Course description
Course Description
The MA in Management and Professional Communication is designed and taught in collaboration with the Department of Accounting, Finance and Management, and draws on research and practice in both applied linguistics and management studies. Students will be introduced to a range of management theories while also being provided with a number of different approaches used to analyse workplace discourse and communication, such as conversational analysis and analysis of computer corpora.
Modules and Options
The lists of modules below represent the range of options available for each year of study. This may not be a complete list of the options you will study, and may be subject to change, so please contact the department for further details.
Stage 1
Compulsory: FOUNDATIONS OF INTERCULTURAL AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
Compulsory: MANAGEMENT IN ORGANISATIONS
Compulsory: MANAGEMENT PSYCHOLOGY
Compulsory: TOPICS IN PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
Core: DISSERTATION: MA
Teaching and Assessment Methods
A: Knowledge and Understanding
Learning Outcomes
A1 : familiarity with frameworks for describing and critically evaluating organisations and the process of management.
A2 : an understanding of key concepts in contemporary management theory and practice.
A3 : an understanding of the role of individuals in organisations.
A4 : in-depth knowledge of issues and approaches in the study of professional communication, taking account of intercultural contexts
A5 : familiarity with written and spoken genres of workplace communication and their link to management style
Teaching Methods
1-5 are taught initially through staff-led modules, using a variety of means of delivery (formal lecture, seminar, question-answer discussion session, , student oral reports, workshop). Staff feedback to students on coursework is a connected important feature enhancing learning. Learning is expected to be deepened through directed and independent self-access library study and use of web material both that put up by staff and that generally available on the internet.
Later, the dissertation research deepens understanding of 1-5 via a real integrated project supported by staff supervision and, where appropriate, group tutorials. At any time support is available in the form of advice from staff in their consulting hours, and staff replies to student email queries.
Assessment Methods
Initially 1-5 are assessed through a 3000-word written assignment (or equivalent) for each module. 1-5 are also assessed later in an integrative way when the student has to draw on this knowledge selectively for the dissertation
B: Intellectual/Cognitive Skills
Learning Outcomes
B1 : Critical skills needed to evaluate disparate sources of information, both academic (e.g. lectures, books) and experiential, and collate, select, and apply the information to a specific teaching issue or situation
B2 : An ability to integrate cross-disciplinary perspectives, specifically those originating in the distinct spheres of management and communication
B3 : Ability to formulate logical and coherent arguments
B4 : Ability to identify a research question or hypothesis, choose appropriate research methods, and interpret own and others' data and see the implications for a hypothesis or question
Teaching Methods
1-4 are fostered repeatedly by all the means of teaching/learning described in (A) above. 4 is given particular attention in the planning and execution of the work for the dissertation
Assessment Methods
1-4 are all assessed via 3000-word written assignments (or equivalent shorter pieces) of the literature review or argumentative type, and finally collectively in the dissertation research project.
C: Practical Skills
Learning Outcomes
C1 : Ability to seek and retrieve relevant information from a variety of sources (e.g. library, journals, WWW)
C2 : Ability to communicate lucidly in speech and writing about teaching and learning issues and own experience, in appropriate style
C3 : Practical skills in analysing aspects management, organisation and communication situations from a variety of perspectives
C4 : Ability to propose, plan, execute and write up an original, complete but limited study involving analysis of some aspect or aspects of communication in a workplace/professional setting, with due treatment of appropriate prior research and theory, generation of research aims, application of relevant methods (e.g. empirical data gathering) and management and presentation of the whole project with due attention to proper professional practice and ethics
Teaching Methods
1 is promoted by library staff guidance and by a departmental IT induction course, as well as being guided by staff teaching particular modules, and giving advice
2 is promoted by the oral and written tasks associated with the taught modules, and feedback on them, and by guidance in course booklet.
3 is dealt with by embedding practical data analysis tasks into specialist modules.
4 is promoted by supervision of the obligatory dissertation
1-4 are further supported by advice from staff in consultation hours or by email, and by web-based self-access material
Assessment Methods
1 and 2 are assessed indirectly via the written or oral assessments for the taught modules generally
3 is assessed specifically in the modules dedicated to them, by essay (or equivalent)
4 is assessed primarily via the dissertation, along with 1-3 again.
D: Key Skills
Learning Outcomes
D1 : a. Oral participation in group discussion and lectures b. Academic writing, both in the form of argumentative academic papers and research reports, in appropriate style c. Critical reading: researching and utilising information, including scanning, recognising opinion and bias, detecting relevant points, collating different sources.
D2 : Using advanced computational tools and software packages to obtain, store and process information stored in electronic form (e.g. from the Library, WWW or CD-rom), and (where appropriate) SPSS to analyse data and results
D3 : Basic skills in quantitative research
D4 : a. Analysis of tasks and identification of objectives b. Identification and use of relevant information sources c. Establishing main features of a complex problem d. Planning and selection of approach to reach a solution
D5 : Participation in pair/group class tasks (including organising and evaluating own and others' contributions)
D6 : a. Use of independent time management skills, initiative, and different approaches to working autonomously to meet assignment and dissertation targets b. Use of feedback and support from peers, lecturers and supervisor to meet targets and improve over the year
Teaching Methods
1 and 5 are promoted by many taught modules, and involve listening and note taking in lectures. They are also facilitated by feedback.
2 is promoted mainly by the practical tasks of the IT induction course, and any specific requirements associated with modules, as well as self access material on WWW. More generically, students will be expected to become familiar with basic PC management and the word processing of academic documents, internet searching, etc. in connection with their work for all modules. In working for their dissertations, students will also gain familiarity with electronic library and bibliographical databases.
3 is developed in connection with understanding the detailed outcomes of empirical studies in various modules.
4 and 6 are promoted via the assignments and dissertation which impose requirements for students to apply these skills
1 - 6 are all further practised for the dissertation, and aided when necessary by staff advice by email or consultation.
Assessment Methods
1- 6 are assessed integratively with other skills/knowledge in the module assessed work and the dissertation
