Communication Practice & Portfolio

Curriculum guideline

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Course
CMNS 4000
Discontinued
No
Course code
CMNS 4000
Descriptive
Communication Practice & Portfolio
Department
Communications
Faculty
Language, Literature & Performing Arts
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester length
15 weeks
Max class size
30
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Contact hours

Seminar: 28 hours per semester

Field experience: At least 100 supervised work hours

 

Method(s) of instruction
Seminar
Field Experience
Learning activities

Some or all of the following methods will be used:

  • supervised work experience
  • independent research or project
  • feedback (instructor, peer, employer) on student work
  • online and in-class discussion
  • presentations
  • guest speakers
  • event attendance
  • event participation
Course description
In this capstone course, students participate in a supervised professional experience and develop their final graduation portfolio (online and print). Students may work in a communication role for an employer or complete a communication project for a client. They produce a plan for generating contract work or securing a position as a professional communicator. They also complete a final project (group or individual) that demonstrates their skill as a professional communicator.
Course content

1. Business Skills for Professional Communicators

Students will

  • review professional readiness skills (networking, resumes, interviewing), as needed
  • identify methods of work delivery
  • review and draft proposals for communication jobs
  • review and draft communication-project contracts
  • estimate the cost of a communication project and prepare an invoice
  • learn how to set up a professional office
  • understand basic tax requirements for self-employed communication professionals
  • identify the features of a small business plan of particular importance for self-employed communication professionals

2. Professional Experience

Students will

  • meet with the program coordinator to discuss and clarify their professional goals
  • with the program coordinator, develop a set of learning objectives for the professional experience
  • obtain program approval for a suitable professional experience that relates to their studies in professional communication
  • perform the duties assigned by the workplace supervisor/client
  • demonstrate an ability to establish effective working relationships with coworkers, supervisors, clients, and/or other contractors
  • reflect on the professional experience through completing course assignments (short report, article, and oral presentation)

3.  Portfolio Preparation

Students will

  • finalize a job-search plan to help identify required elements in the professional portfolio
  • complete a final project (group or individual) that demonstrates their skill as a professional communicator
  • examine different styles of portfolio construction (different content and different formats)
  • construct and present a professional portfolio (online and print)
Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this course will

  1. demonstrate knowledge of current and emerging opportunities for professional communicators
  2. apply skills and strategies in a workplace or contractual position in which they are expected to perform as a professional communicator
  3. identify valuable professional experience to add to their resumes
  4. prepare and present a portfolio (online and print) of exemplary work
  5. demonstrate enhanced collaboration and teamwork skills
Means of assessment

Students are expected to be self-motivated and to demonstrate professionalism, which includes active participation, good attendance, punctuality, effective collaboration, ability to meet deadlines, presentation skills, and accurate self-evaluation.

Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation in the course as part of the student’s graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the Instructor Course Outline.

Students may conduct research as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsible for ensuring that student research projects comply with College policies on ethical conduct for research involving humans, which can require obtaining Informed Consent from participants and getting the approval of the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Research Ethics Board prior to conducting the research.

Assessment will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Evaluation Policy. An evaluation schedule is presented at the beginning of the course. This is a graded course.

Participation in a public event at the end of term may be required for portfolio presentation.

Example evaluation schedule:

Professional experience 30%
Final project (group or individual) 20%
Portfolio development and presentation 25%
Weekly journal entries 20%
Attendance/professionalism/participation 5%
Total 100%

 

 

 

Textbook materials

Students will be required to purchase and/or prepare materials for their final portfolio (for example, an internet domain name, suitable presentation folders, and collateral items such as business cards).

Prerequisites

Acceptance into the Post-Degree Diploma in Professional Communication

AND

Permission of the Professional Communication Program Coordinator

Corequisites

None

Which prerequisite

None