Academic Handbook Course Descriptors and Programme Specifications

LCOMM4110 Introduction to Communication Studies Course Descriptor

Course Code	LCOMM4110	Discipline	Communication
UK Credit	15	US Credit	4
FHEQ Level	4	Date Approved	June 2022
Core attributes	Employing Ethical Reasoning (ER) Understanding Societies and Institutions (SI)
Pre-requisites	N/A
Co-requisites	N/A
Exclusions	Cannot be taken if successfully completed the Accelerator course ‘Introduction to Communication Studies’ or equivalent successor.

Course Overview

This course is an introduction to the fundamental components of the human communication process. The course will examine the basic concepts of human communication and interaction behaviour. It will also explore the meaning and importance of human communication, verbal and nonverbal communication, listening as well as relationships. This course provides an overview of many of the specialty areas within the communication studies discipline such as, but not limited to, organisations and small groups, interpersonal and intercultural relationships, media and technologies, and rhetoric.

Course Aims

To describe the complex nature of communication in various contexts.
To connect theoretical concepts of communication to real-life experience.
To introduce key terms used by communication researchers and practitioners.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding

K1a	Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the complexities of human communication processes in various contexts.
K2a	Demonstrate a thorough understanding of different approaches in the study of human communication.

Subject Specific Skills

S1a	Demonstrate communication skills in various settings.
S2a	Demonstrate a critical understanding of issues in mass media and new technology.

Transferable and Professional Skills

T1a	Demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information.
T2a	Display a developing technical proficiency of written English skills that demonstrates an ability to communicate clearly and accurately when producing structured and coherent pieces of text.
T3a	Demonstrate social responsibility to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning strategies for this course will include:

A minimum of 36 contact hours, typically to include interactive group teaching, co-curriculars, individual meetings, in-class presentations and exams.

Course information and supplementary materials are available on the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

Students will receive individualised developmental feedback on their work for this course.

Students are required to attend and participate in all the formal and timetabled sessions for this course. Students are also expected to manage their directed learning and independent study in support of the course.

Assessment

Formative

Students will be formatively assessed in class through class activities, and during office hours. Formative assessments are ones that do not count towards the final grade but will provide students with developmental feedback.

Summative

AE:	Assessment Activity	Weighting (%)	Online submission	Duration	Length
1	Oral/Presentation	20%	Yes	7 mins
2	Written Assignment 1	40%	Yes		1500 words
3	Written Assignment 2	40%	Yes		1500-2000 words

Further information on the structure of summative assessment elements can be found in the Summative Assessment Briefs.

Feedback

Students will receive feedback in a variety of ways: written (including via email correspondence); oral (within office hours or on an ad hoc basis) and indirectly through class discussion.

For summative assessments that contain no exams:

Feedback is provided on summative assessment and is made available to the student either via email, the VLE or another appropriate method.

Indicative Reading

Note: Comprehensive and current reading lists for courses are produced annually in the Course Syllabus or other documentation provided to students; the indicative reading list provided below is used as part of the approval/modification process only.

Books

Alberts, J. K., Nakayama, T. K., & Martin, J. N. (2019). Human Communication in Society, 5th edition. New York: Pearson.

Beauchamp, S. R., & Baran, S. J. (2019). Introduction to Human Communication: Perception, meaning, and identity. New York: Oxford University Press.

Journals

Carr, C. T., & Hayes, R. A. (2015). Social Media: Defining, Developing, and Divining. Atlantic Journal of Communication, 23 (1), pp. 46 65. DOI: 10.1080/15456870.2015.972282

Phutela, D. (2015). The Importance of Non-verbal Communication. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 9 (4), pp. 43-49.

Badea, M. (2014). Social Media and Organisational Communication. Procedia-Social and Behavioural Sciences, 149, pp. 70-75.

Electronic Resources

Indicative Topics

Human Communication Process
Effective Human Communication Skills
Communication Contexts

Version History

Title: LCOMM4110 Introduction to Communication Studies Course Descriptor Approved by: Academic Board Location: Academic Handbook/Programme Specifications and Handbooks/Mobility Courses
Version Number	Date Approved	Date Published	Owner	Proposed Next Review Date	Modification (As per AQF4) & Category Number
2.2	September 2023	September 2023	Dr Catherine Brown	June 2027	Category 1: Corrections/clarifications to documents which do not change approved content or learning outcomes.
2.1	February 2023	February 2023	Dr Catherine Brown	June 2027	Category 1: Corrections/clarifications to documents which do not change approved content or learning outcomes.
2.0	October 2022	January 2023	Dr Catherine Brown	June 2027	Category 1: Corrections/clarifications to documents which do not change approved content or learning outcomes. Category 3: Changes to Course Learning Outcome
1.0	June 2022	August 2022	Dr Peter Maber	June 2027