Applied Languages & Intercultural Studies

Cardor

Oh I see, thanks for your reply.. I think I might to a course in the Goethe institute to fine tune my german!

Do you do applied languages?.. Is it a difficult course?

sourire

Hi, I'll be doing this course next year:) I can't really decide which second language I want to do. I've watched a few basic Chinese and Japanese classes on youtube but I still don't know which I prefer. Japanese seems to be more popular? How come?

Also, RyDar - you wrote earlier in this thread that if you do Chinese/Japanese you have to go to that country in third year? Why is this? It would be really cool (and a bit scary><) but I'm more interested in my other language and would rather spend the year there, but if I take Chinese/ Japanese I definately won't be able to?

Cravez

sourire wrote: »

Hi, I'll be doing this course next year:) I can't really decide which second language I want to do. I've watched a few basic Chinese and Japanese classes on youtube but I still don't know which I prefer. Japanese seems to be more popular? How come?

Also, RyDar - you wrote earlier in this thread that if you do Chinese/Japanese you have to go to that country in third year? Why is this? It would be really cool (and a bit scary><) but I'm more interested in my other language and would rather spend the year there, but if I take Chinese/ Japanese I definately won't be able to?

Both Chinese and Japanese are popular languages. I think Japanese seems to appear more popular because alot of people's favourite mediums (media) have connections from Japan, for example Anime or Computer Games. Both languages have a good capacity for business as well and both languages are interesting from a cultural point of view.

Just to fill in the year abroad, Rydar would know more, but I would gather because both Chinese and Japanese are 'ab-initio' languages and also very heavy/complicated in their writing systems is probably why. Getting a grasp on the writing for either Chinese or Japanese is difficult and it's paramount if you want to get used to writing with either language. I imagine you may be able to do your other language as a year abroad instead though. You can focus on one language after second year anyway, you do not need to do both for your entire degree but you need to do both languages for your first 2 years.

Cravez

Hi folks

Tried to contact the German lecturer but no answer at the moment, probably all the lecturers are busy at this time of year with the exams?

Just wanted to ask those who have experience with starting this course doing the Intermediate level German & are familiar with the European framework levels. Would an A2.1 be sufficient in being able to keep up and perform in the classes in first year when starting? I ask as this would be the minimum level I would have if I started the course (I could maybe get an A2.2).

Maybe just getting a little bit more insight into those who are familiar with the classes would be great. Thanks

sourire

Thanks for the reply Michael, I was too lazy to log on and reply the time you wrote it:o I had wondered did Anime have something to do with its popularity though obviously thats not why everyone wants to do it.

I've warmed to the idea of spending a year in Japan now. When I first realised I might have to spend my year abroad there I just thought it seemed so far away(well it still is) but I'm okay about that now. It would be a really great experience.

Jeongeum

Hey i know its thinking ahead but my careers teacher said i could do the independent research in english rather then my japanese just wondering is it true and for taking german whats the intensity like coz i love german and i am kinda good but i just wonder whats the lowest grade someone got taking german at advanced

Cravez

As far as I know the English option is only available to those whom English is not their native language. There could be other ways around it but that's how it seems to be.

For German, I was told by the lecturer that you would require about a Grade C3 in Higher Level Leaving Cert at minimum to be able to feel comfortable in the Intermediate German classes.

oplain

Konata wrote: »

Hallo all!

I'm looking for some information on the above course. I'm considering studying it in college come September. The language I want to do is Japanese, but from what I understand you have to do a second language for a few years anyway right? Not sure what I'll choose for that yet, I just wanna do Japanese

Anyway, since this is gonna be my THIRD time starting college (successfully dropped out of Biomedical Science in UCD and General Science in TCD), I really, really need to be certain this is what I wanna do. As far as I know, DCU is the only college that offers a course like this one. From my previous experiences in college I've learnt that I should do what makes me happy, not what everyone else thinks I should be fécking doing - which was find a cure for cancer >_< Hence the drastic change from Science to Japanese.

So yus, any information on this course would be much appreciated Arigato!

Nanno Manga o suki desukka?

RyDar

Woah, now THAT's a bump!

Jeongeum wrote: »

Hey i know its thinking ahead but my careers teacher said i could do the independent research in english rather then my japanese just wondering is it true and for taking german whats the intensity like coz i love german and i am kinda good but i just wonder whats the lowest grade someone got taking german at advanced

What do you mean by independent research? Research in relation to what?
Modules such as French History are taught through French but essays, exams etc. will be in English (generally). But language learning modules such as Special French and French Language will be entirely through French. Same in regards to the other intermediate languages (as in, Japanese culture modules are taught through English, as are the language classes themselves until mid 2nd year).

As Michael Cravez said, English in an option for non-native english speakers, but not in ALIS itself, that would be a language service course.

Kessalia

Hello,

I also put this course first on my CAO and have a few questions about it.
Concerning the year abroad, if I do French at intermediate and Spanish at beginners level, does it matter if I go to a French- or Spanish speaking country or can I choose?
And do I have to go to one of the partner universities of DCU or can I also look for one myself?
Are there many International students? I come from Germany and I would like to know whether doing the course as a non-native speaker is much more work than for the English/Irish.
What is the average size for classes, especially in French and Spanish?
And the last question, can I learn more languages in societies or something like that? I read that some people learned Japanese this way?

Thank you!

Konata

Kessalia wrote: »

Hello,

I also put this course first on my CAO and have a few questions about it.
Concerning the year abroad, if I do French at intermediate and Spanish at beginners level, does it matter if I go to a French- or Spanish speaking country or can I choose?
And do I have to go to one of the partner universities of DCU or can I also look for one myself?
Are there many International students? I come from Germany and I would like to know whether doing the course as a non-native speaker is much more work than for the English/Irish.
And the last question would be what the average size of classes is, especially in French and Spanish.
And, can I learn more languages in societies or something like that? I read that some people learned Japanese this way?

Thank you!

1. As far as I know, you must go to the country of your beginner language or, at least, you do have to for Japanese/Chinese.

2. Yes, you have to go to a partner university. Any other university would not have an agreement with DCU regarding credit towards your degree and thus it would count for nothing.

3. There's a few! An increase in workload would depend on your level of English. 2 girls I know would be practically fluent English speakers (non-native) but both did cite additional problems in the translation classes (translating French/Spanish/Japanese/whatever to English) in that they had to work harder to make sure their English grammar was correct. Overall though I wouldn't consider the course a greater workload for non-native English speakers (as long as your English is pretty good!).

4. The Japanese society holds some Japanese conversation classes and the like where you could potentially pick up some Japanese. It's not a formal class by any means though and is meant more for practicing Japanese you already know. The university itself holds evening language classes but you must pay for those.

Kessalia

Thank you very much for the information! I had hoped to be able to choose between French and Spanish speaking countries but I hadn't made up my mind yet anyway so that's ok

One question I forgot: What are the chances of being accepted?

Konata

Kessalia wrote: »

Thank you very much for the information! I had hoped to be able to choose between French and Spanish speaking countries but I hadn't made up my mind yet anyway so that's ok

One question I forgot: What are the chances of being accepted?

I don't really know to be honest. Irish students apply using Leaving Cert points but if you're not doing your Leaving Cert there's a whole other application process that I'm not familiar with.

Kessalia

Konata wrote: »

I don't really know to be honest. Irish students apply using Leaving Cert points but if you're not doing your Leaving Cert there's a whole other application process that I'm not familiar with.

Hmm I don't think the application process is so much different? I am doing the German equivalent to the Irish Leaving Cert and as I understood my results can be "turned" into those points.. like for example 360 points in the Leaving Cert is a result of 3,00 in Germany. For example.
But do you know how the chances are for Irish students then?

Thanks

Konata

Kessalia wrote: »

Hmm I don't think the application process is so much different? I am doing the German equivalent to the Irish Leaving Cert and as I understood my results can be "turned" into those points.. like for example 360 points in the Leaving Cert is a result of 3,00 in Germany. For example.
But do you know how the chances are for Irish students then?

Thanks

Leaving Cert points are impossible to predict since they depend on demand for a course. However, previous year's points are usually used as a guideline. For 2012, this course required a minimum of 350 points. As I say, it's impossible to guess what the points will be next year, but generally they're in or around the same (usually, courses change by not much more than 5 or 10 points in either direction but it does happen that courses will shoot up by 50 or more points on occasion).

Best advice is to do your best in your exams and keep your fingers crossed!

Cardor

Konata wrote: »

1. As far as I know, you must go to the country of your beginner language or, at least, you do have to for Japanese/Chinese.

Yeah it's only for Japanese and Chinese! I'm going to my intermediate country and keeping up my beginner language.

Konata

Cardor wrote: »

Yeah it's only for Japanese and Chinese! I'm going to my intermediate country and keeping up my beginner language.

Ah right, thanks for clarifying! Wasn't actually sure regarding the other languages.