Global Business Communication I

Code

GBE-GBC 1

Version

1.0

Offered by

Global Business Engineering

ECTS

Prerequisites

Admission requirements for the Global Business Engineering Programme or similar (Advanced level). Test required for international students.

Main purpose

The purpose of this course is to develop the students’ linguistic abilities and general communicative competences in English focusing especially on communication in a professional context.

Knowledge

The student should acquire knowledge about:

The international business environment
Communication models
The writing process
Approaches to writing routine, positive and negative messages in English
Presentation techniques in English
Professional writing

Skills

After the course the students should be able to:
analyse a communication situation as to target group, message, choice of communication channel etc.
communicate precisely and with a varied vocabulary in English, orally as well as in writing
work out material to be used in a company’s internal as well as external communication using correct
terminology, syntax and stylistics
read and understand linguistically complex texts in English.
apply relevant terminology within business and technical subjects
present the results of self-studied subjects in English professionally.

Competences

The student should gain competences in applying selected relevant approaches when writing professional business messages in an international business environment and communicate effectively and professionally with a company’s internal and external stakeholders in speech and writing. Furthermore, the student should be able to critically acquire new knowledge within relevant engineering areas.

Topics

Business communication: planning and writing of material in connection with a company’s internal and external communication. Presentation skills. Language proficiency training. Selected grammar topics. Vocabulary and idioms. Presentation of self-studied subjects. Information search and knowledge acquisition relating to political, social, cultural or technical subjects within a specific field.

Examples of subjects that will be dealt with during the course:

Business communication foundations, planning, writing and completing business messages, crafting messages for digital channels, writing routine and positive messages, writing negative messages. International business in general. English grammar and vocabulary. Mini-project.

Teaching methods and study activities

The semester workload equals 150 hours of student work comprising compulsory written and oral assignments, compulsory presentations of self-studied subjects as well as a number of grammar exercises.

Examples of subjects that can be dealt with during classes:

Business communication, including building blocks for effective messages, adapting your message to your audience, planning, writing and revising, communicating across cultures, creating goodwill, finding, analysing, documenting information, verbal and non-verbal communication, working and writing in teams. International business. English grammar and vocabulary. Area studies.

Teaching methods:

The teaching methods will be a combination of class work, pair work, group work and problem-based tuition. The students are required to participate actively in the lessons.

Resources

Literature used:

Bovée, Courtland & Thill, John: Business Communication Essentials, Pearson, latest edition

Foley, Mark & Hall, Diane: MyGrammarLab. Advanced C1/C2, Pearson 2012

Handouts: Articles from newspapers, magazines and the Internet.

Recommended:

Fowler/Aaron: The Little, Brown Handbook. Pearson, latest edition

Hewings, Martin: Advanced Grammar in Use, Cambridge, second edition

Swan, Michael: Practical English Usage.

Dictionary of Contemporary English for Advanced Learners + CD-ROM, latest edition or MacMillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners, incl. CD-ROM, latest edition.

Evaluation

Admission to the course “Global Business Communication II” is conditional upon one pass mark according to the Danish 7-scale based on

one in-class progress test (20%)
one written assignment (20%)
one oral presentation (20%)
one two-hour written exam (40%)

Late or missing participation in any of these, except for the exam, will count as a chance and will be marked with the lowest mark, minus 3. The two-hour exam must be passed separately to pass the course overall. A re-exam accounts for 100%.

Examination

Grading criteria

Additional information

Responsible

Associate Professor Birgitte Balsløv and Associate Professor Helle Neimann Olesen.

Valid from

01-08-2016 00:00:00