Writing for the Professions: Business and Social Sciences Course Descriptor

Course Summary

Writing professional, concise and persuasive prose is a critical component of a project manager’s toolkit. This course teaches writing frameworks and skills used in professional settings. Learners will practice and reflect on writing in professional, public, and academic genres as they plan, research, write, and analyse various forms of business communications such as business cases, proposals, recommendation reports, letters, presentations, and emails relevant to industry. Learners will evaluate a wide variety of sources and develop communication skills in audience analysis, critical research, peer review, and revision.

Course Aims

• Train learners in professional writing frameworks, including business plans.
• Train learners in human-centred writing: the art of writing customer/stakeholder focussed prose.
• Give learners the tools and confidence to write clearly and concisely, including reflection, revision and effective editing.

Learning Outcomes

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

Knowledge and Understanding

Subject Specific Skills

Transferable and Professional Skills

Teaching and Learning

This is an e-learning course, taught throughout the year. 

This course can be offered as a standalone short course.

Teaching and learning strategies for this course will include: 

• Online learning
• Online discussion groups
• Online assessment

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

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

The course learning and teaching hours will be structured as follows:

• Off-the-job learning and teaching (6 days x 7 hours) = 42 hours
• On-the-job learning (12 days x 7 hours) = 84 hours (e.g. 2 days per week for 6 weeks)
• Private study (4 hours per week) = 24 hours

Total = 150 hours

Workplace assignments (see below) will be completed as part of on-the-job learning.

Assessment

Formative

Learners will be formatively assessed during the course by means of set assignments. These will not count towards the final degree but will provide learners with developmental feedback. 

Summative

Feedback

Learners will receive formal feedback in a variety of ways: written (via email or VLE correspondence) and indirectly through online discussion groups. Learners will also attend a formal meeting with their Academic Mentor (and for apprentices, including their Line Manager). These bi or tri-partite reviews will monitor and evaluate the learner’s progress.  

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 learners; the indicative reading list provided below is used as part of the approval/modification process only.

Books 

Canavor, N. (2013). Business Writing For Dummies.  O’Reilly

Mizrahi, J. (2015). Writing for the Workplace : Business Communication for Professionals. New York, New Jersey : Business Expert Press

Graham, D., & Graham, J. (2009). Can Do Writing the Proven Ten-step System for Fast and Effective Business Writing. Hoboken, New Jersey : Wiley

Journals

Learners are encouraged to read material from relevant journals on writing for business as directed by their course leader.

Electronics Resources

Learners are encouraged to consult relevant websites on writing for business.

Indicative Topics

• Persuasive writing
• Writing frameworks
• Effective editing