From a metalinguistic perspective, the educational goals aim at achieving an awareness of the linguistic strategies necessary for the analysis of advertising language online and in newspapers in English. In particular, students should learn to identify which rhetorical strategies and which stylistical features characterise these types of texts.
The educational goals of this module are coherent with the ANGL-01/C sector. Indeed, they are focussed on the study of the English language at a B2 (Vantage) level of competence in English of the Common European Framework. The educational goals are also coherent with those of the Communication Sciences Degree where the module is held (with reference to AREA 10), which is focussed on the analysis of the discourse of mass media in English.
Students wishing to take this exam must have passed the English language entry test (TVI) as per the teaching regulations.
The lectures will place emphasis on the discussion of topics and interaction with students, who will be able to ask for further details. Students may also access language practice support suited to their level of knowledge (AAL). Materials will also be made available on the e-learning platform.
The exam consists of a written test and an oral one. The written test and the oral exam may be taken only at the end of the courses. Students can ONLY take the oral exam once the written language exam has been passed. The oral exam must be taken within 18 months of passing the written language exam. Students are allowed to take the oral test ONLY after passing the written test (pass/fail); the oral test should be taken in any case within 18 months after passing the written test.
The modules are not separable. The examination is organised as follows: A) Written computerised exam (no dictionaries allowed) composed of the following parts: - Listening comprehension, - Use of English (vocabulary) -Grammar - Reading comprehension (Lingua Inglese AAL B2).
B) Oral exam. The oral exam consists of: a) an interview in English with the course instructor on the topics covered in class concerning advertising and newspaper language, as well as on the contents of the course textbooks; b) the application of the theoretical notions discussed in class to examples of advertisements and newspaper articles provided by the course instructor on the day of the oral exam.
The course covers topics related to media discourse - with particular emphasis on the language of advertising and the language of the news. Lexical and grammatical analysis will be developed through reading, translation and commentary on texts considered in the classroom. The analysis of the adverts will be carried out through the methodologies of (verbal and visual) semiotics, intermedial studies, and discourse analysis. It will be necessary to learn the constituent elements of adverts and newspaper/ magazine articles.
Students are allowed to take the oral exam ONLY after passing the written exam; the oral exam should be taken in any case within 18 months after passing the written exam. For beginners, there are intensive English courses available in September as well as other support courses throughout the academic year. Students with international language certifications obtained within the last two years (B2 level, see UNIBG website) are invited to get in touch with the Student Registrar's Office to have them recognised; students will thus obtain university credits and be exempted from taking the written exam and part of the oral exam. Non-attending students are kindly requested to get in touch with the professor at least two months before the oral exam.
