Program Overview
The Effat College of Humanities offers the Associate Diploma in French Language and Civilization program.
The program aims to rapidly develop French communication skills in all its students, including those who enter at Beginners level. The emphasis is on making fast progress in French listening and speaking, while the other skills are used to underpin communication. The Program organization throughout is intensive and based on Blended Learning. This will be further explained below.
Students may enter at Intermediate level if they have already taken French classes elsewhere. For those entering above Beginners' level, there will be a short Entrance Test. It is possible to join at any of the three levels: Beginners, Intermediate and Post-Intermediate One, provided the candidate has the required equivalences.
The Associate Diploma in French Language and Civilization Program is designed to build firstly communication skills (understanding speech and speaking themselves) to motivate students, then to consolidate these skills through underpinning them with the other language skills. In the Post-Intermediate levels, One and Two, students master two different kinds of specialized French and, in Level Two, they also polish the general language skills acquired in the previous levels (whether at Effat University or elsewhere).
We offer an array of innovative, Specialized French courses, so that students feel highly motivated to learn. Students' choices will be guided by their current interests and future hopes. Below is a list of specializations, which may be added to. Two of these will be taken in the last (viz. the third) semester of the Diploma, where an intensive half-semester is devoted to each.
- French for Business and Retail
- French and the Francophone World
- French for Healthcare and the Community
- French for the Fashion Industry
- French for Sports and the Media
- French for Tourism and Hospitality
We should also point out here that these Specialized French courses could provide a bridge for students eligible to join the University's MTI Program (Masters in Translation & Interpreting), who are interested in taking its optional French Interpreting courses.
Furthermore, if students are interested in studying in France at some point, they may do extra self-study in order to prepare for the French Ministry of Education's DELF Exam. It has four levels, in the four skills: A1, A2, B1 and B2. In addition to essay-writing skills, knowledge of socio-cultural topics in France is expected. The best time for students to sit the DELF would be after completing the ECOH Beginners' level or after the ECOH Intermediate level or after the Post-Intermediate level (after the Specialized French and the DFR 122 Polishing course). The DELF expects essay writing in French as well as socio-cultural knowledge of France. The Instructor can recommend preparatory materials.
Throughout the Diploma, our Blended Learning course design – presential and online teaching/ learning – allows us to cover ground more quickly, as well as respond to individual students' needs or queries, between classes. In line with modern international practice, the taught-online parts of a Blended Learning course, whether synchronous or asynchronous, count exactly as much as the presential parts. The usual extra student work (assignments, preparation, review…) will be in addition to these Blended Learning hours. Our Blended Learning format allows us to teach a more intensive course in a shorter time: successful students complete their Diploma in just 18 months. From the point of view of mature students, who may have working and/or parenting responsibilities, our Associate Diploma in French Language and Civilization avoids having to spend too many hours on-campus, while nevertheless doing an intensive week's work for a whole semester or as specified.
Due to the Blended Learning course design, some of the coursework will also be online: students will be able to use their phones, tablets etc., in their own time, either to carry out directed assignments on topics covered or to read/watch/listen ahead to an item that will be covered in the next presential or online class. Part of their online coursework will include, for instance, self-recording work in French for subsequent evaluation by the instructor.
Educationbal objectives
The Effat College of Humanities (ECoH) Associate Diploma in French Language and Civilization Program aims to:
- Quickly have students understanding spoken French, according to their level.
- Quickly have students communicating in spoken French, according to their level.
- Integrate cultural knowledge and interest in the Francophone world through engaging materials.
- Build students' writing skills as anchors for their communication skills of speaking and understanding.
- Build students' reading skills as bolsters for their rule-learning through discovery in the language.
- Provide individualized responses and coaching to students through the online elements of the Blended Learning, between presential classes.
Allow students to do some coursework in their own time (asynchronously) as many may be employed.
Target Audience
- Tourism guide
- Diplomatic missions
- Business Management
- Media and Journalism
Program learning outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding:
-
K1- Know about French vocabulary and structure.
-
K2- Understand French spoken by natives from various geographic areas.
Skills:
-
S1- Communicate confidently in spoken and written French both general and specialized.
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S2- Extract information and details on a range of topics at natural speed and from different accents;
-
S3- Interact with others in French, taking an active part in discussions;
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S4- Do presentations in French on various topics using digital tools.
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S5- Read for understanding in general French and in two types of specialized French;
Value:
-
V1- Demonstrate responsibility and intercultural understanding.
Admission Requirements:
- High School or equivalent
Study Plan
-
1 Year (3 Levels)
24
SAR 1,000
SAR 1,150
SAR 24,000
SAR 27,600
Courses Tuition Breakdown:
-
Levels 1 (8 weeks)
-
Beginner Listening & Speaking Skills BL (Blended Learning)
4
4,000
4,600
-
Beginner Reading Skills BL (Blended Learning)
2
2,000
2,300
-
Beginner Writing Skills BL (Blended Learning)
2
2,000
2,300
-
Level 1 Summary
8
8,000
9,200
-
Levels 2 (8 weeks)
-
Intermediate Listening & Speaking Skills BL (Blended Learning)
4
4,000
4,600
-
Intermediate Reading Skills BL (Blended Learning)
2
2,000
2,300
-
Intermediate Writing Skills BL (Blended Learning)
2
2,000
2,300
-
Level 2 Summary
8
8,000
9,200
-
Levels 3 (8 weeks)
-
General French
2
2,000
2,300
-
Technical Elective I
3
3,000
3,450
-
Technical Elective II
3
3,000
3,450
-
Level 3 Summary
8
8,000
9,200
-
Program Summary
24
SAR 24,000
SAR 27,600
Other Fees
