The course aims for its participants to acquire advanced English for working life and to communicate appropriately in professional contexts. Course participants work with:

- advanced vocabulary, grammar, and rhetoric for professional communication in English

- professional genres and conventions

- cultural and linguistic diversity in the workplace

- strategies to inform and convince different audiences

In a language-focused learning environment and with course participants from different technical disciplines, the students learn both the mechanics of English and strategies to communicate their technical knowledge in clear, concise, and precise English.

After passing the course, the students should be able to:

1. analyse and evaluate (in both discussion and writing) workplace-related communication, with particular sensitivity to the distinctive features of inter-cultural communication, technical communication, and formal communication
2. motivate their choice of different styles and strategies for information structure in order to communicate effectively in text and using electronic communication tools
3. communicate effectively and convincingly their academic and professional experiences, identify suitable negotiation techniques, and apply them to reach a consensus in professional meetings

In the seminars, students explore different aspects of workplace-related communication. Students prepare for the seminars at home by e.g. watching videos, reading texts and working on their assignments.

The course has six 2-hour sessions on Campus. See KTH Schedule for rooms each week. 
Seminars 1, 3, and 5 are scheduled on Wednesdays with the full group. For Seminars 2, 4, and 6, the group is split in two and students have seminars either on Wednesdays or on Thursdays.

To see what to prepare and submit each week, see Canvas and the weekly Module. 

Do I need to prepare anything for the first class?

Yes! Before the first class, please

1. read through the course information (emailed to all students or provided in the Course information Module on Canvas) to understand how the course works, and what the assignments and attendance requirements are.
2. find a job advertisement in English for an open position related to your area of studies that you may be interested in applying for. Download it as a PDF (or take a screenshot) and keep it on your laptop for the sessions. You will use this job advertisement for Assignment 2 and for other tasks during the course.
3. Introduce yourself in the Discussion forum on Canvas.

No specific literature required. All material (videos, explanatory texts, links to articles etc.) will be made available on Canvas.

Students at KTH with a permanent disability can get support during studies from Funka:

Funka - compensatory support for students with disabilities

A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

• INL1 - Assignments, 4.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
• TEN1 - Oral examination, 1.5 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
• SEM1 - Seminars, 2.0 credits, grading scale: P, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

Detailed grading criteria are made available on Canvas at the start of the course. 

There is no opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination.

Students may miss up to two out of the six seminars, and still be able to complete the course in the current semester. Compensatory work (specified in Canvas) will be assigned for each missed seminar.

If a student misses more than two seminars, they can complete assessment module SEM1 by preparing for, and actively participating in, those seminars the next time the course is given.

• All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
• In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
• In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

- For a VG grade on Assignment 2 (a job application), students will be required to highlight how they have tailored their application to match a certain job application.

- Two additional, extended Quizzes on inclusive language and language for CVs and cover letters. In the future, more material will be designed in collaboration with the KTH Career services (KTH Karriär).