Free Language courses

1. Eligibility

1.1 All students registered for an undergraduate programme of study at this University are eligible to apply for a Free Language Course.

1.2 Students must be based on campus and available to attend classes for the full academic year in order to participate in these courses.

1.3 ‘Free’ places are funded by your home School/College. The number of places in each course is limited and unfortunately not all applicants can be accommodated.

1.4 Places are not available to students already undertaking a language course as an optional module for credit in their programme of study.

1.5 We are currently extending this opportunity to all campus-based postgraduate students and UoB staff where availability permits. However, the scheme is set up primarily to extend the learning opportunities available to undergraduate students, who are given priority for places.

1.6 We reserve the right to decline enrolments which are not appropriate to your previous knowledge or experience of the language at the levels of study offered.

2 Application procedure and allocation of places

2.1 Information and application is available to current students and staff of the University during the summer for the next academic year.

2.2 New incoming students can apply for language classes. However, we can only confirm a place once you have fully completed the University registration process.

2.3 One application only per student/staff will be accepted. Duplicate applications will be removed and only the latest application will be counted.

2.4 Applications made after the published deadline will not be accepted.

2.5 If demand for a language course exceeds the number of spaces available, ‘Free’ places are allocated on a random basis to the applications received. We do not operate a ‘first come, first served’ allocation process.

2.6 You can take only one free language course (or accredited Languages for All module) in an academic year.

2.7 Successful applicants are notified at their University email address. Unless you notify us that you wish to cancel your application, you will be expected to join the course you have been offered and you will be registered for the module in the normal way.

2.8 Cancellations must be made at the earliest opportunity in writing to lfa@contacts.bham.ac.uk. This will avoid potential conflicts in your timetable and will allow us to offer your place to another applicant.

2.9 Unsuccessful applicants are informed as soon as possible after the applications deadline and a waiting list will be kept until week1 of teaching. Places which become available through cancellations will be offered to unsuccessful applicants at the email address given in their application.

3. Module registration

3.1 Free Language Course places are allocated for the full academic year and you will be registered for the appropriate module as part of the enrolment process.

3.2 Free Language modules are zero-credit rated and will not impact in any way on other modules or the calculation of end-of-year marks or degree classifications.

3.3 You will also be registered to the corresponding Canvas course, where you can access course material.

3.4 When multiple teaching timeslots are available, you will be automatically allocated to a timeslot according to your timetable. University staff will be contacted separately about multiple teaching timeslots in Welcome Week.

3.5 For some of our language classes, we only offer one group, so please be mindful that it will not be possible to assign you to alternative classes if there are timetable clashes.

4. Workload and commitment

4.1 We ask that you are committed to attending weekly classes and complete all the work involved in Semester 1 and Semester 2 before taking up a place which might be of greater benefit to another applicant.

4.2 If your language course uses a textbook, you are expected to have access to prescribed course textbook for the duration of the course. Copies may be available in the Main library.

4.3 Do not make an application if you are off campus on placement for part of the year (e.g. in Semester 2) and therefore cannot commit to classes for the full duration of the courses.

4.4 Any student who does not attend the first class without prior notification to Languages for All will forfeit their place on the course with immediate effect. Their registration will be cancelled, and the vacant place will be offered to another applicant.

4.5 Free Language Courses equate to taking an additional 20-credit module, but without formal assessment. Before accepting a place, students should be aware of the commitment required and take this into account when considering their workload over the full academic year.

4.6 Most Languages for All classes include a mix of UG/PGT students and university staff who may be taking a language module as a credited module or a Free Language course.

4.7 The deadline for transfer requests (to a different language course/level) and withdrawals from the scheme is on the Friday of Week 1 of teaching in Semester 1. N.B. transfers are only possible in agreement with the Language Lead and if there are spaces on the module and it fits with your timetable.

4.8 Please note that non-attendance of the module or withdrawal from the module may have an impact on the Birmingham Award points being awarded.

5. Completion

5.1 In line with University policy, a minimum of 70% attendance is required.

5.2 You must achieve a pass standard in at least six pieces of formative assessment, three of which must be completed in Semester 2. These are informal assessments, to be taken as part of normal coursework, and their format will vary by language and level. ‘Pass standard’ means that it would be awarded a mark of at least 40% if graded;

5.3 If you pass, the Free Language Course will appear on your end-of-year transcript with a Pass. Numeric marks are not awarded for these courses.

5.4 Certificates of completion for the module can be issued upon request to staff. Please email the class tutor and module convenor at the end of semester 2 as these will not be issued automatically. Module convenors will be able to confirm whether you have fulfilled the requirements to pass the module and will issue the certificate accordingly. Please note that the University of Birmingham Free Language Course modules are not formally assessed with summative assessments and are 0-credit modules. The certificate is not the equivalent of a certification language test.