UNIcert III/2 Englisch der Wirtschaftswissenschaften - Einzelansicht

English for Business Studies and Economics 
UNIcert® III/2

Objective: To prepare students for the UNIcert^® III English for Business Studies and Economics certificate exams at the end of the course.

Prerequisits: This course requires the successful completion of any UNIcert® III/1 English course at the University of Potsdam OR a score of 80% or higher on the placement test.

Any student who has successfully completed a UNIcert® III/1 in an area other than Business Studies and Economics at the University of Potsdam is invited to register for this course, BUT is also advised to speak to the course instructor prior to enrollment.

Students will receive digital confirmation if their course registration has been approved. On the evening before the course begins, the students will receive an e-mail from the course instructor with course access information.

A score of 90 – 100% on the placement test ALSO qualifies a student to take the UNIcert® IV/1 English for Business Studies, Economics and Social Sciences course.

Course content and structure: This second semester of the UNIcert® III English for Business Studies and Economics course introduces students to business case study analysis, and uses this context to strengthen reading comprehension and text analysis, as well as develop analytical and critical thinking abilities, problem solving, reasoning skills, and rhetorical constructions in written and oral expression in positing solutions to business problems.

Each student will choose a case study based on their expressed area of interest. Working in a strict timeframe, the student will develop a case analysis and present possible solutions to the business problem in an in-class presentation, giving evidence based on the text and independent research and discovery why their proposed solution is the optimal of possible alternatives.  The student will then submit a written case study analysis for critique towards the end of the semester.

Each student will also complete independent study modules, choosing from available study materials to expand their vocabulary, strengthen their grammar knowledge and practice, and increase their language comprehension skills.

Course attendance is mandatory.  A student must attend 80% or more of the scheduled classes.  If a student fails to meet the attendance requirement, they will not be permitted to take the certificate exams at the end of the semester.

Certificate/Final Exams: Successful completion of the examinations at the end of this course leads to a UNIcert® III certificate in English language proficiency as well as 6 LP or ECTS points.

• Speaking: using the skills and protocols practiced during the semester, the student presents a business case study analysis prepared under a strict timeframe and supervised testing conditions.  
• Reading:  the student answers questions based on a business and economics text from a professional journal or popular press.  
• Writing: the student submits a written business case study analysis prepared under a strict timeframe and supervised testing conditions.
• Listening: under a strict timeframe and supervised testing conditions, the student answers questions based on an authentic podcast on a business and economics topic.

The four test scores are weighted equally to determine the average score/final grade to be noted on the UNIcert® III certificate and submitted to PULS.  

Should a student not pass any section of the final exams, a certificate can not be issued nor credit granted for the course.  The student will have two more opportunities to pass the failed section(s) and receive the certificate and course credit without needing to retake the course.  

Should a student not pass any section of the exam on the third attempt, the course must be taken again.

Students may also opt to participate in the course and NOT receive a certificate at the completion of the course.

Testing Fee: There is a one-time testing fee of 20 euros to take the series of UNIcert® certificate exams.

Course practice material is compiled from but not limited to the following sources:

• AMERICAN COLLEGE TESTING SERVICE PRACTICE TESTS by Steve Dulan. McGraw-Hill. (Reading comprehension, sentence correction)
• ADVANCED GRAMMAR IN USE by Martin Hewings. Cambridge
• OXFORD GRAMMAR FOR EAP by Ken Paterson
• Cambridge Grammar for Business
• CAMBRIDGE CERTIFICATE IN ADVANCED ENGLISH
• THE CASE STUDY HANDBOOK, A STUDENT'S GUIDE by William Ellet. Harvard Business Review Press, 2018
• National Public Radio podcasts (www.npr.org) (Listening comprehension)
• SCHOLASTIC APTITUDE TEST practice exams