Assessment for Language Modules
Language Modules are usually taken either as part of your programme credits or in addition to them. Undergraduate students normally take 120 credits each academic year, while postgraduate students normally take 180 credits.
Language Modules will appear on your official transcript. If you take a module as part of your programme credits, the result will contribute to your final degree classification. However, completing a Language Module does not lead to a separate qualification.
If you take a module Not For Award, you can request a certificate of attendance from the Language Centre once you have completed the module and your result has been approved by the Faculty Assessment Board. This applies to both fee-paying and non-fee-paying students.
Important to know:
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All students, whether studying For Award or Not For Award, must complete every assessment for their module.
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You must pass your module before you can take another Language Module. This includes progressing to the next language level or starting a different language.
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All written exams take place in person, either on campus or at a specified exam venue in London.
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Assessments take place throughout the module and at the end of the module.
Assessment requirements
The assessment requirements are slightly different for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Undergraduate students
To pass a Language Module, you must achieve an overall mark of at least 40%.
Your assessment includes:
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Formative assessment (practice work that doesn't count towards your final mark)
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Oral exam (40% of your final mark)
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Written exam (60% of your final mark)
Postgraduate students
To pass a Language Module, you must achieve an overall mark of at least 50%.
Your assessment includes:
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Formative assessment (practice work that doesn't count towards your final mark)
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Oral exam (40% of your final mark)
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Written exam (60% of your final mark)
Types of Assessment
Formative assessment
Formative assessment helps you measure your progress throughout the module and identify your strengths and areas for improvement. It also gives you an opportunity to practise the format of the final written exam, which is very similar, although it doesn't include a listening component.
Formative assessment normally takes place during reading week in semester 2, unless stated otherwise. It will be available on KEATS during the week before reading week.
Formative assessment doesn't contribute to your final module mark. However, if you don't submit it, you may not be allowed to take the final assessment. Any extensions to the submission deadline are granted at your teacher's discretion.
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Formative assessment consists of:
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Listening comprehension (20%)
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Reading comprehension (20%)
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Use of language (20%)
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Writing (40%)
Oral exams
Oral exams may have one or two parts, depending on the module. They’re taken individually and usually last between 10 and 30 minutes, depending on the module and language stage. Oral exams are held remotely using Microsoft Teams.
You'll have opportunities during your classes to become familiar with the format of the oral exam and practise the required skills.
Depending on the module, oral exams take place either during exam period 1 (early January) or during revision week immediately before exam period 2 (late April or early May).
Resit and reassessment oral exams take place in August during exam period 3.
The Language Centre Professional Services team will allocate your exam time and notify you in advance. The final timetable will be published on KEATS.
If you're unable to attend your oral exam at the allocated time, you must submit a Mitigating Circumstances Form to your department. If you're studying Not For Award, you must submit your Mitigating Circumstances Form to the Language Centre. Read the article How can I apply for mitigating circumstances? for more information.
Written examinations
Depending on the module, written exams take place during exam period 1 (January) or exam period 2 (May).
Resit and replacement written exams take place in August during exam period 3.
Language Centre exams are organised centrally, and the university will schedule your exams and notify you in advance.
If you're unable to attend your oral exam at the allocated time, you must submit a Mitigating Circumstances Form to your department. If you're studying Not For Award, you must submit your Mitigating Circumstances Form to the Language Centre. Read the article How can I apply for mitigating circumstances? for more information.
Written exams consist of:
• Reading comprehension
• Writing
Important to know: Written exams take place in person, either on campus or at a specified exam venue in London.
Assessment for Postgraduate-Only Modules
Postgraduate-Only modules are non-assessed. There are no final examinations for these courses.
Assessment for Language Modules - Arts & Humanities students
You can find information on how you’ll be assessed for these modules on KEATS.
Assessment for Language for Business Modules – King’s Business School students
You can find information on how you’ll be assessed for these modules on KEATS.
Assessment for Language Courses – Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) students
Language Modules for Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) students do not include final examinations.
Your progress will be assessed through continuous formative assessment throughout the module. An optional online formative assessment is also available at the end of semester 2.
Formative assessment helps you measure your progress throughout the module and identify your strengths and areas for improvement.
Assessment for Intercultural Awareness module
Your assessment for this module consists of:
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Formative assessment (practice work that doesn't count towards your final mark)
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A 4,000-word ethnographic project (100% of your final mark)
Word Count Policy for essays and reports
The word limit includes the main text, quotations, footnotes and any appendices that contain original material. It does not include the title, front matter, appendices containing illustrative material or the bibliography.
If your work exceeds the word limit, a penalty may be applied.
The penalties are as follows:
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If your work is up to 5% over the word limit, no penalty will be applied.
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If your work is more than 5% over the word limit, 2 marks will be deducted.
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A further 2 marks will be deducted for each additional 5% increase above the word limit, up to an excess of 50%.
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If your work exceeds the word limit by more than 50%, a further 3 marks will be deducted for each additional 5% increase.
No penalty is applied if your work is below the word limit. However, your work will still be marked using the usual academic criteria.