BUSINESS ENGLISH I

Course code
Course title
Type of the course
Year of study
Semester
ECTS
Coordinating lecturer
Study form
Course prerequisites
Language of instruction

HUM 102
Business English I
Compulsory
st
1
Autumn
6; 60 hours of practice, 100 hours of self-study, 2 hours of
consultations
Prof. dr. Vida kudien
Daytime/Fulltime
None
English

Annotation
Speaking a language that is understood by decision makers is critical for success in business and business
studies. The primary goal of the Business English I course is to provide instruction and practice in oral and
written English using business-related topics as its content base. The course also aims at developing
students speaking, listening, reading and writing skills for academic purposes. The course is designed to
develop students self-study skills and learner independence.
Aims
The module aims to:
train vocabulary building skills;
improve the listening, reading, writing, and critical thinking skills needed for academic and
professional success;
help perform discipline-appropriate exercises and activities, to develop the interpersonal, academic,
and language skills necessary to succeed in a university environment;
develop presentation skills;
develop problem solving and participation in meetings skills;
enhance CV, application letter writing skills.
Subject Learning Outcomes

Teaching
methods

SLO1. Students will be able to read/listen to and

understand authentic texts related to their studies
for general idea and for detail.

Class assignments, individual work

(articles from business journals and
newspapers, and texts written for
second language learners).
Class
assignments,
homework
exercises (articles from business
journals and newspapers, and texts
and exercises for second language
learners).
Class assignments, role-plays and
simulations of meetings.

Progress test, examination.

Class assignments and individual

homework.

Class and homework written

assignments, examination.

Individual and group presentations.

Assessed individual and group

presentations, role-plays .

SLO2. Students will be able to derive vocabulary

meaning from context; develop vocabulary
building skills and acquire sufficient vocabulary in
the topic areas defined in the course outline.
SLO3. Students will develop business
communication skills in key performance areas
such as exchanging information, discussing and
presenting business issues.
SLO4. Students will be able to write a CV and
application letter; and take notes.
SLO5. The learners will be able to give
presentations, participate in meetings, and
discussions.

and

learning

Evaluation methods

Progress test, examination.

Case study, role-plays, class and

homework group assignments.

Quality management
The quality of the course is assured by the variety of teaching and learning methods, interim knowledge assessment
through mini tests, continuous discussions of individual and group work, other assignment results, as well as by supply of
learning materials to students.

Cheating prevention
Individual oral and written assignments and presentations; individual tasks. Tests administered with the
assistance of doctoral students.
Course syllabus:
WEEK
WEEK 1

CLASS HOURS
Lecture
Practice

TOPIC

Course Introduction
Course goals, objectives and requirements,
assessment principles.
Higher education.
Identifying skills and learning styles. Academic
skills.

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

WEEK 5

WEEK 6

WEEK 7

WEEK 8

Presentations (1)
Good presentations: content, structure,
preparation, and language.
Presentations (2)
Individual
assessed
presentations
educational institutions or companies

WEEK 10

Recruitment
Employment, writing CV, application letters;
participating at job interviews
Course review

The different sectors of the economy

Discuss changes that have taken place in
different sectors of the economy
Production, logistics, quality
Product descriptions and development.
Marketing (1)
Definition, discussion of 4Ps of marketing

WEEK 12

Marketing and advertising (2)

Marketing collocations; words and phrases for

advertising media and methods
WEEK 13

Supplementary
reading and
vocabulary

on

Management
Defining management, management functions,
what makes a good manager?
Work and motivation
Discussion of motivation theories and staff
motivation
Company structure
Company legal status, structure, responsibilities.

WEEK 11

Progress test (Topics: 1-7)

WEEK 9

READINGS

Meetings

Practice decision-making skills. Participating in

Supplementary
reading and
vocabulary

Supplementary
reading and
vocabulary
1 p.10-14

1.p.15-20
4
4

1 p 21-25

1 p.30-37; 38-41
4

4
1 p.42-46
4
1 p.47-50; 51-60
4
4

1 p.60-63;64-68
1 p.69-72; 91-101

Supplementary
reading and

vocabulary

meetings. The language of meetings, agreeing

and disagreeing.
WEEK 14

WEEK 15

Presentations (3)

Group presentations on a product marketing

plan and an advertising campaign

Case study

Consultations
Total:

2
60 + 2

Self-study and assessment

Final mark composition
Progress test
Oral course assignments
Presentations (2)
Written course assignments
Case study
Examination
Consultation
Total

Number of self-study
hours
20
10
20
10
10
30
2
102

Percentage of
total grade (%)
20
10
20
10
10
30
100

Course Assignments
1. Progress test. Test weighs 20% of the final mark. It consists of topics covered during weeks1-7. The test
covers all four language skills (reading, listening, writing and speaking) and contains vocabulary and
language use items.
2. Oral assignments. Oral assignments weigh 10% of the final mark and consist of: individual talks and
homework assignments, participation in role-plays (e.g. meetings). Role-plays are assessed for the use of
language of meetings and discussions, active participation, clear and successful communication, task
achievement.
3. Presentations. One individual (10%) and one group (10%) presentation are assessed during the term.
Assessment criteria include: structure, use of active vocabulary, signposting language, and grammar
accuracy.
4. Written assignments account for 10% of the final mark. Written assignments include a CV, a letter of
application, and an advertisement analysis. They are assessed for keeping appropriate format, style and
register, task achievement, and accuracy.
Note: students are not allowed to make up for any course assignments after the deadline.
5. Case study. This is a group assignment which involves reading and analyzing the content of the case,
identifying different issues related to the topic, discussing the issues in groups and preparing a Power Point
presentation. Finally, the groups will have to deliver their presentations, participate in discussions and defend
their decisions in a whole group discussion session. This assignment accounts for 10% of the final mark.
5. Examination is given at the end of the semester. It weighs 30 % of the semester mark. The examination
consists of a written test (listening, reading, writing, and vocabulary and language use sections) and cover
topics of weeks 9-14.
6. Re-take examination is taken by the students who do not get a pass mark at the end of the course. It is
a test on the topics of the whole course and weighs 50% of the mark, plus any course assignments and the
case study mark that had been given during the course.

the

Attendance
Class attendance for the first year ISM University of Management and Economics students is OBLIGATORY.
During the semester students, who miss more than 20% of ONE course class hours, will be expelled from
the course.
It is your responsibility to find out what you have missed if you are absent from lectures. Being absent does
not excuse you from tests or tasks on the day you return. Attendance will contribute to the course oral and
written assignment evaluation mark.
Remember that only YOU can determine how much you learn in this course. The right ATTITUDE toward
the homework assignments and class discussions will give you a working knowledge of the language that
will be invaluable to you both in your future classes and in the business world you plan to join. The way you
see your life, shapes you.
Main course book:
MacKenzie, I. (2010).English for Business Studies. Third edition. Students book. CUP
Required Readings
1.
2.

MacKenzie, I. (2010). English for Business Studies. CUP

Trappe, T. (2011). Intelligent Business. Advanced. Pearson-Longman, UK

3. Powell, M. (2004). New Business Matters. Thomson

References
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Powell, M.(2010). Dynamic Presentations. CUP

Oxford Business English Dictionary. (2006). OUP
Cotton, D. (2002).Market Leader. Upper Intermediate. Longman
Dubicka I., OKeeffe M. (2007). Market Leader. Advanced. Pearson. Longman
Emmerson, P. (2002).Business Grammar Builder. Macmillan Education
Emmerson P. (2009). Business Vocabulary Builder. Macmillan.
Emmerson P. (2007). Business English Handbook. Advanced. Macmillan.
Mascull, B. (2002). Business Vocabulary in Use. Intermediate. CUP
Mascull, B. (2004). Business Vocabulary in Use. Advanced. CUP

Role of the subject in reaching learning outcomes of Business Management and Analytics programme
Special learning outcomes
S1. To analyze a company or an organization as an integral unit, which strives for certain goals in a
market or social environment by effectively distributing their finite resources among objects and
business activities and obtains synergies from coordinated function planning, organization and
management;
S2. To forecast the influence of economic and financial decisions not only in a financial context, but
also in the wider context of business or organization management, to estimate the effect of
economic and financial decisions on the processes of a company or an organization, the motivation
of companys human resources, product and service quality, customer satisfaction, brand strength,
corporate social responsibility;
S3. To select and to apply in practice organizational theories and models;
S4. To identify new possibilities in national and international markets, to foresee, to analyze and to
assess target markets, their potential, to adapt the old products and services and to develop the new
ones for these markets, to communicate effectively ones proposals to the market;
S5. To describe and to analyze financial management and financial decision making processes in
companies and other organizations, to solve problems of different levels of complexity in financial
and management accounting ;

Subject Learning
Outcome

S6. To describe the main economic theories and theoretical models, to adapt them to the theoretical
and practical issues (for example, demand and supply elasticity theory, economic cycles, classical
economic theory, Keynesianism, monetarism, rational expectations theory, cost-benefit analysis);
S7. To analyze economic, legal, political and social environment of companies and other
organizations; to identify and to evaluate internal and external changes and to make necessary
decisions to keep the firms or organizations economic and financial stability;
S8. To plan and to organize manufacturing, service provision and other companys business
processes in short and long term, in national and international markets;
S9. To name the main principles of business law and to be able to analyze simple cases in business
law.
S10. To explain the corporate social responsibility and to be able to apply its principles in practice for
a company operating in a local as well as international markets.
S11. To select adequate research methods for the companys internal and external analysis and to
conduct individually simple research of internal and external environment (to collect, to organize and
to interpret data, based on them to make managerial decisions).
S12. To name the main principles of strategic planning and management, to be able to analyze in
practice the strategic alternatives based on the companys or organizations competitive environment
and its resources, to create an outline of a strategic plan and to foresee tactical actions to implement
the strategy.
General learning outcomes
G1. To apply modern information technologies in the data gathering, analysis and communication;

SLO1; SLO2;
SLO3;
SLO4; SLO5

G2. To apply calculations, modelling, optimisation and statistical analysis skills for analysis of
managerial and economical programmes
G3. To apply a systematic, critical and constructive thinking in problem identification and solving;

SLO5

G4. To communicate well and express thoughts in writing and orally, both in English and native
language; to communicate with specialists and non-professional audiences;
G5. To prepare research papers according to proper language, writing style and general
bibliographic citation requirements;

SLO3; SLO4;
SLO5

G6. To develop independent learning skills necessary to continue studies on a higher level;
G7. To communicate and to work effectively in an intercultural and interdisciplinary group or team.
G8. To know and to apply in practice certain aspects of various social sciences (history, geography,
sociology, logics, philosophy, arts, etc.), to supplement effectively the education of business or
economics by general knowledge.

SLO1; SLO2;
SLO3
SLO4; SLO5
SLO1; SLO3;
SLO5