Is anyone going to study French at uni? (1 Viewer)

[Kazuya]

It's one of my best subjects so I was thinking of continuing French (if not another language). can't decide between continuing French or doing a beginners course, eg. Japanese. Arts combined with some other course eg. commerce, law would be the favoured option, I don't really mind which uni. Only thing is that most of those degrees base their assessment marks a lot on speaking, and while i can manage, i'm better at writing, as everyone is (except chepas and a few others... ). Anyone else have the same thing in mind?

 

[chepas]

I am . Having only been to one open day, I am liking UWS' B Arts with their int'l studies/languages school - it's a languages major and lots of linguistics/2 langs etc... my cup of tea .

I wouldn't worry about much on speaking. It's one of the features of language so yeah, hopefully we'll get really good at all the aspects of it at uni - scary places they seem... learning central...

Mind you, I'd rather write than speak anyday

 

[Hippy La-Laa]

I was asking my Careers Advisor yesterday about studying languages at Uni. I want to do Swedish...but I can't find anywhere to do it.... because its so random. 'Spose I'll have to move to Sweden.... *drools at prospect of hot Swedish men*

But I hope to continue french, even if its not at Uni....


Question 11

 

[omg_a]

I'm planning on continuing to study french next year, when i'm (hopefully) at ANU, as part of an arts/law degree. i figure i've got this far, and i really love it, so.....a good thing to continue. but i also want to start another language, maybe spanish. that would be cool. i've heard (scary as it sounds) that language courses at uni are all totally conducted in the foreign language!!! could be interessant, n'est-ce pas??

 

[chepas]

^^ Big muscly guys named Sven that wear Masseur sandals no doubt . Swedish would be mad. Guy at our school did Swedish Continuers last year and came first in the state (private tutor, probably was one of a very small candidature!).

^ Yeah sounds very coolness. A lot more immersiony than HS. I've just got my head around what "French STUDIES" and "Germanic STUDIES" and all other ' [language] studies' actually means, the culture etc not just the language haha... makes sense though. I can't wait to start studying about Québec. .

 

[cayte]

You get used to understanding lectures in French and making up what you might have missed. You'll probably find the nature of the course is such that you'll develop really good skills in comprehension, but your production of the language may suffer. You have to be really self-directed in order to develop your language production (both writing and speaking) skills. It's worthwhile, particulalry in your positions where you've studied at high school. A lot of people start for the first time at uni. THAT is scary!

 

[frenchie]

I agree. I am doing French at Usyd, and I find that there is a huge emphasis on really being sure of grammer to the detriment of your other skills i.e. speaking, listening. I also get to do some study of contemporary issues in France, culture blah blah...it's a real pleasure if you are the sort of person who is willing to work on your other skills by spending a couple of hours a week listening to the news, reading other books, speaking to others in the language. It can be done. My french nerd friend and I have pretty amusing conversations as we attempt to be totally fluent....never really works out that way but it's fun trying. Also, the teachers at uni are usually pretty good for languages...atleast I have had only native speakers so far and that means almost 0 english is spoken...lectures, tutes, asking for help...you can do it all in the target language.

Anyway have fun with languages.

 

[Kazuya]

I was wondering though if you do language at uni how are you assessed? In some universities i've read that there are no exams, rather they mark you on your participation, which is something i wouldn't really expect in a language course (at least not in high school). How exactly does that work?

Also at the UNSW open day yesterday I spoke to a few advisors and was given the impression that studying two languages (eg. French continuers + Japanese beginners) at uni, either for a pure arts degree or a combined one, involves tons of work. Is that the case? I dropped German in year 11 and stayed with French but I was pretty good in both...I guess it's much more demanding in university, though huh...

 

[chepas]

^ Yeah interesting. that question (re: assessment) x 2

Also, what are the French depts like at other unis? Of them all USyd seems to be the only one doing sort of that whole language Studies thing going on with French, how's it at UNSW etc?

 

[omg_a]

from what i've been able to gather, the french classes at ANU combine the language (speaking, writing, grammar classes) with culture and literature. Then, there are also specific classes you can take in a french major like french film studies. ah...french literature, can't wait!

 

[ez_19]

hey! i want to do french and german at uni.. but i'm worried bout the french part, cos I don't remember anything, i did continuers for the HSC last yr, and spent all this yr doing german - the guide says I *should* be in french advanced cos i got band 6, but I dunno how I'd cope until i refamiliarised myself with it.. i can understand it fine, but i can't just think up stuff in french to say anymore cos I automatically think in gmn...even the simplest words, it took me a while to think of how to say please and thankyou the other day, haha..

oo and the person who wanted to do swedish, learn it at syd! no unis have random languages like that as subjects, but in the language centres they have teach-urself courses for pretty much any language u can think of.. u can count on me being there in my spare time learning a new lang everyday, hehe

new languages are soooo much fun.. :uhhuh:

 

[kelboo]

What are the benefits of studying it at uni? I'm in 2 minds whether or not to even go to uni, but if i do it'd definitely be using my french... 10 years of study of the same language, a bit shameful to waste it all really!

So if i do end up going, which at this point is not very likely, i might see you there

Otherwise, wish me luck in tackling the wide wide world early - toute seule sans des experiences d'un etablissement comme les universites de sydney.....

 

[kelboo]

What are the benefits of studying it at uni? I'm in 2 minds whether or not to even go to uni, but if i do it'd definitely be using my french... 10 years of study of the same language, a bit shameful to waste it all really!

So if i do end up going, which at this point is not very likely, i might see you there

Otherwise, wish me luck in tackling the wide wide world early - toute seule sans des experiences d'un etablissement comme les universites de sydney.....

 

[kelboo]

What are the benefits of studying it at uni? I'm in 2 minds whether or not to even go to uni, but if i do it'd definitely be using my french... 10 years of study of the same language, a bit shameful to waste it all really!

So if i do end up going, which at this point is not very likely, i might see you there

Otherwise, wish me luck in tackling the wide wide world early - toute seule sans des experiences d'un etablissement comme les universites de sydney.....

 

[chepas]

Qu'est-ce que tu veux faire après le lycée alors, si je pourrais te demander?