BUSINESS ENGLISH (B2)
cod. 1007273

Academic year 2024/25
1° year of course - Second semester
Professor
Fraser Harris BRESNAHAN
Academic discipline
Lingua e traduzione - lingua inglese (L-LIN/12)
Field
Ulteriori conoscenze linguistiche
Type of training activity
More
42 hours
of face-to-face activities
6 credits
hub: PARMA
course unit
in ENGLISH

Learning objectives

Course Description With Aligned Dublin Descriptor Outcomes:
Overall Spoken Interaction:

Interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes interaction with speakers at a similar or higher level possible.
Take an active part in discussions in familiar contexts, accounting for and sustaining personal views and opinions.
Present clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of subjects related to business.
Explain a viewpoint on a topical issue, giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding that provides a basis for originality in developing and applying ideas, often within a research context.
Communicate conclusions clearly and unambiguously to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Overall Listening Comprehension

Understand speech and presentations of moderate length and follow lines of argument provided the topic is reasonably familiar.
Develop strategies for difficult communication situations—phone conversations, strong accents, unfamiliar topics, etc.
Apply knowledge and problem-solving abilities to new or unfamiliar environments within broader or multidisciplinary contexts.
Integrate knowledge and handle complexity in judgment-making with incomplete or limited information.

Overall Reading Comprehension

Read short to medium-length articles and reports on business in which the writers adopt particular attitudes or viewpoints.
Understand the overall meaning of more complicated texts—particularly articles regarding business topics.
Demonstrate self-directed learning skills that enable further study with a high degree of autonomy.
Develop critical thinking to evaluate, synthesize, and contextualize information from diverse sources.

Overall Written Interaction

Write clear texts on subjects related to business marketing and communication.
Write a short report or analysis, passing on information or giving reasons in support of or against a particular point of view.
Write emails to make arrangements or to provide updates or information on a topic.
Generate ideas and produce professional documentation that reflects analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
Demonstrate the ability to pursue academic research or apply professional techniques innovatively.

Prerequisites

Knowledge and understanding that is founded upon and extends and/or enhances
that typically associated with Bachelor’s level, and that provides a basis or opportunity for
originality in developing and/or applying ideas, often within a research context

Course unit content

Reading and writing for communication (Business emails
and newspaper articles)
Speaking and Listening (Presentation skills)

Full programme

- - -

Bibliography

Textbook: "Risk Management for Enterprises and Individuals”
Copyright Year: 2009
Contributors: Baranoff, Brockett, and Kahane
Publisher: Saylor Foundation
License: CC BY-NC-SA

Teaching methods

This course integrates all core language skills—reading, writing, speaking, pronunciation, and listening—in a balanced and clear series of units all of which are centered on the work, life experiences, and communications needs of the participants.

Assessment methods and criteria

Students are expected to participate in class and can raise their grades through active participation. Students should complete all readings and be prepared to discuss, analyze, and give their own opinion verbally or in writing.
At the end of the course, a written exam will be administered that tests grammar, vocabulary for business, and writing skills through a situational analysis essay.
The final exam has 21 grammar multiple choice questions that cover the topics studied in class, followed by a fill in the gap section where students must put in the correct words to complete a paragraph, and there is a section of technical finance and risk management terms that must be matched to their definitions.
Students will write an email using information given, and then an analysis or opinion essay with a minimum length of 200 words.
During the exam, no support materials are to be used by the examinees. Exercises are provided to prepare for the final exam.

Other information

2030 agenda goals for sustainable development