Course detail
German in Engineering
FSI-GNS Acad. year: 2025/2026 Winter semester
The course is focused on characteristic features of professional communication. It provides students with relevant professional language skills and develops their communication skills. It concentrates on reading strategies using technical texts. The aim is for students to master comprehension of technical texts and to produce a summary or a short presentation in both written and spoken form.
Language of instruction
German
Number of ECTS credits
6
Supervisor
Department
Entry knowledge
Language knowledge at least at the level B2 CEFR; the course is intended to teach German as a foreign language for specific purposes.
Rules for evaluation and completion of the course
Course-unit credit is awarded on condition of having attended the seminars actively and completed all tasks, as well as fulfilled the requirements of continuous control incl an independent presentation.
The written examination at the level B2+/C1 tests the knowledge of grammar, vocabulary and technical terminology as well as reading and listening comprehension of professional language.
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 acquaint students with language skills used in professional communication (reading, listening, speaking, writing) and to provide them with professional terminology and specific structures of professional language.
The course is intended to deepen students’ language skills necessary for professional communication using relevant vocabulary. It will familiarise the students with professional terminology and enable them to understand professional technical texts and produce a summary or a short presentation.
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
Type of course unit
Language exercise
26 hours, compulsory
Syllabus
1. German for specific purposes.
2. Verbalising formulas and definitions. Describing graphs, charts and trends.
3. Oral presentations I: Key words and phrases for introduction, main parts and conclusion.
4. Oral presentations II: Nonverbal communication, visual aids, language speed vs. efficiency.
5. Description of Functions: Machines, tools and implements.
6. Description of Processes: Students´ individual presentations of technological processes.
7. Description of Material Properties: Students´ individual presentations with comparing and contrasting.
8. Methods of Argumentation: Students´ individual presentations of technical article.
9. Explanation and Reasoning: Students´ interpretation of a professional text.
10. Inquiries and Objections: Presentation of Independent Project I.
11. Presentation of Independent Project II.
12. Presentation of Independent Project III.
13. Course evaluation.