Foreign Languages

Studying Languages @ VMU

 

The Centre of Foreign Languages offers courses of 27 languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Serbian, Latvian, Estonian, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Old Icelandic, Turkish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Arabic, Latin, Lithuanian Sign Language, Hebrew, Ancient, New Testament and Modern Greek, Lithuanian as a foreign language (courses are organized at the Faculty of Humanities).

 

Our language courses are harmonized with the standards indicated in the Common European Framework of Languages:

Level 1 – elementary (A1)

Level 2 – pre-intermediate (A2)

Level 3 – intermediate (B1)

Level 4 – upper-intermediate (B2)

Level 5 – pre-advanced (C1)

Level 6 – advanced (C1/C2)

 

The offer of languages and levels taught in a particular semester vary and the final amendments to the schedule can be made within the first two weeks of each semester, therefore, it is advisable to check the schedule on our website (http://ukc.vdu.lt/). 

 

All courses of English and most of the other languages are 6 ECTS.  The courses of fewer credits include: Portuguese, Arabic, Greek, Hebrew and Serbian.

A language course of 6 ECTS consists of 75 academic hours of lectures and seminars (including 60 academic hours of face-to-face classroom activities and 15 academic hours of distance learning) and 85 academic hours of independent work.

The face-to-face classroom activities take place 4 times a week (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays) for one academic hour (the possible classroom time is 8:00-8:45; 9:00-9:45 or 10:00-10:45). Some courses may also be offered in the afternoon usually at 16:00-16:45.Wednesday language classes are devoted to distance learning which may take place in the virtual environments of Moodle, the university intranet service FirstClass, the teacher’s internet blogs, etc.

 

 

How To Enrol In Language Courses

 

ENGLISH

  

GENERAL ENGLISH A1-B2. Before starting to attend English classes, you are advised to take a diagnostic test so that we could place you in a group of the adequate level.  You will be informed by the VMU International Office about the time and place of the test at the beginning of the semester or come to the Centre (K. Donelaicio str. 52-603) where you will be able to take the test at the time of your convenience.  Importantly, taking the diagnostic test does not mean that you will necessarily have to take the course.  It is only if you have registered for the course at the Centre of Foreign Languages that you are required to attend it and to take the exam at the end of the semester.

 

SPECIALIZED ENGLISH C1-C1/C2.  To get enrolled into the specialized English courses, you need to have the competence of English corresponding to B2 level of CEF (you may take our diagnostic test to be sure about your competence).  As with other languages, you should talk to the teacher first to find out if there are not too many students on the course and then sign in the registration list. The C1 courses split into two categories:

C1a -- development of grammar and written skills,

C1b -- intercultural communication.

The C1/C2 levels are ESP courses oriented towards the perfection of English skills with regard to a particular field of science.

 

OTHER LANGUAGES

 

FIRST STEP: Check the lists of language courses offered for the semester you are going to study at Vytautas Magnus University and choose the ones you are interested in. Check the time and the room of the courses in the schedule which is available on the website of the Centre of Foreign Languages (http://ukc.vdu.lt/). 

SECOND STEP: Go to the class of the language you have chosen and ask for the teacher’s recommendation about the level you could be enrolled. Ask the teacher if there are places available in the list of the particular group so that you could join it.  Having received the teacher’s positive reply, you should sign in the list and make the payment for the course if it applies. Once you have signed for the course, you are required to attend it and take the exam at the end of the semester; however, if you decide not to attend it, you should cross out in order not to receive a negative evaluation.

NOTE: *Only some languages are taught in English from the elementary (A1) level.

 

Culture Courses

 

Learning a foreign language and using it successfully is intrinsically intertwined with knowing and understanding the culture of the people who use it as their native language.  Therefore, the Centre provides students with courses enlightening them on the world cultural heritage.    

 

Enrolment Fee

 

Enrolment fee of approximately 260 Lt applies to the courses of the following languages:  German, French, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Russian, Polish and specialized English courses.

The fee does not apply if the particular level of the language is included into the student’s study agreement or is obligatory in that semester (verifying documents need to be submitted).  

In the autumn semester of 2011, payment of the fee is due by September 12, in the spring semester of 2012 – by February 10. 

Courses of the following languages regarded as less widely taught are exempt from the fee: Portuguese, Serbian, Latvian, Estonian, Danish, Old Scandinavian, Turkish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Arabic, Latin, Hebrew, Lithuanian Sign Language, Ancient and New Testament Greek, Modern Greek, Lithuanian as a foreign language.

 

 

REGISTRATION IS COMPLETED WITHIN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE SEMESTER.

 

 

Contacts:

 

Centre of Foreign Languages

K. Donelaičio g. 52, room 603, Kaunas

Phone: +370 37 327845

E-mail.: dir@ukc.vdu.lt

Webpage: http://ukc.vdu.lt/