LS3PCP: Professional Communication Project

Module code: LS3PCP

Module provider: English Language and Applied Linguistics; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Professor Sylvia Jaworska, email: s.jaworska@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: na

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 11 November 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to help students understand how to apply the knowledge and skills they have learned in their BA programme in English Language and Linguistics to the completion of a professional placement. Students may choose this module (plus an additional optional module) in lieu of LS3DI. Students will work with a placement provider (e.g. organisation, company, individual) and they will be supervised by an academic staff member. Possible placement roles include but are not limited to designing promotional material, websites, or newsletters for an organisation or company, engaging in social media marketing, planning and executing a public event, working as a research assistant on a project, or conducting research for a company or organisation. The module will enhance students’ potential employability by providing practical experience in the workplace and enabling insights into the relationship between the student’s academic studies and professional settings. It will also help students to cultivate confidence, a sense of responsibility, and effective communication skills. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Apply concepts from their study of language and linguistics to the domain of the workplace;  
2. Locate and assemble sources of information and other resources necessary for completing the project; 
3. Demonstrate ability to communicate effectively with the range of different kinds of people and organizations; 
4. Critically reflect on their experience, evaluating their performance., explaining how they solved problems, and articulating the ways in which they applied what they learned in their academic studies to the project.  

Module content

Identifying and approaching an organization; Impression management; Negotiation skills; Formulating an idea for a project; Writing a proposal; Pitching the proposal to an organisation; Workplace genres and communication skills; Workplace ethics; Project planning and time management; Critical reflection and evaluation.  

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Students will attend a compulsory, pre-placement briefing. After the selection of placement providers and successful completion of relevant paperwork, students will work with their supervisor and placement provider to complete the Proposal which sets the aims and objectives of the placement. This must be approved by the supervisor and the placement provider at the start of the placement. Academic supervision sessions (3 hours per term) will provide guidance on the conduct of the placement at all stages, paying particular attention to the effective and ethical implementations, problem-solving, and critical evaluation of outcomes. The placement should be minimum 75 hours and it can be done either as a block or spread out. On completion of the placement, students will write a reflective essay, in which they describe and critically evaluate what they have learned during their placements.

Study hours

At least 8 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs