Spanish Certificate - CE #1181
2015-2016 Program Handbook
The Conestoga Language Institute
Conestoga College Institute of Technology and
Advanced Learning
Note: This is a companion document to the current
Conestoga College Student Guide.
Revision Date: June 2015
Contents
1.
PROGRAM HANDBOOK GUIDELINES .................................................................. 1
2.
WELCOME .............................................................................................................. 1
2.1
School of Language and Communications Studies ............................................ 1
3.
PROGRAM ACADEMIC TEAM ................................................................................ 3
4.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW .......................................................................................... 4
5.
6.
4.1
Program Description .......................................................................................... 4
4.2
Program Learning Outcomes ............................................................................. 4
4.3
Program Curriculum Sequence/Design .............................................................. 5
4.4
Program Schedule ............................................................................................. 5
4.5
Program Admission ............................................................................................ 6
4.6
Program Materials .............................................................................................. 6
4.7
PLAR – Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition ........................................ 6
4.8
Program Graduation........................................................................................... 6
STUDENT SERVICES INFORMATION ................................................................... 7
5.1
Career Services – Program Specific .................................................................. 7
5.2
Orientation.......................................................................................................... 7
PROGRAM INFORMATION & PROTOCOLS .......................................................... 7
6.1
Program Information .......................................................................................... 7
6.1.1
Academic Assistance................................................................................... 7
6.1.2
Academic Dates .......................................................................................... 7
6.1.3
Awards......................................................................................................... 7
6.2
Program Protocols ............................................................................................. 7
6.2.1
Academic Probation .................................................................................... 8
6.2.2
Academic Standing and Promotion Requirements ...................................... 8
6.2.3
Attendance - Program Protocols.................................................................. 8
6.2.4
Clearance of Academic Deficiency .............................................................. 8
6.2.5
Communication – Program Standard & E-mailing Protocols ....................... 8
6.2.6
Course Add/Drop ......................................................................................... 8
6.2.7
Program Specific Pathways and Degree Completion Opportunities ............ 8
6.2.8
Discontinuance ............................................................................................ 9
6.2.9
Evaluations (deadlines, tests and examinations) ......................................... 9
6.2.10
Re-Admission Requirements .................................................................... 9
6.2.11
Standards of Conduct and Professional Practice ..................................... 9
6.2.12
Program Advisory Committee (PAC) .................................................... 9
6.2.13
Feedback ............................................................................................... 10
7.
FACILITY INFORMATION ..................................................................................... 10
8.
SAFETY INFORMATION ....................................................................................... 11
9.
STUDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND DOCUMENTATION .............................. 11
9.1
10.
Student Protection Acknowledgment ............................................................... 11
REVISION LOG .................................................................................................. 11
1. PROGRAM HANDBOOK GUIDELINES
The purpose of this handbook is to provide students with program specific details and
other important information. The material in this handbook is accurate at the date of
posting, and is applicable for the current academic year. Students will be informed of
handbook changes that occur, if any, through college email. Program handbooks are
updated yearly and students must check their program handbook for the current edition.
2. WELCOME
2.1 School of Language and Communications Studies
Effective language and communication skills are tremendously important in today’s
global economy. Clear communication is an Essential Employability Skill vital to the
effectiveness of every workplace whether you are entering the field of business, health
care, community services, engineering, technology or the trades.
Conestoga offers a series of communications courses ranging from academic writing to
professional writing and presentation skills to provide you with the skills required for
success in your post-secondary programs and in the workplace.
The School of Language and Communications Studies also offers English as a second
language and foreign language programming through the Conestoga Language
Institute. These programs will help you build your skills if English is your second
language or if you want to learn a foreign language for personal, work or academic
reasons.
Programs offered through The Conestoga Language Institute:
•
•
•
•
•
A four-semester English for Academic Studies program to prepare you for
college or university studies.
Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) -- all LINC levels at three
sites in Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo.
Occupation Specific Language Training (OSLT) -Workplace-specific programs
that combine English competency with specialized proficiency in work-related
culture and language.
Courses or programs in a wide variety of languages, including French, German,
Spanish, Italian and Mandarin.
A professional, post-degree certificate program in Teaching English as a Second
Language that prepares you to teach ESL to adults in a variety of settings.
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I invite you to explore the program web pages to learn more about programming offered
through the School of Language and Communications Studies. To find out more about a
particular program, contact a program coordinator directly.
Sincerely,
Christine Buuck
Dean, School of Language and Communications Studies
Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
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3. PROGRAM ACADEMIC TEAM
Dean Continuing Education, Educational Technology & Corporate Training
Sandra Schelling
Doon, Welcome Centre
(519) 748-5220 ext. 3221
sschelling@conestogac.on.ca
Dean, School of Language and Communications Studies
Christine Buuck
Doon, 2A139
519-748-5220 ext. 3675
cbuuck@conestogac.on.ca
Associate Chair, The Conestoga Language Institute
Crystal Brown
Doon, 2A139
(519) 748-5220 ext. 2178
cbrown@conestogac.on.ca
Administrative Assistant
Liliana Pereira
The Conestoga Language Institute
519-748-5220 ext. 3751
Lpereira@conestogac.on.ca
2.1 Program Faculty
Contact information for faculty will typically be provided on the first day of related
courses.
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4. PROGRAM OVERVIEW
4.1 Program Description
The Spanish Language Certificate program is designed to meet the needs of individuals
who desire to achieve high proficiency in the Spanish language. This program will offer
six credit courses intended to help students learn Spanish progressively. Since Spanish
has been a desirable asset to individuals in North America and world-wide, being
proficient in Spanish has become a competitive advantage not only in the business
world but also to travelers interested in Hispanic culture. This program will prepare
students to be proficient in both oral and written Spanish through the six credit courses
that incorporate listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. By the end of the
program students should be able to actively participate in Spanish conversations and
acquire an appropriate understanding of the grammatical and cultural aspects that are
essential for proficiency in the Spanish language. This program has a focus on business
Spanish as well.
4.2 Program Learning Outcomes
Through successful completion of this program, the graduate will have reliably
demonstrated the ability to:
1. Communicate (speaking, listening, writing) effectively with confidence.
2. Identify main ideas of daily conversations in Spanish.
3. Demonstrate abilities to have Spanish conversations in various situations.
4. Write clearly, correctly, and appropriately in Spanish.
5. Translate intermediate-level Spanish sentences into English.
6. Acquire Spanish culture and customs through selected readings on Spanish
culture and literature.
7. Apply Spanish language skills to business situations.
8. Interpret longer and more advanced Spanish literary works and cultural
materials.
9. Apply the language skills acquired through this certification program to traveling
or communicating with clients in Spanish-speaking communities or countries.
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4.3 Program Curriculum Sequence/Design
Courses are designed to be taken in sequence as the material in each course builds
upon previous courses; therefore, please ensure the necessary knowledge and comfort
level are achieved in each course before moving on to the next course. Students must
have completed Spanish IV at a minimum to take Spanish for Business, although the
normal sequence is to take the course after Spanish V.
Level
1
1
1
1
1
1
Course Code
LANG1030
LANG1040
LANG1090
LANG1140
LANG1150
LANG0060
Course Name
Spanish I
Spanish II
Spanish III
Spanish IV
Spanish V
Spanish for Business
Hours
45
45
45
45
45
36
Figure 1: A listing of the Spanish courses required for the certificate program by level,
course code, course name and the number of hours.
Students can find their program design on the Student Portal by following the steps
below:
1.
Log in to Student Portal
2.
Click on ‘My Courses’ tab
3.
Select ‘View Progress Report’ button
Courses are listed by level/semester. Students can also view courses for the most
current program design for this academic year on the Conestoga College website. To
find these courses, students need to scroll down the page to the ‘Program Courses’.
4.4 Program Schedule
Conestoga College reserves the right to modify program schedules when necessary
and in the interest of program improvement. The college also reserves the right to
cancel, postpone, reschedule or combine classes, limit registration, change content,
hours or instructors to meet changing conditions.
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4.5 Program Admission
Students may wish to take courses before deciding on pursuing the program certificate.
For students who wish to pursue the certificate, admission to the program should be
completed no later than the start of Spanish for Business – or the final course of the
program – whichever is first. The Program Application Form for Continuing Education
and Corporate Training Programs must be completed and submitted to the Registrar’s
Office along with the processing fee. The form can be found at the following website
Program Application Form.
4.6 Program Materials
Students are advised that books, course packs and other materials frequently do
change. It is therefore recommended that students wait until the first night of classes to
purchase materials from the bookstore once the instructor has given clear direction
about what is to be purchased.
4.7 PLAR – Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
Conestoga recognizes prior learning of skills, knowledge or competencies that have
been acquired through employment, formal and informal education, non-formal learning
or other life experiences. Prior learning must be measurable at the required academic
level and meet Conestoga standards of achievement for current courses. Challenge
exams and portfolio development are the primary methods of assessment. Other
methods of assessment may be available depending upon the nature of the course
objectives. Successful completion of the assessment results in an official course credit
that will be recorded on the student's Conestoga transcript. PLAR cannot be used by
registered Conestoga students for the clearance of academic deficiencies, to improve
grades or to obtain admission into a program.
For more information on the PLAR process, please visit the testing website Prior
Learning Assessment and Recognition.
The maximum credit allowed through transfer of credits and credits obtained through
(RPL) Recognition of Prior Learning and Assessment for certificate and diploma
programs is 75% of the program credits. Therefore, at least 25% of the program credits
must be taken under the direct supervision of Conestoga faculty.
4.8 Program Graduation
Upon completion of all program courses, students can complete the Application to
Graduate form and submit to the Registrar’s Office along with the required fee.
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5. STUDENT SERVICES INFORMATION
Students can access the Conestoga website for information about services provided by
Accessibility Services and Counselling Services.
For more information on this topic, please refer to your Student Guide located in the
Student Portal.
5.1 Career Services – Program Specific
Students are provided access to MyCareer - Conestoga’s online career solutions
system via the “Services” tab in the Student Portal. Use MyCareer to search summer,
part-time, on-campus and graduate job postings, register for upcoming workshops and
employer events, and access valuable career and employment-related resources.
For more information or to book an appointments visit the Career Services webpage.
5.2 Orientation
Not applicable for this program.
6. PROGRAM INFORMATION & PROTOCOLS
6.1 Program Information
6.1.1 Academic Assistance
Academic assistance is available to students through a variety of avenues. The
program coordinator and faculty can advise students on specific program and course
information.
6.1.2 Academic Dates
For information on academic dates, please refer to your Student Guide located in the
Student Portal.
Note: Not all programs follow listed dates. Contact your program coordinator for more
information.
6.1.3 Awards
For more information visit the Financial Aid webpage.
6.2 Program Protocols
For information on Conestoga’s and student code of conduct, please refer to College
Policies, Procedures and Guidelines webpage or to your Student Guide.
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6.2.1 Academic Probation
For more information visit the College Policies, Procedures and Guidelines webpage
then click on the Academic Administration side tab and search for the document entitled
Academic Standing and Promotion Requirements Procedure.
6.2.2 Academic Standing and Promotion Requirements
Students are required to successfully pass all courses by meeting the specified
minimum requirements in order to continue with the program.
For more information visit the College Policies, Procedures and Guidelines webpage
then click on the Academic Administration side tab and search for the document entitled
Academic Standing and Promotion Requirements Procedure.
6.2.3 Attendance - Program Protocols
Due to the nature of language learning, class attendance and participation is important
to practice oral and aural language skills. Please review each course outline for specific
details.
6.2.4 Clearance of Academic Deficiency
During a student’s academic career, there may be occasions when the student’s
performance results in a failing grade for a course. Conestoga grants students the
opportunity to raise this grade to the minimum passing grade under specific
circumstances.
For more information visit the College Policies, Procedures and Guidelines webpage
then click on the Academic Administration side tab and search for the document entitled
Clearance of Academic Deficiency.
6.2.5 Communication – Program Standard & E-mailing Protocols
Conestoga will assign each student an email account upon enrolment. Conestoga will
communicate information to students via their assigned account, and students are
expected to check their account regularly. Faculty will not respond to emails from
non-Conestoga email addresses.
6.2.6 Course Add/Drop
For more information regarding course add/drop please refer to the Continuing
Education Part-time Studies section of the Student Guide located in the Student Portal.
6.2.7 Program Specific Pathways and Degree Completion Opportunities
For more information regarding program specific pathways and degree completion
opportunities contact your program coordinator.
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6.2.8 Discontinuance
Students may be discontinued from a program if they do not meet specific academic
standards.
For more information visit the College Policies, Procedures and Guidelines webpage
then click on the Academic Administration side tab and search for the document entitled
Discontinuance Policy.
6.2.9 Evaluations (deadlines, tests and examinations)
Copying and plagiarism of assignments will be dealt with in accordance with College
Policy regarding Academic Honesty.
Attendance for exams and tests is mandatory. If you miss an exam or test then a grade
of 0% will be assigned and a re-write will not be permitted. The only time a re-write will
be arranged is when you can provide a medical certificate stating due to illness or other
authorized reasons you were unable to write the exam or test on the scheduled day.
Faculty may choose to handle the makeup tests/exams directly or use the test centre
service.
For more information visit the Testing & Assessment Services webpage.
6.2.10 Re-Admission Requirements
Students are required to apply for re-admission when they have been absent from their
program for one semester or longer unless an Intention Form has been completed
(returning students only), or when the student has withdrawn or been discontinued.
Upon re-admission, students are placed into the current program of study which
determines graduation requirements. Students are subject to the college and program
policies and procedures in place at the time of re-admission.
For more information visit the College Policies, Procedures and Guidelines webpage
then click on the Academic Administration side tab and search for the document entitled
Re-admission Procedure – Post Secondary
6.2.11 Standards of Conduct and Professional Practice
Students have the responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct while
they attend Conestoga.
For more information visit theSecurity Services webpage and click on the Student
Code of Conduct side tab.
6.2.12 Program Advisory Committee (PAC)
9
Each program at Conestoga has a Program Advisory Committee (PAC), which is made
up of industry and academic representatives, as well as current students. They meet
several times a year to discuss the direction in which that industry is heading and any
improvements that can be made to keep the program current. This helps to ensure that
students are learning material that is relevant to their industry. At the beginning of each
year, the coordinator of the program will ask for student volunteers. The coordinator will
decide which students will represent the program. The student representatives are
expected to attend the meetings. Students must prepare and submit a report based on
guidelines provided by the Program Chair/Coordinator which will be presented at the
meeting. Students are expected to be professional, dress in business attire and engage
in discussions.
6.2.13 Feedback
Student feedback is an essential component of our continuous improvement process.
Our opportunities for student feedback include:
Key Performance Indicators
All college programs in the province are evaluated using Key Performance
Indicators (KPIs) through the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. This
survey is conducted each academic year. Strategic goals to improve the
programs are developed from these results. This data and other data specific to
the campus and the program/school are collected so that Conestoga College can
continually improve quality.
Student Appraisal of Teaching
The Student Appraisal of Teaching (SAT) allows direct feedback from students
on teaching for a particular course. Completion of the SAT form gives teachers
and academic managers valuable information to use for improving teaching at
Conestoga.
Continuing Education students may have an opportunity to complete a SAT form
at the conclusion of each Continuing Education course.
7. FACILITY INFORMATION
Refer to the Student Guide located in the Student Portal for information on after-hours
access, parking, and classroom & computer labs.
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To view a list of computer lab locations visit the Current Students webpage then click
on the Computer Lab Information side tab.
Visit the Mobile Apps webpage to download the free Lab Search app for a listing of
computer lab locations.
8. SAFETY INFORMATION
For Conestoga’s safety and security services and procedures please refer to your
Student Guide located in the Student Portal.
9. STUDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND DOCUMENTATION
9.1 Student Protection Acknowledgment
A Student Protection Acknowledgement confirmation pop-up will appear after the
student logs in into the Student Portal. A PDF will direct students to the location of
related policies, procedures and program information. Students will confirm that they
have been duly informed by Conestoga and attest to that fact by clicking the
acknowledgement box provided in the popup. Date and time of the student’s
acknowledgement will be captured in the Student Portal database. Conestoga will be
able to run reports as necessary.
Once the acknowledgement box has been clicked, the student may proceed to enter the
Student Portal and go about their business. An e-mail will be automatically generated
and sent to the student acknowledging their acknowledgement. The Student Protection
Information PDF will be resent within the e-mail for their reference.
The Student Protection Acknowledgement confirmation pop-up will appear to all
students and students once per academic year.
10.
REVISION LOG
October 2014
Initial Conception of Handbook
June 2015
Revision – Annual Handbook Updates
11