Course Catalogue

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This course allows students to engage in a structured essay (alongside a short spoken presentation and a written reflective log), in Portuguese, on a topic concerning the history and culture of the Portuguese-speaking world, while using a range of appropriate research resources. 

5 x hours of supervision

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into one of the SMLC Honours programmes, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

None

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Essay in Target Language - 2,600 words (60%)

Viva in Target Language - 12mins (30%)

Reflective Log in Target Language - 400 words (10%)

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course aims to:  

■ build on the linguistic and cultural experience of the Year Abroad or Term 3 Residency by
researching a topic related to the culture of a Portuguese-speaking country; 

■ complete an independent study in Portuguese on this topic; 

■ carry out individual research using library resources and other research tools independently; 

■ construct and present written arguments in Portuguese on their chosen topic; 

■ develop good academic practice regarding use of sources and references to sources. 

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ formulate a coherent research topic relating to the culture or society of a specific Portuguese-speaking country; 

■ select and evaluate relevant bibliographic and other resources; 

■ articulate an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the chosen topic, arguing and synthesizing clearly and coherently in formal written and spoken Portuguese; 

■ use a range of advanced syntactic, idiomatic and lexical aspects of Portuguese in presenting the argument; 

■ support arguments with appropriate references to relevant sources. 

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.