SYLLABUS OF THE ADMISSIONS TEST
for the applicants to main educational master programmes "Master in Management (MiM)",
"Master in Corporate Finance (MCF)",
main field of study 38.04.02 "Management"
for the applicants to main educational master program "Master of Public Administration",
main field of study 38.04.04 " Public Administration "
in the following subject: ‘BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS IN ENGLISH’
Section 1. THE CONTENT OF THE MAIN TOPICS
During the Interview the applicants are assessed for the following competences:
№ 1. Achieving Results;
№ 2. Leadership;
№ 3. Entrepreneurship;
№ 4. Effective Communication;
№ 5. Innovation;
№ 6. Motivation;
№ 7. Analytical/Research Abilities;
№ 8. International Orientation;
№ 9. General Culture and Ethics Standards;
№ 10.Value-Adding Potential for GSOM development.
Achieving Results (Competency 1) requires that the applicant strives for results and is capable to adapt his/her
priorities in the process of performance. The candidate plans his actions and pursues his goals. .
Leadership (Competency 2) requires an ability to act as a project leader, to build and inspire his/her team.
Entrepreneurship (Competency 3) requires an ability to envision the goals, to estimate various ways towards
the goal as well as any current situation from different angles, and to foresee possible outcomes of his actions.
Effective Communication (Competency 4) requires quality communication skills and an ability to express
his/her thoughts clearly and confidently, to transmit information precisely, to present arguments effectively,
and to have an ability to persuade others
Innovation (Competency 5) requires an ability to develop out-of-box ideas or original decisions.
Motivation to Study at GSOM-Master Programs (Competency 6) requires an ability and willingness to
concentrate his/her efforts towards achieving master-program high-quality learning and graduation results, and
an ability, if necessary, to adapt his/her priorities within the master studies process for the purpose of
successful results, to do appropriate planning and to pursue pre-set goals.
Analytical skills (Competency 7) require an ability to locate urgent or potentially important areas of research,
an ability of profound analysis and/or of development of a deep interest in research.
International Orientation (Competency 8) requires a deep interest and an ability to perceive differences among
cultures and their representatives. It requires tolerance, avoidance stereotypes and a willingness to overcome
obstacles in cross-cultural activities.
General Culture and Ethics Standards (Competency 9) requires an interest in community, social and cultural
issues, an ability to show and act on personal beliefs, a rejection of the principle “all means are good enough to
achieve a goal”, a deep respect to every human being, with no exceptions, and to demonstrate high ethics
standards.
Value-Adding Potential for GSOM (Competency 10) requires an ability and desire to launch and implement
projects aimed at making GSOM community, student and academic life better.
Section 2: LITERATURE AND DATABASES
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Burnett, M. J. Business communication. Strategies for success [Text] / M. J. Burnett, A. L.
Dollar, S. Christensen. Rev. ed. Houston, TX: Dame publ, 1997.
Business communications, By: Marie Flatley, Kathryn Rentz, Paula Lentz, 2011, McGraw-Hill.
Business Communication for Managers: An Advanced Approach by John M. Penrose, Robert
W. Rasberry, Robert J. Myers, Hardcover: 480 pages, Publisher: South-Western College, 2003.
Business Communication Today by Courtland L. Bovee, John V. Thill, Barbara E. Schatzman,
Hardcover: 730 pages, Publisher: Prentice Hall, 2008.
Excellence In Business Communication (8th Edition) by John Thill, Courtland L. Bovee,
Paperback: 656 pages, Publisher: Prentice Hall, 2007.
Smeltzer, Larry R., Managerial communication [Text]: strategies and application / Larry
R.Smeltzer. 2nd ed. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2002.
Section 3. THE ENTRANCE EXAM STRUCTURE AND CONTENT
3.1. General provisions
The purpose of the Interview is to evaluate candidates against such competences as motivation for
studying at the GSOM Master programs, for achieving the pre-set goals, the level of leadership abilities,
entrepreneurship and creativity, analytical, communication and innovation skills, international
orientation/interest, a potential to add any value for further GSOM quality development, integrity &
business ethics standards, and a general cultural level of the candidate.
Interview is conducted by Interview Commission which consists of two Panels: Academic Panel and
Corporate Panel. The Corporate Panel consists of GSOM corporate partners’ representatives. The
Academic Panel consists of Master programs’ Directors and the most qualified GSOM professors
(instructors) who teach at the Master programs.
The interview is conducted in English in oral and written formats. During the assessment of
competence the ability of the applicant to converse, to express their thoughts in English is assessed.
3.2. Entrance exam structure
The exam has 3 stages: Written part, Interview with the Corporate Panel, and Interview with the
Academic Panel. The second and the third stages can be interchanged.
3.2.1. Stage 1. Written Questionnaire
The Written Questionnaire stage consists of answering to 5 open-end questions or problem-solution
situations. The answers by the candidates to these questions/situations are meant:

to allow the Interview Commission to evaluate the candidate’s level of the competencies: №1
(Achieving Results), №2 (Leadership), №3 (Entrepreneurship), №4 (Effective Communication), №5
(Innovation);

to help candidates recall and think over specific examples in their background to showcase their
competencies during the following interviewing procedure.
The duration of this stage is 45 minutes.
3.2.2. Stage 2.Corporate Panel Interview
Individual interviewing with the Corporate Panel members is conducted in oral form and is based on the
Questionnaire filled out by the candidate on the first stage of the Interview (Written Questionnaire) as
well as based on his/her personal file. The candidate is asked to answer to the questions related to the
purpose of evaluation of the following competencies: #1 (Achieving Results), #2 (Leadership), #3
(Entrepreneurship), #4 (Effective Communication), #5 (Innovation).
The Corporate Panel Interview lasts 25-40 minutes.
3.2.3. Stage 3. Academic Panel Interview
Individual interviewing with the Academic Panel is in the oral format and is based on the questionnaire
filled out by the candidate on the first (Written Questionnaire) stage of the Interview and based on the
personal file of the candidate. The Academic Panel interviewing covers questions which help evaluate the
following competencies of the candidate: #6 (Motivation to Study at GSOM-Master Programs), #7
(Analytical/Research Abilities), #8 (International Orientation), #9 (General Culture and Ethics Standards),
#10 (Potential to Add Value to GSOM).
The Academic Panel Interview stage lasts 25-40 minutes.
Section 4. ENTRANCE EXAM ASSESSMENT SCORES
Interview Final Result is based on the answers given by the candidate to the questions by the
Corporate and Academic Panels of the Interview Commission. The final result may also reflect
candidate’s achievements in academic, research, professional and social/community activity, as well
as his/her participation in various projects, professional competitions and contests. The Corporate
Panel interviewing covers questions which help evaluate the following competencies of the candidate: #1
(Achieving Results), #2 (Leadership), #3 (Entrepreneurship), #4 (Effective Communication), #5
(Innovation). The Academic Panel interviewing covers questions which help evaluate the following
competencies of the candidate: #6 (Motivation to Study at GSOM-Master Programs), #7
(Analytical/Research Abilities), #8 (International Orientation), #9 (General Culture and Ethics Standards),
#10 (Potential to Add Value to GSOM).
Each competency is evaluated by the Interview Commission basing on a 10-point scale described
below:
Grade
Competency
Candidate’s Interview Outcome
Description
Level
1-2
Doesn’t
Low
correspond
next-to-neither of the
definitions
of
the
to
less
Demonstrated weak/insufficient level of the competency.
No strong points were demonstrated.
competency
3-4
Next- to- Low
Corresponds
(“minimal”)
than a
half of the
Insufficient demonstration of the majority of the required
behavioral characteristics.
competency definitions
5-6
Good
Corresponds to a half of
Demonstration of a strong presence of a half of the
the
required
competency
definitions
behavioral
characteristics
and
of
weak/insufficient presence of the other behavioral
characteristics.
7-8
9-10
Very Good
Excellent
Corresponds to more
The demonstrated strong behavioral characteristics
than a
prevail
half of the
over
the
number
of
weak
behavioral
competency definitions
characteristics.
Corresponds
the
Strong demonstrating of the competency reflected in
majority (90 % and up)
showcasing of the majority (90% and up) of the required
of
behavioral characteristics.
the
to
competency
definitions
NE
Absence
any proof
of
Absence
of
any
demonstrated
No traces of any required behavioral characteristics were
demonstrated.
competency definition
The Corporate Panel evaluates the level of competencies #1 (Achieving Results), #2 (Leadership), #3
(Entrepreneurship), #4 (Effective Communication), #5 (Innovation). The Academic Panel evaluates
the level of competencies #6 (Motivation to Study at GSOM-Master Programs), #7
(Analytical/Research Abilities), #8 (International Orientation), #9 (General Culture and Ethics
Standards), #10 (Potential to Add Value to GSOM development).
Each member of each Interview Commission Panel evaluates the level of competencies of each
candidate. The total result by the Panel is calculated as an average of individual evaluation results
given by each member of the Interview Commission Panel who conducted the Interview.
The Final Total Result for the Interview is calculated as a sum of the results acquired by the
candidate for each competency. The highest possible score is 100 points, the lowest possible
score is 0.
The Final Total Results for the Interview are stated in a special Protocol. It states the results for
each competency, the Final Total Score, and the ranking status of each candidate. The Final
Total Result under which no students can be admitted to the Master Program at GSOM is
defined by the Admissions Commission and is stated in a special Protocol.
ENTRANCE EXAM EXAMPLES
— Describe your achievement you are most proud of.
Competence 1.
— Why this achievement is so important for you?
— What problems/obstacles did you face? How did you overcome them?
Achieving Results
— Which of your personal qualities have helped you to achieve result?
Competence 2.
Leadership
Competence 3.
Entrepreneurship
— Please give an example of situation when you had to organize an event
(birthday, picnic, sport competition).
— Why did you take the lead?
— Who was in the team and how were the roles split?
— What was the result?
— Give an example of the most important decision you had made.
— Why it was important for you?
— How did you assess different options?
— Describe the result that you have achieved?
— Give an example when you had to convince other people to accept your
point of view.
—
Why did you want to convince other?
Effective Communication
— What arguments did you use?
— What was the result?
— Have you ever managed to resolve a problem in a particularly original or
Competence 5.
unexpected way?
—
What were your sources of inspiration?
Innovation
— What was the reaction/feedback from other people?
— What was the result?
— How will your studying at GSOM help you achieve your objectives?
Competence 6.
— Which aspects of the program seem especially important to achieve
your goals?
Motivation for studying
— How will you act if academic workload will be bigger than you
at GSOM
expected?
— What intermediate goals do you set for the end of the first year of
studies?
— What attracted you to choose the topic for your bachelor graduation
Competence 7.
paper?
— Which field of business or management interest you and why? What
Analytical Skills
have you already done to learn more in this area?
— What’s the most important to achieve success in analytical work?
— Give an example, when you developed a strong interest in a field while
originally your interest level was quite low.
— Have you already got an international experience? In the previous
Competence 8.
international experience, what did you do in your spare time? Which
country do you like and why?
International
— Which similarities and differences did you discover when
Competence 4.
Orientation
—
—
—
Competence 9.
General
Culture
Ethical Standards
and —
—
—
—
Competence 10.
Value-Added
for GSOM
—
Potential —
—
—
communicating with some other culture representative? How would
you explain the differences?
How do you act when you see you are being treated according to some
stereotypes developed for your culture?
Have you worked in a group with foreign people before? Did you
encounter any problems? How did you solve them?
Machiavelli’s approach was that the end justifies all the means. Please
comment on this principle and your position. Give an example.
What do you do in your spare time? What’s the most important for
you?
What type of reading is the most interesting for you? How much time
do you spend reading?
What can you change in the life that surrounds you? Please give an
example.
What would you do, if somebody in your group cheated/refused to
share the workload?
What did you like about your student life? Which activities are an
essential part of any student life?
If you see an opportunity to improve your life in academic,
organizational or student area, what would you do?
Which extracurricular activities did you take part in?
Will your participation in our master program add value to the school?
Why?