Professional Communication Practice
Unit code: HAM113
| Credit points | 12.5 Credit Points |
| Duration | 1 Semester |
| Contact hours | 3 Hours per Week |
| Campus | Hawthorn |
| Prerequisites | Nil |
| Corequisites | Nil |
Related course(s)
A unit of study in the Bachelor of Arts; Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications); Bachelor of Social Science Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) and Bachelor of Multimedia
Aims and objectives
With the advent of new communications technologies such as the Internet, the ability to communicate effectively is becoming a key competency across a wide range of professions. This is especially true of fields such as engineering, information technology and the biophysical sciences, whose increased profile now positions them as key strategic components in many business ventures. Practitioners from these fields often find themselves having to communicate highly technical information to people who have little or no expertise in their areas, meaning that clear and precise communications are vital if a productive information flow is to be established.
Professional Communication Practice is designed to equip students with the oral and written communication skills they require to compete in the contemporary marketplace. This is achieved through an exploration of both the theoretical and practical dimensions of modern communications, with an emphasis on developing the skills needed to deal with a wide variety of different communications environments. The content is designed to cater to students from all disciplines and provide them with techniques they can employ throughout their educational and professional careers. The unit is structured around three key areas: Researching, Writing and Presenting, with each designed to complement the others.
Generic skills outcomes
- To develop advanced reading and writing skills.
- To develop analytical and critical thinking skills.
- To develop confidence in different communications situations.
- To develop essay writing skills.
- To be able to write for a range of purposes.
- To develop research skills in both the library as well as the internet and other forums.
- To be able to develop a familiarity with the internet for communication and learning purposes.
Content
The following topics are covered in this unit of study:
- Basic Research Techniques
- Information Acquisition and Organisation
- Resource Evaluation
- Academic Writing Skills
- Writing for a Corporate Audience
- Writing for the Digital Age
- Intercultural Communications
- Effective Presentation Techniques
- Analysing the Media
- Dealing with the Media
- Spin Doctoring
