Teacher:Ian Howe
Aim of the course:
This course supports students of economic management in improving their English proficiency, with a focus on communication skills for academic and professional contexts. Students practice writing, presenting, and discussing ideas while developing practical language for real-world situations. The course combines theoretical input with interactive activities such as discussions, role-plays, and collaborative tasks, alongside focused grammar practice.
Future Skills Developed
- Interpersonal Skills:
Participate in discussions, debates, and group activities such as product pitches to strengthen communication, teamwork, and persuasive speaking. - Digital Literacy:
Use digital tools for reading, vocabulary development, and assignments. Practice professional email writing and other forms of business communication. - Thinking Skills:
Analyze texts, data, and graphs to build comprehension and reasoning. Improve essay planning, paragraph structure, and data commentary while adapting communication to different audiences. - Self-Management:
Develop organization and time-management skills through homework, writing tasks, and collaborative work. Strengthen independent learning in grammar and vocabulary and reflect on progress through feedback and peer evaluation.
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Verbessern Sie Ihre Sprachkenntnisse in der wichtigsten Geschäftssprache der Welt - Englisch. Der Unterricht wird ein Business-Lesethema mit Verständnisübungen und Diskussion beinhalten. Im weiteren Verlauf des Kurses werden Sie Ihr Verständnis der englischen Grammatik und Satzstruktur durch Schreiben verbessern. Wir möchten, dass Sie erfolgreich studieren und Karriere machen. Dieser Kurs wird für diejenigen unter Ihnen gemacht, die sehr gut Englisch sprechen wollen. Außerdem verdienen zweisprachige Sprecher nicht mehr?
BWB2 Business English 1, 4 sws
Teacher: Sharon Zaharka
Course Summary
This course focuses on developing vocabulary of core areas in business and economics as presented in the course book Career Express B2, 2nd edition, Cornelsen. Skills that are covered include listening and note taking, formal vs. informal writing, describing graphs, reading comprehension and short essay writing. You will learn and practice language and communication skills to enable you to talk about a wide variety of business topics.
With regards to so-called Future Skills, this course places a special emphasis on the following: Professional Communication, Collaboration, Information Literacy, Online Communication.
Final assessment comprises one written final exam.
Remarks
All students must be able to communicate understandably in both spoken and written English to pass this course: Make sure that you have crossed the communication threshold before starting the course.
BWB3 Business English 2, 4sws
Teacher: Kate Knittel and Sharon Zaharka - POV 5 - Sep 2026
Business English: Bridging the Written–Spoken Gap in the AI Era
Course Description: This course addresses a communication gap that has widened as AI tools have become embedded in business writing: students (and professionals generally) can now produce polished written English with AI assistance, but this has not translated into equivalent gains in spontaneous spoken fluency, idiomatic range, nor the ability to adapt register on the fly. The course uses seven business domains as content vehicles for developing spoken fluency, critical AI literacy, and applied business terminology.
Course Objectives
- Use AI tools critically as a starting point for communication, not a substitute for spoken competence.
- Apply idiomatic language naturally and appropriately across business registers.
- Command applied business terminology across seven core domains.
- Shift fluidly between written and spoken register depending on audience and purpose.
- Perform unscripted in realistic business scenarios: pitches, negotiations, briefings, crisis calls, and meetings.
Future Skills Developed: Working with AI, Collaboration, Communicating online, Decision making.
Assessment includes a 5 minute pitch and a longer meeting
The course is taught on campus 2x 90 minutes per week (4 sws).
BWB3 Business English 2, 2sws
Instructor: Sharon Zaharka
This course - POV 4 - aims at improving students’ writing skills, both for academic purposes and selected business purposes.
Students will be introduced to different text types (article summary, review, essay, letter of application, minutes, project report/ case study reports) and will review a variety of language points and elements of style to help improve writing.
In order to pass this course, students should demonstrate a B2 level of proficiency of English in a business context, and must attend class, constructively participate, and submit all assignments.
This course is based on newspaper or magazine articles, scientific articles that students bring to class, and additional materials posted on moodle.
BWB4 Business English 3, 4sws
Instructor: Sharon Zaharka
This course is designed to improve spoken business English by reading articles and developing vocabulary in business related areas.
We will cover six different topics (economics, products and brands, marketing, manufacturing, human resources, quality), with a starter text from me, and follow-up articles supplied by students the following week. We will review these materials, do vocabulary work with them, but also practice important business communications skills, such as: small talk, phone calls, meetings, presentations.
Vocabulary quizzes will be offered and students may give one 5-minute presentation (on a company or economy). The final exam counts 80%: First students must make some small talk as they meet their business partner at a point of arrival (train station, airport, etc.), and then they will conduct strategy meetings to discuss changes and challenges of the business environment with reference to their company.
WRB 2 – Business English 1, 2SWS
Teachers: Hyacinth Moodalie-Hünnemeyer, n.n.
This course will help students develop confidence and proficiency in discussing a wide variety of business topics in different situations. In class students are expected to participate actively in group and pair work aimed at consolidating and extending their knowledge of English by practicing all four language skills. The main emphasis is put on developing the students' communicative skills. The participants practice presenting business related topics and participating in business related discussions by focusing on the active use of business vocabulary, collocations, idioms, correct grammar and appropriate functional language phrases. The course is based on Career Express C1, Cornelsen 2011. Additional material is made available on Moodle.
Assessment includes both coursework and a final exam.
Coursework: vocabularytests, listening and grammar test, short class presentation.
Final examination: Oral exam in pairs in which students demonstrate their ability to conduct polite, professional small talk, complete a business related discussion task, and give a short presentation on a business topic covered in class. In this exam, fluency, clarity, accuracy, professional conduct, and the active use of Business English vocabulary are the main criteria.
WRB3 – Business English 2, 2SWS
Teachers: Hyacinth Moodalie-Hünnemeyer, n.n.
As a follow up to Business English 1, we will reinforce the skills introduced and practiced in semester 2 in this course. Additionally, students will focus on clear and concise reading and writing skills through further reading and listening comprehension activities. They will also become more aware of and improve grammatical accuracy by analysing common errors in both speaking and writing. Business English 2 is also based on Career Express C1, Cornelsen 2011 and supplementary material is made available on Moodle.
Assessment includes both coursework and a final exam.
Coursework: vocabulary tests, reading and grammar test, class presentation, graded discussion tasks.
Final examination: Written examination: a) Reading and listening comprehension tasks. b) Grammar cloze task based on common errors discussed in class.
