XEFL-310 ESL Business Communication I | Georgetown School of Continuing Studies (SCS)

Course Description

This course is designed for students who are either currently working professionals or for those who are seeking work. It follows a Case-Based Learning curriculum. This means that students will read several stories throughout the semester about business scenarios. They will work in groups to analyze the cases, discuss issues, and make decisions. Students will also get an opportunity to take on the role of someone involved in the case, which gives them a chance to reflect on the case’s impact on key players and stakeholders. 

A Case-Based Learning curriculum gives students an opportunity to refine their communication skills in the context of a realistic business scenario. In this course, students will work on giving descriptions, paraphrasing information, making recommendations, making apologies, asking for clarification, and giving an opinion. In addition, students will write formal emails. This course ends with short, individual presentations as well as a class debate.

Before taking this course, students should be able to communicate in a variety of basic situations and write short compositions in present, past, and future tenses. They should be able to understand familiar spoken and written texts.

Application Instructions

Summer 2023 Operating Status:

The English Language Center is currently teaching all classes in-person. In order to maintain safety, Georgetown requires students, faculty, staff, and visitors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to have received a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot when eligible, or to have an approved medical or religious exemption. We will continue to monitor public health guidelines to ensure full safety and compliance. For more information, please refer to Georgetown’s resource page on COVID-19 vaccines.

Course Registration Pricing:

Course registration is made with a student’s debit card or credit card after creating a student profile during the following registration periods:

March 1—March 24

• Early registration price: $432

March 25—April 28

• Regular registration price: $480

April 29—May 5

• Late registration price: $528

Course Policies:

I. Mandatory Placement Test Requirement:

All new and returning students are required to take a placement exam before classes begin to determine their correct placement into the course section. After completing registration, you will receive a payment confirmation email including your placement test appointment. If you are unable to attend at the appointed time, you must contact an Enrollment Advisor at 202-687-5978 or [email protected] immediately to make alternative arrangements.

Please note that your enrollment will not be complete until you take your placement test. All placement tests will be administered remotely using an online test. Students will be required to have access to a computer with a high-speed internet connection, as well as audio and video capabilities. Program staff will work with you to communicate additional technology requirements. Within one week after the placement test, you will receive an email with your final course placement.

The Evening & Weekend English program reserves the right to move students to a different level of a course if placement test results or first class diagnostic testing warrants it. All such moves will be completed in the first week of classes with no additional charge to the student.

If your placement test results indicate that you do not meet the minimum English proficiency level required for admission to the Evening & Weekend English program, you will receive a 100% refund of your course tuition payment minus a nonrefundable $50 administrative fee per course enrolled.

II. Summer 2023 Transfers

No Summer 2023 Semester self-request transfer requests will be accepted if received after Friday, May 5, 2023.

III. Summer 2023 Refund and Withdrawals:

There are no tuition refunds for drops/withdrawals requested four (4) or fewer calendar days before the published start date of the course section or after the course section has started. If you have questions regarding test scheduling, contact one of our helpful Enrollment Advisors at 202-687-5978 or [email protected].

• 14 calendar days or more before the published start date of the course section: 100% tuition refund less $50 admin fee

• Between 14 and five (5) days before the published start date of the course section: 75% tuition refund less $50 admin fee

• Four (4) or fewer calendar days before the published start date of the course section or after the course section has started: $0

Refunds will be credited back to the credit card used to make the payment 30 days after the drop has been processed.

Please contact SCS Student Accounts at [email protected] if you have questions about your refund payment. Note: We do not allow deferred enrollment from one semester to another.