How do you ensure your ideas are heard? You need to know how to adjust how you communicate with different people at work to achieve your purpose. In this course, we learn how to engage and interact with people persuasively in business contexts. The course also enables you to analyse your communication reflectively, as an essential part of professional learning.
Effective communication is essential in the workplace. It builds understanding and coordinates action. It helps us to perform our roles respectfully and ethically as we interact with one another.
This course develops this crucial employability skill by enabling you to understand the role of communication in business and adapt your communication to these contexts with clarity and purpose. The course introduces you to the principles of business communication and how we use spoken and written language to achieve our goals in the workplace.
During this course, you also learn to communicate corporate social responsibility, focusing on human rights, Indigenous issues, environmental sustainability, and health and wellbeing. UQ Business School is a proud supporter and Advanced Signatory of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (UN PRME). The school emphasises its role in empowering students to drive societal transformation through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs highlight that a thriving economy relies on a healthy environment, aiming to balance economic growth, social well-being, and environmental protection for a sustainable future.
This is a practical course that develops a range of your communication skills.
The course will be delivered through:
A) A weekly live lecture and related online learning material (OLM) through Blackboard.
B) A weekly Tutorial.
C) Four structured independent study tasks that prepare you for your assessments.
NOTE: Check weekly announcements and the frequently asked questions (FAQs) section of the discussion board to see if your question has already been answered.
Please post any questions about this course to:
ﾠ
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
MGTS7602
Please use the course email address for all correspondence about this course: mgts7610@business.uq.edu.au
BUT for questions about your enrolment / tutorial allocation, please contact business.mytimetable@uq.edu.au
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Course staff do NOT have access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation.
Please do NOT write to the course email address or course staff about your enrolment.
If you need help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please email business.mytimetable@uq.edu.au from your UQ student email account with the following details:
This course aims to equip students to communicate effectively in the workplace as managers. Students will learn to write, speak and interact persuasively and with respect for stakeholders and
ethical practices, contributing to sustainable outcomes in management contexts.
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Adapt your message to a range of management contexts and audiences.
LO2.
Express your ideas with clarity and purpose.
LO3.
Pitch sustainable business proposals to relevant stakeholders.
LO4.
Engage a business audience using visual communication and presentation skills.
LO5.
Communicate respectfully and ethically with colleagues and customers.
LO6.
Evaluate communication critically and reflexively to improve understanding and collaboration.
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination |
In-semester Exam: Business Correspondence
|
30% |
In-semester Saturday 6/09/2025 - 20/09/2025 |
| Presentation, Reflection | Boardroom Presentation | 25% |
13/10/2025 2:00 pm |
| Examination |
Interactive oral assessment
|
30% |
10/11/2025 - 17/11/2025
Please submit your written proposal by Friday 8pm, 31st October. |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Essay/ Critique, Participation/ Student contribution |
Structured independent study (using RiPPLE)
|
15% |
Week 1 - Week 10
All tasks for this assessment item are due by 5:00pm at the end of indicated week. |
In-semester Saturday
6/09/2025 - 20/09/2025
In this assessment task, you will write a plan and write documents suited to different business situations (e.g. email, media release).
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - specified written materials permitted |
| Materials | One A4 sheet of handwritten notes, double sided, is permitted Unmarked paper dictionary (either bilingual or English only) |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
You may be able to defer this exam.
13/10/2025 2:00 pm
In this assessment task, you will create a 5-minute video presentation recommending a solution to a problem caused by businesses in a specific industry, and write a Critical Reflection on your video. Please see the Assignment Instructions posted on Blackboard for more detail.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
1. You MAY use Artificial Intelligence (AI) - including Grammarly, DEEPL, ChatGPT, etc. - when preparing this assignment.
2. BUT
3. IF YOU DON'T complete ALL of the steps (a) - (c) above, the maximum grade you can receive for this assignment will be 4/7.
4. Do NOT change the set question. Assignments that do not answer the set question(s) will receive a grade of zero (0) for the whole assignment.
1. You will submit this assessment via Turnitin (on Blackboard).
2. Before submitting your assignment, make sure you have:
3. IF YOU DON'T complete ALL of the steps (a) - (c) above, the maximum grade you can receive for this assignment will be 4/7.
You may be able to apply for an extension.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
10/11/2025 - 17/11/2025
Please submit your written proposal by Friday 8pm, 31st October.
The final assessment is an interactive oral assessment.
Course staff will guide you about the types of questions in the assessment BUT you will have to do your own independent study.
Please see the Assignment Instructions posted on Blackboard for more detail.
AI Statement:
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - specified written materials permitted |
| Materials | One unmarked, hard copy English or bilingual dictionary. |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
You may be able to defer this exam.
Week 1 - Week 10
All tasks for this assessment item are due by 5:00pm at the end of indicated week.
Task 1: Write a short critical comparison (due end of Week 2)
Task 2: Moderating students' comparisons (due end of Week 3)
Task 3: Write a short critical comparison (due end of Week 4)
Task 4: Moderating students' comparisons (due end of Week 5)
Task 5: Write a CSR resource (due end of Week 6)
Task 6: Moderating students' CSR resources (due end of Week 7)
Task 7: Write a boardroom briefing document (due end of Week 9)
Task 8: Moderating students' boardroom briefing document (due end of Week 10)
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Due to the nature of this assessment item, there will be no extensions available.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 46 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Grades will be allocated according to university-wide standards of criterion-based assessment.
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 |
Lecture |
Introduction to management communication · Introduction and course overview · What is management communication · The importance of business context and audience awareness Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 2 |
Lecture |
Engaging with internal stakeholders · Understanding workplace communication · Communicating effectively to coordinate action · How to communicate your message clearly Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
Introduction to management communication Giving an Acknowlegement of Country Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 3 |
Lecture |
Engaging with external stakeholders · Understanding external stakeholder expectations · Maintaining a good relationship with stakeholders · How to achieve a professional tone Ekka Show Day - Wednesday 13 August 2025 - Check Blackboard for announcements about affected classes. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
Engaging with internal stakeholders Making a demand for action (internal communication) Ekka Show Day - Wednesday 13 August 2025 - Check Blackboard for announcements about affected classes. |
|
Week 4 |
Lecture |
Corporate engagement through the media · Understanding corporate relationship with the media · Promoting business through news stories · How to reach stakeholders through media releases Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
Engaging with external stakeholders Giving a response to a demand (external communication) |
|
Week 5 |
Lecture |
Supervisory communication for managers · Understanding supervisory relationships · Managing with tact · How to manage difficult conversations at work Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
Corporate engagement through the media Writing a media release |
|
Week 6 |
Lecture |
Making a business case · Understanding business acumen · What is a business case · How to present a compelling proposal |
Tutorial |
Supervisory communication for managers Improving supervisory communication |
|
Week 7 |
Lecture |
Influential business pitching · Understanding your audience · What is an effective business pitch · How to use persuasive language |
Tutorial |
Making a business case Giving a solution pitch |
|
Week 8 |
Lecture |
Creating visual impact in business presentations · Understanding visual impact · Visualising your message · How to use visual aids effectively |
Tutorial |
Influential business pitching Giving a persuasive solution pitch |
|
Week 9 |
Lecture |
Effective delivery and body language in business presentations · Understanding charisma in presentations · What is an effective delivery · How to use your voice and body language |
Tutorial |
Creating visual impact in business presentations Giving a persuasive multimodal solution pitch |
|
Mid Sem break |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
In-Semester Break |
Week 10 |
Lecture |
Sustainability reporting in business · Understanding ethical communication for businesses · What is the role of annual reports in governance and public relations · How to communicate corporate social responsibility King's Birthday - Monday 6 October 2025 - Check Blackboard for announcements about affected classes. |
Tutorial |
Effective delivery and body language in business presentations Giving an effectively delviered, persuasive, multimodal solution pitch. King's Birthday - Monday 6 October 2025 - Check Blackboard for announcements about affected classes. |
|
Week 11 |
Lecture |
Maintaining public relations · Understanding the risks and opportunities in corporate apologia · What is an effective corporate apology · How to develop and maintain trust in your stakeholders Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
Sustainability reporting in business Writing a CEO statement for a CSR report |
|
Week 12 |
Lecture |
Crisis communication for businesses · Understanding the role of communication in crisis management · The importance of tone during a crisis and how to communicate sensitive topics · Evaluating and reflecting on your management communication Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
Maintaining public relations Writing a corporate apology |
|
Week 13 |
Lecture |
Course wrap up and assessment preparation · Review the course learning objectives · Ask questions about the final assessment · Arrange interview times |
Tutorial |
Crisis communication for businesses Writing a porposal |
Sustainable Development Goal
This course integrates the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) through course content and assessment.
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.