Discover university life and academic programs at UNamur while reviewing the essential subjects for your future studies. 

To help you start your first year of studies on a solid foundation, the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures offers courses and exercises at the end of August that allow you to assess and develop your skills in the four language skills—listening, reading, speaking, and writing—in the two Germanic languages of your choice from among English, German, or Dutch.

These courses allow you to: 

• discover various courses in Germanic languages and literature; 
• get acquainted with the methodological principles of your discipline; 
• learn about the demands of university life and student life; 
• meet faculty members in a less formal setting; 
• explore your options for choosing a major. 

These preparatory courses are also (and especially) beneficial if you had very little or no German in high school and wish to study the language.

Test your knowledge and skills with "Passports to the Baccalaureate"

Starting in the first year, the “Passports to the Bac” allow you to compare your knowledge and skills with your teachers’ expectations.

Following these tests, the Faculty offers sessions and workshops to help you strengthen your:

• reading strategies;
• question analysis and the ability to construct appropriate answers.

This helps you fill any gaps in your knowledge and sets you up for success.

To succeed in your first year, you need effective strategies.

Every Wednesday, two-hour study skills sessions are held to help you get familiar with university learning techniques:

• taking clear and comprehensive notes;
• summarizing and synthesizing course material;
• gaining a deep understanding of the material;
• developing your study tools;
• absorbing large amounts of information;
• manage your time during the semester and exam periods;
• organize your work;
• anticipate instructors’ expectations.

In addition to these study skills sessions, your faculty’s Academic Support Unit organizes individual feedback sessions after your tests and exams. If you request it, you can also receive personalized support throughout the year.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your study methods in general, the Interfaculty Academic Support Unit also offers individual support. An advisor is available to review your study methods and techniques and help you improve them.

Finally, on the eve of the first exam period, you can participate in a discussion and advice session with second- or third-year students under the supervision of the Academic Support Unit.

Learn to write effectively and deepen your understanding of texts.

The Academic Support Center helps you improve your skills in various areas.

• writing assignments and exam answers:
  • through French language tests at the beginning of the year assessing spelling, vocabulary, and syntax;
  • through workshop sessions and online exercises;
  • through the organization of mock exams (November tests);
  • through individual follow-up (via email and in person);
• Reading and comprehension of university-level texts:
  • through a reading test at the beginning of the year;
  • through remedial sessions on reading strategies.

For certain written assignments, you also receive specialized support from the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, including detailed feedback on both individual and group assignments.

You will receive special support if your native language is not French.

Study regularly, develop effective study habits, and familiarize yourself with your professors’ expectations and their testing styles.

In the first year, formative assessments are conducted. Professors grade your papers, provide feedback, and hold group review sessions. Following these assessments, the Academic Support Unit organizes individual progress meetings and offers more personalized follow-up, particularly in French.

These assessments do not factor into the grades that will be assigned at the end of the year. They are solely a learning tool to help you understand the professors’ expectations and assess the effectiveness of your work. Beyond the first year, you will be better able to tailor your efforts to the nature and importance of each subject in the curriculum. You will therefore no longer have regular quizzes, except as part of the tutorials.

January, June, and, if necessary, August… three exam periods to demonstrate your mastery of the material.

In the first annual block (first 60 credits), you must take all exams for the first semester’s courses in January. If you fail, you may retake the exam in question in June and/or August. That gives you three chances to pass. After that, any exam not passed in the January or June session is carried over to the August session.

Exams may be assessed in writing or orally.

Instructors prioritize open-ended questions and ensure a combination of oral and written formats to assess various skills, including language skills. Many instructors use methods designed to encourage the creative application of knowledge to examples not covered in class. For many courses, a significant portion of the grade is determined by individual or group projects, completed in various written or oral formats. Language skills acquired during exercises are generally assessed on a continuous basis (active participation) or through group or individual assignments.

Each instructor will inform you of their requirements and the exam procedures. Several instructors provide sample questions verbally or via the intranet.

You will complete your program by demonstrating, through your final project, that you have acquired a research approach and the ability for personal and critical reflection, in accordance with the standards of your chosen discipline (literature/linguistics).