Frequently asked questions about the languages in which classes are taught at the University of Barcelona

1. In what languages are undergraduate and official master's degree classes taught?
2. In what languages are doctoral classes taught?
3. In what languages may students complete their examinations?
4. Do the languages in which the classes are taught depend on the timetable?
5. What resources are there for me to learn Catalan?
6. How can I learn Catalan outside Catalonia?

• Other FAQs about Catalan or about its use at Catalan universities (Link to the UPC)

Answers

	1.	In what languages are undergraduate and official master's degree classes taught?
	In accordance with the University’s bylaws and the Linguistic Policy Act of the Parliament of Catalonia, Catalan is the official language of expression in all the University of Barcelona’s institutional and administrative affairs and in its teaching activity. The Act also states that students and teachers may exercise the right to express themselves, orally or in writing, in whichever they prefer of Catalonia’s two official languages, Catalan and Spanish. In practice this means that teachers at the University may conduct their classes in Catalan or in Spanish, and that their choice shall be respected. The language of instruction for each university subject is made public and is published as a matter of course in student handbooks and guides. Consequently, the language of instruction in classes at the University of Barcelona varies within centres and departments, and may be either Catalan or Spanish, depending on the teachers’ choice. Whichever language the teacher has chosen to use, you should consider that it is not actually that difficult for a student who speaks Spanish to understand teachers using Catalan in their classes: because Catalan and Spanish are both part of the family of Romance languages, they are similar in many ways, and because the nature of the language used in the classroom or lecture hall is scientific or technical, it is generally easier to understand than, for example, a conversation in the street. Furthermore, in those classes held in Catalan, exchange students are never required to speak or write this language and can, if they so wish, use Spanish to participate in class matters, to take their notes, write assignments and complete examinations, given that all the UB’s teaching staff will be ready to attend to you in Spanish. All in all, of the more than 2,000 exchange students who visit the UB each academic year, those who choose to attend classes taught in Catalan generally find the experience a satisfactory one and have no difficulty in following their course of studies.

	2.	In what languages are doctoral classes taught?
	In accordance with the University’s bylaws and the Linguistic Policy Act of the Parliament of Catalonia, Catalan is the official language of expression in all the University of Barcelona’s institutional and administrative affairs and in its teaching activity. The Act also states that students and teachers may exercise the right to express themselves, orally or in writing, in whichever they prefer of Catalonia’s two official languages, Catalan and Spanish. In practice this means that teachers at the University may conduct their classes in Catalan or in Spanish, and that their choice shall be respected. Consequently, the language of instruction at the University of Barcelona varies within centres and departments, and may be either Catalan or Spanish, depending on the teachers’ choice. This being so, in the UB’s doctoral courses the number of classes taught in one language or the other will vary. However, given that in doctoral courses there is usually a smaller total number of students and that of these students there is a larger proportion of visiting students, visitors may find themselves in one of the following scenarios: Many teachers choose to continue teaching in Catalan and some may also decide to give visiting students tutorial assistance in order to solve their initial difficulties with the language. Given that many visiting students arrive in Barcelona with a better knowledge of Spanish than of Catalan, which is less widely studied abroad, teachers who might normally conduct their classes in Catalan may decide, if they so wish, to change temporarily to Spanish, English, or another language, until their students’ understanding of Catalan has improved.

	3.	In what languages may students complete their examinations?
	Examinations may be completed in either Catalan or Spanish, regardless of the language in which the teachers have conducted their classes. Students may also choose either language in which to write their course assignments and papers.

	4.	Do the languages in which the classes are taught depend on the timetable?
	>The languages in which different classes are taught does not depend on when they are taught. As teachers are free to choose the language in which they teach, classes in Catalan and Spanish may be scheduled in the same time bands.

	5.	What resources are there for me to learn Catalan?
	At the UB, you can use the University’s Language Services to take language courses in Catalan. As well as these courses, you can also use the Services’ self-access centres for studying Catalan, where you’ll find a variety of language study resources at your diposal. If you’re interested in more speaking practice in Catalan, you can sign up on the Language Services’ Conversation Exchange Program with Catalan students who have volunteered to help visiting students learn their language. For further information, consult the Language Services’ Catalan Resources for non-Catalan-speaking Students.

	6.	How can I learn Catalan outside Catalonia?
	Learning Catalan There are various ways to learn Catalan in your home country: on the one hand you can use the resources available on the Internet, and on the other it may be possible for you to attend Catalan courses in your area. On the web page of the UB’s Catalan Language Services, you can find information about different possibilities of learning Catalan. At the UB Language Services home page you can also find a list of online self-access resources for learning Catalan. Of the various self-access resources for learning Catalan on this page, we especially recommend the University Conversation Guide. Here you’ll find basic vocabulary and useful examples of situational language which travellers in a foreign country most commonly need, not only in general terms but also in a university context. And the Guide also features pronunciation exercises, so that you can listen to the way the language sounds while you study it. Apart from this, students can also consult the basic vocabulary exercises in the Living in Catalonia collection, called Comencem a parlar, Vocabulari en imatges, Vocabulari en làmines and Vivim junts. Further resources are Speakcat (a beginner’s survival course in Catalan) and Parla.cat. Among the resources for learning Catalan, there are two (Romanica Intercom and FontdelCat) aimed at developing reading and listening skills, taking advantage of the the common ground between different Latin languages. At the website of the Catalan government’s Generalitat de Catalunya you can find more Catalan language learning resources and you can also download computer programs from the "Autoformació en llengua catalana" (a Catalan self-study resource) or consult language learning coursebook resources at the "Bibliografia per aprendre català". The following websites also specialise in distance-learning materials and coursebooks: Llibreria Alibri Crisol. Llibres i més Edicions de la Universitat de Barcelona Llibres.CAT NEUe. Novetats Editorials Universitàries Catalan courses The UB website offers information about Catalan courses outside Catalonia. These are mainly university courses. Finally, another website offering similar information is the Institut Ramon Llull.