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Professional English II

Course developer

Course abstract

The study course is aimed at the development of students’ foreign language (English) knowledge and skills necessary for comprehending, interpreting and evaluating professional information, explaining and comparing processes, participating in discussions, giving presentations in professional and academic environments as well as for communication with foreign students, specialists and academic staff. The focus is on the terminology related to heat energy, electric energy and alternative energy. The English language proficiency level corresponds at least to level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for foreign languages.
The assessment according to the 10 point scale.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge and understanding of terminology in the following fields:
- non-renewable and renewable energy resources; types of power stations; generation of electric current at power stations, turbines, generators, distribution and transmission of electric current, transformers, substations (Test No 1);
- ecological problems, global warming, greenhouse effect; types of alternative energy - wind energy, solar energy, wave energy, biomass energy, geothermal energy; electrical safety, electric shock, security measures (Test No 2).
Skills: students are able to define terms, select professional information, think critically, participate in discussions applying professional terminology and communication skills: in written form - writing descriptions, summaries, business letters; orally - in discussions, dialogues, giving a presentation.
Competence of professional and academic English language in order to apply it creatively in spoken and written communication for student mobility, professional and academic activities in international environment.
The assessment according to the 10 point scale.

Course Content(Calendar)

Full-time students:
1. Internship company, its structure and functions. Tasks during internship. SWOT analysis. Skills needed in the labour market. CV. 4h
2. Energy policy of the European Union. Energy policy of Latvia. Green Deal. 3h
3. Types of energy resources. Non-renewable and renewable energy resources. Oil and its processing. Coal and peat. 2h
4. Test 1. Generation of electric current at power stations. Hydroelectric power stations. The Daugava cascade. 4h
5. Distribution and transmission of electric current. Thermal power stations. 2h
6. Electricity meter. Components. Types of meters. Short-circuit and its prevention. 2h
7. Energy efficiency. Ecological problems. Greenhouse effect. 2h
8. Types of alternative energy. Wind energy. Solar energy. Wave energy. 3h
9. Biomass energy. Sources of biomass. Production of biogas. 3h
10. Alternative energy. Geothermal energy. Heat pumps. Heating and cooling systems.3h
11. Nuclear energy. Nuclear power stations, principles of operation and safety aspects. 2h
12. Electrical safety. Electric shock. Security measures. Lexis of giving instructions. 4h
13. Electrical appliances in agriculture. Lighting, heating and ventilation of farms. 2h
14. Test 2. Types of electric apparatus. Faults, their causes, evaluation, repair. Apparatus maintenance.3h
15. Business communication. Formal letters. Telephone conversations. 2h
16. Students` presentation of independent work. 3h

Part-time students:
1. Energy policy of the European Union. Energy policy of Latvia. Green Deal. 2h
2. Types of energy resources. Non-renewable and renewable energy resources. Peat. 1h
3. Generation of electric current at power stations. Hydroelectric power stations. The Daugava cascade. 3h
4. Distribution and transmission of electric current. Thermal power stations. 2h
5. Energy efficiency. Ecological problems. Greenhouse effect. 2h
6 Types of alternative energy. Wind energy. Solar energy. Wave energy. 2h
7. Biomass energy. Sources of biomass. Production of biogas. 2h
8. Alternative energy. Geothermal energy. Heat pumps. Heating and cooling systems. 2h
9. Electrical safety. Electric shock. Security measures. Lexis of giving instructions. 9h
10. Students` presentation of independent work. 3h

Requirements for awarding credit points

Assessment: Examination.
It is made up of cumulative assessment.
Successfully written 2 tests, the glossary of terms for each topic, timely completed home works, completed individual work (reading of professional texts, presentation on a selected topic, the glossary of terms, summary). Tests and home works shall have a positive evaluation. The number of the missed classes shall not exceed 20%.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Individual work:
1. Reading of the independently chosen professional texts (the amount: 20 000 characters);
2. A written summary (the amount – 2000 characters);
3. Prepared PPoint presentation and oral presentation (8-10 minutes) in front of the class;
Submitted glossary of terms (30 translations, 20 definitions).

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The cumulative assessment is composed of the grades in 2 tests and a presentation of the individual work.The grade in tests is successful if at least 70% of the answers are correct. All home works should receive a successful grade.

Compulsory reading

1. Campbell S. English for the Energy Industry. OUP, 2009, 80 p. ISBN 978 0 19 4579223
2. Evans V., Dooley J., O`Dell T. Career Paths: Electrician. Express Publishing, 2012. ISBN 978-1-4715-0524-9
3. Jones, Carla C. Our Energy Future: introduction to renewable energy and biofuels / Carla C. Jones, Stephen P. Mayfield. Oakland, California: University of California Press, 2016, 195 p. ISBN 9780520964280 (PDF).
4. Murty, P. S. R. Electrical Power Systems / P. S. R. Murty. Oxford : Cambridge, MA : Butterworth-Heinemann, 2017, 814 p. ISBN 9780081012451

Further reading

1. Advances in Energy Research / Morena J. Acosta, editor. New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2017, 206 p. Vol. 26. ISBN 9781536113259
2. Badger I., Pedley S. Everyday Business Writing. Pearson Education Ltd, 2008, 95 p. ISBN 0-582-53972-2
3. Energy efficiency- targets, directive and rules. [tiešsaiste] [Skatīts 15.11.2023.] Pieejams: https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/energy-efficiency/energy-efficiency-targets-directive-and-rules_en

Periodicals and other sources

1. American Journal of Electrical Power and Energy Systems. [tiešsaiste] ISSN Online: 2326-9200 [Skatīts 15.11.2023.] Pieejams: https://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/165/home
2. Controlling electrical hazards [tiešsaiste] [Skatīts 15.11.2023.] Pieejams: https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/osha3075.pdf
3. International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering. [tiešsaiste] ISSN Online: 2326-960X [Skatīts 15.11.2023.] Pieejams: https://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/164/home
4. Renewable Energy: An International Journal [tiešsaiste] ISSN: 0960-1481 [Skatīts 15.11.2023.] Pieejams: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy

Notes

The course is included in the compulsory part of the study programme Applied Energetics