UNIVERSITA’ DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO-BICOCCA
SCUOLA DI ECONOMIA E STATISTICA
Anno accademico 2014-15
Title: ADVANCED LANGUAGE SKILLS
University credits: 3
Language of instruction: English
Contents:
All Masters’ courses involve the study of one foreign language for a total of 3 university credits
(without a grade). This can be achieved by choosing from one of the two languages studied during
the Bachelor’s three-year degree course. Students who choose to do English will be able to choose
between two laboratories:
1 'Laboratory 1' - Practical Business Skills
2 'Laboratory 2' - Reading Skills in Economics
Practical Business Skills
Introduction to business letters / The Economic Environment / Writing E-mails / Applying for a job;
CVs and letters of application. / Business Organizations / Letters of inquiry / The Internet /
Replying to inquiries / Financial Institutions / Retailing / International Trade
Reading Skills in Economics
The background of the twentieth century / Lessons of Transition / China to 1985; China after Mao /
1898 and all that; Is Taiwan really part of China? / 1 Red Alert / Red Alert 2 / Remembering
Tiananmen / Rising Power / Pedalling Prosperity / Building the Dream / Revision Part One / Part
Two Revision
Textbooks:
1 'Lab 1' - Practical Business Skills
Obligatory text for the course: - R. Anderson, ‘Practical Business Skills’Maggioli, Milan. ,
2014.
2 'Workshop 2' - Reading Skills in Economics
Material for the course: - P. Kennan, ‘Focus on the Far East’. ( A collection of atricles)
Educational objectives:
Workshop 1 - Practical Business Skills
The course 'Practical Business Skills' was born with the aim to develop the capacity to deal with the
modern business world for students at post graduate level, that is who have already reached B2
level (Level European Framework (CEF). In today's commercial world certain skills are required to
understand and produce business communication. This book has been specifically designed to meet
the needs practices of students who are about to enter an international working environment.
Workshop 2 - Reading Skills in Economics
The course aims to develop the various reading strategies for coping with texts by subject
specialists in the economic sphere. It aims to make the student acquire a solid foundation focused
on linguistic jargons, relevant to the disciplines studied in the graduate program in Economics.
Prerequisites:
Students have already reached level B2 (Common European Framework of Reference for
Languages / Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)
Other information:
The foreign language laboratories involve a final written exam to ascertain the student’s level of
proficiency. The exam provides 3 university credits (without grade). All ‘Advanced Language
Skills’ classes are held in the second semestre of the academic year. Weekly commitment: 2 hours.
Teaching methods: lectures in English.
Assessment methods:
The final test, both for 'Practical Business Skills', and for 'Reading Skills in Economics'
is a written test. The test will last 90 minutes with 60 questions related to the course ‘Practical
Business Skills’ OR 60 questions based on the units in the book ‘Focus on the Far East’ and the
collection of articles done in class. (see detailed information below).
Extended program:
Workshop 1 - Practical Business Skills
It offers a practical approach to the acquisition of strategies and skills in a professional environment
in the world of business. Activating quickly the capacity of the student’s written language in order
to allow him/her to deal with authentic materials on their own. Grammar and communication skills
are consolidated and developed, which will enable students to interact in a future international
business environmen.
Workshop 2 - Reading Skills in Economics
It offers a thematic approach to the acquisition of reading strategies in the specialized field of world
politics with specific reference to today’s economic reality. Who reads, in fact, must learn to
manage the particularly rich and varied vocabulary that goes to characterize the different specialist
languages in the field of economics and politics. The themes explored in the readings are taken
from articles from newspapers and magazines such as "The Financial Times", "Times", "The
Economist", "The Guardian". The selected articles are collected in a handout entitled 'Focus on the
Far East'.
More detailed information
'Laboratory 1' – Practical Business Skills
Course lecturer: Prof Quick
Il programma
The course 'Practical Business Skills' was born with the aim to develop the capacity to deal with the
current world trade; for students to post graduate level, that is at B2 level (Level European
Framework (CEF). In today's commercial world the skills required to understand and produce
business communication are changing rapidly. The coursebook has been specifically designed to
meet the needs practices of students who are about to enter an international working environment.
The programme IS the course book, 'Practical Business Skills' by R. Anderson, Maggioli, Milan.,
2014, more units ('Branding' and 'Verb Tenses') can be downloaded from the personal page of
Dr.
Anderson.
Obligatory text:
R. Anderson, Practical Business Skills Maggioli, Milan. , 2014.
a) More units downloaded the personal page of Dr. Anderson; 'Branding' and 'Verb Tenses'.
Examination
The written paper consists of a 60 questions based on the coursebook and the two files, 'Branding'
and 'Verb Tenses'.
'Laboratory 2' - Reading Skills in Economics
Laurea magistrale Ulteriori conoscenze linguistiche – Lingua inglese (3 cfu) a.a. 2012-13
TWELVE LESSONS ON CHINA
Examination programme valid from June 2014 to April 2015
The main aim of the course is to help students become faster and more competent readers of the
kind of economic material they are likely to meet in their course of studies, particularly at 2 nd
degree levels and in later research. The course focuses on China’s economy from Communism
through to its particular form of capitalism, its dramatically increasing economic weight brought
ever closer to us by globalization and new business practices. The material is mainly taken from
major British newspapers, specialized journals and websites.
All the material is loaded on the web allowing students direct access.
The first lesson is not so much straight exam material as a reminder to students of the geo-political
background which is necessary for an understanding of the present situation
Set texts:
1. Lesson 1
2. Lesson 2
3. Lesson 3
4. Lesson 4
5. Lesson 5
6. Lesson 6
7. Lesson 7
8. Lesson 8
9. Lesson 9
10. Lesson 10
11. Lesson 11
12. Lesson 12
The background of the twentieth century
Lessons of Transition
China to 1985; China after Mao
1898 and all that; Is Taiwan really part of China?
Red Alert 1
Red Alert 2
Remembering Tiananmen
Rising Power
Pedalling Prosperity
Building the Dream
Revision Part One
Revision Part Two
Answers are not supplied for the revision exercises as they are to be found in reading the texts.
However,
Students needing help are welcome to contact prof. Kennan.
Maps 1. Political Europe. 2. Ex USSR/ ex-Iron Curtain countries. 3. China in regions; 4. China
and surroundings;5. 3.Political Asia
Extra Practice
Online Grammar: The British Council LearnEnglish
Online Listening and Reading: Sky Breaking News UK; BBC 6 Minute English; Youtube; The
Guardian videos and articles
Examination
The written paper consists of a 40 item cloze test based on the set texts, plus 20 items on the
grammar, morphology, and syntax of the same passages. Candidates are expected to have acquired
a working knowledge of reading strategies, a familiarity with the key lexical items and themes
explored in the texts.