Masters 2024

Course purpose

The course “Foreign Language” is designed for the first year master’s students of Chemistry Faculty majoring in Radiochemistry and aims to teach the students the English for special purposes in the field of chemistry in order for them to master the minimum vocabulary of the scientific apparatus of chemistry, the development of reading, listening and speaking skills with the aid of reading and listening texts with an emphasis on the development of special vocabulary. The course is aimed at mastering the knowledge, skills and abilities that will allow the students to use English language in an academic and professional environment.

Course concise description

The course «Foreign Language» is aimed at the formation of the vocabulary necessary to carry out professional activities in the field of chemistry and at the formation of language and communication skills in the field of academic, scientific and professional communication.

Upon successful completion of the course, students: 

- will know the rules and regulations for presenting information in English language in a professional community.

- will be able to use the basic terminological language of the specialty and to read and understand academic and scientific texts in the field of chemistry; to summarize in written form English academic and scientific texts and to prepare and make presentations in English of their scientific work; to describe experiments and their results in English in the format of an educational article; to understand English-language oral academic speech (including audio and video podcasts of lectures and oral academic presentations), and be ready (if necessary) to take notes and discuss content; to translate and evaluate the quality of translation of professionally significant texts from English into their native language and to conduct a professional discussion in English, choosing communicatively acceptable language tools, ask clarifying and other questions, comment on and discuss professional issues. 

- will have a good command of minimum vocabulary of the scientific apparatus of chemistry and academic vocabulary of the English language to the extent sufficient for professional activity,and will have mastered the ability to communicate in English to address the issues of professional interaction. 

Curriculum topics

(lectures, seminars, projects)

Topic 1. Overview of Radiochemistry. Radiochemistry and Other Branches of Chemistry. Scientific Method.

Topic 2. A Brief History of Chemistry. How to Ask Questions in English

Topic 3. Matter and Its Structure. States of Matter. Properties and

Changes of Matter. Atom and Its Structure. 

Topic 4. Chemical Elements and the Periodic Table. Chemical Symbols and How to Pronounce Them. Radioactive Elements. 

Topic 5. Molecules and Chemical Formulas. How to Read Chemical Formulas.

Topic 6. Ions and Ionic Compounds. Inorganic Nomenclature. 

Topic 7. Acids and Bases. Solutions.

Topic 8. Chemical Reactions. Types of Chemical Reactions. Chemical Equations and How to read Them. Reaction Rate and Catalysis.

Topic 9. Analytical Chemistry. Chemical Laboratory. Chemical and Laboratory Equipment. Analysis techniques.

Topic 10. Laboratory safety. Safety rules in laboratory. Laboratory incidents and accidents. 

Course length

18 weeks

72 seminar hours

Assessment procedure

Pass-fail exam

Maximum assessment score

100 points (100%)

Assessment scorestructure (number ofpoints or percentage of the end-of-semester assessment score being granted for different kinds of students’ academic performance)

Class attendance is obligatory 12,8%

Home assignments and independent studies 9,6%

Active participation in seminars 9,6%

Tests 18%

Presentations and talks at seminars 18%

Final assessment 32%

Number of classes thatcan be missed withoutvalid excuse

0

Recommended literature

1. Teaching and methodology materials to the course “Foreign language” for master’s students of Chemical Department.

2. M.M. Kutepova. The world of chemistry. English for the students of chemistry. Moscow: KDU, 2013. 

3. Marin S. Robinson, Fredricka L. Stoller, Molly S. Costanza-Robinson, James K. Jones. Write like a chemist : a guide and resource. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.

Additional educationalresources andrecommended websites

1. Michael McCarthy, Felicity O'Dell. Academic Vocabulary in Use. Cambridge University Press; 2nd edition. 2016 

2. Steven Gershon. Present Yourself. Levels 1, 2. Cambridge University Press; 2nd edition. 2015 

3. Craig Thaine, Michael McCarthy. Cambridge Academic English: An Integrated Skills Course for EAP. Cambridge University Press. 2012

4. https://www.chemistryworld.com

5. https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com 

6. https://www.multitran.com