COMMUNICATION PRACTICES IN GLOBAL CONTEXTS - 2027/8

Module Overview

This module is designed to provide students with an introduction to what it means to communicate, through different modes (spoken, written, digital) in a global and professional contexts. Given the linguistic and cultural diversity of the modern workplace, all concepts will be discussed with respect to how this diversity challenges us to become adaptive and reflective communicators. Through the learning, teaching and assessment methods, students develop insights into how language is used to perform action, to express meaning, and to form relationships. In addition, students learn to reflect on their own language use with an evidence-led approach.

Module provider

Literature & Languages

Module Leader

DIPPOLD Doris (Lit & Langs)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): 50

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative module content (lectures) includes: 

• What does communicating professionally mean? 
• Culture and communication 
• Communication across different varieties of English 
• Communication, politeness, and power 
• Communication across different genres 
• Miscommunication and its roots 
• Communication and leadership 
• Communication and technology 
• Communication with and through AI 
• Communicating persuasively 
• (Intercultural) communicative competence 

Indicative seminar content includes: 

• Reading and interpreting academic sources 
• Generative AI in the writing workflow 
• Analysing communication artifacts 
• Effective presentations 
• Writing reflectively for personal development 
• Writing analyses of communication artifacts and events

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Individual recorded presentation Individual written coursework

Assessment Strategy

This module consists of two summative assessments: 

Assessment 1 - Individual recorded presentation: Student reflect on how the perspectives on communication introduced in the class relate to their previous and possible future professional communication experiences. (LO 1, 4, 5, 7) 

Assessment 2 - Individual written coursework: Students collect various communication artefacts across the semester and produce a short analytic and reflective commentary for each. In addition, students provide process notes describing how they collected, anonymised, and chose these artifacts and provide draft annotations or screenshots showcasing their process of analysing one of their artifacts (LO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) 

Formative assessment and feedback will be provided on activities during seminars. This feedback will help students develop their presentation and reflection on learning.

Module aims

• Facilitate recognition of communication skills as essential assets in advancing professional development and enhancing employability
• Acquaint students with foundational theoretical constructs pertinent to both written and oral forms of professional discourse
• Develop proficiency in articulating ideas effectively within a spectrum of professional contexts, particularly those characterised by linguistic and cultural diversity
• Cultivate students' capacity for critical analysis and reflection regarding their own communicative practices as well as those of others, across multiple modalities and situational frameworks

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to help students apply theoretical concepts in a practical manner and discuss their ideas with others. The module is taught primarily in seminar-style, with lecture-type input by the tutor which is followed by practical examples and exercises. Students will be encouraged to discuss self-generated or collected examples. 

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Weekly lectures: These will introduce the topics which will be developed in the seminars but will also include some partner and teamwork activities to help students understand and apply these concepts. Weekly seminar sessions: 
• Seminar sessions: The seminar sessions include practical exercises, discussions on academic reading and opportunities to develop assessment-related skills. Students will have opportunity to relate key concepts to their own professional experiences and their expectations for a placement year where applicable. 
• Guided learning:¿Students' in-class learning is supported by a structured programme of guided learning activities to do at home. Students do practical analysis exercises, read relevant literature, and find examples which can be further discussed in class. 
• Captured content: Content provided for each weekly session include the lecture slides for the sessions as well as the Panopto recodings for each class. The captured content aims to develop understanding of key concepts and theories. Students are expected to engage with the captured content to deepen their engagement with the materials and complete the guided learning exercises.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: LIN2006

Other information

Digital capabilities: This module scaffolds the development of students¿ digital capabilities. across academic and professional contexts. Students are introduced to digital technologies that mediate instances of professional communication (e.g. social media) and that act as direct interlocutor (e.g. chatbots). Students will learn how to critically interrogate professional communication processes supported by these technologies. These experiences equip students to produce effective digital artefacts for a range of audiences.

Employability: This module plays a central role in developing students¿ employability by fostering skills in written and spoken professional communication. Students work collaboratively and independently strengthening interpersonal skills and preparing them for global workplace environments. This helps students build capabilities directly applicable to modern workplaces. 

Global and cultural capabilities: Organisations - commercial, voluntary, and public sector - typically serve diverse audiences. This requires sensitivity to different global audiences and the ability to adapt communication artifacts to different audiences. In this module, students learn to navigate these complexities by engaging with real-life artifacts of professional communication across cultures through a blend of theory, reflection, and practice. Students are encouraged to contribute their own materials, promoting global perspectives and intercultural understanding.

Resourcefulness and Resilience: Reflecting on one's professional communication experiences, especially in unfamiliar formats, can challenge students¿ confidence and resilience. This module is designed to support personal growth by creating a supportive environment for experimentation and feedback. Through the module assessment, students are encouraged to reflect on their own experiences, manage challenges, and prepare for the demands of diverse global workplaces.

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2027/8 academic year.