103114 - PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Vladimir Bellavista Parent

Trimester: First term

Credits: 4

Academic year: 2025

Teaching course: 1

• English

This subject is taught in English.

Since most of the specialized technical literature that students have to consult is in English, the main objective of this course is for them to become familiar with the grammatical structures, vocabulary and style typical of technical English. Students will learn to interpret and translate technical texts related to their fields of study and to produce technical writing at a basic level. They will also acquire basic writing skills to produce formal and informal letters, emails, and specialized reports.

Emphasis will also be placed on oral and comprehension skills so that they can deal with everyday life situations that will facilitate their integration into an English-speaking environment.

The classroom (physical or virtual) is a safe place, free from sexist, racist, homophobic, and discriminatory attitudes for both students and teachers. We hope to create a safe place where it is possible to make mistakes and learn without having to suffer the prejudices of others.

Content 1: Grammatical, syntactic and lexical aspects of technical register in the field of Computing Engineering:

1. 's phrases and expressions and the possessive case
2. Relative clauses and their shortening in certain situations
3. Present and past participles (-ing and –ed forms)
4. Complex noun phrases and noun compounds. Hyphenated phrases
5. Specific vocabulary in management computing engineering

Related activities:

• Exercises on 's and the possessive case
• Exercises on the shortening of relative clauses and their eventual conversion into participle clauses and/or complex noun phrases
• Analysis of functions and uses of –ing and –ed participles and their interpretation in the context in which they are used.
• Exercises on noun compounds or complex noun phrases. Exercises on Hyphenated phrases.
• Glossary of technical terms

Content 2: Technical register and technical translation. Reading comprehension of technical texts in the field of Computing Engineering:

1. Turning non-technical register into a more technical register using selected texts and by applying the points studied in Content 1
2. Production of technical writings according to the features of technical register
3. Making direct technical translations into Catalan or Spanish
4. Reading comprehension of technical literature in the field of Engineering

Related activities: 

• Exercises to turn non-technical style texts into technical style
• Direct translations into Catalan or Spanish
• Reading technical articles and texts from the field of management computing engineering and reading comprehension exercises about them

Content 3: Writing Skills:

1. Production of writings and reports according to formal academic register
2. Writing formal letters to make an order, a claim, to ask for information
3. Writing formal electronic mails
4. Writing an abstract or a summary
5. Writing a report on a given topic or project related to the subject matter

Related activities:

• Exercises to compare informal and formal registers
• Formal letters to make an order, a claim 
• Writing formal emails
• Writing an abstract or a summary of an article or a technical report
• Writing a report on a topic related to the subject matter

Content 4: Functions / Oral Skills:

1. Conversations to develop oral skills within professional everyday situations: contrast information, pros and cons, make orders, participate in discussions on specific topics...
2. Short oral presentation (2-3 minutes) on a topic of interest to the students
3. Oral presentation in group of the project developed for the module "Entrepreneurship and Innovation". First, an elevator pitch has to be made.
4. Fostering group discussions and debates around the topic of the short oral presentation

Related activities: 

• Exercises of listening and conversation on topics and professional everyday situations for a computing engineer. They will be performed in small groups
• Short oral presentation (2-3 minutes) on a topic of interest to students
• Oral presentation in group of the project developed in the module "Entrepreneurship and Innovation". Elevator pitch about the project (1 minute)

This subject works on and evaluates the common TecnoCampus communication competency.

Evaluation methodology:

Exercises in class and at home on the course contents according to the following evaluation criteria:

1. 20% of the final grade: exercises on 's structures, relative clauses and their possibilities of reduction, participles in –ing and –ed, complex nominal phrases, hyphenated phrases, and specific vocabulary
2. 20% of the final mark: exercises on writing skills: formal letters, emails, reports, summaries, …
3. 30% of the final grade: exercises on oral skills: listening comprehension, oral presentation, and participation in discussions and debates. It is mandatory to pass this activity
4. 30% of the final grade: written exam in which there will be exercises and tasks to demonstrate the acquisition of knowledge related to contents 1, 2, and 3 of the syllabus. A minimum mark of 4 (out of 10) is required.

If necessary, there will be a retake exam for points 1, 2, and 4 of the assessment: 70% of the final grade. The remaining 30% corresponds to point 3 (Oral Skills). A minimum grade of 4 (out of 10) must be obtained in the retake exam in order to pass the subject.

Communicative competence

Communicative competence will be assessed within the oral skills tasks (30% of the total grade).

 Rules for carrying out activities

If any of the activities, tests, assignments, etc. are not submitted within the established time, it will be considered as not assessed.

Notes, files, or dictionaries may not be used in the exam.

VERY IMPORTANT:

• Any form of academic fraud will be sanctioned in accordance with the school's assessment regulations. If signs of fraud are detected, including the improper use of generative artificial intelligence tools, the subject's teaching staff may call the student for an individual interview with the aim of verifying their authorship. If they cannot prove it, the subject will be assessed as Not Presented.

García, J. (2025). Handouts.

https://www.eenewsautomotive.com/

www.acm.org

www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish 

www.cepis.org/upgrade

www.computer.org

www.edn.com

www.esl-lab.com

F. Beigbeder Atienza. Diaz de Santos, SA Polytechnic Dictionary of Spanish and English Languages.

Ginguay, M. Dictionary of Informatics and Related Technologies. Ed. mason

McGraw-Hill Computer Dictionary

Dictionary of Information Technology. Peter Collin Publishing

Flinders, Steve, and Steve Flinders. (2002). Test Your Professional English: Business : General. Harlow, Essex, Eng: Pearson Education. Print.

Herbert L. Hirsch. (2000). The Essence of Technical Communication. IEEE Press

Huckin and Olsen. (1991). Technical Writing and Professional Communication for Nonnative Speakers of English, McGraw-Hill.

Murphy, R. (2003). Essential Grammar in Use. Cambridge.

Trimble, Louis, (1985). English for Science and Technology. Cambridge 

www.ted.com