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General Information

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Preferably ‘A’ Level or CAPE (Units 1 and 2) Spanish/French, but at least ‘O’Level or CXC General Proficiency (Grade 1 or 2). For literature, ‘A’ Level or CAPE English would be an asset.

REGISTRATION

All students wishing to take a course in Chinese, French, Japanese, Spanish or Comparative Caribbean Literature must register on-line at the beginning of the academic year. In addition to registering on-line, new students registered for language courses should also register in the Department and the Language Laboratory and must attend an orientation in the Language Lab in the first week of Semester I. Any changes in registration must be done on-line. Failure to change course registration may result in problems at examination time. NOT ALL COURSES LISTED WILL BE TAUGHT IF AN INSUFFICIENT NUMBER OF STUDENTS REGISTER.

DESIGNATION OF COURSES

Each course has a numerical code and a title. The letters ‘CHIN’, 'FREN', 'JAPA' ‘PORT’ and 'SPAN', preceding a code number indicate Chinese, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish courses respectively. Course codes are designated by four letters followed by four numbers e.g. SPAN 1402, FREN 2214. Semester courses in our department are worth 3 credits each. Most courses are assessed by course work and final exams. Semester 1 courses have their final exams in December. The final exams for semester 2 courses are held in April and May.

PRE-REQUISITES & CO-REQUISITES

For second and third year courses, requirements are detailed later in this pamphlet, but in general a pass in Level I Language is required for Level II language and a pass in Level II Language is the prerequisite for Level III language. Level II and III literature courses require a pass in Level 1 language as well as a pass in Level I literature (Spanish, French or English). You are advised to plan ahead and consider the courses you may wish to take in subsequent years to ensure that you cover all pre-requisites. Some courses also have co-requisites. A co-requisite is a course which must be taken along with a course for which you wish to register.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Students are REQUIRED to attend all classes and tutorials. All assignments are compulsory. Disciplinary action, such as debarment from exams or withdrawal from the Faculty, may result from failure to observe these requirements.

 

SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

All written assignments which form part of a course assessment must be handed in ON or BEFORE the due date. Late submissions will not normally be accepted without a valid medical certificate from the University Health Centre not later than one week beyond the due date. Students are reminded to discuss with their lecturer all matters regarding the delayed submission, and in particular, the precise length of the extension being requested. Marks will be deducted for late submission.

LANGUAGE LAB

There will be one scheduled hour of lab work per week, but students are invited to use the Lab for self-study and consolidation of their listening skills at any time during opening hours in the booths reserved for this purpose.

PROCEDURE FOR IN-COURSE TESTS

In-course tests (including Oral Exams) are subject to the same rules as the final written exam. Students who arrive late for a written exam are not normally allowed extra time. Similarly, if a student misses the time for which an oral exam has been scheduled the exam will be rescheduled only if reported formally on the same day and rescheduled immediately. Where reporting missed oral exam is done one or more days later, each case will be treated on its own merit and a rescheduling will be approved only where the reasons are considered valid. All such cases must be referred to the Head of Department. In all cases, marks will be deducted.

LANGUAGE PRACTICE

GREAT EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON ORAL COMPETENCE IN THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE. This is developed mainly by practice. Conversation classes constitute an important part of language courses and are kept small to allow for wide participation. Students are encouraged to watch foreign language cable channels on the TV in the language lab and talk with native speakers of the foreign language outside the classroom.

READING MATERIAL

Reading material in the foreign language (newspapers, magazines etc.) is available at the Language Lab. It is highly recommended that you make use of this material to build up your language competence. The Main Library keeps a selection of foreign language dictionaries and many recommended books and articles in the Reserved Book Collection (RBC).

WARNING!

The incidence of mutilation and theft of Library books has been increasing. Apart from being an offence subject to severe penalties, this creates serious problems not only for other students in your year, but for generations of students to come. Much of the material cannot be replaced, or can be replaced only at heavy costs to the University, thus lowering the budget for new materials.

PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS PRACTICE, AND PLEASE DISCOURAGE OR REPORT THOSE WHO DO. IT CANNOT HELP YOU TO PASS THE COURSES. HELP US TO PRESERVE OUR RESOURCE MATERIAL FOR ALL TO USE.

PART-TIME STUDENTS

Evening classes are offered for part-time students only for Level 1 Spanish courses. Part-time students are normally required to spread their first year programme (30 credits) over 2 academic years. These students are advised to take the language courses S11A and S11B during their first academic year. Part-time students who are able to attend day classes may take Beginners’ French in the first year and F111 in the summer or F14A and F14B in the next year to complete Year I requirements.

ALL LEVEL II AND III CLASSES ARE OFFERED ONLY IN THE DAY.

DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE AND COURSE REPRESENTATIVES

The Department takes very seriously student concerns about its teaching and its programmes; it therefore has a full staff-student committee which meets once per semester to consider student evaluations of its courses and teaching (delivery of instruction, course content, etc.) as well as other matters of concern to students. To this end, each course will have a course representative to provide the necessary feedback and liaise generally with the Department.

LANGUAGE CLUBS

The Chinese, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish Clubs are open to all students in the Department. Each club is what you will make of it. It can be used to consolidate Language and Literature studies through films, discussions, guest lectures, weekend retreats and other forms of entertaining education.

PRIZES AND SCHOLARSHIPS

The Faculty as a whole awards prizes to the top students in each of the first and second years of the B.A. programme. In addition, the department has its own awards and prizes for outstanding performance by students majoring in French and Spanish.

 

SPANISH

The Paul Davis Memorial Prize (Mona only), commemorates a First Class (Hons.) graduate of the Department who died in 1977 while he was a Teaching Assistant in Spanish. It is awarded to the student with the best performance in Spanish Language AND/OR Linguistics in Years 2 and 3 with a minimum B+ Average.

The Gabriel Coulthard Prize (Mona only), commemorates a former professor in the Department, who made a significant contribution to the development of Latin American Studies, and who died in 1974. This is a Second Year Prize awarded to the student with the best performance in 2 Spanish American Literature Courses with a minimum B+ Average.

The Kemlin Laurence Prize (available to students at all 3 Campuses), commemorates a former Lecturer who first served in this Department from 1960 to 1972, and then at UWI, St. Augustine, until her death in 1982. This Prize is awarded to the student with the highest aggregate mark in Spanish Language and Literature at Levels II and III with a minimum B average.

Latin American Women’s Club Bursaries are awarded to Spanish majors based on financial need and good academic performance and provide partial funding for study in a Spanish-speaking country.

ANNUAL SPANISH LITERARY COMPETITION

The following prizes are awarded to the winners of this competition:

Short Story: Premio Cuento Ricardo Palma (Peru).

Essay : The Ortega y Gasset Trophy (Spain)

Poetry : Premio Andrés Bello (Venezuela)

 

FRENCH

Prix Jambec: This prize was instituted by an anonymous donor to encourage proficiency in spoken French. An annual award is available to students in Level 2 French Language for the best performance in spoken French.

French Embassy Prize: This prize is awarded for the best performance in Years 1, 2, and 3 by a graduating French major.

Gertrud Buscher Prize: This prize was instituted in recognition of Dr. Buscher’s services to the department in 1960-1979. It is awarded to the most outstanding student in French Language at Mona.

William Mailer Prize: This prize was instituted in recognition of Mr. Mailer’s outstanding services to the Department. It is sponsored jointly by the French Embassy and the Department and awarded to the best First Year student in French.

William Mailer Scholarship: This is open to Final Year students majoring in French. Selection will be made annually on the basis of Second Year results.

Bridget Jones Memorial Award: This award, named in honour of Dr. Bridget Jones, former Senior Lecturer in the French Department, is designed to provide assistance to French students at the Mona Campus.

French Government "Postes d’Assistant"

All students taking French beyond the First Year are normally expected to have spent at least one vacation in a Francophone country. A number of students and graduates of the Department have been able to spend between 9 months and a year in France or the French Antilles as English Language Tutors in French schools. Notices inviting applications for scholarships and teaching posts from Jamaican Nationals are published by the French Embassy in Jamaica, usually early in the calendar year. Students are advised to consult these on the Departmental Notice Board and in the Press.

Students from countries other than Jamaica who are thinking of applying are advised to write as early as possible in the academic year to the office responsible for their territory:

For Jamaica and the Bahamas: French Embassy, 13 Hillcrest Ave., Kingston 6

For Trinidad, Barbados, Easter Caribbean States and Guyana: French Embassy, Furness Withy Building, 50 Independence Square, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.

University of Bordeaux Teaching Assistantships

Graduating students of French may apply for one-year English Language Teaching Assistantships at the University of Bordeaux.

 

STUDY ABROAD

French

Université Antilles-Guyane (U.A.G.)

A student exchange exists with the Université Antilles-Guyane. Under this arrangement, students in French will be able to spend one semester or an academic year at the Schoelcher Campus of U.A.G., in Martinique. Students participating in this exchange programme are normally second-year (Level 2) students.

UWI-UAG-Université Bordeaux 4 (Political Sciences)

For International Relations Students interested to pursue their studies up to the Masters Level (5- year programme), you are offered in this programme the possibility of spending 1 year in Bordeaux and 1 year at the UAG during your undergraduate studies and 1 more year in Bordeaux at the Masters level. For further information contact the Department of Government in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Japanese

Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme.

Graduating students may apply for posts as English Language Teaching Assistants in Japanese High Schools and other Learning Institutitons. Applications should be submitted in October/November. Please check the Faculty and the Department Notice Boards or contact the Japanese Embassy for details.

Japanes Scholarship.

Each year the Japanese governement offers a postgraduate scholarship to study in a Japanese University. Please check the Faculty and the Department Notice Boards or contact the Japanese Embassy for details.

Spanish

UWI/Colombia Exchange

Spanish students can participate in the 4-week summer exchange programme between UWI Campuses and Universities in Colombia. This exchange will normally take place between June and July.

University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras or Mayagüez.

It is possible to spend one semester at the Rio Piedras or the Mayagüez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico normally during your second-year at the UWI (Level 2 Students). Please check the University Regulations and contact the Office of Admissions for further information.

Teaching Assistantships – Colombia

Graduating students of Spanish may apply for posts as English Language teaching Assistants in Colombian Universities. Please check the Department Notice board for details or contact the Latin American and Caribbean Centre (LACC).

UWI/Costa-Rica Exchange and Quality Leadership Programme

Ten UWI Level II and III students registered in the Quality Leadership Programme have the opportunity to visit the University of Costa Rica in June. This exchange programme is primarily cultural and includes community service and language learning. A knowledge of Spanish, though not required, would be an asset for those selected to represent Mona. Contact Mr. Malcolm Lowrie at Student Development Services for further details.

POSTGRADUATE STUDIES

Besides the Ph.D and M.Phil degrees, the Department offers an M.A. in Translation Studies. To be admitted to the MA in Translation Studies students must have passed Level III French and Spanish. Details may be found at the end of the Pamphlet.


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