English Business Communication
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course aims at developing/enhancing the students' workplace communication skills in corporate and institutional settings, providing a theoretical foundation of business communication principles and strengthening their capacity for successful communication in the context of business with its etiquette and specific rules.
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of the course, the students should be able to: - correctly use relevant terminology in context; - implement specific communicative strategies in professional contexts, such as making business calls, having a job interview and communicating in a business setting; - read and analyze newspaper articles and business texts; - write emails, memos, reports, CVs and business letters; - listen to and understand discussions, presentations and interviews and be able to participate in them.
Lesson period: Third trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Third trimester
Course syllabus
The programme aims to consolidate students' lexical, grammatical and textual skills in English at B2 level, with a special focus on business communication. In addition to this consolidation, the course also encourages critical reflection on the linguistic and discursive strategies used in a variety of business and corporate communication contexts, with the aim of fostering the development of transferable skills.
Prerequisites for admission
The course requires a knowledge of English at CEFR level B1.
Teaching methods
The course consists of 20 lessons, each lasting 2 hours. Each lesson will include a lecture component and an interactive section. There will be independent study activities with regular assessments. The format of these assessments will be explained during the first lesson.
Teaching Resources
Darics E. and Koller V. (2018). Language in Business, Language at Work. London, England: Palgrave. 343 pp. ISBN 978-0-230-29842-2
Assessment methods and Criteria
Learning outcomes are assessed through two examinations - one written and one oral - to be taken during the same examination session. The written examination assesses the acquisition of specialised vocabulary, grammatical and syntactic skills, the ability to comprehend written text, and the basic principles of writing simple domain-specific texts. The oral examination consists of an interview on the main topics covered during the course, accompanied by a short presentation on a topic of the candidate's choice.
The written examination is structured as follows:
a) Closed-ended reading comprehension test (10 points)
b) Vocabulary test (8 multiple-choice questions, for a total of 4 points)
c) Syntax and grammar test (cloze test with drop-down menu, 5 points)
d) Test of communicative and textual skills (three different exercises: matching form/function, text completion focusing on collocations typical of specialist language, reconstruction of a deconstructed text) (Total: 12 points)
The maximum number of points available is 31.
The oral examination, which candidates may only sit after passing the written examination, is also marked out of 30. The mark will be derived 50% from knowledge of the course content, 25% from the effectiveness of the presentation and 25% from the ability to interact (which includes comprehension, lexical and communicative appropriateness, fluency of expression and pronunciation).
The final mark is expressed out of 30 and is derived from the partial results achieved in the two assessments.
The written examination is structured as follows:
a) Closed-ended reading comprehension test (10 points)
b) Vocabulary test (8 multiple-choice questions, for a total of 4 points)
c) Syntax and grammar test (cloze test with drop-down menu, 5 points)
d) Test of communicative and textual skills (three different exercises: matching form/function, text completion focusing on collocations typical of specialist language, reconstruction of a deconstructed text) (Total: 12 points)
The maximum number of points available is 31.
The oral examination, which candidates may only sit after passing the written examination, is also marked out of 30. The mark will be derived 50% from knowledge of the course content, 25% from the effectiveness of the presentation and 25% from the ability to interact (which includes comprehension, lexical and communicative appropriateness, fluency of expression and pronunciation).
The final mark is expressed out of 30 and is derived from the partial results achieved in the two assessments.
L-LIN/12 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - ENGLISH - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Catenaccio Paola
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Professor(s)