Professional Communication

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Total 120 hours

Must be enrolled in the Executive Master of Arts program

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject introduces students to the fundamentals of successful communication in professional contexts. It focuses on both written and oral communications and canvases the full range of contemporary communications skills and media. These include public speaking and presentation skills, communication for leadership, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, communication skills for electronic and print local and mass media, graphic communication, interpersonal communication, cross-cultural communication, public relations skills, and legal considerations, in a range of forms such as electronic documents, project reports, media releases, letters, presentations, advertising and promotional copy, and marketing and public relations documents. The subject equips students with a critical understanding of the role of communications within and between organisations, and with practical tools of effective communication, with a particular emphasis on leadership.

• The subject will teach high level, transportable, practical communication skills across a range of traditional and new media.
• These will include interpersonal presentation skills, writing skills, software skills, and cultural skills.
• An emphasis will be placed on the modalities of addressing different audiences on different occasions (from personal communication skills to pitching to public speaking, to writing press releases).
• The subject will give students an understanding of the history of and future of communication.
• An emphasis will be placed on information literacy and understanding the nature and veracity of sources.
• There will be an emphasis on understanding the communication of others, and meeting the challenges of global communication, through critical discourse analysis and intercultural communication skills.
• The subject will cover basic ethical and legal matters to do with communications, such as intellectual property, copyright, privacy and defamation.

Development and presentation of an organisational report, 2000 words, 40 per cent (due during teaching period). Evaluation of an existing communications strategy, 3000 words, 60 per cent (due 2 weeks after end of teaching period).

A subject reader will be made available.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• High-level written and oral communication skills through contribution to class discussions and the completion of assignments.
• A capacity for effective teamwork through group discussions and assignments.
• Skills in research through the preparation of class papers and assignments, including the use of online and print-based materials.
• Skills in time management and planning through managing workloads for recommended reading, tutorial presentations and assessment requirements.
• A capacity for critical thinking and theoretical analysis through readings, discussion and class exercises.