http://forlang.gsu.by/

The faculty traces its history back to 1993, when the department of foreign languages separated from the faculty of Philology and on July 1st 1998 it became an independent faculty. It was created to raise the teaching of foreign languages in the region to a higher level of proficiency.

The social impact of the faculty's activity is self-evident. New social and economic conditions in the Republic of Belarus as well as its joining the global community created great opportunities for cooperation in all spheres of public and private life, which generated a huge demand for foreign languages as a means of communication.

Today the faculty comprises three departments: the Department of the English Language, the Department of Theory and Practice of the English Language and the Department of Romano-Germanic Philology. Teaching and educational process is conducted by 98 lecturers, 10 of them have Candidates of Science (Ph.D.) degree.

The faculty carries out academic research in such fields as lexicology and history of the German languages, pronunciation culture, information and interactive technologies of foreign languages teaching. The results of scientific research are reported monthly at the sessions of the scientific seminar "Important issues in linguistics and methodology of language teaching", and are published in the faculty's scientific journal "Issues in linguistics and methodology of language teaching".

To intensify and develop the educational process, the faculty lecturers employ various teaching methods, including video lessons, project lessons, problem solving and creative tasks. The faculty has rooms equipped with personal computers, electronic tutorials, audio and video libraries in foreign languages.

The faculty has an extensive network of partnerships with the cultural departments of the Embassies of Great Britain, Germany, France and the USA, including student exchange programmes. 2008 saw the establishment of constructive cooperation with Chernigov State University and Nezhin State University named after N.V.Gogol.

The faculty's main priorities:

• teaching languages and introducing students to social and cultural life of foreign countries;
• working out modern models of teacher training;
• teaching foreign languages and cultures through comparison with the native language and culture.

The faculty trains teachers of foreign languages (English, German and French). Students acquire deep theoretical knowledge in linguistics and get extensive practical skills in teaching.

The training process is carried out both by internal tuition (4 years) and part-time study (5 years); internal tuition can be provided free of charge or on paid basis. Gifted students are encouraged by various kinds of scholarships given for success in academic research and extracurricular activities.

The faculty graduates acquire the following specialities:

• 1 - 02 03 06 - 01 "The English language. The German language" (teacher of English and German);
• 1 - 02 03 06 - 02 "The German language. The English language" (teacher of German and English);
• 1 - 02 03 06 - 03 "The English language. The French language" (teacher of English and French).

The Department of the English Language

was founded in 1997 as a part of the Faculty of Foreign Languages. The department provides the teaching of English at eight faculties of the university both for full-time and correspondence students as well as for post-graduate students.

The courses taught are:

• The English Language;
• English for Tourism;
• Business English.

Among 14 academic staff working at the department there are two associate professors (PhD degree holders), three senior lecturers, 8 lecturers and one trainee teacher.

The Department of Theory and Practice of the English Language

- branched off from the English Language department in 1998, a year after the Faculty of Foreign Languages was formed in 1997. The department provides different courses of the English language for future teachers of English and a course of Spanish for the university students.

Since 1999 the department has been providing a postgraduate course “Theory and methods of training and education (the English language)” and since June, 2004 – the course for MA degree for the speciality “Germanic linguistics (English)”.

The graduates of the department are employed not only as teachers and lecturers, but also as interpreters, translators and administrative assistants.

The main courses taught by the academic staff include, among others:

• Oral and Written Speech Practice
• Practical Grammar
• Practical Phonetics
• Methodology of Teaching a Foreign Language
• British and American Studies
• Literature Criticism and Style
• Intercultural Communication
• Creative Writing
• Theoretical Phonetics
• Listening Comprehension
• Business English
• History of English
• Mass Media Studies
• Interpreting and Translation

Scientific work is carried out in the following fields:

• the national level proficiency standard of a modern foreign language;
• scientific grounds of distance learning functioning;
• the methodological support of the personality-centered approach to specialists training in the sphere of Germanic languages;
• the structure and content of a teacher`s communicative competence;
• instructional content modification of foreign language training within the scope of its teaching at different levels.

The Department of Romano-Germanic Philology

- was formed in 2015 to unite the Departments of the German and the French Languages. At present time German is taught by 23, and French – by 6 lecturers. The department closely cooperates with Minsk State Linguistics University, The Belarusian State University, other educational establishments of Belarus and Russia, with the culture departments of the Embassies of Germany and France, Goethe Institute, Minsk, and Auvergne University (Clermont-Ferrand, France).

The faculty provides training for an MA degree. Upon graduation the academic degree “Master of Philological Science” is awarded to the graduates. Forms of studying: internal tuition (1 year) and on part-time basis (2 years).

The main principle of MA training is constructive cooperation between students and lecturers. Studying is based on an individual approach to students. Training can be provided on the budget (free) and contract (paid) basis.

Students who are interested in and have abilities for scientific research can continue training at the postgraduate course. The postgraduate course at the faculty was launched in 2001. Nowadays applicants can enter a course to acquire a PhD degree in "Theory and methods of training and education" (13.00.02).

Aim

The Higher Education Programme is aimed at preparing specialists with fundamental and special knowledge and skills

Duration of studies

4-5 academic years. Classes last from 1 September - until 30 June

Document issued upon successful completion

Diploma on Higher Education.

Note: in compliance with the Republic of Belarus Higher Education Act Nr.252-Z of July 11, 2007, and with regard to the amount of academic workload covered during the course of study, the Diploma on Higher Education should be considered as superior to the degree of Bachelor and gives the rights to pursue further education at the Master Level.

Language of study

The official languages of the Republic of Belarus – Russian and Belarusian. Overseas students are trained in the Russian Language (the university offers a one-year language course).

Curriculum

The Curriculum includes theoretical and applied disciplines, work placement and independent study. Periods of work placement aim at teaching students to apply the acquired knowledge in the chosen profession.

Process of learning

GSU operates a two semester system of education. Learning methods incorporate lectures, seminar discussions, tutorials, workshops, and independent work. Full attendance of classes is required.

• Ludmila S. BANNIKOVA Candidate of Sciences (PhD) Associate Professor Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages
• Liudmila I. BOGATIKOVA Candidate of Sciences (PhD) Associate Professor Head of the Department of Theory and Practice of the English Language
• Svetlana N. KOLOTSEY Candidate of Sciences (PhD) Associate Professor Head of the department of Romano-Germanic Philology
• Tatiana V. POCHINOK Candidate of Sciences (PhD) Associate Professor
• Anna A. KIRUSHKINA Candidate of Sciences (PhD) Associate Professor
• Elena G. Panfilova Candidate of Sciences (PhD) Associate Professor
• Oxana N. Chalova Candidate of Sciences (PhD) Associate Professor
• Olga A. Lidenkova Ñandidate of Sciences (PhD) Associate Professor
• Alena V. Sazhyna Ñandidate of Sciences (PhD) Associate Professor Head of the English Language Department

Scientific work at the faculty is carried out in the following fields:

• development of the national multi-level standard for foreign language proficiency;
• identification of scientific grounds of distance learning;
• scientific and methodological support of personality-centered approach to training of specialists in the sphere of Romano-Germanic languages;
• identification of the structure and content of a teacher`s communicative competence;
• organization of students' independent work in the framework of personality-centered approach to teaching a foreign language in higher educational institutions.

The faculty has an extensive network of partnerships with Minsk State Linguistic University and other higher educational institutions in Belarus and the Ukraine, the cultural departments of the Embassies of Great Britain, Germany, France and the USA, which lets us offer various exchange programmes for students and teachers.

The faculty offers an MA degree in German languages (English, German) and a PhD course in theory and methodology of training and education.

In the period of 2011-2015 the research teams of the faculty were working in the following areas:

1. National Cultural Peculiarities of Phraseological Units (supervised by Candidate of Philological Sciences, associate professor S.N. Kolotsej);
2. Interactive Information Technologies in Teaching Foreign Languages and Cross Cultural Communication (supervised by Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, associate professor L.S. Bannikova).

The results of research were presented in a number of scientific articles, student handbooks and practical guides with the aim to enhance learning and teaching experience.

Official postal address:

Gomel State University,

102, Sovetskaya str.,

246019, Gomel,

Republic of Belarus

Phone number: +375 (232) 57-61-93

URL: http://forlang.gsu.by