PROGRAMME
A. Intensive Romanian Language Courses
The Intensive Romanian Language Courses are based on a communicational perspective, in that vocabulary and grammar will be constantly subject to interactive purposes. In other words, we won’t lay stress on theoretical knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, but on the students’ ability to communicate in everyday situations. At the same time, the students will become familiar with the main speech acts (apologies, thanking, and congratulating, complimenting, giving advice, expressing an emotion etc.) and with the Romanians’ cultural manner of speaking. In line with the European Language Passport, our courses focus on the four language skills: listening, speaking (spoken interaction, spoken production), reading, and writing.
See Europass information.
The Romanian language courses are given by the University of Bucharest academics, specialists in linguistics and communication, with a wide national and international experience in teaching and testing Romanian as a foreign language.
Students will receive a textbook and various handouts (literary and nonliterary texts, newspapers and magazines etc.), according to their level, and (when possible) to their individual option. We will use audio and video support, mainly for listening classes. Each classroom is equipped with computer, sound station, video projector and screen.
Students will be divided into three or four groups, according to their level, which will be initially tested.
Applicants are kindly requested to specify their presumed language level in the application form.
Language levels are the following:
Level A1-A2 (basic) aims at the acquisition of basic phonetic, grammatical and lexical structures, integrated in everyday conversational topics (i.e. ‘Pleased to Meet You’, ‘What time is it?’, ‘On the Street’, ‘At the Supermarket’, ‘At the Market’, ‘At a Restaurant’, ‘At the Bank/Exchange Office’, ‘Weather. Climate’, ‘At the Station’, ‘At a Hotel’, ‘On the Phone’, ‘Hey, taxi!’, ‘My House’, ‘Family’, ‘Daily Schedule’, ‘At the Postal Office’ etc.). By the end of the course, the student will be able to interact in everyday, specific situations.
Level B1-B2 (intermediate) aims at improving grammar and at extending and refining vocabulary. The topics are to be extended based on the study of literary texts of average difficulty, of nonliterary texts (mainly journalistic), and on listening classes (excerpts from radio and television broadcasts). The student is expected to become an independent speaker, improving his / her abilities of understanding and producing texts.
Level C1 (advanced) aims at improving and refining grammar, vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, specialized terminology, characteristics of spoken Romanian), phraseology, and stylistic registers of contemporary Romanian. The topics are to be widely extended based on the study of literary texts of increased difficulty, of nonliterary texts (according to the students’ interests) and on listening classes (excerpts from radio and television broadcasts). The student is expected to become an experimented speaker, able to attain a high level of proficiency.
By the end of the program, students will receive an attendance certificate. On request, they can take a language proficiency test, based on the model of the European Language Passport. The certificate of language proficiency is issued by the University of Bucharest. The costs of the exam are included in the course participation fee.
Romanian language courses schedule: 20 class hours per week (4 class hours a day), from 9.30 to 13.30. In Romania, a class hour lasts 50 minutes.
B. Lectures on Romanian Culture and Civilization
The Lectures on Romanian Culture and Civilization are given in Romanian by academics, men of culture, artists, and they are addressed to advanced students. Hence, for B2 and C1 levels, 2 times a week, the course programme runs as follows: from 9.30 to 12.00 – Romanian language course, and from 12.00 to 13.30 – Lectures on Romanian Culture and Civilization.
C. Workshops
Students can choose one of the following workshops, running twice a week from 17.30 to 19.00 (the scheduled hours can be modified according to circumstances):
1. Intensive listening: a very useful activity for advanced students and conference interpreters, which aims at improving the understanding of authentic oral texts.
2. Romanian Customs and Traditions: a workshop destined to those interested in traditional culture, in folklore and ethnographical issues.
3. Theatre: a truly creative workshop which helps you express yourself through gesture and mimics and learn Romanian using games and improvisational exercises.
Applicants are kindly requested to tick in the application form the workshop they would like to attend.
D. Romanian Films with English Subtitles
Films run two or three times a week at the university. Due to the English subtitles, the films are destined to all students, irrespective of their language level. We included in our selection the latest productions of the Romanian films directors, distinguished in the most important international festivals (Cristian Mungiu, Cristi Puiu, Corneliu Porumboiu, Cătălin Mitulescu, Cristian Nemescu, Florin Şerban a.s.o.)
E. Cultural Programme and Trips
The cultural programme includes museum visits, performances, a musical evening, walking tours in the park, Bucharest sightseeing and outskirts (Mogoşoaia Palace), two one-day trips (lunch included) organized during the weekends.
F. Cocktails and Multicultural Evenings
The organizers offer a welcome party and a final one. Students are kindly invited to organize one multicultural evening, during which to present images, music, specific customs and traditions, local objects or to offer food and drinks (if possible) from their countries of origin.
Accommodation
Students are lodged in a 3 star hotel close to the University of Bucharest Rectorate.
You can choose one of the following two accommodation variants:
- single room – 43 euro / per night
- a place in a double room (which you will share with another student)- 26 euro / per night.
All rooms have air conditioning, satellite TV, phone, and free internet wireless (for personal laptop), mini-bar, bathrooms with shower cabin and bidet, and hair drier. The cost of the room includes a Full Breakfast Buffet.
For reservation and payment formalities, the applicants have to contact SIQUA Hotel.The reservation form for the single room / a bed in a double room can be downloaded here (
reservation-form-hotel-siqua-2013) . The reservation form must be sent to SIQUA Hotel by fax (004 021 319 51 62) or e-mail (rezervari@hotelsiqua.ro) until July 8th, 2013.
Locations
The Romanian Language Courses, lectures and workshops are held at the Faculty of Letters, Edgar Quinet Street no.5-7, phone / fax: 0040 21 313 43 36; 0040 21 314 61 77 (http://blog.litere.ro/).
The Faculty of Letters is situated in the heart of Bucharest, at 15-20 minutes walking distance from the Siqua Hotel. You can also reach the Faculty of Letters in 7-10 minutes by bus (no. 336) or by trolleybus (no. 61, 66, 69, 90, 91) (3 stops).
Costs
The participation fee for the Romanian Summer Courses of the University of Bucharest is 500 euro.
Participation fee includes: participants’ registration, language courses, lectures, workshops, 2 cocktail parties, Bucharest sightseeing tour, short trip to Mogoşoaia Mansion (near Bucharest), 2 one-day trips (lunch included) during the weekends, cultural activities specified in the programme, textbooks and auxiliary handouts, the final language proficiency test and certificate.
Participation fee does NOT cover: accommodation, students’ lunch and dinner, hotel extra services (mini-bar, room-service, phone calls, laundry etc.), international or local transport, visa tax (only if required). The accommodation costs are to be paid directly to SIQUA Hotel, under the terms and conditions set forth in the registration form.
The applicants for the Romanian Summer Courses have to pay a non-refundable deposit of 50 euro until June 15th, 2013 into the bank account of the University of Bucharest:
RO87RNCB0076010452620003
BCR sector 5
CUI: 4505502
SWIFT: RNCBROBU
The remaining amount (450 euro) has to be paid on the arrival day in Bucharest, by credit card or cash.
Participants are advised to have an international medical insurance. Organizers are not responsible for hospital costs or other medical services.
Last updated at: March 13, 2013.