Teaching plan for the course unit

 

 
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General information

 

Course unit name: German for Business

Course unit code: 364261

Academic year: 2025-2026

Coordinator: Marta Panadés Guerrero

Department: Department of Modern Languages, Modern Literature and English Studies

Credits: 6

Single program: S

 

 

Estimated learning time

Total number of hours 150

 

Face-to-face and/or online activities

60
 

-  Lecture with practical component

Face-to-face

  

45
 

-  Problem-solving class

Face-to-face

  

15

Supervised project

40

Independent learning

50

 

 

Recommendations

 

There are no prerequisites for taking this course. The course focuses on foundational German language skills with an emphasis on business and professional contexts. Students are highly recommended to attend class regularly, especially those who have opted for the continuous mode of assessment.

 

 

Competences / Learning outcomes to be gained during study

 

   -

Communication skills (capacity to understand and produce spoken and written Catalan, Spanish and a third language, including the comprehension and use of specialized terminology/capacity to research and integrate information in these languages).
   -

To be able to use ICT in professional practice.
   -

CG10. Capacity to apply ICTs to professional activities.
   -

CG8. Communication skills (capacity to understand, speak and write in English and other foreign languages and to make confident use of specialized language).
   -

CG5. Ability to work in a team (capacity to collaborate with others and contribute to a common project, and capacity to work in cross-disciplinary and multicultural teams).
   -

CE11. Capacity to understand the culture and business practices of different countries, as the basis for adapting to an interacting effectively with other geopolitical contexts.

Learning objectives

 

Referring to knowledge

  • Develop communicative skills and language use at the A1.1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), focusing on the four language skills: reading and listening comprehension, and oral and written expression. Emphasis is placed on business and labour terminology.
  • Learn about the social and cultural environment of German-speaking countries.

 

Referring to abilities, skills

  • Write simple texts in everyday and professional contexts.
  • Assess and interpret simple texts in everyday and professional contexts.
  • Communicate at a basic level in everyday and professional contexts.
  • Know basic terminology of everyday and professional contexts.
  • Prepare an oral activity in pairs.

 

Referring to attitudes, values and norms

  • Encourage critical thinking.
  • Participate actively in class.

 

 

Teaching blocks

 

1. The business world

*  Weighting: 30%.

1.1.

  • Personal data in a professional environment
  • Greetings and responding to a greeting
  • Saying goodbye
  • Use common courtesy formulas
  • Introducing yourself and others
  • Determinants
  • Definite and indefinite articles
  • Possessive pronouns

2. Business communication

*  Weighting: 30%.

2.1.

  • Requesting/giving personal information
  • Making personal descriptions
  • Requesting/giving information
  • Definite quantifiers: cardinal and ordinal numerals
  • The noun and the adjective
  • Plural forms of nouns
  • Simple verb forms and tenses

3. Interpersonal relations inside and outside the firm

*  Weighting: 40%.

3.1.

  • Expressing agreement or disagreement
  • Asking for and giving information about time and places
  • Asking for and giving information about activities, facts and events
  • Adverbs of place, time and frequency
  • Prepositions
  • Conjunctions
  • Formulation of simple interrogative sentences

 

 

Teaching methods and general organization

 

Independent learning is encouraged and techniques to enhance learning are fostered. The teaching methodology is based on a combination of the following:

— Classroom learning activities: theoretical and practical. These include both instruction in theoretical concepts and corresponding practical exercises, and are designed to develop the capacities for both language production and reception: oral comprehension practice; written expression; conversations (simulations of situations involving everyday and business communication).

— Supervised work: computer practical exercises; conversations (simulations of situations involving everyday and business communication); group work and practice on oral communication skills.

— Directed learning: preparation and completion of exercises to further exploit the content presented in class, and writing of simple texts.

— Independent learning: independent study, preparation of assessment activities and the final examination.

 

 

Official assessment of learning outcomes

 

Assessment is designed to ensure students can demonstrate their achievement of all proposed objectives and competences. Students are not required to formally opt out of continuous assessment at any set date.

Continuous assessment is recommended for students who attend class regularly, as tests are set throughout the semester. For a more detailed schedule, please consult the timetable published on the Virtual Campus. Students opting for this mode of assessment must obtain a minimum score of 4 on examination II to pass the course.

The evaluation of learning outcomes takes into account the following activities:

Compulsory activities inside and outside the classroom:

  • Individual assignments (written assignments, oral presentations and oral practice): 20%.
  • Examination I: 20%.
  • Examination II: 40%.
  • Activities carried out in pairs (oral communication): 20%.


Other activities conducted inside and outside the classroom:
  • Further study and review of the concepts introduced in the classroom.
  • Self-assessment exercises.
  • Collaborative work for written exercises (resolution and revision).


Repeat assessment

Students who do not pass the course via the continuous mode of assessment are entitled to repeat assessment. The content, procedure and criteria are the same as those for the single mode of assessment.

 

Examination-based assessment

Single assessment is designed to ensure students can demonstrate their achievement of all proposed objectives and competences.

Students are not required to formally opt out of continuous assessment at any set date

Students who opt for single assessment sit a final examination covering the entire course content held on the official exam date. The examination comprises a written component (including use of language and communication exercises, a written exercise and reading comprehension, 60%), listening comprehension (20%) and oral communication (20%). 

Repeat assessment

Students who do not pass the single assessment examination at the first sitting have the right to repeat assessment. The content, procedure and criteria are the same as those for the single mode of assessment.

 

 

Reading and study resources

Check availability in Cercabib

Book

El professorat us indicarà el material per seguir el curs en començar l’assignatura.

FANDRYCH, CH.; TALLOWITZ, U. Klipp und klar : Übungsgrammatik Grundstufe Deutsch in 99 Schritten : mit Lösungen. Stuttgart : Klett, 2008

Catāleg UB  Enllaç

REIMANN, Monika. Gramática esencial del alemán. Lehr-und Übungsbuch. Con ejercicios. Hueber, 2017

Catāleg UB  Enllaç

Web page

Alemany per als negocis. Campus virtual Moodle [en línia]. Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona: Departament de Filologia Anglesa i Alemanya. Secció alemany empresarial [Consulta: 17 maig 2022]. Disponible a: http://www.ub.edu/campusvirtual/