Syllabus

Title
0750 Fremdsprachliche Wirtschaftskommunikation I - Englisch
Instructors
Dr. Mathew Gillings
Contact details
Type
PI
Weekly hours
2
Language of instruction
Englisch
Registration
09/22/20 to 10/01/20
Registration via LPIS
Notes to the course
Dates
Day Date Time Room
Wednesday 10/14/20 03:30 PM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 10/21/20 03:30 PM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 10/28/20 03:30 PM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 11/04/20 03:30 PM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 11/11/20 03:30 PM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 11/24/20 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 12/02/20 03:30 PM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 12/09/20 03:30 PM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 12/16/20 03:30 PM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 12/23/20 03:30 PM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 01/13/21 03:30 PM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Friday 01/29/21 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Online-Einheit
Procedure for the course when limited activity on campus

Da der Campusbetrieb im Wintersemester nur eingeschränkt möglich sein wird, findet EBC1 im Distanzmodus statt. Das heißt, dass jede Woche ausführliche Lernmaterialien wie zum Beispiel kommentierte PowerPoint Präsentationen und Study Guides zu den entsprechenden LV-Einheiten auf Learn@WU online gestellt werden. Außerdem gibt es in den Lernaktivitäten und den Musterklausuren als dauerhaft verfügbare Lernressourcen.

Live Sessions über MS Teams oder Zoom:

Jede/r Vortragende wird im Laufe des Semesters 5 live Sessions über MS Teams oder Zoom abhalten, die die wichtigsten Themenbereiche wiederholen und Fragen zur Prüfungsvorbereitung aufgreifen.

Die Teilnahme an diesen live Sessions ist freiwillig, wird aber stark empfohlen! Die jeweiligen Termine werden rechtzeitig vor Unterrichtsbeginn im VVZ und auf Learn@WU bekannt gegeben.

Teilleistungen:

  • Mid-Semester Test und Final Test werden online abgehalten
  • Die Home Exercise wird wie gewohnt über Learn@WU abgewickelt

Alle weiteren Informationen werden auf Learn@WU bekannt gegeben.

Contents

ACHTUNG: Die als „Online-Einheiten“ angeführten Termine gelten als Self-Study Zeiten, die 'Live Sessions' via MS Teams oder Zoom mit Ihrer/Ihrem Vortragenden sind folgende:
1 Montag, 12.10. 16:00-16:45
2 Montag, 16.11. 16:00-16:45
3 Donnerstag, 3.12. 16:00-16:45
4 Donnerstag, 17.12. 16:00-16:45
5 Montag, 18.1. 16:00-16:45
Weitere Details zu den Live Sessions erfahren Sie von Ihrer/Ihrem Vortragenden. Bitte lesen Sie regelmäßig Ihre WU Emails!

***

The EBC1 syllabus consists of the following:

  • all material contained in the EBC1 Coursebook (see 'Literature' below)
  • all keywords in the New Handbook of Business English (see 'Literature' below) listed in the Coursebook
  • all grammatical issues covered in those sections of the Mautner grammar (see 'Literature' below) explictly mentioned in the EBC1 Coursebook
     
Learning outcomes

LEARNING OUTCOMES (LOs)
After successfully completing this course, students will be able:

  • (LO1) to demonstrate a level of general English competence equivalent to at least B2 on the Common European Framework with respect to reading and writing skills;                                                           
  • (LO2) to understand and apply important concepts from the fields of business organisations, personnel management, business transactions and marketing, and to recall as required the essential terminology associated with them;                                                                                       
  • (LO3) to recall at will, and use appropriately, the English equivalents of basic German terminology from these fields, as well as other typical features (structures, collocations, prepositional usage, etc) of the language associated with them;
  • (LO4) to combine the various abilities mentioned above in order to understand lower-intermediate level written texts about the above business fields, and to write appropriate passages of communications relating to them.

In addition, this course fosters the following soft skills:

  • Ability to explain and summarise, in German (or other native language), English texts relating to the business fields mentioned
  • Intermediate-level aural/oral skills
Attendance requirements

As with all PI courses, attendance is a requirement to pass EBC1. As a special concession, you may miss up to two (2) meetings of your LV. However, if you miss a third, you will automatically fail the course. This condition applies whatever the reasons for your absences may have been.

Teaching/learning method(s)

EBC1 is divided into ten units, each centred on an aspect of one of the business fields mentioned in learning outcome LO2 above, and divided into three parts, dealing respectively with business content and terminology, language development, and text comprehension and production. EBC1 classes (one for each of these units) involve a range of activities based on the course literature (see 'Literatur' below), including:

  • discussion of tricky content issues;
  • vocabulary development and reinforcement of grammatical structures;
  • listening comprehension; and
  • examination preparation.
Assessment

If you satisfy the attendance requirement above (see 'Regelung zur Anwesenheit'), your final score will be made up of the following three elements:

  • Mid-Semester Test - 20%
  • Home Exercise - 5%
  • Final Test - 75%

In general, no dictionaries or other reference materials are allowed in the two tests. Exceptionally, if you are neither a German nor an English native speaker, you may use a bilingual dictionary of German and your mother tongue (but NOT any form of electronic translation device) in the Final Test only.

If you do not take the Mid-Semester Test or submit the Home Exercise, and you attend no classes after Unit 5, you will receive no grade, and you will not lose an 'Antritt'. Otherwise your grade will be based on your final score, as follows:

  • 0-59% - grade 5
  • 60-67% - grade 4
  • 68-75% - grade 3
  • 76-84% - grade 2
  • 85-100% - grade 1

EBC 1 is a PI class, so if you receive a grade 5 you will have to re-take it in a later semester in full (i.e., including class attendance and all 3 assessment elements).

Readings
1 Author: Copnall, A., Komori-Glatz, M., Krieger, W., Landsmann, L., Ross, C. and Schmidt-Unterberger B.
Title:

EBC1: Fremdsprachliche Wirtschaftskommunikation 1 - Englisch ('EBC1 Coursebook')


Publisher: MBS
Edition: February 2017
Remarks: YOU MUST BUY YOUR OWN COPY OF THIS ITEM AND TAKE IT WITH YOU TO EVERY EBC1 CLASS!
Year: 2017
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Script
2 Author: Obenaus, W./Weidacher, J.
Title: NEW Handbook of Business English

Publisher: Linde
Year: 2006
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Book
3 Author: Obenaus, W./Weidacher, J.
Title: NEW Handbook of Business English: Dictionary & User's Guide

Publisher: Linde
Year: 2006
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Book
4 Author: Mautner, G.
Title:

Englische Grammatik für die Wirtschaftskommunikation


Publisher: Linde
Edition: 3. Auflage, ANM: die 4. Auflage wird zu Mitte des WS 2020/21 verfügbar sein
Year: 2014
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Book
5 Author: Mautner, G.
Title: Language Training for English Business Communication: Prüfungsvorbereitung für EBC1 & EBC2

Publisher: MBS
Edition: 3., überarbeitete und erweiterte Auflage
Remarks: Ideale Vorbereitung auf den Mid-Semester Test
Year: 2011
Content relevant for class examination: No
Recommendation: Strongly recommended (but no absolute necessity for purchase)
Type: Script
Prerequisites for participation and waiting lists

Registration
You can register for an individual EBC1 class (LV) ONLY by means of the LPIS system. Registration is effected on a first-come, first-served basis. Any unfilled slots will be filled from waiting lists in accordance with study progress and in cooperation with the Vizerektorat für Lehre und Studierende.

Individual EBC1 instructors are NOT involved in registration and will NOT reply to mails on the subject.

As EBC1 is a PI course, there is no need to register separately for any of the tests (see above).

Recommended previous knowledge and skills
The only formal requirement for EBC1 is completion of the STEOP. However, please bear in mind that the course assumes that you have reached the level of the Austrian Matura exam in English. This level will be tested in the Mid-Semester Test (see above).
Availability of lecturer(s)

You can contact your instructor during his/her office hours (see website), immediately before or after class or by mail.

Unit details
Unit Date Contents
1 Business Organisations I: Aims & Activities
2 Business Organisations II: Legal Framework
3 Corporate Management
4 Human Resources I: Personnel Management
5 Human Resources II: Industrial Relations
6 Business Transactions I: Inquiries & Offers
7 Business Transactions II: Orders & Contracts
8 Marketing I: Introduction and Product Policy
9 Marketing II: Price & Promotion
10 Marketing III: Distribution
Last edited: 2020-09-15



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