Curricular Unit:Code:
English IV777ING4
Year:Level:Course:Credits:
2UndergraduatePolitical Science and International Relations6 ects
Learning Period:Language of Instruction:Total Hours:
Portuguese/English78
Learning Outcomes of the Curricular Unit:
Previous note: the discipline is lectured at Advanced level (C1), according to the ‘Common European Framework of Reference’- CEFR
This c.u. is mainly instrumental, and its aim is to encourage the development of the following general competencies, with an emphasis on communicational skills: understand and produce messages in English, both in social and professional contexts, so as to enable effective communication of information, ideas, problems and solutions, both to experts in these specific areas as well as non-specialists. Therefore, the aim is to enable efficient use of the English language in a variety of real-life situations, namely those related with professional contexts of Political Sciences and International Relations.
Syllabus:
1. Ethics in Business
1.1 Leadership
1.2 Competition
2. Trends in business
2.1 Innovation and communication style
Demonstration of the Syllabus Coherence with the Curricular Unit's Objectives:
The thematic items of the syllabus aim to provide the students with generic competencies, so as to be able to communicate, understand and produce messages in the English language, both in social and professional contexts, where they should be able to use the language in life-like situations. For this purpose, in this c.u., the students are encouraged to adopt an introspective and reflexive attitude, bearing in mind the social and economic reality of communication. In ‘English 4’, the contents are focussed on the areas of ethics in business and innovation. With the ‘Project’ component, it is the aim of this discipline to improve transversal team workskills involving the use of a second language (English).
Teaching Methodologies (Including Evaluation):
Continuous assessment OR exam
The classes consist of lectures, with an emphasis on instrumental competencies: establishing dialogues, listening, reading and understanding messages in the English language. Assessment is, by default, continuous. Continuous assessment requires a minimum attendance of 50% of the classes taught. It consists of one written test and an oral presentation, to be presented by the end of the semester. The final mark is calculated thus: written test: 50% + oral presentation of the project: 50%.
When the u.c is not undertaken in continuous assessment, the final exam is an option, with the following weighting factors: written exam: 50% + oral exam: 50%. To be able to take the oral exam, there must be a minimum mark of 7,5 on the written exam. A lower grade implies failure at the u.c.. The oral exam is always compulsory when the mark on the written exam is over 7.5, even when the mark obtained there is a positive one.
Demonstration of the Coherence between the Teaching Methodologies and the Learning Outcomes:
In order to maximize the specific competences of students, the methodology adopted (with an emphasis on the continuous assessment of knowledge) encourages the improvement of instrumental skills, namely the ability to communicate orally and in writing, to identify and understand messages, using the English language in a variety of social and professional situations, also considering it as a privileged means of access to knowledge in general. The methodologies adopted, with an emphasis on the practical issues, aim to encourage the students to interpret communicational circumstances and phenomena pertaining to the different cultural and linguistic contexts, acquiring further experience in the gathering, identification and interpretation of data from different cultural contexts, leading to an increased understanding and adaptation to diverse cultural environments where the English language is used for communication.
Reading:
Cotton, D., Falvey, D. & Kent, S. (2008) Market Leader. London: Pearson and Longman [UFP: CEFOC BFP 811.111:658(075)/COT/25172].
Cotton, D., Falvey, D. & Kent, S. (2010) Market Leader New Edition. London: Pearson and Longman
Eastwood, J. (2006) Oxford Practice Grammar: Intermediate. Oxford: O.U.P. [UFP- SOQ 811.111:81'36/EAS/13941}.
Eastwood, J. (2019) Oxford Practice Grammar: Intermediate: with Key. Oxford: OUP (updated edition) ISBN: 9780194214742.
Hewings, M. (2023) Advanced Grammar in Use A Self-Study Reference and Practice Book for Advanced Learners of English. Cambridge: CUP.
Mascull, B. (2018) Business Vocabulary in Use. 3rd Edition. C.U.P.
O'Driscoll, N. (2010) Market Leader: Marketing. Pearson.
Pegg, E. (2016) In Company 3.0 ESP Corporate Finance. Macmillan English.
Wakefield, M. J. R. (2020) Successful Writing in English: A practical guide. Porto: Areal.