By the end of the course unit, the student will be able to:
Understand simplified and popularized scientific articles related to their field of specialization.
Write the abstract of a simplified and popularized scientific article.
Give a short informative presentation using visual aids and lead a brief discussion on a controversial scientific topic related to their field of study.
Debate various controversial scientific topics in their field, presenting and supporting their arguments.
The main objective of the course is to enable students to communicate clearly, using standard English, scientific content presented in an accessible way on topics related to their field of study.
Course materials posted on WebCampus.
See course programme on WebCampus.
Additional exercises on WebCampus.
Introduction to Scientific English (level B1 and above) [SCDLB103]
The course is taught in person through interactive sessions conducted in English. Regular attendance and active participation are essential for progress, as language learning relies above all on practice. Opportunities to practise language production are provided in every class.
Particular attention is paid to the student workload, specifically the balance between in-person class hours and the credits allocated to the course. Approximately one third of the course credits (1 credit out of 3, approximately 30 hours) will be completed in person with the instructor, while the remaining two thirds (2 credits, approximately 60 hours) will be completed remotely using the resources available on the WebCampus platform.
The final grade for the course is calculated as follows:
Continuous assessment – Q1 (25%):
Two language proficiency tests (15%)
Oral presentation followed by a debate (10%)
Continuous assessment – Q2 (15%):
Two language proficiency tests
Continuous assessment throughout the academic year (10%):
Writing a “personal diary”
June examination session (50%):
Language proficiency test (10%)
Writing the abstract of a simplified and popularized scientific article (20%)
Oral examination (20%)
There is therefore no examination during the January examination session. The January grade will reflect the continuous assessment for the first semester (25%).
All assignments must comply with the instructions given in class. Failure to follow these instructions will result in failure or a penalty. Under no circumstances may they be completed using generative AI.
Absence or a signature-only attendance grade for any part of the examination will result in an absence or signature-only attendance grade for the examination as a whole.
For the August examination session, students who have failed must retake the component(s) for which they did not obtain at least 10/20. Continuous assessment will no longer be taken into account.
Absence or a signature-only attendance grade for any component being retaken will result in an absence or signature-only attendance grade for the assessment as a whole.
In the event of a second failure, all components of the examination must be retaken the following academic year. Partial grades cannot be carried over from one academic year to the next.
Important note: Passing this course unit does not in any way certify that the student has reached any particular level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Course materials: Course documents are available on the WebCampus platform.
Recommended grammar and vocabulary books:
English Grammar in Use
Oxford Practice Grammar
English Vocabulary in Use
| Training | Block | Credits | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Geography : General | 2 | 3 | Yes |
| Bachelor in Geology | 2 | 3 | Yes |