The organising principle of the EBC1 course focuses on English communication skills in a business context. In each unit, business content and terminology as well as relevant language skills are embedded in interactive exercises, communicative tasks and simulations.

The EBC1 syllabus consists of the following:

• all material contained in the EBC1 Coursebook (see 'Literature' below)
• all grammatical issues covered in those sections of the Mautner/Ross grammar (see 'Literature' below) explicitly mentioned in the EBC1 Coursebook

In EBC1, students are required to demonstrate a level of general English competence equivalent to at least B2 on the Common European Framework .

Additionally, after successfully completing this course, students will be able to:

1. Understand and apply key reading strategies

2. Appreciate the key principles of paragraphing and apply them in your reading and writing

3. Write appropriate and effective texts for a range of different business situations

4. Understand and apply the concept of the Businesslike Zone

5. Develop and use a range of business vocabulary and collocations correctly

6. Apply key language features such tense usage and linkers to optimise communication

7. Draw comparisons and report results of analyses accurately and effectively

8. Describe graphs, charts, projects and processes clearly and accurately

9. Compare business opportunities in writing and speech

10. Participate actively and effectively in semi-formal business meetings held in English                                               

As with all PI courses, attendance is a requirement to pass EBC1. As a special concession, you may miss up to two meetings of your LV. However, if you miss a third, you will no longer be able to pass the course. This condition applies whatever the reasons for your absences may have been.

Please note that this attendance requirement will also apply if it is necessary to return to online teaching.

Please note: EBC1 is currently scheduled to take place on campus. This may change depending on developments with Covid-19 and the government regulations. Please keep checking your WU email and the notices (Ankündigungen) on LEARN for up-to-date information.

Classes are of a workshop nature and involve a wide range of activities based on the course literature and designed to develop the skills and knowledge that you need to fulfil the assessment criteria. Each unit of the Coursebook examines a specific communicative skill. Students will practise and develop these skills by actively participating in interactive exercises such as meeting simulations, SWOT analyses, writing tasks and listening as well as reading comprehensions.

Provided you satisfy the attendance requirement, your final score will be made up of the following three elements:

• Language Quizzes - 20%
• Home Exercises - 10%
• Final Test - 70%

Your grade will be based on your final score, as follows:

• 90-100%             → Excellent (1)
• 80-89%               → Good (2)
• 70-79%               → Satisfactory (3)
• 60-69%               → Sufficient (4)
• 0-59%                 → Fail (5)

If you do not attempt any of the assessment elements, you will receive no grade, and you will not lose an 'Antritt'.

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).

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).

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.

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