ML3LMB: Modern Languages for Management and Business

Module code: ML3LMB

Module provider: Languages and Cultures; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Ms Regine Klimpfinger, email: r.klimpfinger@reading.ac.uk

Additional teaching staff 1: Ms Regine Klimpfinger, email: r.klimpfinger@reading.ac.uk

Additional teaching staff 2: Dr Maria Laura Iasci, email: m.iasci@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): Before taking this module, you must have B2 or above level in French, German, Italian or Spanish. (Open)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 7 October 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to develop and expand on the language and knowledge which students have acquired after two to three years of undergraduate study. Students will expand their knowledge of either French, German, Italian or Spanish business lexis and of the principles of business practice and its socioeconomic context. They will reinforce their ability to summarise documents and to write on business topics in either French, German, Italian or Spanish and they will be able to present in oral and written form syntheses and analysis of different types of information. 

This module aims to enable students to read and write at an advanced level in either French, German, Italian or Spanish on management and business topics related to the either French, German, Italian or Spanish-speaking world. It also aims to develop students' skills in elaborating on and evaluating sets of statistics and diagrams in either French, German, Italian or Spanish. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Understand advanced texts on financial, business and management topics from the French, German, Italian or Spanish-speaking world
2. Demonstrate that they have acquired the necessary knowledge of the concepts, terminology and institutional structures relating to the French, German, Italian or Spanish-speaking business world
3. Recognise the common stylistic and syntactical features of technical texts in either French, German, Italian or Spanish
4. Communicate in written and spoken form in either French, German, Italian or Spanish at an advanced level on management/business topics

Module content

Students are introduced to a variety of oral and written texts of advanced difficulty covering different areas of commercial activity with a focus on, but not limited to French, German, Italian or Spanish-speaking countries. The contact hours will be devoted to the development of writing, reading and speaking skills in business-related areas: banking and finance, management, marketing, etc. In each area an introduction is provided to important concepts and institutional structures, as well as to the relevant terminology and vocabulary in either French, German, Italian or Spanish.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module will use a variety of strategies for teaching and learning, involving a mixture of group-work, class discussion and analysis, and independent work between sessions. Students will complete regular exercises as homework and will also do a variety of exercises in class. 

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Feedback will be given on homework tasks and assignments and there will be opportunities for class-based discussions. 

Reassessment

Additional costs