COMM11009 Contemporary Communication Skills

This course is designed to help you improve practical communication skills: written, oral and interpersonal. You will practice these skills, and do some problem-solving, in situations that are similar to those facing communication professionals in the ‘real world’. The course also helps you develop skills in ‘information literacy’ (finding and evaluating information). The emphasis is on information literacy of the kind needed by those working in fields such as public relations and journalism. This is a course with a lot of practical activity, interaction, and scope for creativity and initiative. Students will be encouraged to utilise skills and knowledge they have been acquiring in other courses. The emphasis is not on ‘mastering’ professional skills (which naturally takes more than one term) but on giving you an experience that will help prepare you for future communication studies. For instance it will help you appreciate your present strengths and interests and understand what future courses will contribute to your development as a communication professional. It is recommended that Bachelor of Communication students enrol in Contemporary Communication Skills in their second term of first year studies.