Department of Social, Political and Cognitive Sciences

English Exams Calendar
Exam sessions:

Students from the DISPOC department must take their exams in the department, NOT at the Foreign Languages Center (CLA).

 

September 2023 session:

 

  • B2 Idoneità: September 27 2023, 9.00-1.00 (room TBA)
  • B1 Idoneità: September 27 2023, 2:00 – 4:30 (room TBA)
  • C1 Idoneità September 28 2023, ore 9.00-1:00 (room TBA)
  • Orals for B2, B1 and C1 levels: September 29 2023, 9:00 a.m. at San Niccolò Language Lab
 
November 2023 session:
 
  • B2 Idoneità:  November 13 2023, ore 9:00-1:00 (room TBA)
  • B1 Idoneità:  November 13 2023, ore 2:00-4:30 (room TBA)
  • C1 Idoneità:  November 14 2023, ore 9:00-1:00 (room TBA)
  • Orals for B2, B1 and C1 levels: November 15 2023, 9:00 a.m. at San Niccolò Self Access Lab
 
January 2024 session:
 
  • B2 Idoneità: January 29 2024, 9:00-1:00 (room TBA)
  • B1 Idoneità: January 29 2024, 2:00-4:.30 (room TBA)
  • C1 Idoneità: Janaury 30 2024, 9:00-1:00 (room TBA)
  • Orals for B1, B2, C1 levels: January 31 2024, 9:00 a.m. at San Niccolò Language Lab
 

Exam enrolment: 

DISPOC students enrolled in courses held by Malcolm Ayres, Monique Camarra, and Janet Donovan will receive all the necessary exam information during the lessons.

 

Registration online from this page with UNISI username and password. Enrolment opens five weeks before each exam and closes a week before the exam.

 

Exam enrolment for students not attending courses

Students from the DISPOC depatment who are unable to attend English courses should contact the teacher regarding exam preparation

 

  • For B1 level: Monique Camarra and Maryann Montesanto
  • For B2 level: Malcolm Ayres and Janet Donovan
  • For C1 level: Monique Camarra and Janet Donovan
  • For C2 level: Malcolm Ayres

 

Registration online from this page with UNISI username and password. Enrolment opens five weeks before each exam and closes a week before the exam.

 

Office hours:

 

Monique Camarra: Monday 12.30, room 425 – monique.camarra@unisi.it

Janet Donovan: Monday 12.30, room 425 – janet.donovan@unisi.it

Malcolm Ayres: Monday ore 12.30, room 425 – malcolm.ayres@unisi.it

 

If you cannot see the teachers in person during their office hours, you can request and online appointment by contacting them by email.

.

 
 

 

English level test and courses at the Department of Social, Political and Cognitive Sciences

How to enrol in the DISPOC department English courses (San Niccolò) :

  1. Make an appointment to take the placement test at the San Niccolò Language Lab.
  2. Take the placement test.
  3. Enrol in the course according to the assigned level.

All degree courses of the Department of Social, Political and Cognitive Sciences include at least one English level test. To attend the courses and take the exam, all students (except Social Work, Anthropology and Visual Studies students) should contact the Self Access Lab in San Niccolò (not the Language Centre in San Francesco).

The test is taken in person in the Language Lab during the month of September. Please see the San Niccolò Language Lab page for opening times.

You can book an appointment by telephoning 0577/234848 or by writing an email to selfaccesslab@gmail.com. It is not mandatory to make an appointment, but is strongly advised.

 

Please note: courses and exams for DISPOC students are held by the San Niccolò English teachers. It is NOT possible to take the placement test and exams at the Foreign Languages Center in Piazza San Francesco

 

Social Work, Anthropology and Visual Studies students must take their English exam (B1 and B2 levels respectively) at the Language Centre in San Francesco.

Students who enrol after the start of the course must contact Monique Camarra at: monique.camarra@unisi.it

 

The English level required depends on the course of study:

Undergraduate Programme

Communication Sciences

both B1 and B2/C1(Students can choose which of these two levels to take)

Postgraduate Programme

Language and Mind: Linguistics and Cognitive Studies

C1/C2

Public and Cultural Diplomacy

C1/C2

Strategies and Techniques of Communication

B2

 

The DISPOC test (idoneità) is different from the one held at the Foreign Languages Centre (CLA).  The written test at B2, C1 and C2 levels is made up of three papers:  Reading and Use of English, Writing, and Listening.  The B1 exam, which is also different from the Foreign Languages Centre B1 exam, is made up of two written papers: Reading & Writing, and Listening.  At all levels, on passing the written papers, students are admitted to a speaking test.

Pass marks

B1

70/100 (with an average score of at least 65/100 students are admitted to the Speaking test)

B2, C1 e C2

60/100 (with an average score of at least 55/100 students are admitted to the Speaking test. They must also pass at least two out of three written papers.

 

Exams take place three times a year: in January, June and September. The speaking tests take place on a Thursday afternoon and on a Friday morning of the exam week. On Thursday morning you can see your written exam.

Students attending the courses will have their writing skills assessed during their classes; this replaces the final writing grade.

Alternatively, students can send a scanned copy of one of the following international certificates to the Foreign Languages Centre in Piazza San Francesco to have their English level registered in their records:

 

B1

B2

C1

C2

University of Cambridge

PET

Preliminary English Test

FCE

First Certificate of English

CAE

Certificate of Advanced English

CPE

Proficiency

University of Cambridge

BEC Preliminary

Business English Certificate

BEC Vantage

Business English Certificate

BEC Higher

Business English Certificate

 

Trinity College London

ISE I

Integrated Skills in English

ISE II

Integrated Skills in English

ISE III

Integrated Skills in English

ISE IV

Integrated Skills in English

T.O.E.F.L.

Internet-Based Test

42-71

72-94

95-114

115-120

IELTS “Academic” International English Language Testing System

4.0-5.0

5.5-6.5

7.0-8.0

8.5-9.0

 

Other forms of certification will not be accepted.

 

Students who have already acquired the requested English level in their previous university career should bring their exam records to the DISPOC Students Office to have it registered.