Course detail
German for Specific Purposes I
FSI-N7 Acad. year: 2027/2028 Winter semester
The course is focused on characteristic features of professional communication. It provides students with the relevant specialised language structures and professional communication skills they will need in the workplace.
This course is intended for students with advanced knowledge of German and focuses on further developing their communicative skills, with an emphasis on using German in academic and professional settings. Students consolidate and expand their vocabulary, deepen their knowledge of grammatical structures, and develop the ability to understand more complex spoken and written messages and respond to them independently. Classes cover topics such as networking, college studies, resumes, job searches and job interviews, communication in the workplace, information technology, and business trips. Attention is also given to practical situations encountered while living abroad, such as finding one’s way around a city and within a company, housing, business meetings, financial transactions, and insurance. The course promotes fluent and linguistically accurate expression and prepares students for independent communication in their personal, academic, and professional lives.
Language of instruction
German
Number of ECTS credits
4
Supervisor
Department
Entry knowledge
The course requires a very good knowledge of general language at least at B1+/ B2 level.
Rules for evaluation and completion of the course
Credit is conditional upon active participation in the seminars, completion of the assigned tasks and passing the mini-tests for each lesson. To obtain credit, students must achieve 60 per cent of the total marks in each of the tests.
The examination consists of two parts: a written and an oral component.
The written examination at B2+/C1 level assesses knowledge of grammatical and lexical features of academic language, including comprehension of academic texts (both written and spoken), the ability to write academically, and knowledge of the linguistic structures of academic language.
The oral part of the examination assesses the student’s ability to independently prepare and deliver a presentation on a specialist topic in German and subsequently to participate actively in a specialist discussion. The student demonstrates the ability to convey specialist information clearly and in a structured manner, to formulate and defend their own views, and to respond appropriately to questions and comments from other participants in the discussion.
Attendance at seminars is compulsory and is systematically checked by the teacher. Students are allowed to miss two seminars. Regular attendance and active participation in classes are necessary conditions for taking the examination.
Aims
The aim of the course is to consolidate and further develop students’ language skills and communicative competence in German, particularly their ability to express themselves independently, fluently, and with reasonable accuracy, both orally and in writing. Emphasis is placed on systematically expanding vocabulary, deepening knowledge of grammatical and lexical structures, and applying them in various communication situations in personal, academic, and professional life. Students will acquire the language skills necessary for communication in academic and professional settings, particularly when establishing contacts, presenting their academic and professional experiences, seeking employment, and communicating within a company.
Upon completion of the course, students should be able to understand both the main ideas and details in spoken and written texts at a level corresponding to B2 of the CEFR and respond to them independently. They can express themselves fluently and clearly on everyday, academic, and work-related topics; conduct a conversation; formulate and defend their own opinions; and respond appropriately to their conversation partner. They can describe their education and previous experience, discuss career opportunities, and engage in communication in a work environment. They can apply the language knowledge and skills they have acquired to handle everyday communication situations in their personal, academic, and professional lives.
The study programmes with the given course
Programme B-OBN-P: Common Offer, Bachelor's, elective
Programme N-VSY-P: Production Systems, Master's, compulsory-optional
Programme N-OBN-P: Common Offer, Master's, elective
Programme BIT: Information Technology, Bachelor's
specialization BITP: Information Technology, elective
Type of course unit
Language exercise
26 hours, compulsory
Syllabus
1. First contacts – Introduction
2. Phone contact
3. University studies and CV (part 1)
4. University studies and CV (part 2)
5. Application, covering letter (part 1)
6. Application, covering letter (part 2)
7. Professional communication
8. ICT
9. Business trip
10. Orientation in the city, in the company, incidents
11. Accommodation and business lunches
12. System of payments and insurance
13. Credit test