The English Language Studies Assessment test is designed to help students understand their strengths and weaknesses in English and guide them to the most appropriate course(s).
Overview
This course provides an introduction to business communications for students who wish to attend a post-secondary institution where English is the medium of instruction. The aim of this course is to prepare students to succeed in complex business communication tasks in writing, reading, and listening. This is a preparatory course for students most interested in improving their skills in a business/economic content area or taking further courses in Business related areas. It is designed from an ESL perspective; however, it is also appropriate for native speakers of English who are in need of business writing preparation.
Outline
Module 1*: Economic Sectors
Module 2: Management 1: Structure, Motivation, and Conflict
Module 3: Management 2: Globalization and Gender Issues
Module 4: Production
Module 5: Marketing
Module 6: Economics 1: Government and Taxation
Module 7: Economics 2: Efficiency and Rationalization
Module 8: Economics 3: Free Trade and Environmental Concerns
* Each module has three lessons:
Content-reading and listening
Language use
Writing
Objectives
English 189 has been designed to meet the following objectives:
to improve the listening, reading, writing, and critical thinking skills needed for academic success.
to help you perform discipline-appropriate exercises and activities to develop the interpersonal, academic, and language skills necessary to succeed in a university or college environment.
to provide you with basic information on economics and business to prepare you for further business studies.
to give you practice in learning strategies that will enable you to become an independent, confident, and successful learner of business studies and business writing.
to enable you to practice rhetorical methods of writing development that are common in business writing and correspondence.
to help you understand the vocabulary and structure of the English language as it is used in academic writing.
to develop your critical skills of self-evaluation.
to provide you with the skills to deal with large quantities of academic reading and writing.
Evaluation
To receive credit for this course, you must achieve a grade of an least D (50 percent) on the final exam and an overall grade of at least C− (60 percent). You must also complete all of the assignments. Details of the assignments are in the Study Guide.
Activity
Weight
Module 1: Business Letter + Paragraph
8%
Module 2: Summary
8%
Module 3: Resume + Cover Letter
8%
Module 4: Two Paragraphs
8%
Module 5: Two Business Letters
8%
Module 6: Essay
10%
Module 7: Case Analysis
12.5%
Module 8: Business Report
12.5%
Online Quizzes
5%
Final Exam
20%
Total
100%
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
MacKenzie, Ian. English for Business Studies. 3rd ed. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2010. (with audio CD) (Print)
Geffner, Andrea B. Business English: The Writing Skills You Need for Today’s Workplace. 6th edition. Hauppauge: New York, 2016. (PDF)
Other materials
Students will access all other course materials online.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.