Language and communication studies
The Language Centre is responsible for all language and communication teaching and development of teaching in the area. The administration of the Language Centre and most of the offices of its teaching staff are located on the Main Campus of JAMK (Rajakatu 35) on the second floor of wing G. All language teaching takes place on the Main Campus or at individual schools. For comprehensive information about language and communication studies at JAMK, go to Optima’s Study Forum and select the folder ‘Language Centre’.
Demonstrating language proficiency
The students of universities of applied sciences shall demonstrate in their degree studies or otherwise that they have
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such oral and written language skills in Finnish and Swedish as are required of state officials functioning in a bilingual office in a position requiring a higher education degree as per the Act on the Knowledge of Languages Required of Personnel in Public Bodies (242/2003), and are necessary for practising their profession and for further professional development.
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such written and oral skills in one or two foreign languages as are necessary for practising their profession and for their further professional development.
The requirement stated in item 1 above does not apply to students who have completed their school education in a language other than Finnish or Swedish, or abroad. In such cases, the Head of Language Centre decides on the language requirements.
The Head of Language Centre may exempt a student partially or fully from the language requirements for the following reasons: the student does not have prior studies in the Swedish language, the student does not have prior studies in the English language or a professional has diagnosed the student with serious dyslexia.
The grade of the second national language is marked in words (Good/Satisfactory) in the degree certificate, in compliance with the Government Decree on the Demonstration of Proficiency in the Finnish and Swedish Languages in the Civil Service (481/2003). The written and oral language skills are assessed separately. In accordance with the general practice accepted nationally, grades 1-3 correspond to the verbal grade “Satisfactory”, and grades 4-5 to the verbal grade “Good” in the assessment of the language skills referred to in the Act 424/2003.
Studying languages and communication
Languages and communication can be studied at JAMK University of Applied Sciences as follows:
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by taking part in language and communication teaching and by completing the tasks required for each course
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by requesting accreditation of earlier language studies
Interdisciplinary language and communication studies
The aim of the interdisciplinary language and communication studies (communication skills, Swedish/Finnish, English) is to provide the students with the skills to manage the most important work-related communication situations, both orally and in writing.
Language and communication studies specific to individual degree programmes
In addition to interdisciplinary language and communication studies, a number of degree programmes have language and communication studies that are specifically intended for the students of the degree programmes in question. These field-specific studies are either compulsory or optional. Students outside the degree programmes in question can also include courses covering these vocational or advanced subjects in their elective studies.
Elective language and communication studies
Elective courses of different levels are offered in the following languages: English, Swedish, German, French, Russian, Spanish, Chinese and Italian. Students may also study Chinese, Japanese and possibly other languages at the Language Centre of the University of Jyväskylä. The permit for the studies at the JYU Language Centre must be obtained from the student’s Head of the Department at JAMK.
Foreign students
Foreign exchange and degree students can study Finnish as a foreign language in groups of different levels. Language courses of different levels where teaching is in English are also offered as elective studies.
Course offering of the Language Centre in 2012-2013
Interdisciplinary language and communication studies
Refresher courses
Elective language and communication studies