UNIcert2 Exam - oral exam info

IMPORTANT: From Summer Semester 2024, the examination is UNIcert accredited. That means all candidates will be given an oral examination. Please note that for Summer semester 2024, these will be held on 23 and 24th September 2024.

The dates for the written and oral examinations can be found on the Language Centre website, under   "SZ -Prüfungstermine" .

Please do not ask for an alternative time unless you were either:

a) ill at the time of the oral examination, and produce a doctor's note within two weeks

or

b) studying abroad at the time of the test (or on an internship as part of an official year abroad).

Work experience ("Praktikum") is only allowed as a reason for an alternative date if it is required for your studies. Pre-booked holiday cannot be accepted as a reason.

If you  cannot take the oral exam for any reason other than sickness or study/ work abroad for your degree, you will receive a ‘5’ (Nicht erschienen)  for the oral examination.

The oral exam counts  as one quarter of your final exam grade.

The examination will be held in pairs, i.e. two students at a time..

EXAM TOPICS

You will be sent an Email by the Examination Co-ordinator (one of the Lektors) about one or two  two weeks bfore the oral exams,and   giving you THREE possible topics. You will need to prepare all three. The exam co-ordinator will send you a text for all three topics to help you with your preparation.

You will be told which of the three topics you will be given when you arrive.

Important General Information on the oral examination

The total length of the exam is 30 minutes. This includes preparation time with the other candidate  (fifteen minutes) and fifteen minutes with the examiners.

During the preparation time, establish what the general position of your partner is on the topic - they may agree or disagree with yours, but there will be aspects you disagree with even if you are broadkly in agreement on the overall issue.

The exam will test the relevance and coherence of what you say, as well as the accuracy and style of your English. It will also test th approrpiateness of your interaction with the other student - it is not about "winning", but rather, about taking account of the other student's points and responding to them, either challenging them, qualifying them, or agreeing. we expect both students to talk roughly the same amount. If your partner says very little though, the examiners will help you.

You will have to explain your position on the topic (what do you think?) in a structured way. However, during the exam, the examiners may ask questions which may take you away from your original plan, so you will need to be flexible.

You can use notes in  the exam but you cannot read from a prepared script. Because the exam is about communicating with your partner and the examiners, you should not memorize a speech.