Student guide Faculty of Economics A.Y. 2008/09

The learning objective of the English language course, after having assured the students' grasp of the fundamentals of grammar and syntax, is to impart an improved command of spoken and written English, with particular emphasis on the legal-juridical language. Students are therefore encouraged to actively participate in the lessons, which will include readings from Law& Economics textbooks as of the 1^st year. Ultimately, the aim of the English programme is to make the transition from "studying the English language" to taking "courses taught in English" in subject areas pertaining to the two-year specialty degree course, and with a view to obtaining an accredited Certificate (BEC, TOLES, or ILEC)
Please note that completing one of the above Certificates is a required part of the two-year specialty degree, and earns credits that count toward the yearly total. Students who already have a language Certificate obtained elsewhere should promptly submit it to the Language Centre and to the Student Office for validation.
The lecturers will guide students in selecting the most appropriate Certificate to study for, and will give out all the necessary details in class.

English is the lingua franca of social, cultural and professional communication within the University, and is promoted through international exchanges, the study of the English language, and the use of English-language textbooks on specific subjects relevant to future graduates in Law.
An entrance test will be used to group newly enrolled students into different levels, according to their initial knowledge of the language. The English language courses are offered in the 1st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th year, and students are required to obtain one of the accredited language Certificates offered by the university. Attendance at lessons is compulsory, and indispensable for passing the examinations and obtaining the international Certificates, which in particular include the BEC –Cambridge Business English Certificate, TOLES –Test of Legal English Skills and ILEC – Cambridge International Legal English Certificate. It should be noted, in this regard, that Cattaneo University is an official examination centre for all the above certificates as well as for the TOEFL, which is now offered in a new Internet-based version. The internal examinations may be either written or oral, depending on the year, and are generally preceded by progress tests taken in class.
All students are therefore invited to contact the lecturers at the Language Centre, to discuss their individual cases and obtain further information. There are in fact extra study modules available, as well as an individual language tutoring service, which can be used to supplement the official language course.

Optional second language courses
On request of a sufficient number of students, language courses in Spanish, French and German can be offered.
These courses, which are optional but with compulsory attendance for enrolled students, will be assessed by both written exams (end of 1^st semester) and oral exams (end of 2^nd semester). Attendance at a second language course and passing of the exam will be recorded in the student's curriculum. Note that the second language may, if desired by the student, substitute for the training internship portion of the specialty degree course.

The textbooks and reading materials for each course will be communicated to the students at the start of lectures.

However all the courses, irrespective of the student's starting level, will cover the following topics:
1. The language of law;
2. Legal English and business law.
3. The legal system and the legal profession
4. International certifications