OVERVIEW

The English for Business and Economics course is a 72-hour course structured around mainly macroeconomic topics.

"Course description 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

"Course description 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

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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

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