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2015/2016  KAN-CICOO1002U  English Proficiency Management

English Title
English Proficiency Management

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Autumn
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for MA in International Business Communication
Course coordinator
  • Lisbet Pals Svendsen - Department of International Business Communication (IBC)
Main academic disciplines
  • Communication
  • Language
Last updated on 23/09/2015
Learning objectives
To achieve the grade 12, students should meet the following learning objectives with no or only minor mistakes or errors: At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to
  • • Identify features of communication that would not be appropriate or correct or could lead to misunderstanding in a given professional context
  • • Use their theoretical insight to diagnose and distinguish between different types of language error: grammar, lexicon and/or style
  • • Use their theoretical insight to explain to the language user in question what the challenge is and why a given, proposed solution may not be the most appropriate choice
  • • Use their theoretical insight to identify problems related to corporate language choice and language policy
  • • Assist their future colleagues in adjusting their English language communication to suit their professional purpose, demonstrating the appropriate level of awareness and interpersonal considerations when they convey information about the non-suitability of a given example of English language communication
Examination
English Proficiency Management:
Exam ECTS 7.5
Examination form Oral Exam
Individual or group exam Individual
Case based individual oral exam, based on pair synopsis
Duration 20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale 7-step scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and external examiner
Exam period Winter
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

The students will write and hand in a pair synopsis of two (2) standard pages on one of three given themes relating to the course contents. In the synopsis, the students must account for their choices of theory and data.  

Course content and structure

Organizations communicate in English and increasingly choose English as their corporate language. To address the English proficiency of the increasing number of professionals working in English irrespective of their language background, the course aims to provide theoretical and empirical insight into how, upon graduation, students can assist their future colleagues in developing their English language communication for professional purposes. Students will work with texts – oral as well as written – that are problematic as regards both language specific quality and meeting target audience expectations. Issues in corporate language choice(s) and language policy will be discussed and assessed as well as employee challenges using English as a lingua franca for corporate communication. Course work will primarily be case based thus allowing students to identify communication chokepoints, understand and remedy these and explain the causes and reasons for amendments made. Communicative competences involving linguistic, pragmatic, discourse, cultural and strategic competences will be part of the student’s portfolio of theoretical knowledge providing students with methods to identify, diagnose, explain and help remedy language use that is not appropriate in a given professional context. 

Teaching methods
Teaching methods will vary, depending on the task at hand. The main components will be introductions by the teacher(s) and potential guest lecturers, (student) presentations, reflecting teams, analytical exercises, case study discussions, negotiation and/or mediation exercises, tutorials, written assignments relating to the case(s) used etc.

The students will be encouraged to actively use a synchronous ICT platform for sharing ideas, information, documents etc. to support and enhance learning through collaborative activities. An additional purpose of the use of ICT is to allow students to monitor their own learning progress and to develop their learning capabilities for use beyond the course
Student workload
Class hours 30 hours
Preparation for class 90 hours
Writing of exam synopsis 30 hours
Assignments written during the course 30 hours
Other activities, e.g. tutorials 26 hours
Expected literature

A number of textbook chapters and journal articles, to be published on the course platform prior to semester start, on the various topics covered during the term

Last updated on 23/09/2015