CODE 60047 ACADEMIC YEAR 2025/2026 CREDITS 9 cfu anno 2 ECONOMIA AZIENDALE 8697 (L-18) - GENOVA 9 cfu anno 2 ECONOMIA DELLE AZIENDE MARITTIME, LOGISTICA E TRASP. 8698 (L-18) - GENOVA 9 cfu anno 2 SCIENZE ECONOMICHE E FINANZIARIE 11662 (L-33) - GENOVA 9 cfu anno 1 ECONOMIA DELLE AZIENDE MARITTIME, LOGISTICA E TRASP. 11872 (L-18 R) - GENOVA 9 cfu anno 1 SCIENZE ECONOMICHE E FINANZIARIE 11946 (L-33 R) - GENOVA 9 cfu anno 1 ECONOMIA AZIENDALE 11871 (L-18 R) - GENOVA SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINARY SECTOR L-LIN/12 LANGUAGE English TEACHING LOCATION GENOVA SEMESTER Annual SECTIONING Questo insegnamento è diviso nelle seguenti frazioni: A B C OVERVIEW The English for Business and Economics course is a 72-hour course structured around mainly macroeconomic topics. The English course (72 hours over two terms) is made up of classes held by three lecturers. Those students who need to comply with the entry requirements (B1/PET English Certificate) can attend a 60-hour distance-learning course provided by CLAT (the university language centre) and supervised by a tutor. Click here www.economia.unige.it/doc/didattica/info_inglese.pdf for further information. All students are required to sign up for the course on the Aulaweb (http://economia.aulaweb.unige.it/) both to gain access to all materials and get updates from lecturers. The lecturers’ course is an upper-intermediate one and is offered to undergraduates who already have a good knowledge of English. Credits: 9 credits. Available as a 5/6-credit course for Erasmus students only and upon agreement. AIMS AND CONTENT LEARNING OUTCOMES The English course (72 hours over two terms) is made up of classes held by three lecturers. Those students who need to comply with the entry requirements (B1/PET English Certificate) can attend a 60-hour distance-learning course provided by CLAT (the university language centre) and supervised by a tutor. Click here www.economia.unige.it/doc/didattica/info_inglese.pdf for further information. All students are required to sign up for the course on the Aulaweb (http://economia.aulaweb.unige.it/) both to gain access to all materials and get updates from lecturers. The lecturers’ course is an upper-intermediate one and is offered to undergraduates who already have a good knowledge of English. Credits: 9 credits. Available as a 5/6-credit course for Erasmus students only and upon agreement. AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES The main objectives of the course are: to improve reading and listening with respect to previous knowledge of the English language (B1); develop tools to discuss socio-political-economic issues drawing on a variety of texts and talks; recognize the diversity of the English language as a mother tongue, as a L2 and as a lingua franca; develop oral communication skills in academic and business contexts LEARNING OBJECTIVES (DETAIL) AND LEARNING OUTCOMES to improve reading and listening with respect to previous knowledge of the English language (B1): Enhance Comprehension Skills: Improve the ability to understand main ideas and specific details in intermediate-level written and spoken texts in English. Expand Vocabulary and Grammar: Increase vocabulary and grammatical knowledge to better comprehend and interpret various types of texts and spoken English. develop tools to discuss socio-political-economic issues drawing on a variety of texts and talks Critical Analysis: Develop the ability to critically analyze and synthesize information from diverse sources, including articles, reports, and lectures on socio-political and economic topics. Effective Argumentation: Improve skills in constructing coherent and persuasive arguments based on evidence from a range of texts and discussions. recognize the diversity of the English language as a mother tongue, as a L2 and as a lingua franca Cultural Awareness: Gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and contextual variations in English usage across different regions and among non-native speakers. Linguistic Sensitivity: Develop sensitivity to and appreciation of the diverse linguistic features and practices in global English, including accents, dialects, and pragmatic differences. develop oral communication skills in academic and business contexts Presentation Skills: Enhance the ability to effectively organize and deliver clear and engaging oral presentations in academic and business settings. Interactive Communication: Improve skills in participating in discussions, negotiations, and collaborative tasks, demonstrating clarity, conciseness, and appropriate professional tone. The main objectives of the course are: to improve reading and listening with respect to previous knowledge of the English language (B1); develop tools to discuss socio-political-economic issues drawing on a variety of texts and talks; recognize the diversity of the English language as a mother tongue, as a L2 and as a lingua franca; develop oral communication skills in academic and business contexts LEARNING OBJECTIVES (DETAIL) AND LEARNING OUTCOMES to improve reading and listening with respect to previous knowledge of the English language (B1): Enhance Comprehension Skills: Improve the ability to understand main ideas and specific details in intermediate-level written and spoken texts in English. Expand Vocabulary and Grammar: Increase vocabulary and grammatical knowledge to better comprehend and interpret various types of texts and spoken English. develop tools to discuss socio-political-economic issues drawing on a variety of texts and talks Critical Analysis: Develop the ability to critically analyze and synthesize information from diverse sources, including articles, reports, and lectures on socio-political and economic topics. Effective Argumentation: Improve skills in constructing coherent and persuasive arguments based on evidence from a range of texts and discussions. recognize the diversity of the English language as a mother tongue, as a L2 and as a lingua franca Cultural Awareness: Gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and contextual variations in English usage across different regions and among non-native speakers. Linguistic Sensitivity: Develop sensitivity to and appreciation of the diverse linguistic features and practices in global English, including accents, dialects, and pragmatic differences. develop oral communication skills in academic and business contexts Presentation Skills: Enhance the ability to effectively organize and deliver clear and engaging oral presentations in academic and business settings. Interactive Communication: Improve skills in participating in discussions, negotiations, and collaborative tasks, demonstrating clarity, conciseness, and appropriate professional tone. PREREQUISITES Prerequisite for attending the course: none Prerequisite for taking the exam: it is necessary to have a B1/PET certification to access the oral exam, or to have completed 60 hours of distance learning on the Aulaweb platform and to take the B1 exam on the set dates. All information can be found here. TEACHING METHODS The course takes place over two semesters for 72 hours; lessons will be held exclusively in the classroom but students are required to work outside of class times as well. All materials for attending and non-attending students will be delivered through the Aulaweb platform. Non-attending students can access materials at the same time as attending students. The lessons will use the following methods: Language Sessions: Sessions in which students practice relevant grammatical and vocabulary elements. Interactive Reading Sessions: Guided reading/listening sessions to deepen understanding, identify key arguments, and extract main information from a variety of economic texts and talks. Discussion Sessions: Sessions in which students practice discussing socio-political-economic issues drawing on different input sources based on their readings and talks. Research Sessions: Sessions in which students independently research information about relevant socio-economic topics from reliable sources. Project Sessions: Sessions in which students independently work on practical projects to develop their own ideas within relevant economic topics. Presentation Sessions: Sessions in which students present their ideas and projects to their peers. SYLLABUS/CONTENT Module 1: English Communication Skills Unit 1: English as a Global Language Exploration of English as a lingua franca in business and economics. Emphasis on the dynamics of international communication and intercultural competence. Development of strategies for clear and effective interaction with speakers from diverse lingua-cultural backgrounds. Unit 2: Business Communication Skills Practical training in core business interactions such as presentations and Q&A sessions, cross-cultural communication, team collaboration, project planning, and job interviews. Skills for negotiating, meeting participation, and marketing conversations in professional contexts. Focus on clarity, tone, and purpose in spoken and written communication. Module 2: Macro-Economics Language Skills Unit 1: International Trade and Global Markets Language for discussing imports, exports, tariffs, trade agreements, and exchange rates. Contextualized vocabulary and grammar to comprehend economic reports and market news. Exploration of globalization and its impact on economic systems. Unit 2: Marketing, Branding, and Consumer Behavior Lexical fields covering market research, advertising, branding, and consumer trends. Development of persuasive language use in written and spoken forms. Analysis of case studies and marketing campaigns to support vocabulary retention and functional language skills. Grammar Focus (B1–B2): Adjectives to describe attitudes and tone, modal verbs for polite requests and suggestions, relative clauses for clarifying meaning, and conditional forms for expressing hypothetical situations. Use of modal verbs for obligation and permission, future forms for planning and scheduling, phrasal verbs common in professional exchanges, and tense shifts for reporting. Passive voice in economic reporting, comparative and superlative forms to describe trends, and time expressions for historical comparisons. Conditional forms to hypothesize market outcomes, modal verbs for speculation, and noun phrases to describe products and services. Vocabulary Development: Functional language for global communication, key terms related to language use in business contexts, and vocabulary for describing roles, cultures, and professional identities. Terminology related to meetings, negotiations, presentations, teamwork, and project management; functional phrases for persuasion, agreement/disagreement, and clarification. Macroeconomic terminology, including trade-related terms, financial institutions, international agreements, and currency systems. Specialized terms related to marketing strategies, consumer psychology, branding, and promotional techniques. Students will engage with a variety of adjusted text types, including business- and content-related news articles as well as selected book chapters. These texts provide real-world context for economic and professional communication, exposing learners to current issues, terminology, and discourse structures used in business journalism and academic writing. Through guided reading and analysis, students will develop the skills to understand, interpret, and discuss complex information relevant to business and macroeconomic topics. TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD MONA NISHIZAKI Ricevimento: Thursdays by appointment. LESSONS Class schedule The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy EXAMS EXAM DESCRIPTION There are two parts to the exam; Written test: All students are required to take a written vocabulary test based on the key vocabulary from the class Oral exam: Students participate in oral communication tasks which will test their knowledge and understanding of the course ASSESSMENT METHODS There are two parts to the exam; Written test: All students are required to take a written vocabulary test based on the key vocabulary from the class Oral exam: Students participate in oral communication tasks which will test their knowledge and understanding of the course FURTHER INFORMATION Any recommended prerequisites and/or pre-requisites. Entrance B1/PET level exam or, alternatively, official certification proving B1/PET level - to be submitted to teacher(s) for verification of validity. Certificates or attestations of B1/PET level will not be accepted if obtained more than three years prior to the examination. Expected Learning Outcomes. - Knowledge and Comprehension Students are expected to acquire adequate knowledge of reading, listening, oral production and communicative interaction in English and effective comprehension skills in a variety of complex text types in the field. - Ability to apply knowledge and understanding Students should be able to apply acquired knowledge of language and comprehension to handle a conversation regarding topics covered in the course and be able to solve hypothetical and related questions or queries. - Autonomy of judgment Students must be able to use both conceptually and operationally the acquired knowledge with autonomous judgment and skill in different application contexts. - Communication skills Students must acquire the technical language addressed through the various texts on the various topics to communicate clearly with specialist and non-specialist interlocutors.
