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Education System
The Education system in University differs from the
education system in schools. You will have to adjust to the new system if
you want to succeed academically and to enjoy your stay in Agrinio.
- Generally in University,
students are expected to take a higher responsibility for their
studies. Learning by heart is not part of the university academic
culture. For the English course you are expected to think critically
and to take part in class/tutorial discussions both with other
students and the tutor. You are also expected to be able to produce
academic pieces of written work using appropriate reference systems.
- You should not be afraid to
ask for further explanations from your tutor during a class session or
personal tutorial. The English tutor has office hours, in which
students can go and consult her. It is advisable for you to contact
her whenever you need support.
- You should not be worried
about speaking in class. The English language tutor sympathizes with
your difficulties and your anxiety to succeed. The English tutor has taught
a variety of students and do not expect you to speak perfectly. Always
be polite and try to lower your voice as English tends to be spoken
more softly than Greek. It is particularly useful not to interrupt
your tutor or classmate and wait for your turn. It is also important
to attend classes and do all the given tasks in class.
Study Methods used in the Department of Business
Administration of Food and Agricultural Enterprises
The English course in the Department of Business
Administration of Agricultural Products and Foods does not aim at educating
students to become English language teachers. Thus, the courses do not
cover knowledge units such as linguistics, literature, methodology for
teaching modern languages etc. The purpose of the course is to help
students expand their existing language skills, be able to cope with their
academic studies and be trained to meet their future professional needs.
Thus, the study methods used for the delivery of the English courses are
not the same as the ones used for the other courses available. Please read
the following that describes the main study methods used for the English
courses and the other courses offered in the Department of Business
Administration of Food and Agricultural Enterprises.
Lectures
The lecture is used to present information about a
specific part of the course to all members of the course. Often a large
number of students attend these lectures and there is little opportunity to
ask questions during the lecture. However, if there is anything you do not
understand, you can ask for clarifications at the end of the lecture. The main purposes of the lecture
are:
- To guide you on what to
study and to clarify key information.
- To stimulate your interest
in a subject and make you think critically about it.
Seminars
Seminars are small group discussions involving
students and tutors from a particular course. The topic of the discussion
is usually selected by the tutor. The students will be told in advance what
the topic of the seminar is and you are encouraged to participate in the
discussion. Often students are asked to prepare a specific topic for
discussion and to present a paper to the class. Do not be embarrassed to
ask for your tutor's help if you haven't given a presentation before. The
main purpose of a seminar is to promote critical thinking and debate among
the students. Even if you find it difficult try to join in.
Tutorials
Tutorials involve a meeting between an individual
student and a tutor. In a tutorial, students can discuss assignments with
their tutor and get helpful feedback for future work. Some tutorials are
timetabled but, frequently, tutors offer some hours each week for students
to go and discuss any problems.
Workshop, Laboratory Sessions
These sessions give you the opportunity to develop
practical skills with the correct techniques before you start practical
work. You should ask for help from your tutors or technicians. After
practical work, you will have to write up the results, often as part of an
assessment in the subject
Assessment
Each tutor will make it clear how you are going to
be assessed and what is to be assessed in your course. Please read the
section on English courses in the department of Business Administration of
Food and Agricultural Enterprises to get information about assessment for
the English courses.
English courses offered in the Department of
Business Administration of Food and Agricultural Enterprises
English language is a compulsory subject in the
University curriculum for the first two semesters and the grades obtained
count and carry equal weight of three didactic points each when calculating
the final degree. The department assembly decided that there is no room for
more compulsory English courses and thus the English tutor has tried to
offer a useful syllabus within these two courses available. However, it was
decided by the general assembly that students could attend an optional
course during the 10th semester where preparation for the GMAT is offered.
This course is not assessed and it is delivered in the context of a
seminar. Read the following sections which describe the content of the two
compulsory courses and the GMAT seminar available. Please make sure you
understand what it is expected from you and attend your courses regularly.
Semester
I
Semester
II
Semester I
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Course Title
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English for Specific
Academic Purposes I
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Course Type
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Compulsory
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Course Code
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1.7C
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Didactic points
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3
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Semester
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1
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Aims
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Teach students academic skills to help them identify, evaluate and draw valid conclusions in academic texts related to the sciences of management, economics, accounting, finance and ICT
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Teach students academic skills to help them write an academic report related to the sciences of management, economics, accounting, finance and ICT
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Teach students academic oral skills so that they actively participate in seminars related to the sciences of management, economics, accounting, finance and ICT
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Teach students oral speaking skills so that they can present their work related to the sciences management, economics, accounting, finance and ICT
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Prerequisites
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None.
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Teaching materials
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Αγγλικά των Επιστημών Οικονομίας, Διοίκησης, Λογιστικής, Χρηματοοικονομικής και Πληροφορικής, Adams John, Fitzgerald Patrick, McCullagh Marie, McLisky Marie, Roberts Mark, Scott Roger, Tabor Carol, Έκδοση 1η BROKEN HILL PUBLISHERS LTD, 2019.
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Semester
II
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Course Title
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English for Specific Academic Purposes II
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Course Type
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Compulsory
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Course Code
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2.7C
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Didactic points
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3
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Semester
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2
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Aims
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Teach students academic skills to help them identify, evaluate and draw valid conclusions in academic texts related to the sciences of Agribusiness and Food Management
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Teach students academic skills to help them write an academic report related to the sciences of Agribusiness and Food Management
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Teach students academic oral skills so that they actively participate in seminars related to the sciences of Agribusiness and Food Management
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Teach students oral speaking skills so that they can present their work related to the sciences of Agribusiness and Food Management
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Prerequisites
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None.
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Teaching materials
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English for Agribusiness and Agriculture in Higher Education Studies-Course Book with audio CDs, Robin Matheson, Έκδοση 1η, 2014.
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Frequently asked questions
A large number of students ask certain questions
every year. Please read the following carefully.
- Can I get an exemption of
the English courses in the Department of Business Administration of
Food and Agricultural Enterprises if I am a holder of the Proficiency
certificate?
No, you cannot get an exemption for the following reasons:
a) ESP and EAP courses are totally different than
EFL courses. Please read the section on differences between English
courses.
b) The Proficiency certificate has an expiry date
and the Department of Business Administration of Food and Agricultural
Enterprises does not accept certificates that are invalidated after some
time.
c) Exemptions form courses do not come within the
provisions of the by-laws in University of Ioannina
d) In the official Gazette, there is no publication that foreign language
certificates can substitute foreign language courses in state schools and
Universities. Therefore, it is illegal
to implement such a policy.
- Why are English courses in
Greek universities different?
Every Department makes its own decisions concerning the number of
courses offered within its curriculum. If the ESP tutor belongs to a
specific department according to law, it is his/her responsibility to
teach and hold the examinations for the course the way he/she thinks
it is appropriate. However, there are ESP tutors who do not belong to
a specific Department but to the whole University. Any Department interested
for English courses to be incorporated into their curriculum makes an
application to the University and an ESP tutor is sent to do the
teaching. In this case, each department decides on the way the course
will be delivered and in some cases exemptions are permissible. The
ESP tutor is not responsible for this decision and unfortunately lax
discipline may be prevalent. This situation makes a bad example and as
a result other Departments in Greece have followed this lead.
- Are ESP tutors qualified as
other teaching staff in every Department?
ESP tutors are academic staff who are
employed to teach English for Specific and Academic Purposes. They are
MA holders and many of them hold a PhD as well. During the last years
ESP tutors are very much involved in research. Their work is of very
high quality. Many of them have conducted research presented in
conferences all over the world and published papers in academic
journals. In addition, many of them have prepared excellent academic
course books and have prepared dictionaries to help students
familiarize themselves with the terminology used in their taught
subjects. It is obvious therefore, that they work as hard as the other
teaching staff indicating professionalism and great assiduity.
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