SFB51015 Professional Communication I (Autumn 2019)

Compulsory course in Bachelor's Programme in International Communication

1st semester (autumn)

The oral aspects of the course are various forms of professional communication, such as informative and persuasive presentations. Professional communication is placed in a cultural context. Proficiency training is in focus and all the students give presentations in teams.

The course teaches various forms of written English for business or other professional use, and relevant terminology. The students are introduced to general text production in the field of language for specific purposes.

Knowledge

The candidate:

• is familiar with communication strategies and conventions regarding form and style
• has sound knowledge of English for specific purposes and professional genres, in writing as well as for oral presentations

Skills

The candidate has:

• excellent skills in how to use professional English communication both written and oral
• good skills in situastions relevant to working life, such as polite conversation and oral business presentations
• good skills to enable clear and effective writing in a number of genres such as emails, CVs and cover letters

General competence

The candidate has

• sound general and professional communicative competence in English
• good social and cultural understanding and competency

• One oral presentation.
• One written assignment.

The coursework must be approved before signing up for the final exam.

Portfolio assessment (50 %) and oral examination (50 %)

Partial exam 1

The final assessment is based on a portfolio (of about 5 pages) containing a number of individually written, shorter texts.

Partial exam 2

An oral examination, largely group-based and partly individual, lasting approx. 25 minutes per group. No aids are permitted during the individual oral examination.

Grades are individual in both partial exams. Each part counts 50 % towards the final grade. Both partial exams must be passed to be awarded the final grade. The A-F grading scale is used.

If the portfolio is given a fail, it may be improved and resubmitted.

If students wish to improve their grade, they have to submit a new portfolio at a new regular exam.

In the case of a fail in the oral exam the student will be reexamined at the next regular examination unless special reasons call for an immediate new oral test (e.g. a pending exchange to a foreign university).

The reading list may be subject to change before the semester starts.

Theobald, Theo (2013). Develop Your Presentation Skills. London: Kogan Page. 170 pages.

Barker, Alan (2013). Improve Your Communication Skills. London: Kogan Page. 185 pages.

All course material published on the learning platform.