Cultural Studies and Modern Languages: an Introduction

University of Bristol

You need to login to add your rating.

Start Date: 06 Nov, 2017
4 weeks
Study Content: Videos

Explore the culture, language and national identity of eight countries through their books, images, slogans and monuments

Course Fee: Free

Certificate Cost: See Fees and Eligibility

Enrol Now

Introduction

Introduction Video

Course Description

This course is made available through the eLearnAfrica and FutureLearn partnership.

Are you interested in other countries? Do you want to study and understand other cultures? This free online course will take you on a journey through a number of periods from the medieval to the modern day, from Russia to Europe and all the way to Latin America.

Explore eight countries

Together we’ll explore eight countries by looking at some of the slogans, books, monuments and images which emerged from them over different historical periods. You will learn about the following topics:

Slogans: Franco Basaglia’s La libertà è terapeutica; Dolores Ibárruri’s ¡No pasarán!; Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels’s Proletarier aller Länder, vereinigt euch!

Books: Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables; Dante’s Inferno; Ladislav Fuks’s The Cremator

Monuments: The Holocaust Memorial; The Obelisk of Luxor; The Bronze Horseman

Images: Bouabdellah’s video artwork ‘Belly Dancing to the Marseillaise: French Identity in Video Art’; Shepherd’s map of the Habsburg Empire; The Quauhquechollan’s cloth painting

Learn with 12 cultural experts

You’ll learn with a team of 12 academics from the University of Bristol’s School of Modern Languages. They are experts on different countries and passionate about the study of culture.

They will offer you an understanding of how language and objects/artefacts can reveal insights into nations. You’ll get the chance to discuss these with other learners online, and enjoy further reading, writing and research opportunities.

This four-week course will give you a taste of the university’s BA in Modern Languages where cultural studies plays a key role in the degree alongside the study of foreign languages.

This course is partly funded by Routes into Languages. You can find out more about what to expect in Gloria Visintini’s post for the FutureLearn blog: “What do three slogans tell us about the cultures they come from?”

This course is ideal if you’re thinking about a degree in modern languages, although it is open to anyone. English is the only language needed.

This course is provided through eLearnAfrica’s partnership with FutureLearn.

Please note that, should you choose to purchase a Certificate of Achievement or a Statement of Participation, you will be re-directed to the FutureLearn for processing.

The following information is from the Future Learn website:

What is a Certificate of Achievement?

A Certificate of Achievement is a valuable certificate to prove what you’ve learned on your course.

Your Certificate will include your name; an outline of what you’ve learned and how long it took; the logos of the university and other organisations associated with your course. Your printed certificate will also include the lead educator’s signature.

In addition to the digital and printed certificate, you will receive a detailed transcript of what you’ve learned, how long it took and your average test score (if your course contained tests).

You can view our page about Certificates of Achievement to see what they look like.

How do I qualify for a Certificate of Achievement?

To be eligible to buy a Certificate of Achievement, you must:

complete 90% of the steps in a course (by using the “Mark as complete” button on each step),
attempt every test question in the course,
score over 70% on average across all course tests.

How do I buy a Certificate of Achievement?

If you’re taking a course, we’ll email you details of how to buy a Certificate of Achievement, once you’re eligible for one.

How much does a Certificate of Achievement cost?

The cost of the Certificate of Achievement varies depending on the course. They normally cost from £39.00 (GBP) to £59.00 (GBP) + shipping. The price shown includes a digital and printed certificate and transcript, and VAT or local sales tax. The exact price for your course will be shown within the course itself.

What if I don’t qualify to buy a Certificate of Achievement?

If you don’t qualify to buy a Certificate of Achievement because your test score does not meet the 70% pass threshold, you have a couple of options. You will still be able to purchase a Statement of Participation for the course, or you could join a later run of the course. Unfortunately it is not possible to retake tests in FutureLearn courses.

What is a Statement of Participation?

A Statement of Participation is a collectable printed and digital record that you can buy, to show that you’ve taken part in a FutureLearn course. Statements are available for the vast majority of FutureLearn courses in both digital and printed formats. You can view our page about Statements of Participation to see what they look like.

Your Statement will include your name; a short summary of the course and how long it took; the logo of the university and other organisations associated with your course. In addition, your printed certificate will also include the lead educator’s signature.

Your Statement will confirm that you’ve completed the majority of steps in a course and attempted all test questions, but it will not show your individual level of completion or your test scores.

How do I qualify for a Statement of Participation?

To be eligible to buy a Statement of Participation, you must complete over half of the steps in a course (by using the “Mark as complete” button on each step) and attempt all test questions.

How do I buy a Statement of Participation?

If you’re taking a course, we’ll email you details of how to buy a Statement of Participation, once you’re eligible for one.

To be eligible, you must complete the majority of steps in the course and attempt all test questions. You can check how close you are to being eligible on your course progress page.

How much does a Statement of Participation cost?

The cost of a Statement of Participation varies depending on the course. They cost from at £19.00 (GBP) to £34.00 (GBP) plus shipping. The price shown includes a digital and printed version, and VAT or local sales tax. The exact price for your course will be shown within the course itself.

For more information on Fees and Eligibility, please feel free to consult the Frequently Asked Questions:

If you do not find an answer to your question, you can also contact FutureLearn directly via email, at: feedback@futurelearn.com

The information provided was current as of 22 September 2016. Please visit Certificates and Statements to check for changes.

Certificate cost may vary. You will be redirected to the host page for cost and payment options.

This course is provided through eLearnAfrica’s partnership with FutureLearn. To go directly to a specific Category of Frequently Asked Questions, please feel free to click on any of the links below (you will be redirected to the FutureLearn website):

University of Bristol

University of Bristol is one of the leading institutions among the UK’s Russell Group of universities.

With roots dating back to 1876, the University of Bristol now operates globally and is recognised for its research and academic excellence.

The University has a strong interdisciplinary approach and regularly features among the top ranking institutions in global league tables.

The University of Bristol’s mission is ‘to pursue and share knowledge and understanding, both for their own sake and to help individuals and society fulfil their potential’. This is underpinned by a vision where the University of Bristol is an international powerhouse of learning, discovery and enterprise, whose excellence is acknowledged locally, nationally and globally, and that is:

dedicated to academic achievement across a broad range of disciplines, and to continuous innovation and improvement
research-intensive, supporting both individual scholarship and interdisciplinary or thematic research of the highest quality
a centre for intellectually demanding, research-informed education that nurtures independence of mind and helps students achieve their personal goals and serve society’s needs, both during and after their time at the university
an inclusive and collaborative community of scholarship that attracts and retains people with outstanding talent and potential from all walks of life and all parts of the world
a stimulating and supportive environment for all students and staff, distinguished by a commitment to high standards, respect for the individual and a strong sense of collegiality
committed to operating in a sustainable manner
engaged with society’s interests, concerns, priorities and aspirations
a major contributor culturally, environmentally and economically to Bristol and the South West
well led and responsibly run, with an emphasis on consultative decision-making and open communication as well as personal responsibility and accountability

Key to Bristol’s vision is a continual innovation of its curriculum and methods of providing the highest quality research-led learning experience.

This institution is available on eLearnAfrica through partnership with FutureLearn.

You may be able to download course materials after enrolling in this course. If not, all of the necessary course materials provided by the course instructor will be available on the provider's course page.

COLLABORATION POLICY

By enrolling in a course on or through eLearnAfrica, you are joining a special worldwide community of learners. The aspiration of eLearnAfrica is to provide anyone with an internet connection access to courses from the best universities and institutions in the world and to provide our learners the best educational experience internet technology enables. You are a part of the community that will help eLearnAfrica achieve this goal. eLearnAfrica depends upon your motivation to learn the material and to do so with honesty and academic integrity. In order to participate in eLearnAfrica, you must agree to the Honor Code below and any additional terms specific to a class.

ELEARNAFRICA HONOR CODE PLEDGE

By enrolling in a course, program, or degree hosted on the eLearnAfrica App or Site, I agree that I will:

Complete all tests and assignments on my own, unless collaboration on an assignment is explicitly permitted.
Maintain only one user account and not let anyone else use my username and/or password.
Not engage in any activity that would dishonestly improve my results, or improve or hurt the results of others.
Not post answers to problems that are being used to assess student performance.
Abide by any and all requirements of the eLearnAfrica Participants as may regard the expectations of civil or academic behavior or of community standards.

VIOLATIONS

If you are found in violation of the Terms and Conditions or Honor Code, you may be subject to one or more of the following actions:

Receiving a zero or no credit for an assignment;
Having any certificate earned in the course withheld or revoked;
Being unenrolled from a course, learning program or degree program; or
Termination of your use of the App and/or Site.
Additional actions may be taken at the sole discretion of eLearnAfrica and eLearnAfrica course providers.

No refunds will be issued in the case of any corrective action for such violations.

Honor code violations will be determined at the sole discretion of eLearnAfrica, the Partners, or Members. You will be notified if a determination has been made that you have violated this honor code and you will be informed of the corresponding action to be taken as a result of the violation.

CHANGING THE HONOR CODE

Please note that we review and may make changes to this Honor Code from time to time. Any changes to this Honor Code will be effective immediately upon posting on this page, with an updated effective date. By accessing the App and/or Site after any changes have been made, you signify your agreement on a prospective basis to the modified Honor Code and any changes contained therein. Be sure to return to this page periodically to ensure familiarity with the most current version of this Honor Code.

Effective Date: September 22, 2016