Have you always been a fan of the English language? Do you admire those who manage to follow American series without subtitles? Do you dream of working internationally? EM Strasbourg offers first year students in Programme Grande Ecole (PGE) the opportunity to study in French and English through the EntoMovoria interdisciplinary case study.
English, an essential language in today's society
“Mastery of English has become an indispensable tool for professional success in our globalized world, regardless of the profession and sector chosen later by the student,” explains Natalie David, associate professor in marketing and human resources at EM Strasbourg.
Today, English is taught in a hundred or so countries and is the official language of more than sixty countries worldwide. To successfully integrate abroad and communicate with ease, practicing English is no longer an asset but a necessity. According to Valentin Sitz, an EM student who seized this opportunity in 2018/2019, the Franco-English track “serves as preparation for a future departure to a partner university.” Students are “immersed in an environment that will train them to adapt before they go abroad.”
The language of international communication, the media, and the Internet—English is also required in the professional world. “I was able to develop my business English vocabulary, which I didn't necessarily master before. Oral presentations are a great way to express yourself in English and allow you to be much more at ease in the language,” confides Olivia Busuioc, a student having chosen the track in 2019/2020. Through the Franco-English track, EM Strasbourg offers students a dual advantage: gaining confidence speaking English while acquiring a more technical vocabulary, useful in business. For Natalie David, “this track is a golden opportunity to develop language skills.”
“It doesn't matter if you make mistakes in English or if you don't know certain words, but you have to be able to keep up and be understood.”
Natalie David, associate professor in marketing and human resources at EM Strasbourg
Develop soft skills and competencies
Like the French and Franco-German tracks, the Franco-English track at EM Strasbourg is based on the interdisciplinary case study EntoMovoria. “This case study fosters the development of managerial skills among students,” explains Natalie David. PGE students have the opportunity to develop their soft skills: problem solving within a group, communication, and time and stress management. “Professionally speaking, I was able to develop certain soft skills: each lecturer had a different method, which taught me to adapt,” says Valentin. By reading the textbook and completing group work with the ultimate goal of creating a strategy suited to the fictitious company, students progress quickly and learn to adapt to different working methods (flipped classroom, group work, or making videos).
“It's an excellent track that offers a real chance for students to make significant and rapid progress in English, which will open up a lot of doors for them later on. I encourage any interested student to take the plunge,” adds the associate professor.
Departures abroad and internships: The Franco-English track is just the ticket!
A significant proportion of EM Strasbourg's partner universities require a good level of English. This ensures that students will be able to follow the courses abroad. “Immersion in a foreign language from the first year of the PGE is enriching for students and paves the way for very interesting perspectives and possibilities for their future studies and career.” The Franco-English track indeed offers students the opportunity to live in an English-speaking country as part of their studies or internship, thereby allowing them to learn the language better and to stand out from the crowd when searching for a future job.
The Franco-English track pushes students to open up to new cultures and to go abroad with peace of mind and a good command of the language. Students can also more easily opt for a specialization in English in third year.
If you’re looking to perfect your English and open yourself up to the world, the Franco-English track will help you succeed.