University of Technology Sydney

57212 Professional Practice

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Communication: Strategic Communication
Credit points: 8 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 57213 Understanding and Engaging Audiences
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

Students design and undertake a project in an area of strategic communication. This involves the negotiation of a learning contract to identify the outcomes of such experience and to design a detailed program of activities to achieve these outcomes. Supervision is provided to assist students in identifying the capabilities they need to develop and to provide support and advice during their industry involvement. Students are assisted to reflect on their learning from experience in the workplace in the context of their chosen field of study.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

a. Identify goals, strategies and resources for project-based learning
b. Analyse incidents in the workplace or a project from an ethical perspective
c. Evaluate the development of professional skills
d. Reflect on internship and project experiences to isolate strategies for professional development
e. Demonstrate professional performance, conduct and attitudes in a working environment

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 a 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 and accountability (1.1)
  • Plan and execute a substantial body of research (2.1)
  • Critically and creatively re-think and reflect on public relations, advertising and organisational change models and practices for the 21st century beyond dominant models and 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 are able to continually reflect on and interrogate their cultural values and those of colleagues and organisations (3.2)
  • Graduates are able to persuade and engage 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

Teaching and learning occurs about a workplace based on a learning contract that is developed by the student in consultation with an academic supervisor. Students prepare for their project by attending seminars, workshops and undertaking preparatory readings. Workshops provide students with techniques to evaluate their professional skills and develop goals and strategies to apply to a learning contract and a resume. Critical reflection, professional ethics, and project management are discussed.

Students meet individually or line with their academic advisor to discuss progress on finding and completing an independent study project, and to resolve any problems that may arise.All subject and assessment documents are uploaded to the online UTS site. A final series of presentations from students with formative feedback from peers in-class on an ethical perspective aims to extend students to reflect on their practice and project and adapt to the environment in new ways. Students reflect on their experiences as part of their assessments.

Content (topics)

Students can take an industry project. All students attend a face to face workshop in Week 1 to provide an overview of the industry project. Students are shown how to develop a learning contract to guide the project. Then online zoom meetings as required.

  • The workshop materials prepare them to conduct a professional project. They include problem identification, SWOT or PESTLE, the case study method, secondary research, application of strategic communication frameworks and how to make recommendations for organisations.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Project Proposal

Objective(s):

a

Weight: 35%
Length:

1,500 words

To include a learning contract, resume and project proposal for the project students.

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Design of the project parameters 25 a 1.1
Insightfulness of professional skills audit and goal development 30 a 2.2
Appropriateness of strategies to achieve professional goals 25 a 2.1
Clarity of expression 20 a 6.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Report

Objective(s):

a, b, c, d and e

Weight: 65%
Length:

Critical reflection 800 words PLUS

Project/Internship students: a report of 2000 words

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Depth of reflection 20 a, b 3.2
Use of concepts from academic literature in critical reflection 30 a, b, e 2.3
Depth of analysis 20 b, c 2.2
Proficiency in disciplinary skills demonstrated in portfolio materials 30 a, d, e 6.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

In this subject assessment tasks are cumulative so that each task builds understanding and/or skills, informed by formative feedback. Consequently, all assessments must be submitted in order for you to receive feedback. Students who do not submit all assessments will not pass the subject.

Attendance at tutorials and guest lectures are essential in this subject. These classes are based on a collaborative approach that involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the tutor to build capacities towards meeting the subject learning objectives. A roll will be taken at each class (whether on campus or online). Students who have more than two absences from class will be refused marking of their final assessment (see Rule 3.8).

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Journals

Advertising Research

Communication Theory

Communication Yearbook

International Public Relations Review

Journal of Advertising

Journal of Communication

Human Communication Research

Journal of Public Relations Research

Media International Australia

Public Relations Quarterly

Public Relations Review

Total Communication Measurement