Goals

The internationalisation of economic activities is affecting more and more companies and organisations. The current and future jobs of university graduates therefore increasingly require subject-specific foreign language skills and intercultural competencies. Since the winter semester 1990/91 or rather 2019/20, the Faculty IV of the University of Trier has been offering additional subjects in the fields of Business Administration, Sociology and Economics, (Business) Mathematics and (Business) Computer Science in the form of a subject-specific foreign language course with a final certificate examination in

  • Business English and
  • Business Chinese.

Learning objectives

FFA English

  • Understanding of oral and written texts in the relevant language
  • Mastery of the foreign language in spoken and written form
  • Discussion of economic and social science issues using the relevant language

FFA Chinese

  • Acquisition and understanding of basic knowledge of the Chinese language
  • Learning everyday oral conversations and frequently used characters (reading and writing)
  • Development of intercultural competence, especially in business
  • Obtaining in-depth knowledge about China

Structure

The FFA training will cover eight hours per week and usually takes two semesters.

FFA English

In the basic studies (development) the practical language skills (reading, listening, writing and speaking) are deepened and economic, social and regional studies basic knowledge are provided, necessary for an appropriate use of the language. The lectures are usually carried out by full-time and/or part-time language teachers from the University of Trier. Each semester there are four hours per week. In the first semester the subjects are FFA reading comprehension (2 hours per week) and listening (2 hours per week) and in the second semester writing (2 hours per week) and presentations (2 hours per week). For the participation you have to register yourself on the internet via PORTA. After the completion of the four courses, an interim certificate can be requested. For that matter please contact the FFA officers.

FFA Chinese

The FFA Chinese offers an introduction to the Chinese language and teaches basic language skills in the areas of speaking, listening and understanding as well as basic knowledge of economics, society and the country. Each semester, students take courses amounting to 4 SWS (or optionally 6 SWS). In the first FFA semester, students are required to take a general Chinese language course with business orientation (4 SWS) and in the second FFA semester a communication-oriented language course (2 SWS). In addition, in the second FFA semester they can select one or two courses of 2 SWS each from the following three Sinology courses:

  • Economics of China,
  • intercultural communication and learning,
  • China regional studies.

The courses can only be attended via the PORTA online registration procedure. A certificate can be applied for at the end of all courses. Please contact the FFA representative.