COMMS 319 : Communication Strategies in the Workplace

Arts

2025 Semester Two (1255) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Addresses principles and best practices for effective communication within workplaces and organisations. Focuses on students’ skills in key areas including: professionalism in communication; listening skills; conflict resolution; and negotiation skills. Particular emphasis is given to the skills required for developing coherent and consistent communication strategies.

Course Overview

This course adopts a critically informed perspective to contemporary workplace communication, set within a broader context of overlapping systemic crises, political polarisation and social change currents. In other words, how do we develop strategies for effective leadership communication at work within an environment of perpetual change and uncertainty – when our foundations seem so unstable? Drawing on Critical Management Studies (CMS) and Organizational Communication (OR) we consider these questions through a range of topics, including technology and the future of work, indigeneity and non-Western perspectives, gender and women’s rights, economic inequality, the union movement and climate change. Lectures and tutorials are combined into a 3 hour “lectorial” format, where topics can be discussed in-depth through case studies which promote active learning.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: COMMS 214 and 45 points passed at Stage II

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Communication

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand and explain the key challenges to effective leadership and workplace communication in contemporary society (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 4)
  2. Develop and demonstrate a nuanced understanding of current issues impacting workplaces and the diverse contexts for contemporary workplace communication (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 4)
  3. Understand and explain the principles and practices for effective communication within contemporary workplaces and organisations, both in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally (Capability 1, 3, 5 and 6)
  4. Develop and demonstrate skills, strategies and competencies to be an effective workplace communicator and leader (Capability 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  5. Develop, design and justify effective and professional communication interventions for contemporary workplaces (Capability 5, 6, 7 and 8)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Written Communication 25% Individual Coursework
Presentation 25% Individual Coursework
Listening Skills 10% Individual Coursework
Case Study Report 35% Individual Coursework
Participation 5% Individual Coursework

Exam Mode


  • There is no final exam for this course


Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 2 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 5 hours of work on assignments.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience or Online

This course is offered in two delivery modes:

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at tutorials to complete/receive credit for the participation component of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Tutorials will not be available as recordings.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Online

Where possible, study material will be be released progressively throughout the course.
This course runs to the University semester/quarter timetable and all the associated completion dates and deadlines will apply.

This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ in 2024.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

This is the second year the course has run. Feedback from 2024 will be incorporated into

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 23/10/2024 02:20 p.m.