main content of everyday speech.

Lecture Semester

The course is offered as supervised project work.

• Students on the bachelor programme in Languages: 5th semester (autumn).

• Other study programmes: Students may complete the course with the progression and at a time that suits the individual student. Thus, the course is unattached to either the autumn or spring semester.

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

Knowledge

The candidate

• has sound knowledge in the field of culture and society
• has knowledge of academic writing.

Skills

The candidate

• has skills in working independently with an academic assignment.

General competence

The candidate

• has specialised knowledge through in-depth work with a self-chosen topic related to culture and society (in the English-/French-/Spanish- or German-speaking countries).
• has become aware of intercultural and/or comparative aspects.

Content

The course is based on supervised individual work. The students choose their topic based on their own interest and in agreement with a tutor. The topic can be related to taught courses (e.g. in the 60 and 90 ECTS modules in one-year programmes and extension programmes), or courses that are being taught in the same semester or have been taught in earlier semesters in the bachelor programme in languages, or it can be related to other areas or issues in the target countries.

Forms of teaching and learning

Supervised project work (up to five hours of supervision), given in Norwegian or in the target language. Students are welcome to take the course on campus, or on-line - depending on student preferences.

Workload

Approx. 280 hours.

Practical training/internship

None

Coursework requirements - conditions for taking the exam

The student must complete a work requirement within source search, source criticism and reference technique.

The student is to hand in an outline (approximately 500 words exclusive literature list) of the project work by the set deadline. The outline must include a clear research question, theoretical background, method and material and tentative literature list.

Examination

Individual written project work

The report is to be approx. 5000 words (+/- 10 %) long (bibliography and illustrations not included).

• Students on the bachelor programme in languages may write in either English, French, Spanish or German.
• Other students may write either in the target language (English, French, Spanish or German) or in Norwegian.

The paper should include correct references. Advice is offered through the entire work process.

The assessment is based on the ability to work in-depth with a topic as well as on independence and sound presentation of the work. The grading scale A-F is used.

Examiners

One external and one internal examiner or two internal examiners.

Course evaluation

Feedback from our students is vital in order for us to be able to offer the best possible courses and study programmes. The following forms of evaluation are used for this course:

• mid-semester evaluation and continuous/final evaluation

The results are considered by:

• lecturer groups
• the head of studies
• the local programme committee

Literature

The students compile a reference list in connection with the chosen topic. The reference list is to be submitted along with the project.