Language certifications and successful proficiency exams can be used to achieve CFU credits for the corresponding course in the standard study plan (without attending the course in full or at all). Alternatively, they can be used for one of the courses of the student’s own study plan (Elective Credits).
In the first case, Degree Programme accepts only the International certifications indicated in the attachments for standard CFU credits. For elective credits, different international certifications may also be considered.
Validation of curricular teachings
Since foreign language teaching includes specialised language modules, all certificates with a level of competence equal to or lower than that of the curricular teaching will only result in partial validation of the language skills. In this case, students will need to integrate whatever parts of the syllabus are necessary to achieve the curricular course’s final learning objectives, as indicated by the relevant teacher. The correspondence of the assessments obtained in the certificates, and the relative mark expressed on a scale from 0 to 30, is indicated in Appendix 2.
Validation of elective courses (Elective Credits)
Students can obtain Elective Credits by producing certificates of successful attendance issued by the University Language Centres (either Cagliari or other universities) or by AICLU/CERCLES centres for a minimum of 50 hours. The maximum number of CFU credits that can be validated for language skills above the default curricular level of proficiency is set at 6 credits for 100-hour courses and 3 credits for 50-hour courses. The maximum number of CFU credits that can be validated for language skills at the curricular level of proficiency is set at 3 credits for 100-hour courses and 1 or 2 credits for courses below 100 hours. These[Ma1] cannot be used to validate curricular teachings in part or in full.
The relevant Degree Board decides on the validation of certifications issued by private schools, establishing how many CFU credits can be awarded, based on the proficiency attained and the length of the course, in consultation with the relevant foreign language teacher.
The Internationalization Commission validates certifications awarded by foreign institutions (within the Erasmus and Globus programmes) for full or partial credits replacing the language exam in the curricular study plan, when the certified proficiency level is equal to or higher than the level required in the study plan. The maximum number of CFU credits that can be validated for language skills above the default curricular level of proficiency is set at 6 credits for 100-hour courses and 3 credits for 50-hour courses. The maximum number of CFU credits that can be validated for language skills at the curricular level of proficiency is set at 3 credits for 100-hour courses and 1 or 2 CFU credits for courses below 100 hours.
Foreign language exams from other Courses/Faculties/Universities will be assessed by the relevant Degree Board on a case by case basis, after consulting the language teacher, with a view to establishing whether to validate the exam or integrate it with further lessons, or a further exam (written or spoken). Suitable paperwork documenting the students’ language proficiency must be produced to support this decision.
Assessing Language Skills: Procedures
1. Students submit their application to the Student Office, together with the original certificate attesting the proficiency level achieved. The Student Office will retain the certified copy.
2. The Degree Board debates and deliberates on the individual cases.
Validation of curricular teaching: in cases of partial validation, students are exempted from the written test, but are required to take a spoken test on the part of the syllabus agreed with the language teacher, which will include the specialist language module. For the final mark, on a scale from 0 to 30, the teacher will take into account the certification results as well as the performance on the spoken test. In cases of full validation, the assessment obtained in the certificate will be converted into a final mark (on a scale from 0 to 30) according to the Conversion Tables attached (Annex 2).
Validation of credits for elective courses (Elective Credits): the language teacher evaluates the application, considering the course attendance (in hours), the proficiency level achieved, and the opinion of the expert language teacher. To this end, please ensure that the application submitted to the Student Office contains the following details: the number of hours of attendance, the method of assessment and evaluation, as well as precise references to the certifying body/school.
Proficiency/CFU conversion tables can be consulted in the attached document.
Political Science
