Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Second Business Language
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, Spanish,
Teaching staff
By appointment
Introduction
The aim of this programme is primarily to provide students with the skills and knowledge to practice and perform the linguistic tasks related to areas of business at an academic level and with a multicultural and international scope.
The programme contains 3 elements that include class-based lessons, tutorials and self study. The teacher-led lessons focus on developing students’ academic skills through critical reading, listening and note-taking in lectures, delivering oral presentations and transmitting ideas as well as interacting with fellow students. Tutorials will focus on student development and interpersonal skills and will include an evaluated group project. The final part being the self study or ‘distance learning’ element which primarily focuses on developing listening skills, consolidating grammar, specific lexis and increasing the autonomy of the learner with respect to learning a foreign language.
All three elements have been specifically designed to provide students with the skills, knowledge and resources that will increase their confidence in order to communicate effectively in English.
Pre-course requirements
Preferred minimum global level is that of a B1 before the start of the course
Objectives
Classroom:
To prepare and equip students with the necessary lexical and grammatical knowledge and understanding in order to become effective communicators in English within the professional field of business.
To reinforce the receptive skills of reading and listening through practice, using a variety of stimuli and to facilitate the development of the productive skills of speaking and writing.
Tutorial:
To develop students’ interpersonal skills and ability to work with others in both native and an additional language.
Self Study:
To develop reflective writing skills through journal writing, develop listening skills for academic lectures, carry out individual and group work related to a variety of themes within the field of business
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 27 - To be able to read and understand literature on economic and business issues.
- 28 - To be able to work in another language and use terminology and structures related to the economic-business world.
- 39 - To acquire the ability to solve problems and make decisions based on relevant information, applying the appropriate methods and situating the problem within the organisation as a whole.
- 46 - To acquire the ability to understand and participate in conferences and lectures in an academic context.
- 50 - To acquire the ability to relate concepts, analyse and synthesise.
- 52 - To develop interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a team.
- 53 - To acquire the skills necessary to learn autonomously.
- 54 - To be able to express one’s ideas and formulate arguments in a logical and coherent way, both verbally and in writing.
- 58 - To be able to develop self-assessment exercises.
- 60 - To acquire knowledge that promotes respect for other cultures and habits.
- 64 - To be able to plan and organise one's work.
- 67 - To be able to express oneself in other languages.
Learning outcomes of the subject
The student will be able to:
1. Understand financial and business-related bibliography and literature in English, as well as the specific structures and terminology they employ.
2. Undertake verbal/written work involving the analysis and synthesis of information in English.
3. Understand the key ideas expressed in English by speakers, lecturers, professionals or other students when discussing financial and business-related subjects. They will also be able to formulate or respond to questions, and express their own ideas in an ordered and coherent manner.
4. Work in a team and/or resolve problems and make decisions within small groups, thereby developing interpersonal skills.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of other cultures and customs and respect them.
6. Work autonomously, planning and organising their own learning and self-evaluating their work in both specific and general language, as well as preparing themselves to engage in lifelong learning in English.
Syllabus
Topics
The course will cover a series of areas which relate to company structures, Banking, Retailing, Management among others.
Language skills applied to an academic context:
Students will learn to read and understand content relevant to the field of business. Furthermore, they will learn to recognize and use the vocabulary specific to the main areas in business. In addition they will practice note-taking skills in preparation for listening to lectures. Students will learn to present and transmit ideas and interact with fellow students or professionals.
Language knowledge:
Students will revise/consolidate present tenses, past tenses, adverbs, relative clauses, the imperative, the conditional form, expressing contrast, the passive form and the future form.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Students will become actively engaged in the process of reading material related to the world of business and of writing about what they read as well as listen to simulated lectures on a variety of themes relevant to their professional field. Students will be exploring the ideas individually, in discussion groups and will share these ideas with their colleagues in order to stimulate reflection and discussion.
Emphasis will also be given to preparation for autonomous learning using self study and internet materials, and this will form an essential part of the course, equipping and motivating students for the life-long learning of English.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
|
Activity |
% of Final grade |
Learning outcome |
|
Autonomous Learning |
20% |
1,2,5,6 |
|
Group Projects |
30% |
1,2,3,4,5,6 |
|
Progress Tests and Final Exam |
50% |
6 |
10% participation and attendance
|
Activity |
% Final grade |
Learning outcome |
|
Written activities |
10% 2 5% each |
Able to express oneself in other languages (67) Read and understand literature on economic and business issues (27) Ability to work in another language and able to work with terminology and structures related to the economic-business world (28) Able to express one’s ideas and formulate arguments in a logical and coherent way, both verbally and in written form (54). Able to plan and organize one’s work (64). |
|
Progress tests
|
20% 2 10% cada uno |
Acquire abilities for independent learning (53). Ability to work in another language and able to work with terminology and structures related to the economic-business world (28).
|
|
Group projects
|
30% 2 15% each |
Able to develop abilities in interpersonal relationships and teamwork (52). Able to express oneself in other languages (67). Ability to work in another language and able to work with terminology and structures related to the economic-business world (28). Able to express one’s ideas and formulate arguments in a logical and coherent way, both verbally and in written form (54). Acquire the abilities to solve problems and make decisions using relevant information, applying the appropriate methods and placing the problem within the organization as a whole (39). Acquire the ability to relate concepts and carry out analytical exercises and its synthesis (50).
|
|
Final exam |
30% |
Able to express oneself in other languages (67). Read and understand literature on economic and business issues. (27). Work in another language and with terminology and structures related to the economic-business world (28). |
THE SECOND SITTING:
Students must attend 80% of the class in order to sit for the final exam. If the student receives a grade between 4-4.9 he or she will have to make up the work they haven’t done or have received failing grades for. If a student receives a grade below 4.0, he or she will have to do a project and presentations for the 2nd sitting.
|
For the second sitting for marks between 4-4.9:
|
|
|
What can be repeated or made up: |
What cannot be made up or repeated: |
|
1. The final exam –30% 2. The 2 Progress Tests (parciales) –20% 3. Writing assignments -10%
|
1. Attendance and participation –10% 2. Group presentations-20% |
Grades below 4 in the 2nd sitting:
Students with a mark below 4.0 in the first sitting will have to make up 100% of the subject in the second sitting by doing all the following and passing with a final grade of 5 minimum on each part:
- A Final exam (50%).
- A 10-minute presentation (25%) arranged before day of final exam.
- A 500 word writing exam (25%) on the day of the final exam.
Bibliography and resources
Class-based materials will be provided by the teacher.
Intranet and internet based materials for self study:
Distance Learning Programme (intranet forum)
Student English File Resources.
Bibliography:
An English-English dictionary of the student’s choice.
An English Business dictionary of the student’s choice.
A Thesaurus of the student’s choice.