Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2012-2013 (archived)

Module RUSS3381: Russian for Professional Communication

Department: Modern Language and Cultures (Russian)

RUSS3381: Russian for Professional Communication

Type	Open	Level	3	Credits	20	Availability	Available in 2012/13	Module Cap	20	Location	Durham

Prerequisites

Russian Language 2A (RUSS2191) OR Russian Language 2B (RUSS2012)

Corequisites

Modern Languages, Combined Honours and all Joint and 'with' programmes: Russian Language 4 (RUSS3031) OR Russian Language 4 following Year Abroad (RUSS3211). Others: see Chairman/Chairwoman of the Board of Studies in MLAC or his/her representative.

Excluded Combination of Modules

Students may take up to a total of three Translation/Interpreting modules in MLAC, but no more than two translation modules, selected from Translation Theory (MELA3111), Spanish Translation (SPAN3131), Italian Translation (ITAL3121), French Translation (FREN3051), German Interpreting (GERM3041), French Interpreting (FREN3331) and Russian for Professional Communication (RUSS3381). Students may NOT take both French Interpreting (FREN3331) and German Interpreting (GERM3041).

Aims

To develop skills in consecutive and liaison interpreting, supported by preparation in conference note-taking.
To develop skills in textual translation from Russian to English, English to Russian, and in working with various documents used in a professional environment (emails, faxes, contracts etc)

Content

Each strand will be divided into the same four thematic/lexical areas, ensuring an element of both focus and depth, and that work done in one strand will re-inforce the other. The four thematic areas will be: Politics, Foreign Policy, Trade and Culture

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

Students will enhance hteir practical knowledge of Russian politics, foreign affairs, business and culture through textual preparation for interpreting and through translation from Russian to English

Subject-specific Skills:

Students will further develop their ability to work with a range of texts in Rusian across four subject areas/lexical domains; in parallel, they will acquire particular skills in conference note-taking and consecutive and liaison interpreting by working with material in the same thematic and lexical areas.

Key Skills:

Students will develop key skills relevant to the professional language environment, as well as further developing the ability to work individually or as part of a team in response to a range of time-specific tasks.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

Both 'strands' of the course will be delivered in the form of weekly practicals:
Translation and work with texts will be classroom based and vary between work on seen and unseen texts;
Interpreting will be laboratory based, and focus on 'live' tasks on the basis of advance lexical and thematic preparation.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total/Hours
Practicals	42	Twice weekly	1 hour	42
Preparation, Reading and Assessment				158
Total				200

Summative Assessment

Component: Examination		Component Weighting: 50%
Element	Length / duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Written Examination	2 hours	100%	No
Component: Examination		Component Weighting: 50%
Element	Length / duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Interpreting Examination	1 hour	100%	No

Formative Assessment:

The tet-based strand will require 12 pieces to be submitted over the course of the year; interpreting will incorporate three formative 'mock' examination pieces, one in each term.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University