Unit information: Spanish for Business in 2015/16

Unit name	Spanish for Business
Unit code	HISP30057
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Mrs. Ramos-Alvaro
Open unit status	Open
Pre-requisites	HISP20101 or LANG22025 and satisfactory completion of the year abroad or other study or work placement in the country of the target language or evidence of high level of proficiency in the language.
Co-requisites	NONE
School/department	Department of Hispanic, Portuguese and Latin American Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This unit is designed for final year students who are returning from the year abroad or for students who have an advanced level of language (e.g. incoming Erasmus students).

The unit aims to maintain and reinforce the advanced specialist concepts and the cultural awareness acquired during the period abroad, to learn the protocol to conduct business in Spain and Latin America, as well as to introduce them to an important field of specialisation (i.e. language for business and professional purposes). It will develop the communication skills necessary for interviews, meetings, negotiations and presentations and will enable students to function effectively in an international business environment and the European labour market. The unit includes;

• Advanced language development

• Advanced writing skills for a range of business contexts

• Job application and CV writing skills

• Job interview skills

• Preparing and giving presentations in the workplace

• Negotiating skills, chairing and participating in meetings

• Awareness of current affairs related to the world of business, commerce, finance and economics

• Awareness of intercultural differences in the workplace

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit, the students will have:

1. Developed their communicative competence to a high level of proficiency and accuracy.
2. Achieved an advanced level of work-related language skills which will enable them to operate with confidence in an international professional environment.
3. Demonstrated the ability to research, select, interpret and use authentic documents to produce well structured concise and accurate oral and written accounts showing a high degree of intercultural awareness.

Teaching Information

1 hour Seminar weekly

Students are also expected to perform weekly formative assessment tasks, guided independent learning and make use of Multimedia Centre resources (amounting to 4-6 hours of study a week).

Assessment Information

A 35-40 minute group presentation, to include a video advertisement and business plan.

A reflective blog of 400-500 words

The group's presentation and the blog accounts for 50% of the mark.

A written report (2500 words) on either a business case study or a financial topic, in the target language.

The written report accounts for 50% of the mark

The above assessment will test ILO's 1-3

Reading and References

A. Felices. et al, Cultura y Negocios (2010)

Temas de Empresa , Certificado Superior del Español de los Negocios de la Cámara de Comercio de Madrid, (Edinumen, 2010))

P. Bonell et al, Negocio a la vista (2009)