Volda University College

ONE‑YEAR COURSE IN NORWEGIAN LANGUAGE AND CIVILIZATION FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS

PURPOSE

The course aims to give students knowledge and skills necessary for studies at Norwegian colleges and universities. The emphasis is on giving students good general capabilities in Norwegian language. The course is also meant to make it easier for students to adapt to the Norwegian society.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

To be accepted for the course, applicants must satisfy the general entrance requirements for Norwegian colleges. For applicants from some countries 1 - 2 years of university studies will be required. TOEFL-test in English is not required, but the minimum level of English must be documented at an upper secondary level. Knowledge of Norwegian language is not required at the entrance stage.

COURSE CONTENT

A)  Norwegian language

The course in Norwegian language aims to make students able to
‑  read and understand contemporary texts, literary texts, non‑fiction, and vocational texts
‑  understand lectures in Norwegian in their own special field of study, and take down lecture
  notes
‑  carry on a conversation about everyday issues and about topics from their own special field
  of study
‑  speak Norwegian reasonably correctly with correct intonation patterns
‑  write Norwegian without serious errors
‑  read texts at normal speed

In the first part of the course the main emphasis is on phonetics and grammar. Students are trained to understand spoken Norwegian and read fairly easy texts. Later, more emphasis is placed on vocabulary knowledge and on writing.

Teaching methods will vary between lectures, group work, language laboratory exercises and homework. The language exercises will comprise textreading, role play, conversation and interviews, listening comprehension, dictation, report writing, grammatical exercises and essay writing, adapted to the content of the teaching and the skill level of the students. At regular intervals advisory testing will be carried out.

Throughout the course students will have to read Norwegian language texts intensively as well as extensively.

The teaching programme gives instruction in bokmål, but the students take an obligatory course (8-10 hours) that comprises language history, nynorsk and some Norwegian dialects.  During the oral examination questions may be asked about the content of this course or fram a compendium of nynorsk texts which is a part of the course curriculum.

B)  Norwegian Social Studies

The course in Norwegian Social Studies aims to give students the general overview they need when they begin their vocational studies. It is also meant to provide an insight into Norwegian social structures and the living conditions of Norwegians.
Teaching in Social Studies has text reading as its basis, and is to the greatest possible extent co‑ordinated with the teaching in Norwegian Language.