Course content
A red thread running through the course is the focus on the role of the professional communicator in the organization in analyzing communication challenges and providing professional solutions which support the business aims of the organization, spanning diverse areas such as internal barriers, corporate language policies to SoMe strategy. The course is structured in such a way that students acquire research-based foundational knowledge, which is subsequently transferred into the analytical skills needed to produce a given communication solution. Students thus progress from theoretical readings to analysis to solutions across a selection of media and modalities.
Students work with assignments and produce written and oral communication solutions that support organizational strategy while giving due consideration to relevant stakeholders and the ambiguities and dilemmas involved in addressing stakeholder interests. The language used in all communication is English as a corporate lingua franca and the course addresses matters of language and communication norms associated with English used for professional purposes (i.e. Business English Lingua Franca), which the students are expected to acquire.
Students work together in pairs to create an environment of constructive, collaborative learning and sharing of critical insights. Moreover, communication analyses and products produced, commented on and discussed in the course of the semester are brought together in a portfolio which is submitted as a portfolio exam at the end of the course. Since the portfolio of assignments is produced and discussed in class throughout the semester, all students are encouraged to continually work together to discuss, revise and produce the best possible solutions such that collaborative and longitudinal learning are in focus.
See course description in course catalogue