General provisions

The course is offered as contract education for international researchers, lecturers and doctoral students at Uppsala University.

Entry requirements

General entry requirements (except the Swedish language requirement). The course Swedish for Academics 2 (or the equivalent skill in Swedish) is also required.

Learning outcomes

Upon completing the course, international researchers, lecturers and doctoral students with foreign education backgrounds and native languages other than the Scandinavian languages and Finnish, will have to acquired basic skills in the Swedish language and some knowledge about Swedish culture and society.

Part 1. Reading Comprehension and Writing Proficiency (4.5 credits)

After completing the course, students will:

• be able to demonstrate knowledge of and apply fairly accurately the rules of Swedish language structure
• have such a developed vocabulary that they can deal with situations beyond everyday life
• be able to read and comprehend newspaper articles and other authentic Swedish texts
• be able to respond in writing and comment on various facts/opinions

Part 2. Listening Comprehension and Oral Proficiency (3 credits)

After completing the course, students will:

• be able to hold presentations about and explain factual topics, and in doing so, use more developed language
• be able to participate in conversations and discussions about both familiar and unfamiliar topics and events
• be able to understand what is said on the radio and the TV, such as news or entertainment programs, but also some factual programs that don't make excessive demands of the student's prior knowledge

Content

Systematic reading and practising of basic grammatical structures and principles of pronunciation. Intensive and extensive reading of textbooks as well as fairly easy authentic texts. Exercises in pronunciation. Exercises in listening comprehension. Oral and written communication. Swedish society and culture.

Part 1: Reading Comprehension and Writing Proficiency, 4.5 credits

Part 2: Listening Comprehension and Oral Proficiency, 3 credits

Instruction

The instruction consists of seminars and group exercises.

Assessment

Assessment will be carried out continuously throughout the course. In addition, Part 1 will be examined through a written exam, and Part 2 will be examined through a listening comprehension exam, both at the end of the course. A two-grade scale (Pass, Fail) will be used. Students must have completed required course assignments and final exams to pass the course. There will be a re-test arranged (within a reasonable time after the original exam) for students who fail the final exams.