Communicating Science at Work (SCIE90034)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
Overview
| Availability | Semester 1 |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
Being an effective communicator is essential to gaining employment and for ongoing career success. Technical skills matter, but to be a valued member of a workplace, you need to be able to communicate your ideas, analyses and conclusions effectively to a variety of stakeholders.
This subject will equip you with the written, oral and interpersonal communication skills required to survive and thrive in a scientific workplace. Through seminars and interactive workshops, you will be exposed to a wide range of communication elements, from how to craft the perfect email to working in culturally diverse settings.
You will be given regular opportunities to practise and develop your skills, give and receive feedback and work in a variety of group settings to improve your teamwork and interpersonal skills. Understanding your own communication preferences is another key aspect of this subject.
All assessment tasks in this subject are modelled around real-world activities you will encounter in the workplace and will enable you to develop your professional skills.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- apply the fundamentals of effective communication in written, oral and other forms;
- apply clear and effective communication practices with a variety of audiences in workplace settings;
- critically and professionally give and receive feedback in order to improve the effectiveness and impact of communication;
- explore and reflect on personal communication skills in order to identify individual strengths and areas for development;
- demonstrate awareness of, and ability to use, appropriate communication technology; and
- demonstrate how to work in diverse teams and to facilitate positive team outcomes.
Generic skills
Upon completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- communicate effectively in both written and oral forms;
- reflect on their own communication skills;
- identify skills required for successful teamwork;
- provide constructive feedback on the work of others; and
- plan work, use time effectively and meet deadlines.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCIE90013 | Communication for Research Scientists |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Attendance and participation during class including giving peer feedback 10%. To receive the full 10 marks, students must attend 80% of classes and participate in activities including speaking to the class, role plays and giving feedback to classmates. | Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
Written professional biography suitable for social media or CV
| Week 3 | 10% |
Written assignment communicating technical information to different audiences. Initial submission for peer review due week 5, final submission due week 8
| 1500 words (week 5) plus 400 words of peer review (week 8) | 25% |
Individual oral presentation (equivalent 1000 words)
| Between week 9 and 10 | 25% |
A digital folio produced as a group (3-4 students) comprising at least three different communication outputs required for an international project
| During the examination period | 30% |
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Jen Martin Coordinator Michael Wheeler Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total of 36 contact hours: two x 1-hour lectures and 1 x 1-hour tutorial per week Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 3 March 2025 to 1 June 2025 Last self-enrol date 14 March 2025 Census date 31 March 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 9 May 2025 Assessment period ends 27 June 2025 Semester 1 contact information
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Data Science Course Master of Biotechnology
Last updated: 4 March 2025