Working English for Engineers (3 cr)

Objectives (course unit)

Students
- know how to act in working life communication situations (e.g. telephone and e-mail communication)
- know the basic business terminology and can give a presentation of a chosen company
- know the most important vocabulary of their field of study

Content (course unit)

• working life communication situations
• business life English
• terminology of the students’ own field of study
• grammar as required

Prerequisites (course unit)

Basic language studies in English completed or equivalent skills

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2) (course unit)

Student
• copes with simple conversational situations, also related to companies in his field
• reacts to what the interlocutor says most often in a comprehensible manner
• is aware, to some extent, of the style requirements set by different types of texts
• writes clearly in outline
• understands the main points of normal-paced speech in a familiar context, when the message is repeated if necessary
• pronounces intelligibly most of the time
• finds the information the student is looking for in texts that deal with familiar topics
• uses the basic vocabulary of the field so that the essential message is conveyed
• uses simple basic grammar structures
• uses available aids, e.g. online dictionaries

Assessment criteria, good (3-4) (course unit)

Student
• discusses both general topics and topics related to his field and its companies quite fluently
• reacts to what his interlocutor says mostly appropriately
• mostly communicates in the style required by the situation
• writes fairly fluently and clearly
• understands people speaking with different accents when the topic is familiar
• pronounces quite naturally and clearly
• understands the main points and most details of the text read
• can, if necessary, express the matter in other words
• understands and uses the vocabulary of the field quite accurately
• knows how to use different sources and dictionaries
• uses structures mostly correctly and corrects mistakes in language if they have led to misunderstandings

Assessment criteria, excellent (5) (course unit)

Student
• fluently discusses both general topics and topics related to his professional field and its companies
• reacts quickly and appropriately to what the interlocutor says
• communicates in the style required by the situation
• writes fluently and appropriately with almost no grammatical errors
• understands relatively easily also people who speak with different accents
• pronounces naturally and clearly
• understands both the main points and the details of a demanding professional text and is able to apply what he has read
• explains in other words and makes up for gaps in vocabulary discreetly
• understands and uses skillfully and precisely the vocabulary of the field as well as the terminology of the student's own specialty
• usually finds different sources using appropriate words and expressions
• uses versatile grammatical structures and manages them almost flawlessly

Assessment scale

0-5

Further information

Approved skills test or corresponding course at another university of applied sciences.
Sufficient skills in Finnish.
Mandatory participation on 80% of the classes.