57209 Strategic Communication Project
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 16 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This capstone subject allows students to pursue further studies in their area of professional and/or scholarly interest in the field of strategic communication. They further develop their critical and analytical skills appropriate to working in consultancy and advanced management roles. Students reflect on and apply learning from all subjects in the course to a work-related project. They produce a major document that may be a strategic communication plan for an organisation or a campaign; a critical analysis of an existing communication strategy or campaign; an evaluation of a communication strategy or campaign; or a small original research project to inform a strategic communication campaign. The project should demonstrate evidence of original research as well as reflective and critical thinking.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| a. | Analyse theoretical concepts and professional practices in communication |
|---|---|
| b. | Design and conduct a project in an area of their professional and/or scholarly interest in strategic communication management |
| c. | Effectively produce and support recommendations for strategic communication |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:
- Apply an advanced body of practice-oriented knowledge and skills to develop, implement and evaluate innovative solutions to real-world communication challenges with a high level of personal autonomy, leadership and accountability (1.1)
- Plan, execute and utilise a substantial body of research for professional practice (2.1)
- Critically and creatively rethink and reflect on public relations, advertising and organisational change models and practices for the 21st century beyond dominant models and approaches and seek innovative approaches (2.2)
- Locate, gather, organise and synthesise information across diverse platforms to guide their mastery of contemporary communication issues and challenges (2.3)
- Graduates have high-level knowledge and skills to engage with diverse audiences through both written and oral communication strategies, across a range of media formats, with consideration of others' needs and views (6.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
The subject explores an experiential learning approach where students are immersed in a practical case study where they develop a conceptually informed report for a strategic communication campaign. Students interact with each other and with the subject coordinator, both within and outside formal class sessions. Individual consultations provide students with advice and feedback on developing and managing their strategic communication projects. Formative feedback will be provided in weeks 2 and 4 on the first assessment. In week 8, students receive formative feedback in class on assessment 2.
Content (topics)
Contemporary industry practice
Context of practice within the theory of strategic communication management
Project management
Advanced research techniques
Effective professional writing and presentation
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Situation Analysis Report
| Objective(s): | a, b and c | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 2,000 words | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Strategic Communication Research Design, Implementation, and Report
| Objective(s): | a, b and c | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 60% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 4000 words | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
Attendance
Attendance at classes is essential in this subject because it is based on a collaborative approach which involves workshopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the tutor. An attendance roll will be taken at each class. Where possible, students should advise the tutor in a timely manner if they are unable to attend. Students must attend a minimum of 9 of 11 classes, or a minimum equivalent of 80% of their contact hours (see additional information for additional details). Students who fail to meet this attendance requirement will, in the case of an individual final assessment task, be refused the marking of their final assessment; or, in the case of a group/team final assessment task, be penalised 20% of their earned overall mark for the subject.