The course aims for its participants to acquire advanced English for working life and to communicate appropriately in professional contexts. Course participants work with:
- advanced vocabulary, grammar, and rhetoric for professional communication in English
- professional genres and conventions
- cultural and linguistic diversity in the workplace
- strategies to inform and convince different audiences
In a language-focused learning environment and with course participants from different technical disciplines, the students learn both the mechanics of English and strategies to communicate their technical knowledge in clear, concise, and precise English.
After passing the course, the students should be able to:
- analyse and evaluate (in both discussion and writing) workplace-related communication, with particular sensitivity to the distinctive features of inter-cultural communication, technical communication, and formal communication
- motivate their choice of different styles and strategies for information structure in order to communicate effectively in text and using electronic communication tools
- communicate effectively and convincingly their academic and professional experiences, identify suitable negotiation techniques, and apply them to reach a consensus in professional meetings