Usos Acadèmics i Professionals de l'Anglès (20493)
Degree/study: Grau en Publicitat i Relacions Públiques
Year: 3r.
Term:1st, 1nd
Number of ECTS credits: 4 credits
Hours of studi dedication: 100/120 hours
Teaching language or languages: English
Teaching Staff: Blanca Fullana
1. Presentation of the subject
Since the invention of the World Wide Web (Internet) and the globalization of the economy at the end of the last century, the context of advertising and corporate communications in today's businesses has radically changed. Communication strategies to reach any type of target group are challenged to anticipate stakeholders' interests, adapt the visual and language of messages, build brand content on top of product content and be ready to produce participation, feedback and response towards different audiences. In this global environment, being capable of career oriented English language comprehension, assertiveness and fluency is a must.
Knowing the professional world in this sector is widely Anglo-Saxon oriented, students are urged to learn and practice the most relevant terminology, concepts and trends in corporate communications, advertising, marketing and PR directly in English language, thus allowing future professionals hands on practice of a fundamental skill.
The course will deal with case studies, media articles and relevant business documents as the ground base for the language practice.
2. Competences to be attained
In terms of content, students will become knowledgeable of the major aspects of effective communications for building brand value; identifying the mission, vision, values of different brands, mapping context insights and stakeholders' approaches & practicing corporate messaging, storytelling and brand discourse techniques.
The review and analysis of top cases and briefings together with intense listening, reading and writing exercises will encourage students to fully interact with the class and practice the theory behind the subject of the course.
In specific skills, it is intended to help students:
· Be capable of using a third language (English) in the academic and professional context including competences in oral efficiency and through the analysis of real texts.
· Comprehend and effectively manage the specific terminology of the corporate communications environment and guide students into acquiring new specialty terminology and concepts
· Read and write different types of texts; including objectives and strategies in communications plans, articles, essays and specific papers and documents used in the corporate brand communications sector
· Practice and improve presentation, negotiation and commercial skills by technically and culturally adapting to the assertive and compelling oral competences demanded in the professional global environment of today
Students will practice:- Essay writing
- Interview and Q+As techniques
- Oral presentations with visual and digital support
- Methods and language skills for group discussions
- Listening and reading comprehension exercises of professional texts
- Writing techniques in terms of structure, editing, styling and formatting as internationally acclaimed
- Glossary search and research
3. Contents
All individual and group exercises will be set within the context of the professional career at stake and will include discussions around:
- Advertising and Corporate Communications role & relevance in today's organizations
- The concept of Brand Equity
- Trends in society today -the cultural, economical, environmental and social issues that any brand should address
- Real Case studies comprehension and review of some of today's most reputable Brands
4. Assessment
All students will need to complete a total of 5 exercises, established as follows:
1 individual exercise (15%)
1 group essay (25%)
2 group case studies (10% each)
1 individual Exam end of the quarter (40%)
* Optional: Possibility of 10 points bonus through Glossary exercise
Exercises are established to produce on-going evaluation of the student. Class attendance is important. Students are expected to be self responsible in obtaining the information dealt with in class, including deadlines and course and exercises explanation.
Students that can not attend class must present formal signed and sealed written exemption by medical, university, company or institutional organization claiming consent. Once such justification is formally delivered to the teacher in charge, student must check revaluation processes in this document to understand means in which such course can be properly approving.
5. Revaluation
Students with justified complete un-attendance to course must complete revaluation procedures as follows.
Also students who for whatever reason have failed to successfully appraise the course's specifications.
Students in revaluation process must personally contact the teacher in charge and argument the situation, as soon as it is confirmed. Each student will agree with teacher to specific details and deadlines once revaluation process is confirmed. At least one conversation between student and teacher must take place maximum 1 week after the course's examination date.
According to UPF standard procedures, students have the right to follow a revaluation with a deadline time frame being established until the third week after the end of the quarter. (Please check UPF website or class delegate for more information)
Students qualifying for revaluation must complete the following course deliverables:
· 3 to 5 page Essay following courses guidelines. Free Topic.
· 1 individual definition on the concept of Brand Equity.
· + 1 written exam with 3 open questions and 50 multiple choice questions based on course's documents available through the student's internet.
Revaluation marks are confirmed within UPF standard procedure regulations and timings. Deadlines of revaluation are unchangeable or renegotiable.
Finally, students who fail both evaluation and revaluation must re-enroll for the course on a following year.
6. Bibliography
6.1. Primary bibliography
There will be several articles, reports and copy-right free documents that will be of compulsory read and that the teacher will distribute in class.
Recommended to check dictionaries such as:
· IMBER, Jane & TOFFLER, Betsy-Ann. Dictionary of Marketing Terms. 4th Edition. Barron's Business Guides, Barron's Educational Series Inc., New York, 2008.
· A Dictionary of Business and Management terms. 5th Edition. Oxford University Press, Market House Books Ltd., New York, 2009.
6.2 Secondary bibliography
- ADAMSON Allen P. Brand Simple. Ed. Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.
- ALLEN, H. Center, JACKSON, Patrick, SMITH, Stacey & STANSBERRY, Frank R. Public Relations Practices Managerial Case Studies & Problems. 7th Edition Ed. Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007..
- BLACKWELL, Roger; STEPHAN, Tina. Brands that Rock!. New Jersey, USA: WILEY, 2004.
- BROWN, Duncan & HAYES, Nick. Influencer Marketing. Ed. Elsevier,2008.
- CHERNATOY, Leslie de. From Brand Vision to Brand Evaluation. Ed. Elsevier, 2010.
- CRAINER, Stuart. The Real Power of Brands. Editorial Eresma&Celeste Ediciones, 1997.
· GOBÉ, Marc. Emotional Branding. Allworth Press. 2001.
- HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW on Brand Management. Harvard Business School Press. 1999.
- HOLLIS, Nigel. The Global Brand. Palgrave,Mcmillan Ed., 2010.
- KAPFERER, JN. The New Strategic Brand Management: Creating and Sustaining Brand Equity Long Term. Kogan Page, 2008. (4th edition)
- KORNBERGER, Martin Brand Society: How Brands Transform Management and Lifestyle, Cambridge University Press, 2010.
· KOTLER, Philip. Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, Implementation and Control. Upper Saddle River, N.J., USA: Prentice Hall, 1994.
· TRENTMANN, Frank The Making of the Consumer -edited by Berg, 2006
6. Methodology
Class lecturing and practice exercises and case studies.
7. Program of activities
The calendar of the course runs for 10 weeks with 2 days of 2 hours a day per week and per student. In general, first day in the week will be dedicated to class content and explanations with the entire class, while second day in the week will be focusing on practices, case studies and exercises with students separated in two groups, permitting full participation and optimization of the course's development. //