Communications in Government

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

To enrol in this subject, you must be admitted in the Specialist Certificate in Strategic Communications and Engagement (SC-SCE). This subject is not available for students admitted in any other courses.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this course are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Student Equity and Disability Support Team: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject introduces students to contemporary theories of communications and engagement and examines the role of government in two-way engagement with business, industry and the community, using a case-studies-based approach. Students will gain practical skills in dealing with key challenges in governmental communication, such as the impact of new communications technologies and paradigms on the organisational communications environment, managing community/stakeholder engagement in a changing media environment, understanding and developing media strategy, and translating community engagement data to inform policy design. Students will critically examine case studies in policy development and program implementation in order to understand the role of communications and engagement in informing policy development, promoting desired outcomes and generating meaningful stakeholder engagement. On completion of the subject, students should be able to demonstrate competence in critical and creative thinking, and the use of critical analysis and research method to inform effective communication in policy design.

On completion of this subject students should:

• be able to demonstrate an advanced understanding of how communications and engagement operates within and across government and public contexts;
• be able to demonstrate a well-developed understanding of methodologies for researching contemporary policy issues;
• be able to demonstrate a well-developed understanding of the history and future of communications;
• be able to demonstrate a well-developed capacity for information literacy and understanding of the nature and veracity of sources;
• be able to demonstrate a high level of transportable, practical communication skills across a range of traditional and new media;
• be able to demonstrate a well-developed capacity to meet the challenges of multicultural communication, through intercultural communication skills.

• 750 word group project developing a policy brief due Week 5 - 15%
• 1250 word policy network mapping exercise due Week 8 - 25%
• 3000 word data analysis and report due 2 weeks after the end of the subject - 60%

A reading pack with be available on LMS

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.