ECTS credits ECTS credits: 3
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Student's work ECTS: 45 Hours of tutorials: 0.5 Expository Class: 14.5 Interactive Classroom: 15 Total: 75
Use languages Spanish, Galician, English
Type: Ordinary Degree Subject RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: English and German Philology
Areas: English Philology
Center Faculty of Veterinary Science
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable
The objectives of this course are to help develop the capabilities of the students in accordance with the general and special objectives of their Degree program; hence, the study of the English language will be undertaken as per the specific needs of this degree.
By the end of the course, students should be able to understand, analyse, and evaluate written texts and audios. They will be exposed to veterinary terminology in English. Students will also revise grammatical concepts and put this knowledge into practice using scenarios related to the veterinary field. Throughout the course, students will also be able to research articles related to their degree in order to produce written summaries to check comprehension of technical English. They should also be able to participate in conversations and debates on veterinary topics during class and they are encouraged to make use of resources and websites published in English related to the course.
Students will be working on a B1 - B2 level in this course which means that it is taken for granted that they have previously attained a B1 level at secondary school.
Theory (14.5 hours):
The theoretical part of this course has been designed to provide students with a way to review the most important aspects of English grammar and its application in the construction of discourse. Another aim is to provide a review of this standard level of English vocabulary, as well as the acquisition of new technical vocabulary, and terms that are specific to the scientific register, and also, semi-technical vocabulary, i.e. non-specific, but very common in scientific texts and clinical situations. This will be achieved as a result of students’ participation in class discussions about a wide range of topics related to the veterinary field as well as through the use of authentic videos and texts which will be an integral part of th e practical sessions.
The theoretical part of this class is divided into the following units:
1. Verb tenses and constructions (past, present, future)
2. Modal verbs (obligation, no obligation, permission, ability and deductions)
3. Question formation
4. Passive voice
5. Reported speech
6. Conditionals
7. Gerund, infinitive and zero infinitive
8 Comparing and evaluating
9. Relative clauses
10. Summary writing
Theoretical sessions will involve both the teachers’ explanations as well as the completion of relevant exercises by students.
The time distribution with regard to each unit may vary depending on students’ prior knowledge, abilities and specific requirements.
Practical sessions (15 hours):
The aim of these sessions is to allow students to develop and strengthen their oral comprehension and oral expression abilities. Students will engage with videos which display real-life scenarios in the veterinary world by completing listening comprehension activities and holding natural conversations or debates with their classmates based on the videos’ content and ideas. They will have the chance to put the theoretical part of this course into practice within these interactions by using grammatical constructions they will have studied in class. At the beginning of the course, conversations will be more general in nature, but as the weeks go on, students will be able to elaborate more in-depth discussions with their peers about more complex topics related to animals and veterinary medicine. Mid-way through the course, once they have gained confidence and a greater awareness of grammar and vocabulary, students will be expected to produce written summaries of technical articles related to veterinary medicine. In the practical sessions, students will have the chance to practice and refine this skill.
The practical part of this class is divided into the following units:
English LB G1-15 (15 hours):
This part of the class will involve listening comprehension activities, videos depicting real-life situations in a veterinary context and oral conversations, debates or discussions, either in pairs, groups or as a whole class.
Tutorials (0.5 hours):
Tutorials will give students the opportunity to clarify any doubts they may have regarding the course content. They will also be able to receive feedback on their summaries, which they will be expected to hand in throughout the course, and their general performance.
COMPULSORY:
Murphy, R. 1994. English Grammar in Use. Cambridge: C.U.P.
Swan, M. & C. Walter. 1997. How English works. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
COMPLEMENTARY:
Grammar:
Leech, G. N. e J. Svartvik. 1993. A Communicative Grammar of English. Londres e Nova York: Longman.
McCarthy, M. & O’Dell, F. 1997. English Vocabulary in Use. Cambridge: C. U. P.
Sinclair, J. (ed.). 1990. Collins Cobuild English Grammar. Londres: Williams Collins Sons & Co.
Swan, M. 1980. Practical English Usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Vince, M. 1996. First Certificate Language Practice. Oxford: Heineman.
Vince, M. 1994. Advanced Language Practice. Oxford: Heineman.
Vocabulary:
European Association for Animal Production (1985). Dictionary of animal productions terminology in English, Spanish, German and Latin. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
International Committee on Veterinary Gross Anatomical Nomeclature (2005): Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria. Hannover-Colombia-Gent-Sapporo: Ed. Committee. 5ª Ed.
http://www.wava-amav.org/downloads/nav_2012.pdf (23/04/2018).
Rodríguez Río, Xusto A. Coordinador. 2008. Vocabulario de morfoloxía, anatomía e citoloxía veterinaria (galego-español-inglés). Santiago de Compostela: USC, Servizo de Normalización Lingüística.
US National Library of Medicine /National Institute of Health: Medical Dictionary. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mplusdictionary.html (31/05/2013).
Webpages of interest:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/
http://netvet.wustl.edu/vetmed/img.htm
Generic:
GVUSCC01 Have the ability to learn and adapt oneself.
GVUSCC02 Have the ability to analyze and summarize.
GVUSCC03 General knowledge about the field of work.
GVUSCC05 Have the ability to appropriately apply what has been learned.
GVUSCC06 Have the ability to carry out personal tasks and work as part of a team.
GVUSCC09 Have the ability to communicate in different areas.
Professional:
D1VUSC17 . Produce technical veterinarian reports.
Academic:
CEAVUSC07 Have a basic knowledge of a foreign language.
Transversal:
CTVUSC01 Have the ability to logically reason and present an argument.
CTVUSC03 Have the ability to elaborate and present an organized and coherent text.
CTVUSC04 Have the ability to carry out clear, coherent and concise oral presentations.
CTVUSC06 Able to reference information in a foreign language.
CTVUSC07 Have the ability to solve problems by using an integrated application of knowledge acquired.
The theoretical sessions of this course will be based on certain oral and written texts pertinent to Veterinary medicine that allow us to study the language in use. The classes will be primarily practical, and therefore the students' active participation in class will be fostered and assessed.
The practical sessions will focus on the putting the information presented in the theoretical sessions to use and practising the grammar, vocabulary and general use of the English language.
Students will also have the chance to speak to professors concerning any questions or doubts they may have, or if they would like any tailored feedback, during weekly office hours, which will be confirmed by the teaching staff at the beginning of term.
Assessment will be based on the continuous evaluation of the students along with one or more written and/or oral tests.
I. Ordinary Exam period (May/June):
I.1. For the students who regularly attend classes:
a) Continuous assessment (30%)
• Active participation 5%
• Assigned tasks, tests or homework 25%
b) Final exams (70%)
• Final written exam 50%
• Oral exam 20%
Unless stated otherwise, the final written exam will be held on the date officially set by the Faculty. The oral exam will be held on a date scheduled and confirmed in class. Students will pass if they do so simultaneously in the written and oral sections; should they pass only one of them, they will be entitled to keep this mark in the new period of exams in July, therefore they will retake only the section previously graded as Fail.
I.2. Evaluation for those students who have special permission not to attend classes:
Assigned tasks, tests or homework: 25%
Oral exam: 20%
Final written exam: 55%
These students must complete continuous tasks and tests assigned by the teachers throughout the course, which will account for 25% of the final grade. The remaining 75% corresponds to the final written exam (55%) and oral exam (20%). The final exam will be held on the official date set by the Faculty. The date of the oral exam will be announced at some point during the term. A minimum of 5 out of 10 in both the final and the oral exam is required to pass the subject.
I.3. Students who are retaking this course:
The assessment system for these students will be the same as for students in I.1 above.
II. Extraordinary 2nd Chance Exam (July)
II.1. For the students who regularly attend classes:
The same system which is outlined for the ordinary June exam opportunity applies for the July resit. The continuous assessment grade as well as any section passed in the first opportunity of the course will be retained.
II.2. For those students who have special permission not to attend classes:
The same system which is outlined for the ordinary June exam opportunity applies for the July resit. The assigned tasks and test grade as well as any section passed in the first opportunity of the course will be retained.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
In the event of fraudulent or plagiarised work or submissions in tests or exercises, the terms stated in art. 16 of the “Normativa de avaliación do rendemento académico dos estudantes e de revision de cualificacións” will be applied.
The organization of this Degree program states that a student will have to dedicate at least 45 hours to the study of the materials presented. Obviously, this dedication may vary according to each student’s individual level of English.
In-class sessions: theory: 11 hours; practice: 15 hours; tutorials: 0.5 hours and other tasks scheduled by the lecturer: 3.5 hours
Autonomous work: individual study: 15 hours; elaboration of essays: 10 hours; revision of bibliography, library, etc: 10 hours and exam(s): 10 hours.**
**As the course descriptor from the original Degree program states, 10 hours will be dedicated to carrying out the final exams. Three of these hours will be spent in the final exam session itself, while the remaining time should be used in the preparation for this exam.
COURSE SCHEDULE & TIMETABLE:
All the specific information about the schedule & timetables for theoretical and practical class sessions can be found in the Timetable for the 8th semester, as published by the Faculty of Veterinarian Medicine.
Required previous knowledge: B1 level of English (from Secondary school)
Attendance and active participation in class are highly recommended. Students should be capable of doing the work involved in this course on their own. In order to promote this a small percentage of the Final Mark will reflect students' participation in class. Moreover, a certain emphasis will be placed on oral work done throughout the course and this oral work is best done in the classroom itself. In any case, as a university student you are responsible for preparing the work assigned in class whether you attend class or not.
Antonio Alvarez Rodriguez
Coordinador/a- Department
- English and German Philology
- Area
- English Philology
- antonio.alvarez [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
Veronika Prokopova
- Department
- English and German Philology
- Area
- English Philology
- veronika.prokopova [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: Reader
| Friday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | English | Aresa-2 Classroom |
| 18:00-19:00 | Grupo /CLIL_01 | English | Aresa-2 Classroom |
| 05.09.2025 17:00-19:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 8 |
| 07.10.2025 09:00-11:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 8 |