LV EN RU DE FR

Professional English

Course developer

Course abstract

The study course is aimed at the of development of students’ foreign language (English) knowledge and skills necessary for comprehending, interpreting and evaluating professional information, explaining and comparing processes, participating in discussions, giving presentations in professional and academic environments as well as for communication with foreign students, specialists and academic staff. The focus is on the terminology related to surveying and land management. The English language proficiency level corresponds at least level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for foreign languages.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge and understanding terminology of field.
Students know terms from the field of:
- university education, cartography, GIS applications, remote sensing, environment and sustainable development, skills and responsibilities of a surveyor (Test No. 1),
- cadastre, registration of land ownership rights, real estate, real estate market, housing conditions, valuation of real estate, land use planning,surveying tools, photogrammetry (Test No. 2).
Skills:
students are able to define terms, select professional information, explain procedures in relation to the real estate ownership rights and real estate market, think critically, participate in discussions applying professional terminology and communication skills: in written form - writing descriptions of procedures, business letters; orally - in discussions, dialogues, giving a presentation.
Competence of professional and academic English language in order to apply it creatively in spoken and written communication for student mobility, professional and academic activities in international environment.

Course Content(Calendar)

Full- time studies:
1. The course requirements. University education. Terminology of land management and surveying. Creating a glossary of terms for each topic.2h
2. Cartography. History of cartography. Scale. Direction. Relief.2h
3. GIS applications. Remote sensing.2h
4. Environmental protection. The concept of sustainable development.2h
5. Skills necessary for surveying. Responsibilities in surveying. Writing CV.2h
6. Test No 1. / Presentation skills. Presentation phrases.2h
7. Cadastre in European countries. An example of Denmark. Defining terms.2h
8. Registration of real property. Description of the procedure.2h
9. Real property market in Europe: home ownership, housing stock. Discussion.2h
10. Transactions of real estate. Real estate valuation. An essay.2h
11. Statistics on housing conditions in Europe: age, size, households.2h
12. Land use planning in urban and rural areas. Word building patterns.2h
13. Surveying instruments, their application. / Written communication with customers.2h
14. Photogrammetry products and services, their description.2h
15. Test No. 2. / Components and functions of photogrammetry. Discussion.2h
16. Students’ presentations of individual work.2h
Part-time studies:
All topics specified for full-time studies are implemented, but the number of contact hours is ½ of the specified number of hours

Requirements for awarding credit points

Assessment: Formal test with a grade.
It is made up of cumulative assessment.
Successfully written 2 tests, the glossary of terms for each topic, timely completed home works, completed individual work (reading of professional texts, presentation on a selected topic, the glossary of terms). Tests and home works are with a positive evaluation. The number of the missed classes shall not exceed 20%.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Individual work:
1. Reading of the independently chosen professional texts (the amount: 10 000 characters);
2. Prepared PPoint presentation and oral presentation (5-10 minutes) in front of the class;
Submitted glossary of terms (30 terms, 20 translations, 20 definitions).

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The cumulative assessment is composed of the grades in two tests and a presentation of the individual work. The grade in tests is successful if at least 70% of the answers are correct. All home works should receive a successful grade.

Compulsory reading

1. Walsh S., Dooley J. Career Paths: Real Estate. Books 1 – 3. Express Publishing, 2018. 123 lpp. ISBN 9781471577000
2. Evans V., Dooley J., Blum E. Career Paths: Environmental Science. Books 1 - 3. Express Publishing. 2013. 123 p. ISBN 9781780986692
3. Latvijas Nacionālais terminoloģijas portāls. [tiešsaiste] (skatīts 25.01.2021.). Pieejams: https://termini.gov.lv/
4. Czerw A., Durlik B., Hryniewicz M. Geo-English. Wydawniciwa AGH, Krakow, 2010. 219p. ISBN 9788374643566

Further reading

1. Cambridge Dictionary. Cambridge University Press. [tiešsaiste] [skatīts 25.01.2021.]. Pieejams: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/
2. McCarthy M., O'Dell F. English Vocabulary in Use. Upper-Intermediate. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2017. 309 p. ISBN 101316631753
4. Linder W. Digital Photogrammetry. Springer. 2016. 209 p. ISBN 139783662504628

Periodicals and other sources

1.Journal GEO Informatics [tiešsaiste] [Skatīts 25.01.2021.] Pieejams: http://www.geoinformatics.com
2. Environmental Science [tiešsaiste] [Skatīts 25.01.2021] Pieejams: http://www.environmentalscience.org/
3. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. [tiešsaiste] [Skatīts 25.01.2021.] Pieejams: http://www.fao.org

Notes

The study course is included in the compulsory part of the professional Bachelor’s degree programme “Land Management and Surveying” full-time studies and part-time studies