Learning New Foreign Languages

 

Student multilingualism is promoted significantly at the FH Vorarlberg. In addition to English as a compulsory subject in all courses additional foreign languages are also on offer on a voluntary basis. The teaching of course specific content and intercultural knowledge are the focal points. In addition, professional teaching standards based on the latest discoveries in both theory and practice of second language acquisition guarantee the quality of the teaching. Small groups promote communication and, therefore, learning success.

German Culture and Communication

Every year, 30-70 students participate in a German as a Foreign Language course at Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences. The majority of the students are visiting students from partner schools who, as part of their degree programme, are spending a semester in Dornbirn.

The courses focus on both language and culture. During their semester in Austria students not only learn about Austrian culture, but also about the cultures of neighbouring Switzerland and Germany. The home cultures of the students also play an important role in the conception of the courses.

The following course are offered each semester:

• German Culture and Communication - Level 1 (2 ECTS)

• German Culture and Communication - Level 2 (2 ECTS)

• German Culture and Communication - Level 3 (2 ECTS)

The following course is offered in the fall semester:

• German for Business (2 ECTS)

During the orientation programme at the beginning of each semester, students are divided into language groups according to their level of German and attend a fifteen-hour language and culture course. We highly recommend that students participate in this course because the German courses during the semester build on this.

Additional foreign-language services 

At the FH Vorarlberg students also have the opportunity to select an additional foreign-language as an option. Currently the following courses are offered:

• Spanish communication and culture
  

• Italian for your degree and profession
  

• Russian for your degree and profession
  

• Turkish for social work
  
  

A second foreign-language can be learnt irrespective of prior knowledge, degree course and semester.

Language Media Centre (LMC)

The Language Media Centre (Room D1 13, library) gives students the opportunity to work on their foreign language competence both autonomously and independently. This room is equipped for this purpose with 22 computer workstations and modern language learning software for English, German, French, Spanish and Italian.