ENG20 Successful business writing in English (C1)

• Topics

  Effective written communication in English is a core competence in today’s global business environment. This course develops your ability to understand and produce advanced written texts, with particular emphasis on the genres, conventions, and stylistic expectations of written business communication.

  You will strengthen your ability to craft clear, coherent, and well-structured texts tailored to a variety of audiences, based on casework. The course integrates instruction in text organisation, argumentation and tone, enabling you to become a confident writer in a range of business contexts.

  This course is independent from ENG10 and can be taken separately.

  Level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR): C1

• Learning outcome

  Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to:

  Knowledge

  • understand target audiences and design messages accordingly
  • demonstrate awareness of structure and tone
  • grasp main aspects of paraphrasing and summarising complex texts
  • recognise written genres of business communication

  Skills

  • write coherent messages for internal communication channels
  • write polite and effective business emails to international recipients
  • use generative AI meaningfully to improve business writing in English
  • design targeted marketing texts and justify creative choices
  • crystallise ideas, write concisely and accurately
  • write convincing business reports
  • integrate sustainability perspectives into written communication
  • apply key principles of information literacy

  General competence

  • reflect on own and others’ work and give constructive peer feedback
  • apply feedback to refining own skills
  • work in a structured manner in groups and independently
  • engage in collaborative and team writing processes

• Teaching

  The course will focus on student-centred learning whereby you are expected to participate actively in class. Classes will consist of short lectures, classroom discussions, writing workshops and casework. The learning objectives will be achieved through reflecting on the course content and engaging in the iterative writing process involving drafting, reviewing, peer-reviewing and finalising texts.

• Recommended prerequisites

  As the course focuses on improving business writing skills at CEFR level C1, students are expected to have at least B2-level English proficiency.

• Compulsory Activity

  Compulsory participation in 75% of the sessions.

  Peer feedback as part of six writing workshops.

• Assessment

  1. Portfolio consisting of three assignments (75%):

  • an internal communication text (individual)
  • a marketing text (individual)
  • a sustainability report (groups of 2-3 students)

  2. An Individual oral reflection session (25%).

  In order to pass the course, the student must pass both the portfolio and the oral reflection session in the same semester. It is not possible to retake these components separately. The assessment of the portfolio is based on three assignments, each of which must adequately demonstrate the student's development and achievement of the intended learning outcomes.

• Grading Scale

  Pass-Fail

• Retake

  Retake in ENG20 will not be offered during the non-teaching semester (spring). Only mandatory bachelor courses with an individual written school exam or a home exam lasting up to one day will have a retake assessment in the non-teaching semester.

  For detailed information regarding the retake policy, please visit our website: https://www.nhh.no/en/for-students/examinations/retake-of-exams (copy URL).