Celebrating Excellence at McDaniel College Budapest!

The aim of the course is to build the basic academic knowledge in several fields of biology and prepare you for the requirements of the university entrance exams. During the course you will learn about the chemical basis of the life, the structure and functions of the cell, the properties of the genetic material and the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Classes consist of both standard lectures and interactive activities, such as class discussions, debates, etc. To develop your academic knowledge you have to learn how to convey successfully scientific information in written and oral forms.

Topics

• Chemical basis of life
• Organic molecules of living organisms
• Cellular organization, cell organelles and other structures
• Metabolic pathways of the cell
• Cell cycle, cell division
• Genetics
• Viruses and Bacteria
• Histology
• Nervous system
• Endocrine system
• Reproduction
• Locomotion
• Internal transport, Respiratory system
• Digestive system
• Excretory system, Immune system
• Sense organs
• Review

Books and auxiliary materials

• Solomon-Berg-Martin: Biology (Thomson Learning)
• Study guide (test bank based on the book mentioned above)
• Keyword list
• Handouts and tests prepared by the teachers

We assume the students taking the course have little or no chemistry background, therefore we introduce the basic concepts slowly at the beginning, the pace and the level increase as we go on. Since most of our students are not native English speakers, another aim of the course is to teach the special language of chemistry in English. The course also provides help for the improvement in problem solving skills through chemical calculations. The course is organized into three different sections – general, organic and bioorganic chemistry – in agreement with the first year’s chemistry curriculum at the universities. Our intentions are not only to provide adequate knowledge for the entrance examination but to help students to adapt to first year’s university studies.

Chemistry Program

• Units; Elements; Compounds; Chemical equations
• Electronic structure Periodic table
• Chemical bonds
• The mole
• States of matter
• Solutions; Concentration units; Calculations
• Colligative properties
• Reaction kinetics; Chemical equilibrium
• Acids, bases and salts
• pH; Buffers
• Redox reactions; Electrochemistry
• Organic chemistry: Reaction types and mechanisms
• Alkanes; Alkenes; Alkynes
• Alkyl halides; Alcohols; Ethers; Thio compounds
• Aldehydes and ketones; Carboxylic acids; Amines
• Optical isomerism; Carbohydrates
• Lipids; Amino acids; Proteins; Nucleic acids

Textbooks

• Stoker: General, Organic and Biological Chemistry
• Study Guide (Compiled material provided by instructor)

Other textbooks that may be used

• Hein: Introduction to General, Organic and Biochemistry
• Holum: Fundamentals of General, Organic and Biological Chemistry
• Bettelheim, Brown, Campbell, Farrell: General, Organic, and Biochemistry

The aim of the course is to build the basic academic knowledge in several fields of physics and prepare you for the requirements of the university. During the course you will learn about the fundamental phenomena in physics, you need to know in medical science. Classes consist of both standard lectures and interactive activities, such as class discussions, debates, etc. To develop your academic knowledge you have to learn how to convey successfully scientific information in written and oral forms.

Topics

• Kinematics
• Dynamics
• Work and Energy
• Hydrostatics
• Flow of Fluids
• Waves and Sound
• Thermal Physics
• Ideal Gas
• Geometrical Optics
• Optical Instruments
• Electric field and forces
• Electric currents
• Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction

Books and auxiliary materials

• Giambattista-Richardson-Richardson: College Physics (GRR book)
• Study guide (math test bank, lists of “Examples to study”, “Problems to solve”, “Conceptual questions” and “Applications” based on GRR book)
• Handouts and tests prepared by the teachers

The aim of this Language for Specific Purposes course is to help students to acquire academic skills necessary for college studies and later at university courses. After a basic introduction to the general principles of terminology building the classes are devoted to the development of both oral/listening, speaking/ and writing skills/reading, writing/tailored to the needs of the program. The course provides confidence in finding, extracting information,understanding articles,lectures in medicine-related fields. Note that this course does not aim to teach medicine: its purpose is to teach English for medicine.

Topics	Language
Shapes and Properties	Descriptive statements,connectives
Location	Anatomical terms for position
Structure	Verbs/stative, passive w.struct.s/
Function/process/	Simple present, certainty,uncertainty
Function/sequence/	Time c., phrases,connectors
Measurement	Units, symbols, comparing quantities, ratio, roport
The structure of the body	Reading for info, definitions,vocab
Preparation for reading about the body’s systems	Word building /prefix,suffix, word root, comb. forms/
The Muscular-Skeletal Systems	Describing anatomical shapes
Digestive System	Academic v.:severe suppression, Word formation Summarizing
Circulatory-Lymphatic Systems
Respiratory System	Note-taking /extract info/
Endocrine System	Critical reading /paragraph building/
Blood	Reorganizing info
Integumentary System	Reading for details
Nervous System – Sense organs	How to write an abstract

The aim of the course is to strengthen basic skills in sentence and paragraph-building. It involves a thorough revision of grammar, including spelling and pronunciation, punctuation, verb tenses and sequence of tenses. The elements of writing to be stressed this semester include gramatically correct sentences, concise phrasing, paragraphing and note-taking. The class helps students get accustomed to the regular use of English mono-lingual dictionaries.

Program of the first semester

STRUCTURE/TOPIC	SKILLS
Introduction	To get acquainted with each other and with the aims of the course
parts of speech, prefixes, suffixes, Note-taking Biology text	using mono-lingual dictionaries skimming, scanning, reading for gist memorising new words, giving definitions; note-taking
Biology text Connectors Note-taking	Identifying sentence structure: Purpose (to, in order to, for, so that Contrast (but, although, however, yet) Addition (and, moreover)
Tenses: present (Simple and continuous form and meaning Frequency adverbs; Present cont with future meaning; State verbs; Contrasting Pr Perf, Pr Perf Cont and Past Simple)	Identifying synthetic functions
Tenses: future; To express(premeditated) intention; Predicting	Writing skills: recognising and writing topic sentenses
Passive	To describe processes
The paragraph Reader Passive	unity and coherence (elaborating a paragraph) connectors: reason and result, and more complex connectors
The paragraph Reader Relative Clauses	Complex and compound sentences: subordinate clauses

Program of the second semester

STRUCTURE/TOPIC	SKILLS
Writing Compositions	composition and a paragraph Organizing information by time, by order of importance, by space Organizing ideas – supporting ideas Expressing an opinion, Comparing and contrasting, Writing about causes and effect
Grammar Structures: Conditionals: true, real ad unreal Conditionals: impossible past, wishes	Simplifying the meaning of sentences
Modals: ability – obligation (present/future, past)	Inserting sentences into the passage
Modals: certainty – possibility – uncertainty (present/future, past)	Finding factual information Understanding negative facts
Modals: request, offer, permission, suggestion, advice	Making inferences

Goals

• Communicate well and effectively in academic environment
• Live safe
• Develop firm study skills
• To prepare for the entrance examinations by developing oral and written communication skills – to express yourself freely in written and spoken English
• To build cultural awareness – to become familiar with ways and meanings of acceptable behaviour in different countries
• To develop and acquire the diverse and necessary study skills (listening, writing, reading, presentation, discussion, etc.)
• To build a community
• To develop a sense of achievement

CURRICULUM / SCHEDULE

• What is communication; getting acquainted, introductions
• How to write formal e-mails
• Getting acquainted with the college
• Where we come from (hometowns and homelands), describing places
• Adapting to living abroad – being a foreigner, being safe; what is expected of a future university student
• Hungary – asking questions, comparing (similarities, differences – judgement vs. observation, facts, opinions)
• Laws/rules/patterns we live by and follow (exams, traffic, games, sports, manners, holidays, etc.)
• Managing your time
• Learning/studying styles and methods, (making notes, making answer plans, mind-mapping
• Writing CVs
• Approaching tasks (housework, paperwork, homework, etc.)
• Coping with stress
• Being/becoming a good/better listener and observer
• Basics of essay writing – purpose, structure, language and thought material Writing Motivation Letters
• Writing Motivation Letters;
• How to prepare and give a presentation and take an oral exam

Course Objectives:

• command of basic vocabulary
• understanding and conducting everyday conversations
• reading a variety of short Hungarian texts

Material to be covered:

• pronunciation and spelling rules
• suffixes to nouns
• verb conjugations
• basic patterns of speech
• introduction to basic syntax

• The Hungarian alphabet, minimal exchanges in Hungarian
• Numerals, dates, courtesies in Hungarian
• What is this hotel like?
• Demonstrative pronouns
• What language do you speak?
• Verb conjugation (Only indefinite conjugation)
• What would you like?
• Place endings of nouns. Direct object ending of nouns.
• How much does it cost?
• We are looking for a flat.
• Irregular verbs
• Do you like the flat?
• Plural endings of nouns. Place endings of nouns.

Topic list for the second semester:

• Nice to meet you
• Place endings of nouns
• Where are we going?
• Prefixes to verbs showing directions
• Indirect Object ending of nouns
• Get better
• Expressing possession in hungarian
• At the doctor
• Conditional
• Communication exercises