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Professional English

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved
Course Description Version:6.00
Study Course Accepted:12.04.2024 11:14:19
Study Course Information
Course Code:VC_143LQF level:Level 7
Credit Points:2.00ECTS:3.00
Branch of Science:Economics; Other economic and management sub-sectorsTarget Audience:Management Science; Juridical Science; Business Management; Person and Property Defence; Civil and Military Defense
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:Tatjana Zakutajeva
Study Course Implementer
Structural Unit:Faculty of Social Sciences
The Head of Structural Unit:
Contacts:Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szfatrsu[pnkts]lv
Study Course Planning
Full-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)0Lecture Length (academic hours)0Total Contact Hours of Lectures0
Classes (count)6Class Length (academic hours)4Total Contact Hours of Classes24
Total Contact Hours24
Part-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)0Lecture Length (academic hours)0Total Contact Hours of Lectures0
Classes (count)5Class Length (academic hours)2Total Contact Hours of Classes10
Total Contact Hours10
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
English knowledge and skills at Intermediate B1/B2 level corresponding to Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Objective:
To develop students’ communication skills for use in academic and professional settings and to facilitate the acquisition of professional terminology for productive use.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.TopicType of ImplementationNumberVenue
4Competition and company strategy. Tools to analyse company and its business environment. SWOT, STEPL, Michael Porter's diamond. Company competitive advantage.Classes0.50auditorium
5Risk elimination. Effective crisis communication. Crisis management and sustainable development.Classes0.50auditorium
6Citizenship and migration. Case study analysis, presentation and written report submission.Classes1.00auditorium
7Safety of individuals and society. Fight against crime.Classes1.00auditorium
8Intelligence and counterintelligence to fight organized and economic crime. Protection of state border. Case study analysis, presentation and written report submission.Classes1.00auditorium
9Civil protection, fire safety, rescue. Case study analysis, presentation and written report submission.Classes2.00auditorium
Topic Layout (Part-Time)
No.TopicType of ImplementationNumberVenue
1Introduction to the study course. Corporate communication. Enhancing corporate image.Classes0.50auditorium
2Leadership and motivation. Emotional intelligence. Team and team building. Personal development: how to enhance your career prospects.Classes0.50auditorium
3Business dimensions of culture: high and low context cultures. Corporate culture. Business ethics. Corporate social responsibility.Classes0.50auditorium
4Competition and company strategy. Tools to analyse company and its business environment. SWOT, STEPL, Michael Porter's diamond. Company competitive advantage.Classes0.50auditorium
5Risk elimination. Effective crisis communication. Crisis management and sustainable development.Classes0.50auditorium
6Citizenship and migration. Case study analysis, presentation and written report submission.Classes1.00auditorium
7Safety of individuals and society. Fight against crime.Classes0.50auditorium
8Intelligence and counterintelligence to fight organized and economic crime. Protection of state border. Case study analysis, presentation and written report submission.Classes0.50auditorium
9Civil protection, fire safety, rescue. Case study analysis, presentation and written report submission.Classes0.50auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
Students do individual and pair work: they deliver presentations, perform written tasks, design questionnaires, draw up questions for a press conference, write reports, work with monolingual dictionaries (definitions/explanations of the terms). Students are obliged to fill in the course evaluation questionnaire at the end of the course.
Assessment Criteria:
Active participation in classes; timely submitted written tasks of high quality; presentations made in accordance with the topics covered during the course; successfully written vocabulary tests. At the end of the course: the examination consisting of a written part and a presentation. The written part of the examination assesses the knowledge of terminology and its practical use, comprehension of a general text and specific information and the use of the written language. In presentation, students demonstrate their speaking skills and general understanding: prepared monologue (summarising information, expressing opinion), and dialogue (asking/answering questions). Total grade consists of: Compulsory tests – 1. motivational speech, 2. company SWOT analysis, 3. report on innovative product/service or management process, 4. the concept of high/low context cultures, 5. research on leadership skills and Emotional Intelligence and data presentation, 6. Harvard Business Review article summary, 7. report on customer satisfaction, 8. crisis communication conference simulation, 9. Business Ethics/Corporate social responsibility presentation, 10. company message on CSR for the internet home page – 50%. Other tests (classroom activities: role plays, business case analyses, academic writing) – 20%. Final Project (crisis case study analysis, presentation and written company report submission) – 30%.
Final Examination (Full-Time):Exam
Final Examination (Part-Time):Exam
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:On successful completion of the study course, students will: • know the most common terms used in economics, business and legislation for use in various academic and professional situations; • apply the acquired vocabulary for professional needs, communicating with clients and business partners; • distinguish between business language styles, find the written and oral information they need.
Skills:On successful completion of the study course, students will be able to: • get the necessary written and spoken information and express their point of view, applying the terms acquired during the course; • define and apply business and legal terminology; • write annotations, company reports, formal letters; • make and deliver presentations in English; • present their ideas in meetings, give recommendations, agreement or disagreement.
Competencies:Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to communicate, write, read, work and deliver presentations in English, understanding and using professional terminology and concepts. Students will be able to explain and discuss in a reasoned manner the complex or systemic nature of the industry or aspects of the professional field.
Bibliography
No.Reference
Required Reading
1Business Result: Advanced. Student's book / Kate Baade, Christopher Holloway, Jim Scrivener & Rebecca Turner; with additional material by Gareth Davies, Andrew Shouler, Chris Speck & Shaun Wilden., 2019.
2Market leader: intermediate business English course book / David Cotton, David Falvey, Simon Kent. 2019.
3Intelligent Business, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate, T. Trappe, Longman, 2019.
4Introduction to International Legal English, A. Krois-Lindner, M. Firth, Cambridge University Press 2021.
5Market leader: Upper intermediate business English course book / David Cotton, David Falvey, Simon Kent. 2020.
6Business Result: Upper-intermediate. Student's book with online practice / Michael Duckworth, John Hughes & Rebecca Turner., 2021.
Additional Reading
1Professional English in Use. Law, G. D. Brown, S. Rice, Cambridge University Press, 2020.
2Business Vocabulary in Use, Intermediate, Advanced, B. Mascull, Cambridge University Press, 2021.
3English for Business Studies, I. MacKenzie, Cambridge University Press, 2019.
4New Insights into Business, student’s book, workbook, G. Tullis, T. Trappe, Longman 2019.
5New Business Matters, course book, workbook, M. Powell, Thomson, 2018.
6Business English Handbook, Advanced, P. Emmerson, Macmillan, 2021.
Other Information Sources
1https://hbr.org/
2www.forbes.com
3www.ft.com
4ww.economisdt.com
5www.thetimes.co.uk
6https://www.iem.gov.lv/en/ministry-interior