Units

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Sample subject outline - 5 Week Teaching Period - 3 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Professional Communication aims to enhance your career prospects by developing a better understanding of communication dynamics between individuals and groups in organisational settings. The unit will sharpen your practical and critical skills in situation analysis, project proposal development and reporting, formal document production, client presentations, and workplace communication practices. Although the main focus of the unit is on the creative and cultural industries, the content and skills covered are applicable to a range of professions and career options.

Aims

This unit aims to provide you with:
- An understanding of the nature of communication in professional settings and the pragmatic, problem-solving roles professional communication teams play in their organisations.
- Experience in planning, presenting, and evaluating applied communication tasks in professional settings.
- A critical understanding of the role of professional communication skills - including audience sensitivity, rhetorical appropriateness, and generic conventions.
- Field knowledge, organisational skills and networks to enhance your career prospects.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to:
1. Demonstrate an applied understanding of the principles of communication in global, organisational and professional settings.
2. Survey and analyse the communication channels and processes that structure an organisation's internal and external interactions.
3. Collaborate with a project group and contribute to achieving an organisation's project goals.
4. Research, analyse, plan, and manage the content and components of formal reports and proposals, and associated materials.
5. Develop briefings, proposals, reports, pitches and functional messages using the relevant technologies and conventions in the manner of a professional consultant to a client, sponsor or colleague.

Content

This unit addresses content such as:
- Professional communication in the service society: Roles, audiences, requirements, barriers, strategies and ethics.
- Organisational structures and communication processes.
- Global communication and cultural diversity.
- Interpersonal interaction and teamwork.
- Leadership and management communication.
- Conflict and negotiation.
- Project proposals, reports and management.
- Professional documents and presentations.
- Public programs and professional networks.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit is taught through lectures and discussion sessions, tutorials and presentations, online resources and discussions, and field visits. Assessment items are designed to develop your knowledge, abilities and confidence as communicators in professional situations.

Assessment

LATE ASSIGNMENTS
An assignment submitted after the due date without an approved extension will not be marked. If you are unable to complete your assignment on time, you should submit on time whatever work you have done.Faculty Assessment Information
To access the Creative Industries Faculty Assessment Information see the Blackboard site for this unit.

Assessment name: In-Class Briefings
Description: (Formative)
Students will present short briefings on project topics to the class and tutor.
Relates to objectives: N/A
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: TBA

Assessment name: Examination
Description: (Summative)
This examination will consist of multiple choice questions based on lectures and set readings delivered in Week One. It will also include a short piece of transactional writing based on a scenario that will be provided to you before the examination.
Relates to objectives: 1,2,5
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: TBA

Assessment name: Professional Plan
Description: (Summative)
As a professional consultant, devise a proposal / report scenario for your client / institution(1500-2000 words). The client / institution and topic must be approved by your tutor.
Relates to objectives: 2,3,4,5
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: TBA

Assessment name: Executive Summary
Description: (Summative)
Write an executive summary based on the final group project document.
Relates to objectives: 2,3,4,5
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: TBA

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Due to the intensive nature of delivery, resource materials will be developed progressively.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 13-Nov-2012